NEW OTEP MUSIC SOUNDS LIKE OLD OTEP MUSIC
Thursday, July 23rd, 2009 at 4:30pm by Axl Rosenberg
I appreciate what Otep Shamaya is trying to accomplish as a human being far more than I appreciate what she does accomplish as an artist. I’m all for trying to get metal fans to take a political stance. I’m glad that she’s continuing the tradition of using metal as protest music. Good for her. Seriously. I’m not being sarcastic.
But “Rise, Rebel, Resist,” the new song currently streaming on Otep’s MySpace page, sounds exactly like every other Otep song I’ve ever heard. I guess that will please her old fans, but I don’t think it will make her any new ones.
The song comes off of Smash the Control Machine, which Victory will release on August 18.
Anyone else think it’s weird that Otep is on Victory now?
-AR
Seconded. She seems like an awesome, extremely intelligent person. It’s too bad her music is sub-par nu metal crap.
That being said, she’s probably got the biggest balls of anybody signed to Victory Records
HA!
Correction: You’re all for trying to get metal fans to take a liberal political stance
If Otep was conservative, you wouldn’t have anything good to say about her at all
conservatives aren’t people though
Neither are liberals. The only group of people with any common sense whatsoever are moderates.
Moderates aren’t metal though.
Libertarians are metal as fuck, though.
I think it’s pretty ironic that she has songs about smashing control machines and resisting and rebellion, yet supports the Democratic party which is all about control; controlling carbon emissions, education, healthcare, work conditions, streets, etc. Whether or not you think government should do these things, she’s sending out a contradictory message.
Also the music sucks.
Seconded. Sad but true.
Completely true. I’ve read her “political articles” and they’re nothing more than they typical liberal shit, with a patina of “I’m a female metal singer” slathered on. There’s absolutely nothing new or different about a single thing she says.
and?
And what? She’s not advocating metal fans take a political position as much as doing the generic liberal rant bullshit. If she wanted people to take a stance, she’d advocate them actually taking the time to research things and decide for themselves what they want their stance to be, not vilifying everything she doesn’t like and claiming conservatives are the root of all fucking evil.
Music and politics should never mix.
in this case the politics are so obvious and strike me more as a gimmick than anything authentic. it’s like a chomsky 101 set to sub par metal. yawn..
Bingo. Shes a hack.
demonic, you are so on point that it’s staggering. I was going to get on here and say stuff like “fuck that otep slut and it’s too bad her child molester daddy wasn’t a necropheliac too” but i think you covered the important bases.
last thing i’m interested in is what anyone in hollywood thinks about the state of current affairs. to me, anything cause she endorses automatically makes me want to take the other side.
i cant agree more. when politics of any wing step into music, it gives me this sick feeling in my stomach that says somethin aint right. it upsets the moment.
Unfortunatelly politics are everywhere and of course in music. But most of the times the message is very subtle so it does not pass as politics. It is as much as a political stance not to talk about politics and deal with politics (which for me is the worst stance) than be an active person in politics (not a polititian or a polititians lackey). While I am not a conservative person I don’t claim that all conservatives are evil and stupid. There are conseratives that are very intelligent and you can have a very good conversation with them. Also there are a lot of liberals that are complete morons. I will agree with Demonic lemming in a more general matter that the best thing for people is to search for themselves and come to a conclusion of what they want their stance to be and not wait from a “savior/messiah/idol” to tell them what to do and what to believe in. And to actively participate in their community and in the decision making instead of waiting for the new policies to be forced on them and then just complain about it. Democracy is not voting once every 4 years and not be able to have your voice heard. That’s oligarchy passed as democracy.
Demon has the best summarization with Otep and several other bands that’ve brought political opinions to their mindless followers.
Otep…no metal here.
I always take Otep at face value. I think with her/them it’s always been more about the message than the music. The music is just backing for what she has to say, and I don’t really have a problem with that. It worked for Henry Rollins. That being said, I’ll probably grab the new album at some point, but it won’t be at the top of my priority list.
it is strange that they are on victory now…but they are awfull and pretty much always has been
When I first heard Sevas Tra I wasnt blown away but they opened for someone back then & it was impressive.Then House of Secrets came around years later & was & still am very much floored by it!
The problem I have with 99% of all music now a days is that I cant feel.
You have got your screamers your singers & whiners & most are just emoting their faces off.
I’ll start istening to a song & the music will be fucking tight & have me pumped then the vocals kick in
& it doesnt have any depth.
Even worse is that within seconds b4 the vocals I can guess what type of vocals are coming.
Its sad.
Otep are a scrappy band with a kick ass singer.
More importantly I fucking feel it wether she means what shes saying or not I beleive it!
However I do think shes the real deal.
You took the word right outta my mouth M
I’ve always found Otep to be terribly pretentious and all of her “emotional” venting songs to be rather forced and heavy handed instead of natural like say Tarrie B. Plus, anyone who self appoints themselves as a poet through their name is not a true poet.
Chicks have no business fronting bands and thereby make this band un-metal.
Morons have no business talking in public, or writing in public forums. Go back to playing World of Warcraft, eating cheetos and feeling up your Real Doll.
ha, I agree, what an ignorant
You sound like a fat chick.
boy, I Am the Fattest one
This band should have stuck with The House of Secrets sound.
It’s OTEP. What’d you honestly expect? Most of “Sevas Tra” is generic nu-metal-ish stuff, as is “House of Secrets”. It’s not terrible, but this album and the next two or three (or however many it takes before the world doesn’t care about them anymore) will sound exactly the same. Just be glad that there are still metal bands out there actually doing something.
And to reply to Tommy Lindbergsen: Walls of Jericho, Crisis, Kittie, Bloodlined Calligraphy, iwrestledabearonce, Straight Line Stitch, Circle Takes The Square, and wecamewithbrokenteeth AREN’T metal? Wow. Glad you cleared THAT up. Thanks.
Not to mention Kylesa, iwrestledabearonce, Arch Enemy…
Kylesa and Arch Enemy are totally metal.
The rest…either aren’t or I have no idea.
XFD @ Kittie being metal. Yeah, right.
I’d be much more accepting of Kittie if they were hot and didn’t look like hollowed out STD infested skanks.
Like that band of broads DRAIN STH.
How exactly are Kittie NOT metal? And try to not use “stupid”, “gay”, or any other immature insults in your answer.
wecamewithbrokenteeth is a bit iffy….it’s not so much metal as it is metal-sounding noise. Being the social deviant I am, I’ll also throw in Nightwish, Within Temptation, Octavia Sperati, The Gathering (with Anneke), Agua de Annique, The Birthday Massacre, Stolen Babies, Sirenia, Portishead, Rhea’s Obsession, Lisa Gerrard, Kidneythieves, Jack Off Jill, Joydrop, Imperia, Epica, I:Scintilla, Fauxliage, Emilie Autumn, Celtic Woman, Elis, Conjure One, and Coranatus as examples (not all of them metal, either) of why anyone who says female-fronted bands have no business making metal being EPIC FUCKING FAIL, not to mention ignorant as fuck about good music.
I don’t consider any of those bands to be ” good music”.
Kidneytheives? EPICA? Are you for real?
This would all make more sense if you were female.
Epica are fucking epic, my elitist friend.
Epica is horrible.
Symphonic+ opera like female vocals+ Keyboards+Shitty male vocals= homoerotic garbage.
You have the musical taste of a deaf, flaming homosexual.
I also doubt that you have any idea of what people like Emilie Autumn or Lisa Gerrard sound like, ignoring the other smaller bands in that list, so I’m not really going to take your blatantly misogynistic outlook on music too seriously.
You don’t even know what I listen to, and since everyone on this panel gets to throw this word around, it’s now my turn…
You IGNORANT cow!
Keep listening to your frilly chick bands, my friend, I’m pretty sure these types of bands are a gateway into homosexuality.
Tommy Lindbergsen has issues.
Really doesn’t matter what you listen to, bub. My statement stands – without google and wikipedia, I doubt you’d have a clue who 75% of the bands on that list were. Oh, and I’ve got plenty of normal metal in my collection, but I guess being a halfwit, you have to resort to the easiest insult – “loL ur GAY!1;’1!”! Let me know when I’m supposed to feel insulted.
Gateway to homosexuality? Your losing your shit, man.
It turns straights into gays, gays into mexicans, everyone goes down a notch.
you forgot Jucifer. Heavy as shit brah.
What’s sad is that Otep actually thinks that nu metal is alive and well.
Nu metal is alive and well kiddo, take a look at your cd collection.
… Not really. I’ve got a lot more death metal in there. Only two bands that are debatably nu metal and only one that definitely is. And I have three bookcase shelves full of CDs. You fail.
Nu metal is not alive and well? You fail.
Three whole bookcase shelves eh? WOW!
Sounds like old Otep? Uh.. I’m supposed to like it, hehe.
Saw them live at a small gig a few years back. I am a very liberal minded individual, very liberal. The political arguments she tried to make at the concert made no sense at all. That and the cooze treated the performance like a fashion show, changing hats and outfits between each song. Probably had something do with the fact she looked high out of her mind.
Otep’s music is blah
Whatever-the-fuck her name is, however, is a pretentious “poet” with juvenile and generic methods of protest.
Social/Political criticism only works if it’s done right. Saying things like “[Insert thing here] sucks, lol” is NOT doing it right
Glenn Beck needs to start a nu metal band because you know Axl, you’re all for trying to get metal fans to take a political stance
GL3NN
I want to hear this NOW! Or Maybe a Bill O’Reilly band called “Fair and BalancedNOYOUSUCKI’MRIGHT”
Or iwrestledaliberalonce
Or, Limbaugh Rising. The new blackened death metal band fronted by the one and only Rush Limbaugh.
let it be known that i think liberals are fucking pussies and a hatebreed vs amon amarth style band called the NeoCons would fucking rule. Rich Ward and John Petrucci on guitars, Ryan Martine or Tom Araya on Bass, Hoglan on drums with Deicide’s Glen Benton with the mike.
Glen Beck could write the lyrics as long as one song must be devoted to telling Mike Huckabee and Keith Olbermann to go fuck their respective mothers.
“what we have here……IS A METALIST!!!”
Glenn Beck cries on camera too much. He’d be in an emo band, lamenting… something about America.
lol, that was funny… and he only cries when he was on that script. but still good stuff
“Actually they are music is really good no matter what most of you think.”
“As far as Otep’s musical quality in my opinion, I think that they have some pretty good music. Why? They’re lyrics are well written (oh jeezuses, an honest -opinion- with support with backup reasoning, it’s the apocolypse!) and they actually have deep meanings. Oh, and it’s something different and unique from what I’ve seen in mainstream metal. Not that other bands aren’t unique.”
Some interesting quotes from Otep fans I read today
I totally agree, I dont see why all this haters.I remember when they choose From Mars to sirus as one of the best 21 albums, and the argument is clear. Pretty much everthing has been done in metal, and the best way to stand up from all the thousands bands out there, is to deliver a message, no matter what, I think that music without arguments is poor music, no matter how good musicians the guys are, but if they dont have anythingt important to express, they are going to be just plane, boring and non outstanding bands. I Iike otep music, and I´d love to fuck that chick………….sorry for my english, Im still learning
Before you post you should learn some more English…I’d suggest the word “sarcasm”
I should have read your other comments before, sarcasm and irony are the most difficult things to learn of another language, it already happened me before this time. anyway that is not going to make stop writting on this blog as you ask
I never asked you to stop writing, I recommended you grasp the language more fully in order to converse properly so as not to cause confusion
MELT-BANANA is the best female fronted metal-noise-electro-rock-band.
http://www.myspace.com/azap
Yeah, and fuck Otep.
what has napalm death been writing about for 20 years? fuck otep’s childish mtv view on the world and fuck her lame gimmick ridden music
Judging by the way Rosenberg has pushed liberal BS in the past, he was undoubtedly trying to get us to take a stance on Otep’s gay marriage issue. Last time I checked, gay marriage was the antithesis of Metal. For fucks sake, sinse when was it metal to get a dick in the ass!?!?! What ever happened to the old skinhead metal freaks that just beat the shit out of everyone because we hate the world. That old n”obody should fucking be happy” attitude. I say fuck all that “gays are people and they should have the same rights” bullshit. Where is the line in the sand? I guess farmer john can marry that goat he’s been fucking; after all, he’s a person, they’re in love, and he has rights so why not? Are we going to start letting bitches with objectofelia marry their fucking ipods?
and the bitch did have talent about eight or ten years ago. Now she embodies everything that’’s going wrong with our culture.
Fucking right
I don’t think Otep influences that many people since their fanbase is mostly teenage boys who don’t have a fucking clue about anything political, let alone musical.
I think that music is a retarded forum to preach political viewpoints, especially when the band is a nu metal throwback.
I consider myself to be one of those metal freaks who hate the world, and I could launch into a long and drawn out lecture about the lack of standards and the overly tolerant culture that is spawning a nation of weaklings who listen to crabcore and think it’s ok to be gay and dress like a fucking idiot while their world rots from the inside out as they blindly follow what everyone else is doing.
Don’t get me started…most of the people who are looking at this are just going to write it off as ignorant anyways.
The fact that all three of you weren’t abortions breaks my heart.
Why is it that every single person that spells their name Aaron (with 2 A’s) is a pickle puffer? Anyone else notice that?
As opposed to “Erin”, which is a female name? Either way, at least I’m using my own name, rather than being the ten-billionth person to rip off Norse mythology.
I guess the name is a good fit. Aaron when you’re pre-op and Erin for post-op.
You should just stfu and go to that perez hilton website so you can post more blogs about how your daddy made you go ass to mouth when you were little.
You sure do make a compelling argument. Try having a real debate once you hit puberty. Until then, just go ahead and keep on being a representation of everything that’s wrong in the world. It’s almost funny.
you need to get out of that closet, Ha! and you americans call yourselfs The 1rst world?, racists, homofobics, and fucking ignorants (just a few like in all the countries in the worls), . is the 21 century for god sake!!
No, America is a modern nation because we don’t behead people for having an opinion that isn’t the same as the majority. Try going to Iran and talking shit about the Angry Midget, or to North Korea and saying something against the fucktard in power there, and I’m sure it won’t be long until you’re in the news.
thats true, you are rigth on that point, I just Think that USA is seen by the world as an example of progress, democracy and all that shit, but I still cant believe you havent erradicated such society problems as racism among others, as already happend in countries of the third world as mine
Every country has idiots. Racism is extremely prevalent in Asian countries, much worse than in America. And the majority of people who have actual “problems” with homosexuals (I don’t mean the people who go “Ew that’s icky” but don’t actively dislike gays) are typically connected with religious groups. Things like racism will never completely die in America – there are too many good walking examples on both sides of why it exists, and will continue to, primarily because those people do everything they can to perpetuate the stereotype that invites racism. Jesse Jackson and the KKK are good examples of that.
Ask Halford how metal a dick in the ass is. In the theoretical sense, not the literal. Not that I’m implying the aforementioned dick is covered in steel studs. Which would not surprise me, but I digress.
Isn’t the lead dude in Torche a homosexual? I apologize if mistaken but I think I read that in a Decibel article. They’re pretty good, and the Metalsucks staff seems to concur. I’m sure most of them would also concur that dicks are gross (hardly a fallacious argument… hahahahahahahah)
America should have gay marriage, if only because the vast numbers of newly married couples will buy houses, pay property taxes, and spur the economy. I’ve heard this argument from conservatives to the extreme right of Pat Buchanan. Like, the kind of conservatives that would make Jerry Falwell shit himself in terror. Don’t believe the hype – This is moreso an argument over taxation and legality than morality for the government. Of course a sheep or an objectophiled object can’t pay taxes, which would make it unrecognizable by the law. So to say “oh well, what’s next then, marrying your horse?” is silly conjecture. (See how marrying a horse worked out for Catherine the Great of Russia – fucking hysterical)
It’s definitely not “metal,” and I agree that it doesn’t make for good lyrical fodder, but it’s certainly logical public policy, and within the boundaries of the current US constitution. “Let them eat cake… or cock, or whatever the fuck they want.” Free meat-market economy.
So in short…
Otep is a cunt and they are a shitty band.
I think Rob Halford would beg to differ. He thinks dick in the butt is very metal.
But seriously Oden, as a conservative, you should be FOR gay marriage. The very idea of the Government banning churches or institutions from letting Gays marry goes against one of our most fundementally important laws in America, the separation of church and state. No one is going to make you sit at a gay marriage ceremony. No one is going to make your church marry gays against against their will. If certain government institutions or churches want to marry gays, why don’t you just choose to disagree with it. No one is asking you to like it, just tolerate it. That’s what this country is about; tolerating other people so we can be free to do what we want.
While I respect your well-spoken opinion, for me, separation of church and state has nothing to do with the discussion. IMO, this would be a huge leap towards us becoming a culture that accepts and even encourages instant gratification and hedonistic lifestyles, regardless of the negative effects. See Europe to get a sense of how the marriage rate has declined and the increase of children born out of wedlock since they legalized same sex marriage. Now, I do not have a problem with civil unions for purposes of insurance and taxes, etc… but that is a completely different discussion.
Bottom line, put it to a vote. The most liberal state in the union, California, already voted and the citizens said no. Majority rule doesn’t always mean it’s right (see nazis) but in this situation I say let the people decide. If our country is fucked enough to let it happen then we deserve the unintended consequences.
I respect your opinion, but I think that the Republicans would be getting a lot more votes if they threw out all this socially conservative “Holier than thou” soapboxing on marriage and societal norms. I believe in more of a “live and let live” philosophy. I don’t feel threatened by gay marriage and I don’t feel it will affect my life in any significant way; so let the gays do it.
I do agree with you about putting it to a vote. I was suprised when California turned it down, but that what the people wanted.
A lot of northern California is pretty conservative, so it doesn’t surprise me too much, although I personally thought it would have passed. Being a libertarian and a pagan, I really don’t care what other people do, as long as it doesn’t affect me or create a morally corrupt society – and I see the massive sex-related incidents with kids in middle school these days as a much bigger moral problem than two dudes who decide to get married. As volatile as normal marriages are today, one can’t use the “gay marriages are less stable” argument, either. In 20 years, the “gay revolution” will be seen in the same light as we see the women’s civil rights movement, and the black’s civil rights movement (although I daresay the founders and leaders of both of those movements would be absolutely disgusted at what the people they represent today have done to equal rights and freedom for all – I don’t think Susan B. Anthony had 13 year old girls fucking in mind when she was pioneering her cause).
Hmmm Otep…
These guys havent put out a decent release since i started growing pubes (which is a very long time ago if I might add)
what a stupid album cover. with only the top half of the album art showing on the screen, i already knew itd be a pigs head on the platter. if your going to try and be rebellious and “totally controversial” then use imagry that hasnt been used to death by every rebellious 13 yr, old. whats next, an anarchy sign? this shit has teenage angst written alllllllll ovvvvverrrrr it…
I thought that was Otep’s head on the platter…
It is kinda lame. It reminds me of a punk album cover from the 1980’s-90’s.
Music and Politics don’t mix? Have none of you morons heard Napalm Death? THey’re better than every band you probably like.
Sorry, but the ability of one band doesn’t outweigh the fact that music and politics don’t mix.
Then you haven’t listened to a lot of music have you? Bob Dylan? Leonard Cohen? Elvis Costello? Even Nine Inch Nails went political. Misery Index? Brutal Truth? The list is endless.
Music and politics go hand in hand. To deny it is retarded.
its when a band [like otep] intentionally turns themself into this “we stand for THIS” type of band. always, every fuckin song has to be about this or that, etc. shit, Ive listened to bands like napalm death,ratm, etc for years, but after a while ALL politicalized lyrics sound like endless whining, kinda just like political arguments.
yall might remember during the bush [the 2nd ]years that all bands jumped on the political band wagon. disturbed, korn, soad, they all did it. politics is a selling point, just like pentagrams and scary inverted crosses on a dimmu borgir cd or half naked chicks on a t pain cd…..
I stay away from music that uses politics for one reason – music is for entertainment. That’s it. I don’t really give a good goddamn what the singer or songwriter thinks of a specific political issue, and I don’t want to hear it when I’m trying to enjoy myself while listening to music. Not to mention, most politics in music is nothing more than a gimmick – drop some politics into a song, take the trendy liberal stance on it, and you’re guaranteed music sales.
Music and politics shouldn’t go hand in hand any more than politics in movies. I’m not denying it happens and is happening, I’m simply saying they shouldn’t mix. People tend to take movie stars and singers very seriously when it comes to political issues – although I have no fucking clue why, as most of them are as ignorant as their fans about most issues, and simply parrot the popular thing to say – and when you have people voting a specific way because of some inane lyric in a song or some line in a movie, you’re defeating the purpose of democracy.
Napalm Death is the only band that I know of that takes a political that can back it up with their music.
Also, congratulations to Oden for managing to type his stuff out. How long did it take you man? That paragraph must have been a strain on the single braincell you have. And are you sure you can see the screen over your low forehead you regressive, backwards piece of shit.
You guys are taking the people on the internet way to seriously. Let them all have their voice; it’s probably the only way they’ll ever get heard. Go listen to Slayer.
SLAYER!!!!
Seriously though, it’s nice to see some outward aggression on this site instead of general comments, It’s to see people posting comments more substantial than just thumbs up or thumbs down.
refreshing*
Bravo.
People who think music and politics go together are the same people who think Jon Stewart is a journalsit.
*journalist*
I’d like to be the first to point out that a story about OTEP has spawned a 100+ comment argument about politics, gay marriage, and as always, the definition of “metal”. We should go for the record on MS (side note: Can anyone tell me what that would be? The most comments on one story, that is).
Some entries on “The List” gave 450+ comments, so not even the suckiness of OTEP can compare to that debacle.
This is the same bitch that thought people didn’t like her band because they were sexist.
No, people don’t like Otep because she sucks ass. There are plenty of female fronted bands that people like, because they don’t suck ass like Otep does.
Otep… I’m sorry Ot3p is a fat lesbo bitch who cries about her problems too much…. and she’s also a political retard.
Did I mention… She likes fish tacos?
so whats some one suppose to write about if they shouldnt write about their issues or politics ……. Lets all sing about Darwins theory of evolution kids!!!???! /sarcasmoff
wait scratch that as long as they can back it up with double peddle drums and incredible fucking guitar with a singer that can do death growls (which btw is the easiest type of screams) we have a band thats “Metal” …. like daath and sons of osiris and nile and origin…. yeah that shit dominates….
the only thing that separates typical rock from metal (in my view) is the abuse that you put your instruments through and amount of stomach you put into your voice ……
My take is Otep is an average band with an outstanding vocalist. I don’t really care about someone’s political views, as long as they are original and interesting. What does it matter if the song is about sex or burning the White House down. After all, that’s what art is really about…it’s not what it’s about, it’s about how it’s about it, to paraphrase Roger Ebert.
Some of the little vocal quirks and change ups she does are what elevates a song like Blood Pigs from the kind of standard paint by numbers thing it would have been with an average singer. And Warhead is one of the most vicious, agressive songs I’ve ever heard. It makes me want to tear some shit up, and I’m a centrist…but hey, that’s good if someone can get you feeling something outside of yourself.
Some things off The Ascension are good, but as a whole most of their music just needs to step it up a notch if it seriously wants to compete.
Hehehe, you all make me laugh. If your complaint is about how Otep uses her lyrics to deliver meaningful messages in an understandable manner (pretty good vocals and not gurgling growls of death), then go listen to your fucking Katie Perry or to those attempts of music you call metal that sound as if the singer was vomiting violently throughout the whole song, while having a seizure.
Oh, and the main topic of this whole discussion was how Otep sounds pretty much the same as it did before, which is true sadly, not about how many insults can you cram in one sentence followed by “Otep”, or how many ways you can diminish someone who is pro freedom and equality, and a woman.