by Reggie Edwards
I never thought I’d see the day where Otep releases her final studio album, but that day has come.
Hydra, her sixth studio record, is slated for release on January 22, 2013 and, let me tell you, The Tribe will not be disappointed in the slightest with this release.
The Tribe is the name given to Otep’s fanbase and rightly so. The Tribe has grown and grown over the years and it’s hard to find a fanbase as supportive and family-like as The Tribe.
Hydra is classic Otep but also couldn’t be more different from past Otep releases.
Otep’s studio records are notorious for being ultra-hardcore, heavy and adrenaline-fueling. Otep’s screams and growls are unmistakable and that’s one thing that’s made her so distinctive.
Hydra sees Otep take a different approach to the music but still stay true to who she is as an artist. With
Hydra the instrumentals and musical side are slower than we’ve seen from Otep and she screams a lot less, which surprised me.
What is so captivating about
Hydra, though, is that even though it’s slower, it may be one of the most powerful albums Otep has done yet. Not to mention it’s a very complex concept album.
However, one thing Otep does best is writing. She’s always been very poetic, artistic and lyrically-beautiful and
Hydra is no exception. In fact, Otep steps up her poetic and artistic game on
Hydra. A lot of the record has a poetry-reading feel, which is awesome.
Songs like “Voyeur,” “Hematopia” and others are a prime example.
In a nutshell,
Hydra is a poetic, artistic, beautiful metal masterpiece that caps an amazing career. This is some of Otep’s best work and I can’t think of a better way for her to go out.