Upon release date, the multi-talented artist Shamaya Otep declared that this album was the return in her darkest inner self. “Atavist”, the fifth studio album of Otep, reminded me of the early Otep. Νu-metal with poetry or “artcore” as Shamaya Otep characterizes the band’s style.
Each Otep album is a different album, a different story waiting to be told and for “Atavist” there are no good reviews. Otep style cannot be distinctively categorized. In my point of view Otep’s project “Atavist” is a unique story described in such paranoia, cruelty and at the same time authenticity. Lyrically and musically Otep tempt the mood of the audience. This album is a combination of brutal, dark lyrics with Shamaya’s extreme vocals and the riffed melodies. So, solely based on your mood you’ll either love this album or hate it.
Among the tracks there are two poems, spoken without melody, “Baby’s Breath” και “Bible Belt”. The first, which lasts 7mins and 14secs, is poem-description of a woman’s murder (with a hammer) where Shamaya describes in first person how the killer feels…
Listening to this album over and over again I felt like I found the missing parts of a puzzle, the missing clues hidden between the tracks… Another great story by Otep. Enjoy it!
