Otep is one of those bands that should be on everyone’s radar. From lead singer Otep Shamaya’s outside intellectual endeavors – which include writing for several hit TV shows, and appearing at the Democratic National Convention – to the band’s overall blistering stage presence, Otep is incendiary, thought provoking, and violent. The Ascension is their most diverse album to date, which can be interpreted as musical growth of its members coupled with intense social/political lyrics or a strange divergence of sound to Pink meets Fuck The Facts nu-metal. Yes, Pink, the hip-hop artist. Some listeners might find that The Ascension is a little too soulful for their tastes, but I would attribute this more to Greg Tribbett of Mudvayne who was brought in to play guitar and to co-write three songs than to a progression or permanent style change.