House of Secrets

by

Otep

Edit

I've been a die-hard Otep fan since the day I picked up the jihad ep and so I was right in line to pick up "House of Secrets". I've got to admit it, I was a little dissappointed the first few times through it.

I put it down for a while and then a week or so later, I picked it up again and started listening to it. It still is a classic like the other Otep releases, it just comes from a different place.

The first ep and album came from a dark place in the past and talked about raging against these haunting demons from the past, and with her superb talent, the releases were filled with just that. This album is more about stopping demons that could come about. It's political in some ways, as I'm sure you heard.

It is a hell of alot heavier than the other releases, the vocals are not rap-influenced poetry anymore, they are screams, bellows, and other sounds like a normal metal band. This record is alot more straight ahead metal than the others.

Joey Jordison from Slipknot did the drum tracking for most of the album, so it can be pretty intense. Filled with angry, ferocious songs that should keep people talking about Otep until the next record.

If you love Otep, you'll love this one too. If you don't like Otep (I don't know why anyone wouldn't)this is a huge difference from their other stuff, so you owe it to yourself to check it out.

Back in 2002 at the Ozzfest, after eating and getting yet another beer during the late morning, I heard some serious death metal coming from the second stage. So, my nephew and i (yeah, I'm the old man of 34 who still likes to hacky sack at a show when possible, even if i am told "not bad for an old-timer") went to check it out, and as we got closer, it was a female singer with a bunch of evil looking dudes, belting out "My Confession". I have been hooked ever since, purchasing both "sevas tra" and "jihad". Otep just flat out rocks! In a time when a lot of women are all bubble gum, it is great to see an angry woman with some serious issues just totally tear it up! House Of Secrets is one fine album, a lot more artistic than Sevas Tra, which makes it seem like something is missing. Maybe it's just the ups and downs and how it is all over the place, but i guess a dentists' drill is not always the answer! "Warhead" is one of the best protest songs of the year, second to Ministry's whole new album, and "Buried Alive" just gives me the chills. It was great to catch Otep at the 2004 Ozzfest, too bad they have not been promoted to the main stage, so Otep could have kicked Phil Anselmo's (x-pantera, superjoint "i suck" ritual) a#$, but the second stage show of four tunes (blood pig, hooks and splinters, my confession, warhead) was very intense. This disc is definitely one to be purchased, but it is not the sophmore break through album. third disc should be a charm!