Overplayed Band of the Week: OTEP
It seems that American metal has taken on its latest trend–female fronted bands. While nothing new to metal in the last 10-15 years, especially in Europe, it seems only in the last few years that extreme metal has taken on the role of females, most notably Angela Gossow of Arch Enemy fame. However, for all the talented frontwomen in the world of music (i.e. Angela Gossow), there are those who seem to possess the role simply to give the band prominence, regardless if that is their intention or not.
A perfect example of this is the popular quasi-metal band Otep. Having been around the block, Otep, are not a flash in the pan group for all intents and purposes, but this does not mean they are good…at all. However, being good is not a virtue that musicians need to have in order to make it in American music, and fortunately for this particular band, aggressive music is “en vogue,” and any semblance of attracting attention is always a good thing it would seem. Marilyn Manson had shock value, Korn had slap bass and juvenile angry lyrics that kids could relate to, Slipknot has costumes, etc. Mainstream aggressive music always seems to need a schtick (at least according to major labels), and slapping a female into the mix, talented or otherwise, gets bands noticed and will probably sell a few more records. Unfortunately for fans o good music, Otep is not much a group that can bring an original concept and talent at the same time.
Bringing to the table boring riffs, the same trepid vocals song after song that seem to constantly keep building up to something that will never become tangible to the listener. Yet, for reasons I will never understand, Otep is incredibly over amongst mainstream heavy rock fans. I guess it can be argued that Otep acts as a gateway drug to heavier and better music, but realistically, that doesn’t make their music justifiably better. I’ll stick with my Arch Enemy thank you very much.
CODY
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Comments
Comment from CARTER
Time: October 6, 2008, 8:38 am
If you google them google will probably say “Did you mean Opeth?”
Comment from CARTER
Time: October 6, 2008, 9:15 am
and is this overplayed band of the week thing really overplayed bands or just bands that suck
Comment from cody
Time: October 6, 2008, 12:11 pm
Well if they were good bands, I wouldn’t consider them overplayed right? If you feel comfortable, I will make Opeth next week’s overplayed band and we can all get into a huge argument. It’s been awhile.
Comment from CARTER
Time: October 7, 2008, 9:32 am
Nah.
LIMP BIZKIT IS GETTING BACK TOGETHER
“Hello my dear family members. Yes, it has been a while. But a while worth the wait. It is getting very close to time to drop the bizkit on the universe. I say this with the absolute best intentions and motivation. We, Limp Bizkit, are excited about the future for us and for you. LBF is the way. LBF is for life. Let’s stir some shit up my friends.”
Comment from Ezra
Time: October 16, 2008, 2:54 pm
“all intensive purposes”??!!??!??! The saying is: “All intents and purposes” Proper spelling and grammar are Metal
Comment from cody
Time: October 16, 2008, 6:04 pm
Only assholes point out spelling and grammar errors, especially to people who obviously know how to formulate sentences and paragraphs. Do you have anything productive to add?
With that said, you are right, and I will correct the error that was seemingly worth writing a dickhead comment about.
Comment from Ezra
Time: October 17, 2008, 10:26 am
I wasn’t trying to be a dickhead, it’s just that that phrase is one of my pet peeves. “All intensive purposes” doesn’t make any sense, whereas “all intents and purposes” does. Good editing can make and ok blog a great one. Besides, there may be many less educated readers out there that don’t know the difference.
I guess you are right, it’s pretty hard to point that out without coming across as a dick. So be it. By the way, Otep sucks.
Comment from bob
Time: October 23, 2008, 9:52 am
eh… i like both arch enemy and otep.. both sound good in my opinion
Comment from flantrex
Time: February 17, 2009, 3:31 pm
nice .. that`s team !! “otep my love !!
Comment from abby
Time: March 4, 2009, 11:31 am
I think they are both good. so shut up XP
Comment from misfit666
Time: March 9, 2009, 12:04 pm
I don’t give a fu**! I think it’s about the females get in to the metal instead of that pop crap! I like otep they kick ass, if a band takes a chance and get a “girl” to sing for them and makes it sound good it should be over played!
Comment from CARTER
Time: March 9, 2009, 1:39 pm
misfit, have you heard in this moment? They have a chick singer.. and theyre horrrrible
Comment from cody
Time: March 9, 2009, 5:06 pm
Misfit - Arch Enemy, Kylesa, Sinergy, Nightwish, Within Temptation, Epica, Lacuna Coil and Soulgrind are all vastly superior to Otep, and all contain female members. There are tons more too.
Comment from CARTER
Time: March 10, 2009, 9:20 am
Vile Crotch and Fumes from the Gash are both good female metal bands.. on the more doom/stoner side of female outfits are Pink Stinker and Spreddem.
Comment from coled24
Time: October 5, 2008, 9:54 pm
OTEP sucks and they always have.