Often labeled as past its peak, or sometimes worse, Nu-Metal is one of those subgenres that is loathed by some and loved by others, but by some weird paradox has never failed to maintain its relevance or draw a crowd. Though djent and post Killswitch Engage metalcore is all the craze these days, I always enjoy pointing out to the naysayers that very few bands in either scene have amassed a gargantuan fanbase on the level of a Slipknot, Korn or Deftones. It is a genre that for many a metalhead such as myself and those I encountered tonight at The Bread Shed, was the first to expose them to heavy music, and its importance has clearly endured through California’s Otep, who arrive on UK shores for the first time in almost two decades for their “Art of Dissent” tour. Continue reading →