Led by vocalist Otep Shamaya, the nu-metal band Otep scored
big on the 2001
Ozzfest tour, which resulted in a contract with Capitol Records
and eventually their first full-length album, Sevas Tra.
Shamaya is one of those aggressively charismatic,
emotionally charged,
leather-lunged female singers, following in the footsteps of
Karyn Crisis
(Crisis)
and Dawn Crosby
(Fear Of God),
able to roar with the best of them but also able to reveal her
softer side, employing a variety of vocal styles in the process.
She's the star here, but not the only reason to listen to the
band, as there are plenty of crushing down-tuned guitar/bass
riffs to take in as well, the band mixing subtlety and power
as well as anyone (witness "Jonestown Tea" for a prime example).
Otep is one of the more inventive nu-metal bands playing today,
and it will be interesting to see how they develop their style
on future albums.
Their latest album, The Ascension, has been completed and was
slated for a March 2007 release, but that release has been
delayed due to corporate issues at Capitol Records.
