Otep has a new album out titled Generation Doom (Napalm Records). As a longtime Otep fan, I’m always well chuffed when they release new music. Music of course being a derivative term as what Otep does is more art for the ears than anything. The first thing I noticed with Otep’s Generation Doom is that it’s heavy! Generation Doom is a heavy metal album. You can head bang and thrash about the living room whilst listening to this album. The album opens with the track ‘Zero’. It doesn’t take long before you are screaming the refrain “I don’t give a fuck!” along with lead singer Otep Shamaya. The guitars are just gobsmackingly amazing. The drumming is heavy and thumptastic.

‘Lords of War’ was one of the first singles released. It is political in nature without beating you over the head. Otep raps above some dark and heavy backing tracks. But again, you end up singing along with her by the chorus. Another song that tugs at your heart-strings is ‘In Cold Blood’. It’s angsty for all the right reasons. ‘Lie’ is another intensely personal song that breaks your heart. All the anger and frustration at having to deal with a love that lies to you is embedded in ‘Lie’. The song strips you bear and says everything you wish you could say. Otep Shamaya’s writing style on Generation Doom is a thing of beauty as she can articulate the feelings and concepts most of us stumble over. In addition, her vocals range from the haunting to the guttural and it’s her vocal range that make the songs on Generation Doom an epic album. For me, the best part of the album is that it’s sing-along-able. In direct opposition to Otep’s last album Hydra, Generation Doom is a musical album. By that I mean that it’s less art and more music in a traditional sense. Each song is a bitchin’ collection of lyrics and metal arrangements. Generation Doom will please strict metal fans and longtime Otep fans alike.

8.5/10

VICTORIA ANDERSON

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