By Vinnie Apicella

Catchy name isn't it? Imagine if the state government actually decided to change the spelling to match the band… one that brought with them such a large degree of rock and roll and tourism so that the state became so rich and prosperous… okay, bad idea. Neither is likely to happen anytime soon. "Lotus" is the culmination of unused material that's been clung to since maybe four or five years ago, finally thrown together, mixed in with a few recent tracks and thus the hybrid of 70's rock meets 90's grind. A heavy blast of feedback becomes the first draw to these guys, as the throwback sounds of driving jam rock first introduced by yesterday's stoners and today's retro-fitted groups like Fu Manchu and Cathedral crawl slowly to the surface. Interestingly, and perhaps significantly, Mrs. Hippie features the vocal talents of one Joacim Cans, better known to metal fans as singer for the latest Swedish deities Hammerfall. This fact alone not only presents Mrs. Hippie with instant recognition-not to suggest they'd fall flat musically, but they're not really doing anything different than many of the rest-but also enhances the consistency of the rumble and thud that marks tunes like "Lies," and "Going Home" with an unusual flair for melody synonymous with a vocalist of his caliber. In fact, this is going to surprise a lot of listeners and will provide a more than suitable alternative listening experience for fans of stoner rock and/or Hammerfall. "Voices in my Mind" sounds like classic Bruce Dickinson material, circa "Accident" or "Chemical…" and plods along freely with a continuous guitar grind and harmonically structured chorus. Get an earful of their take on the Kiss classic "I Want You" which closes the set, was first found on an earlier tribute album and sounds like a cloudy and crude version of the original. Mrs. Hippie is like a ground in stain in the fabric of rock and roll… gritty, edgy and unclear, it's almost like listening to those early Fates Warning productions-sorry to rehash that for those who've been long content to block 'em out-with the more modern distortion of the likes of Orange Goblin or Sheavy… altogether an interesting psychedelic trip through three decades as divergent styles clash to break previous tensions for the creation of "Lotus."

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