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.".
Pass The Axe
Dark Lotus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A tale of an instrument of death
Watch us as we pass the axe.
Blaze:
I took the axe off the shelf in the tool shed
It's telling me I gotta fuckin bloody the misled
My victim approached
She was a hooker with AIDS
Spreading disease like it was dope
Cut the head off her pimp
Before he started to trash talk
Two bodies in my trunk and police on a manhunt
I'm on the noose again
They chasing me for blocks
Seen a homie on the street
So I passed the axe to Madrox
Madrox:
I took the axe
What the fuck am I supposed to do with that?
It's all bloody
And it looks like its been in and out of someone's back
Grips on the handle, blood dripping down the neck
So I grabbed that bitch like *laugh* back
Who wanna get halfed up by the half with
Who got a gang of problems
And don't give half a shit, bitch
You can fall victim to the double headed furry
Don't be scared, be worried, man.
Chorus:
Pass it, something sharp and wicked
And I'll pass it back
Don't worry I'll pass it back.
It's raining, the rain is dark and wicked
And I'll pass it back
Don't worry I'll pass it back.
ABK:
I took the axe back to the shed where I stay
Cleaned off the blood and then sharpened up the blade
Waited 'til dark and then ran through the hood
And chopped up drunk bums like they're blocks of wood
I can't see myself stopping and if I do then I'm dead
And the only way I'm dying is if I sever my own head
Grip on the tip, so my nub won't slip
And I'm about to fuckin' pass it to the hands of 2 Dope bitch
Shaggy:
I took your axe and swang it through like butter
When I cut back you better run, duck, and cover.
You know your jugular well, it's gone
I blacked out last night and realized in the morning
Gotta dig another hole in the backyard
Run get me a shovel, it ain't that hard
And understand that I got a hairpin trigger wrist
When I squeeze it off, haha, you get the gist.
Chorus:
Pass it, something sharp and wicked
And I'll pass it back
Don't worry I'll pass it back.
It's raining, the rain is dark and wicked
And I'll pass it back
Don't worry I'll pass it back.
Violent J:
I took the axe
Perhaps I had a relapse
I seen a pretty pretty neck
And I couldn't relax
I cut through it
I throw knives with precision
But it's noting like the feeling
Of committing the incision
Flip it over, a radio program
I pound his head into a bloody pizza
With the hammer
Threw it into the sky and let it stick in my back
And passed out at Monoxide's front porch like that.
Monoxide:
I took the axe and lost my fucking mind
On this cop who pulled up behind me
I handcuffed him on the side of the street
And started smacking em with it like I was making a beat
Oh God!
Another cop pulled up
So I grabbed the same axe and planted it in his forehead
Two more dead, bloody and dismembered
Now it's back in the shed and that's all I remember.
Chorus:
Pass it, something sharp and wicked
And I'll pass it back
Don't worry I'll pass it back.
It's raining, the rain is dark and wicked
And I'll pass it back
Don't worry I'll pass it back.
The axe that splits so many backs
Its back to the tool shed to relax
Peep that
So many failed with no tale to tell.
And it's only remembered be the stain they left
On the axe.
The song "Pass the Axe" by Dark Lotus is a graphic and gruesome depiction of murder and violence. The lyrics describe a group of individuals passing around an axe and using it to commit various heinous acts. Each verse tells a different story, as each member of the group takes possession of the axe and goes on their own killing spree. They each revel in the power they feel while holding the tool of death in their hands. The chorus repeats the phrase "pass it back" as if it's a game to be played, and the ending suggests that the axe's legacy is solely the blood stains it leaves behind.
The song is notable for its horrorcore rap style and its extreme violent imagery. It showcases the darker side of human nature and the thrill some people get from committing atrocities. It's a commentary on the decadence of society and the general disinterest in human life. Despite the controversial subject matter, the song has gained a notorious following among underground rap fans.
Line by Line Meaning
I took the axe off the shelf in the tool shed
Blaze picks up an axe from the tool shed and feels an urge to use it for killing.
My victim approached
Blaze is approached by his victim and decides to cut her head off at the throat.
Cut the head off her pimp
Blaze also kills the pimp and keeps their bodies in the trunk of his car.
So I passed the axe to Madrox
Blaze, who is being chased by the police, gives the bloody axe to Madrox to avoid getting caught.
I took the axe
Madrox takes the bloody axe from Blaze and wonders what to do with it.
Who wanna get halfed up by the half with
Madrox is looking for someone to use the axe on and invites anyone who wants to be split in half to come forward.
I took the axe back to the shed where I stay
ABK takes the axe back to the shed, cleans off the blood and sharpens the blade for his own use.
Chopped up drunk bums like they're blocks of wood
ABK takes the axe and goes on a killing spree, brutally murdering drunk people in the neighborhood.
I took your axe and swang it through like butter
Shaggy takes the axe and uses it to easily cut through someone's jugular.
When I squeeze it off, haha, you get the gist.
Shaggy is confident in his ability to accurately use the axe and kill others.
I seen a pretty pretty neck
Violent J sees a woman's neck and becomes obsessed with the idea of cutting it open.
I cut through it
Violent J cuts through the woman's neck and is proud of his precision while doing so.
I took the axe and lost my fucking mind
Monoxide takes the axe and becomes overcome with violent, murderous thoughts.
So I grabbed the same axe and planted it in his forehead
Monoxide kills two cops with the same axe and has no memory of what happened afterwards.
The axe that splits so many backs
The axe has been used to kill many people and has caused a lot of pain and suffering.
Peep that
Take notice of the destruction caused by the axe.
And it's only remembered be the stain they left
The only thing left to remember the victims is the bloodstain left on the axe.
Contributed by Matthew E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.