Otep have since released six full-length albums featuring many session musicians including Greg Wells, Joey Jordison of Slipknot, Koichi Fukuda of Static-X, Emilie Autumn, Tony Campos of Soulfly and Asesino (ex-Static-X), and Ulrich Wild. Their first three albums, Sevas Tra, House of Secrets, and The Ascension, were released on Capitol Records. However, after the label's merging with Virgin Records, Otep, along with many other bands, were released from their contracts with Capitol in 2007. Two years later, Otep signed with Victory Records and released their fourth album, Smash the Control Machine, which included a reunion with former members Mark "Moke" Bistany on drums and Rob Patterson on guitar. The album also featured Koichi Fukuda on piano and Emilie Autumn on violin.
Atavist was the first album not to feature longtime bassist Jason "eViL J" McGuire who left the band on September 30, 2010, the personnel consisted of session musicians Rani Sharone, Gil Sharone, Tony Campos, Collyn McCoy, Ulrich Wild, and Markus Estrada. On the tour supporting the album, her band consisted of support musicians courtesy of the supporting band and labelmates on the tour, Destrophy. The band is now mainly Otep Shamaya.
In 2011, Otep toured as a supporting act along with Earth Crisis for Cavalera Conspiracy. She also wrote and released a new book of poems titled "New Word Order" in December 2011.
In 2013, Otep released her sixth studio album titled Hydra on January 22 through Victory Records.
Quarantine
Otep Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In a world
Of terrible softness
Vague shadows
Lazy faces
& empty bodies
Caste in the murk
Impose their will
Strangers disguised as friends
Enemies as lovers
The
Over-enormous
Over-dramatized
Over-acted
Poorly directed
Sitcom of life
Available in
A.D.D. on HDTV
In 3-D for the O.C.D.
On every
Fucking channel
Quiet tempest
Drowning the days away
In fevered fervor
Angst
Anxiety
Love
Laughter
Lined with razors
This ladder of life
The stink
The sting
The rapid
Rabid idiocy of it all
And I
Can answer
These eternal riddles
With this solution
On my tongue
As it runs over the
Ivory skin of her
Soft, long limbs of the moon
Prophets of doom
Pulling me slowly
In the gaping maw
Theirs is an antique world
Full of dusty pearls trying
To quiet the bright midnight
But I am rising
Like a Hydra
Be everyone to everyone
All the time
Hydra
Be everyone to everyone
All the time
Hydra
Be everything to everyone
All the time
Hydra
Beeverythingtoeveryonebeeveryonetoeverythingbeeveryonetoanyone
The lyrics of Otep’s song “Quarantine” is a portrayal of the world in isolation. The singer describes how she feels alone in this world of “terrible softness,” where everything seems vague and hazy, and people wear different masks. She talks about how the world is like a poorly directed sitcom that is over-dramatized, and how it is available on every channel in HD and 3D. The singer seems hopeless about the world, as she describes it as a ladder of life that is lined with razors and has rapid, rabid idiocy.
However, in the midst of all this chaos, the singer finds comfort in a person whom she describes as having ivory skin and soft, long limbs of the moon. She talks about how this person can answer the eternal riddles of life with a solution on her tongue. The singer then talks about how she is rising like a Hydra, a mythical creature that is known for its ability to regenerate its heads when they are cut off. She urges people to “be everyone to everyone, all the time,” emphasizing the need for kindness and compassion during this time of isolation.
Overall, the lyrics of “Quarantine” portray a world that is apathetic, chaotic, and filled with anxiety, but also one that offers hope and a glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel. The singer’s call for kindness and empathy during this time of quarantine is a powerful message that encourages listeners to look beyond their own needs and help others in need.
Line by Line Meaning
Alone
Feeling isolated and disconnected from others
In a world
Expressing a comment on the state of the society
Of terrible softness
A criticism of how society tends to be weak and apathetic
Vague shadows
Undefined and unclear presence or influence of things
Lazy faces
People who have lost their drive and motivation to take action
& empty bodies
People are unfulfilled and lacking purpose
Caste in the murk
Trapped in the fog and confusion of societal expectations
Impose their will
Societal norms and expectations pressuring people to conform
From the haze
Society is clouded and unclear in its intentions, direction, and values
Strangers disguised as friends
People who pretend to be friends but have hidden intentions or motives
Enemies as lovers
People who are supposed to love or support each other but instead are hostile
The
Emphasizing the intensity of the following adjectives
Over-enormous
Exaggerated in size and scope
Over-dramatized
Exaggerated in portrayal and presentation
Over-acted
Overly exaggerated and insincere in performance or behavior
Poorly directed
Not well-planned or executed, resulting in a mess
Sitcom of life
A metaphor for life being like a poorly written and executed sitcom
Available in
Accessible through multiple mediums
A.D.D. on HDTV
Social and technological advancements leading to an ever-increasingly distracting world
In 3-D for the O.C.D.
Reference to how modern entertainment caters to obsessive behavior
On every
Ubiquitous and inescapable presence
Fucking channel
A sarcastic comment on the abundance of meaningless content available
Quiet tempest
The calm before the storm, a sense of looming chaos
Drowning the days away
Feeling lost in time, struggling to make sense of the day-to-day routine
In fevered fervor
Being consumed by intense passion and desire
Angst
Feelings of anxiety, fear, and apprehension
Anxiety
Chronic sense of unease and stress
Love
Intense feeling of affection and care
Laughter
The act of laughing or the state of being amused
Lined with razors
Dangerous and potentially harmful, requiring caution and vigilance
This ladder of life
A metaphor for the journey of life, with its ups and downs
The stink
The unpleasant and offensive odor of life
The sting
Painful and uncomfortable experiences in life
The rapid
The fast and overwhelming nature of life
Rabid idiocy of it all
The absurd and senseless nature of societal norms and expectations
And I
Referring to the personal connection to the world and society
Can answer
The ability to make sense and find meaning within the chaos
These eternal riddles
Questions about the nature, purpose, and existence of humanity
With this solution
Finding a personal answer or meaning to life's questions
On my tongue
Something that is ready to be spoken or expressed
As it runs over the
The experience of something smooth or soft
Ivory skin of her
The beauty and purity of a woman
Soft, long limbs of the moon
A metaphor for the beauty of the night sky
Prophets of doom
People who predict or anticipate impending disaster
Pulling me slowly
Being drawn towards or influenced by the negative aspects of society
In the gaping maw
Being consumed and harmed by something dangerous and uncomfortable
Theirs is an antique world
A sense of outdatedness and irrelevance in society's norms and expectations
Full of dusty pearls trying
A sense of outdated beauty and value that no longer fits within modern society
To quiet the bright midnight
Trying to calm and control the wild and vibrant aspects of life
But I am rising
A sense of overcoming and transcending the negative aspects of society
Like a Hydra
Using the mythological figure of the Hydra with its regenerating heads to reinforce the idea of being able to handle and overcome adversity
Be everyone to everyone
The pressure to conform to and please everyone
All the time
Constant pressure to conform to societal expectations and norms
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Otep Shamaya, Urlich Wil
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind