Dark Lotus made its debut with the single "Echo Side", which was later released on Insane Clown Posse's 1999 album The Amazing Jeckel Brothers. It was later announced that each member "would act as a 'petal' of the lotus," and that there would be six members. After speculation as to who the sixth member would be, including rumors that Esham would join the group, it was announced that Marz would be a member.
Dark Lotus released their first album, Tales from the Lotus Pod, in 2001. Mike E. Clark was brought in to produce the album, but left the project after producing four songs, and Fritz the Cat produced the rest of the album. The album peaked at #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart, #6 on the Top Independent Albums chart, and #158 on the Billboard 200. Marz left the group, and was replaced by James Lowery. In 2002, Tales from the Lotus Pod was reissued in a new version removing Marz' vocals. On April 6, 2004, Dark Lotus released their second studio album, Black Rain. It peaked at #3 on the Top Independent Albums chart, and at #71 on the Billboard 200.
Lowery left the group, and a third album, The Opaque Brotherhood, was released without him. It peaked at #4 on the Top Independent Albums chart, #23 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, #45 on the Top Internet Albums chart, and #45 on the Billboard 200.[4] Allrovi reviewer Stewart Mason praised the album, writing "Nothing on The Opaque Brotherhood will convince anyone who isn't already a fan, but the tormented lyrics and matter-of-fact delivery remove a layer or two of distance and artifice from the band's familiar themes, and make them that much more disturbing as a result.".
Opaque Brotherhood
Dark Lotus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Last of a dyin breed, soil of the Earth
Policed and been hated by the Church since birth
Bent and forgotten was the Prophet in the Prophecy
The Opaque Brotherhood they label it hypocrisy
Like a lost practice of the guilty crimes
Drinkin from the blood so they think it won't survive
But the Call the Brotherhood Opaque is too strong
[Shaggy 2 Dope:]
Look once you see a flash like a shadow
Make a double take your wife gets left a widow
Dark Lotus kinda like a boxer's fist
Five of us packed together, covered up and ready to hit
We turn bodies to souls, souls to blackness
The Devil's most cleverest trick is to make you think you don't exist
We Opaque, translucent and eternal Brotherhood
A secret society buried deep up in the woods
[Jamie Madrox:]
Opacity basically means that you're dead
See the Brotherhood of Five Elements we get deadly
Behead me
Throw it at your Devil call it wicked
Knee deep in the cloudy water see a Lotus never pick it
Conflicted by thoughts of life and death and in between
If you're true psycho skitso then you're knowin what I mean
As we marchin in concession down the long and windy path
Skeleton hand for a compass, dead skin for a map
[Violent J:]
Even on a sunshiny day, I'm grimy
I can't find my way, untie me
I don't mind the hate, it reminds me
I'm of time and space
Five nomads (five)
Followers of no fads
Lotus stem rises up above the pedals of grass
Which was once over towering
Now we overpowering
Planting our seeds for whatever tomorrow brings
[Monoxide Child:]
I'm separated and laughed at from most kinds
I stood firm on my own two and passed by
My middle finger in the air because I'm that guy
Who don't give a fuck to watch each and every one of y'all, die
Now put that signal in the sky and let em that I'm a Lotus
And Brotherhood is the life and if we growin keep the fuckers stronger
And we're gonna get it
No longer can we forget on that path where the wicked shift
[Chorus:]
Opaque, black light haunted by the flash
The Lotus grows where the roses pass
No light, no dark, no bad, no good
You can't see through the Opaque Brotherhood
Opaque, black light haunted by the flash
The Lotus grows where the roses pass
No light, no dark, no bad, no good
You can't see through the Opaque Brotherhood
Opaque, black light haunted by the flash
The Lotus grows where the roses pass
No light, no dark, no bad, no good
You can't see through the Opaque Brotherhood
Opaque, black light haunted by the flash
The Lotus grows where the roses pass
No light, no dark, no bad, no good
You can't see through the Opaque Brotherhood
Opaque, black light haunted by the flash
The Lotus grows where the roses pass
No light, no dark, no bad, no good
You can't see through the Opaque Brotherhood
The song Opaque Brotherhood by Dark Lotus is a powerful and potentially controversial commentary on secret societies and the suppression of knowledge. The lyrics describe the Brotherhood as a group of five individuals who have been ostracized and persecuted by the Church since birth. Despite being labeled as hypocrites, the Brotherhood remains strong and committed to their cause. They are described as a secret society buried deep in the woods, opaque and translucent, and eternal.
The lyrics touch on themes of death, mysticism, and the struggle between light and dark. The imagery is vivid and often disturbing, such as when Jamie Madrox describes the Brotherhood as "beheading" and being "knee-deep in cloudy water." Violent J's verse speaks to a sense of isolation and a rejection of societal norms, while Monoxide Child's verse is more confrontational, and even violent.
Overall, the song is a powerful reflection on the need for secret knowledge, and the lengths to which individuals will go in order to obtain that knowledge. The lyrics are dense and rich with symbolism, making them ripe for interpretation and analysis.
Line by Line Meaning
Last of a dyin breed, soil of the Earth
We are the last few members of our kind, rooted in the ground like the very earth itself.
Policed and been hated by the Church since birth
We have been relentlessly pursued and despised by the religious authority from our very beginning.
Bent and forgotten was the Prophet in the Prophecy
The foretold messenger was misunderstood and neglected.
The Opaque Brotherhood they label it hypocrisy
Our group is denounced and called insincere by those who do not understand its true nature.
Like a lost practice of the guilty crimes
We are treated like a forbidden activity even though we are innocent.
Drinkin from the blood so they think it won't survive
They believe that they can destroy us by cutting off our supposed source of power.
But the Call the Brotherhood Opaque is too strong
The name Opaque Brotherhood is too entrenched and influential to be overcome by slander.
Time to write another chapter, we've been gone far too long
It is time for us to continue our legacy since we have been absent for too long.
Look once you see a flash like a shadow
We move so quickly and discreetly that we can be mistaken for shadows.
Make a double take your wife gets left a widow
We can be deadly if our movements unsettle you too much.
Dark Lotus kinda like a boxer's fist
We pack a powerful punch like a skilled fighter.
Five of us packed together, covered up and ready to hit
Our group is small, tightly-knit, and prepared for anything.
We turn bodies to souls, souls to blackness
We have the power to transform living beings into something more ethereal and profound.
The Devil's most cleverest trick is to make you think you don't exist
The Devil's most cunning scheme is to influence your mindset to convince you that you are powerless.
We Opaque, translucent and eternal Brotherhood
Our Brotherhood is both enigmatic and enduring, with a unique sense of translucency.
A secret society buried deep up in the woods
Our clandestine group is hidden and deeply entrenched in the forest.
Opacity basically means that you're dead
Opacity is synonymous with death in some sense.
See the Brotherhood of Five Elements we get deadly
Our mysterious Brotherhood has become quite dangerous and fearsome.
Behead me
It is possible for me to be killed.
Throw it at your Devil call it wicked
We can be misconstrued and criticized as something evil.
Knee deep in the cloudy water see a Lotus never pick it
The Lotus is an elusive flower, and therefore should not be tampered with.
Conflicted by thoughts of life and death and in between
We are often torn between matters of life, death, and the space between them.
If you're true psycho skitso then you're knowin what I mean
Those who share our mindset can understand our innermost thoughts and feelings.
As we marchin in concession down the long and windy path
We are making our way along a path that is treacherous and challenging.
Skeleton hand for a compass, dead skin for a map
Our journey is guided by unconventional means, such as a corpse's hand and skin as our tools.
Even on a sunshiny day, I'm grimy
Even in the most optimistic of circumstances, there is an element of darkness within me.
I can't find my way, untie me
I am unable to navigate through life without assistance.
I don't mind the hate, it reminds me
Criticism and animosity serve to reinforce and remind me of my mission.
I'm of time and space
I am bound by the same limitations and constraints as all other beings in existence.
Five nomads (five)
Our group consists of five wandering individuals with no place to call home.
Followers of no fads
We do not adhere to any particular trend or fashion.
Lotus stem rises up above the pedals of grass
Our mysterious lotus rises above the commonplace beauty of the surrounding natural world.
Which was once over towering
We were once viewed as inferior to nature's grandeur but have now surpassed it.
Now we overpowering
We have gained immense strength and influence.
Planting our seeds for whatever tomorrow brings
We are preparing for an unpredictable future by establishing a foundation and continuing to evolve.
I'm separated and laughed at from most kinds
I am often ostracized and ridiculed by those who do not understand me.
I stood firm on my own two and passed by
I remained resolute and moved on despite those who were cruel to me.
My middle finger in the air because I'm that guy
I am a defiant and rebellious individual who does not conform to societal norms.
Who don't give a fuck to watch each and every one of y'all, die
I am indifferent to the death of others since they are not part of my Brotherhood.
Now put that signal in the sky and let em that I'm a Lotus
We proudly identify as part of the mysterious Lotus group and wish to make it known to the world.
And Brotherhood is the life and if we growin keep the fuckers stronger
Our Brotherhood is our livelihood and we will do what is necessary to ensure its continued growth and prosperity.
No longer can we forget on that path where the wicked shift
We must remain vigilant as we tread the dangerous path which veers towards evil.
You can't see through the Opaque Brotherhood
Our Brotherhood remains mysterious and inscrutable to outsiders despite their best efforts to understand it.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind