This next song is a love song. You can dance to it if you want to. Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein of Misfits is bringing his own misfit brand of Horror Punk on a tour with co-headliner OTEP and friends and recently they made a stop at Reverb in Reading, Pennsylvania.Continue reading
Breaking away from the pack of Modern Metal bands, Infected Rain is fulfilling their promise as one of the the best underground buzz bands of the new millennium. Their new album Time (Napalm Records) goes super hard, but more importantly, showcases their maturity as writers, riff dealers, and how to make every song stand on its own. It’s rare to get to see a label trust a band to follow their muse and really grow and change from album to album. Continue reading
Doyle and Otep teaming up for a US tour in the spring of 2024. More dates are expected to be announced soon. Direct support will come from Red Devil Vortex.Continue reading
Ghost Cult Keefy caught up with Otep Shamaya of OTEP to discuss the new album – “The God Slayer” – out now via Cleopatra Records! OTEP discusses the journey to the new release, overcoming tragedy in the last few years, choosing which artists to cover, the one cover song that didn’t make the album, looking back at Nu Metal and its current popularity, her return to touring, the new vinyl version of “Hydra” and more! Continue reading
Alt metal renegade and force to be reckoned with, OTEP, breaks her silence with a brand new single, “Ostracized,” which arrives on the heels of her brilliant cover of Billie Eilish’s “You Should See Me In A Crown.” “Ostracized” is the first original single from the upcoming album, The God Slayer. Lead singer and creative mastermind, Otep Shamaya, harnesses the power of her raw, unapologetic emotion and passion-filled poetry, which act as the driving forces behind “Ostracized.” This dynamic musical masterpiece was forged in the fire of unadulterated rage, with an edge sharpened by an ear-shattering blend of high screams, death growls, and guttural vocals, galvanized by gritty guitar, pounding drums, and a face-melting solo, courtesy of Vigil of War guitarist, Kiki Wong.
Craft Recordings celebrates the 10th anniversary of Otep’s acclaimed concept album, Hydra, with its first-ever vinyl release. Featuring such haunting favorites as “Apex Predator,” “Blowtorch Nightlight” and “Seduce & Destroy,” the cinematic metal album is based on a novella by the band’s founder and frontwoman, Otep Shamaya, and centers on the story of a vigilante assassin named Hydra. Arriving October 6 and available for pre-order today, Hydra is presented as a 2-LP gatefold set and features a unique etching on Side D, based on the character of Hydra and emblazoned with Otep’s signature tenet, “Art Saves.” The design, which will also be available on a limited Apple Red edition (exclusively via CraftRecordings.com), was overseen by Shamaya herself. OTEP just completed a headline tour, her first tour since the pandemic, which celebrated the anniversaries of Hydra and Sevas Tra Read our review of the tour here. Pre-order the album at the link below.Continue reading
Saint Agnes, from the UK, spark the fires of aggression with Alt. Nu-groove album Bloodsuckers (Spinefarm Records). The band fits within the label’s ranks with ease alongside acts that have their own vision,but crossover appeal such as Sleep Token, Atreyu, and Killing Joke. Add in a Mimi Barks cameo (the short and ferocious ‘Body Bag’) and a Sean Bevan production boost on the semi-glossy ‘Follow You’ and this record has the potential to be a Summer ’23 pit starter.
It had been far too long since I have seen OTEP, when I arrived in Sacramento, at the start of a road trip. Other than a few one-offs to celebrate some album anniversaries, the band had not been on tour since 2019 and I have not had the good fortune to see them even then. Excitement was high as I arrived at the venue for the “Sermons of Fire Tour” and mingled with many fans who lined up early, and made some new friends. I saw many with OTEP tattoos and heard personal stories, exchanging some favorite show anecdotes or talking about personal experiences with meeting Otep Shamaya herself. Sac always has great metal fans of all stripes. Amazing stuff. Everyone was buzzing about the show and the new album, coming later in 2023.
