Artist of the Week: OTEP

Who Are They?

OTEP is a four piece metal band fronted by Otep Shamaya. They got their break when Sharon Osbourne was so impressed by their live performance she gave them a spot during Ozzfest without a demo tape or a label backing them. Since then it’s been all uphill for Otep who have since released four full length albums, each charting higher than the last. Currently they are working on their new album "ATAVIST" which will be released later this year.

"Ghost Flowers"

Style

OTEP’s style, on the surface, has been one of the easiest to pinpoint so far. Essentially they slide back and forth between nu metal and heavy metal but at the same time it’s much deeper than that. Their lyrics are extremely personal for Shamaya, as most of the songs come directly from her original poetry, often about pain, rage, and subversion. Shamaya’s strong lyrics coupled with an extremely talented band makes for a powerful experience.

"Blood Pigs"

Why You Should Be Listening

If my glowing review so far hasn’t convinced you, OTEP is one of the best metal bands you may have never heard of. OTEP is not just an incredible band, they have one thing that a lot of other bands don’t: consistency. The fact is by the time most bands hit their fourth album, they have at least one that is just, horrible. OTEP’s sound manages to evolve in all the right ways and stay true to themselves while keeping the sound fresh at the same time. What’s more is they have a habit of bringing in great session artists, people like Koichi Fukada of Static-X, Emilie Autumn, Joey Jordison, aka #1 of Slipknot, and the legendary Greg wells have all been featured on one of OTEP's albums

"T.R.I.C."

Final Thoughts

OTEP’s growth seems to be unstoppable at this point. What “ATAVIST” will bring us is yet to be seen, but I have no doubt it will be impressive. Their most recent album, titled “Smash The Control Machine” showed off their incredible range and depth, the violin (played by Emilie Autumn) and piano (played by Koichi Fukada) led “Ur A WMN Now” shows a more fragile side of Shamaya, while tracks like “T.R.I.C.” remind you that she could still smash your face in given the chance. They are easy to find in most music stores, and on itunes. If you have to only buy one album, I’d recomend “The Ascension” or “Smash The Control Machine”. Whatever you do, at least check out this amazing band, you will not be disappointed.