Sometimes seasoned musicians just know when they’ve found the right collaborative combination. It’s not an easy feat, but bands like Omotai don’t need to waste time figuring out the pieces to the puzzle – they’ve already come complete. The Texas trio formed in February 2010 in Houston; a city that is climbing the ranks in recognition as far as music is concerned.
How the members of Omotai met isn’t particularly unique. Like many other bands in the Houston area, Craigslist and the Hands Up Houston message board were involved in the creating-a-band process. What does set these guys (and righteous woman) apart is their instant connection – they just got it.
And if you’re wondering what it is, you need look no further than the music Sam, Melissa and Anthony have created with other local bands over the years. Sam played guitar in Kvalla, a metal band that took volume to a whole new level and most recently played with another local metal band - Subjugator. Melissa has lent her bass-playing prowess to a number of bands over the years, most recently with Houston favorite Sharks & Sailors.
They took that combined experience and their shared interest in creating music that resembled the melt-your-face-off variety and got right to work recording their first record, a 5-song EP entitled Peace through Fear. The songs epitomize the texture and sound of a well-done metal track. The execution is tight and the weight of each song is swift, heavy and indestructible.
Omotai is not for the faint of heart. The ideal Omotai listener is one who longs for the kind of music that inundates the senses to the point of excess, but is still left wanting more.
What others are saying:
"The trick with progressive tunes is to somehow maintain consistency, a continuous distinct “voice” even while the music itself winds through keys, tempos, instrumentation, etc. For instance, Rush always sounds like Rush, even with their diverse songs and sounds.
Most “progressive” fails because it’s too disjointed, too fragmented in its personality. One minute it sounds like one band, the next minute another, but never itself.
A musical repertoire is like someone’s vocabulary: someone who speaks in monosyllables can’t suddenly drop in a $50 word like pusillanimous* without jarring the hell out of the conversation. Follow me?
Also, tracks tend to run too long, and the usually highlight the difficulty of maintaining a consistent voice over the space of a 10-minute song.
Omotai seem to have learned both these lessons: their songs are relatively short, around two minutes, and though they’re not as eclectic as say, Thought Industry, they maintain a consistent sound throughout, while also occasionally letting it evolve and mature.
Summed up? Somewhat progressive grindcore. Heavy, yet agile and graceful.
Not revolutionary, but worth a listen, and a band worth watching.-The Soda Shop
MySpace|Bandcamp
I heard their CD some time ago and enjoyed it. Progressive rock isn't always my thing, but they kept it interesting.
ReplyDelete