All Ears: Omotai - Peace Through Fear

By Marc Brubaker on Jul 9, 2010

omotai-ptf.jpg Houston's no stranger to shred-heavy metal bands - we come across so many that sometimes it feels like a new one is spawned each week. Not all of them are impressive riff masters, though Golden Axe, Cavernous, Ghost Town Electric and Scale The Summit all fall into that category. Newcomers Omotai can now be added to that list, debuting their capable chops on their inaugural EP, Peace Through Fear.

The collection of five songs clocks in at a modest 12 minutes and 16 seconds, but be not mistaken - every moment of it is filled with thundering drums, ripping guitar work, and a low end that would make Geddy Lee need to change his underwear. The EP moves at tremendous pace, crushing song into song, and before the listener is ready, ends abruptly.

Omotai wastes little time on Peace Through Fear, which with each listen reminds us more and more of a condensed version of Mastodon. The vocals, when they are present, and the ever-present movement of the songs are to blame for this. If Atlanta's current reigning champions of metal were stuck in a compactor à la Star Wars, Omotai would emerge on the other end, ready to crush out track after track of bruisers.

Anthony Vallejo's drumming on this album puts some of the greats to shame - a fairly recent transplant to Houston, he's got to be one of the best in town behind a kit. Melissa Lonchambon, whom you may know from Sharks & Sailors, is arguably among the top bassists, and Samuel Waters is certainly no slouch on the guitar, either [although it gets a bit more difficult to pick given all the stunners we've got here in Houston]. The sad fact, however, is that none of these deserving bandmates are nominated for best of their respective instruments in this year's Houston Press Music Awards.

If we've a complaint about this release, it's the length - after listening to it dozens of times, we're still suprised when it stops. Hopefully this is merely the beginning chapter in a long history of releases for the fledgling three piece.

Omotai plays at The Hot Dog Shop [6405 Brittmoore Road] Notsuoh on Saturday night. The show starts at 8 pm and will cost you $5 if you're of drinking age [$7 if you are not]. Other bands on the bill are Giant Battle Monster, Lions of Tsavo, Inter Arma, Bastard Sapling and Baring Teeth. Peace Through Fear will be officially released on Tuesday, July 13th, but we're pretty sure you can snag a copy at the show.
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