OTEP - Hydra [Review]
Release date: January 22, 2013
Genre: Nu Metal
Label: Victory Records
Website: www.facebook.com/otepofficial
Rating: 6/10
Reviewer: Moe Ezz
Female fronted Nu metallers, Otep, return with their final studio effort titled "Hydra."
Hydra offers listeners with the darkest and most graphic Otep release to date.
The album's theme centers around a woman's battle with personal demons and revenge against her enemies. The song Voyeur for example is about a sadistic maniac that tortures animals on webcam; so Otep decides to torture the sadist to death on webcam. Very reminiscent of something you'd see on Dexter.
Otep is known for her dark lyrics strongly rooted in poetry and with Hydra she continues to explore more graphic themes.
Shamaya has even confirmed that shows like American Horror Story were definitely at the back of her head during writing for Hydra.
The album opens with the drone-like-rumbling intro, Rising, that slowly builds up the mood for the album. Rising paves way to the first track on the album titled Blowtorch Nightmare; a classic Otep screamer that manages to keep the album's pace going.
The most noteworthy track on the album would have to be Hag which follows the very slow paced, piano led, Livestock. During my first listen to the album, as I was doing some work online with my headphones on; the song completely caught me off guard with it's opening. I have to say that I was impressed by Hag as it's probably one of the heaviest Otep tracks I've ever heard.
The song itself is a frenzy of fast picking and maniacal screams, and you can really tell Shamaya must have screamed her lungs dry during the recording.
In an overall deal, "Hydra" is Otep's most tight record to date, with Ms. Shamaya's voice sounding as guttural and sinister as ever before. The album will surely please her tribe of fans.
For listeners that were not into Otep before, chances of Hydra changing their mind are not high, as the album follows the Nu-metal blueprint that the band has come to be known for, with a few explorative exceptions. Whether you will enjoy the record or not. There is no doubt that Shamaya and the band have put their heart and soul into this effort.
Recommended tracks: Blowtorch Nightlight, Feral Game, Hag
Genre: Nu Metal
Label: Victory Records
Website: www.facebook.com/otepofficial
Rating: 6/10
Reviewer: Moe Ezz
Female fronted Nu metallers, Otep, return with their final studio effort titled "Hydra."Hydra offers listeners with the darkest and most graphic Otep release to date.
The album's theme centers around a woman's battle with personal demons and revenge against her enemies. The song Voyeur for example is about a sadistic maniac that tortures animals on webcam; so Otep decides to torture the sadist to death on webcam. Very reminiscent of something you'd see on Dexter.
Otep is known for her dark lyrics strongly rooted in poetry and with Hydra she continues to explore more graphic themes.
Shamaya has even confirmed that shows like American Horror Story were definitely at the back of her head during writing for Hydra.
The album opens with the drone-like-rumbling intro, Rising, that slowly builds up the mood for the album. Rising paves way to the first track on the album titled Blowtorch Nightmare; a classic Otep screamer that manages to keep the album's pace going.
The most noteworthy track on the album would have to be Hag which follows the very slow paced, piano led, Livestock. During my first listen to the album, as I was doing some work online with my headphones on; the song completely caught me off guard with it's opening. I have to say that I was impressed by Hag as it's probably one of the heaviest Otep tracks I've ever heard.
The song itself is a frenzy of fast picking and maniacal screams, and you can really tell Shamaya must have screamed her lungs dry during the recording.
In an overall deal, "Hydra" is Otep's most tight record to date, with Ms. Shamaya's voice sounding as guttural and sinister as ever before. The album will surely please her tribe of fans.
For listeners that were not into Otep before, chances of Hydra changing their mind are not high, as the album follows the Nu-metal blueprint that the band has come to be known for, with a few explorative exceptions. Whether you will enjoy the record or not. There is no doubt that Shamaya and the band have put their heart and soul into this effort.
Recommended tracks: Blowtorch Nightlight, Feral Game, Hag
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