Anyone who’s aware of Otep’s previous catalogue of frankly past-its-use-by-date mix of nu metal, rap and aggressive alt-metal will already know exactly what to expect from the Californians’ latest offering, Generation Doom.
From the Limp Bizkit stylings of Lords Of War through to the Linkin Park-recalling ballad of In Cold Blood, it’s a case of having heard everything presented here before as one trite, pretentious track after another rolls by. Vocalist, creative force and self-proclaimed poet, Otep Shamaya, ranges between her fairly impressive roars and somewhat less effective quieter moments, and the latest set of hired guns that make up the remainder of the band this time around make a solid effort at doing their thing despite the sterile, over-worked production stripping away any real fire that their occasionally catchy music might have had.
A mire of cringe-inducing lyrics does little to improve things either, and you quickly find yourself thinking about those bands that have already done this sort of thing, and done it so much better.
The very fact Generation Doom has you doing so speaks volumes.