Sevas Tra Explained

Sevas Tra
Type:studio
Artist:Otep
Cover:Otep-SevasTra.jpg
Released:June 18, 2002
Recorded:October 2001[1]
Genre:
Length:61:06
Label:Capitol
Producer:Terry Date
Prev Title:Jihad
Prev Year:2001
Next Title:House of Secrets
Next Year:2004

Sevas Tra is the debut studio album by the nu metal band Otep, released in 2002. The album name, when read backwards, reads as "art saves". It debuted at number 145 on the Billboard 200.[3]

Music and lyrics

The album is a nu metal album that features strong elements of death metal,[4] [5] as well as elements of, funk metal, alternative metal, rap metal, grindcore and hip-hop. The album's song "Jonestown Tea" features elements of spoken word. The vocals consist of growling, screaming and rapping.[6] The growling on the album is one example of the album's elements of grindcore and death metal. Also, the album has guitar riffs heard in the death metal genre. The album has been compared to Cannibal Corpse, Metallica, Skinlab and Slipknot.[7] Allmusic described the album as "heavier than Slipknot". The album's lyrical topics include organized religion and abuse. The band's vocalist Otep Shamaya said that the album Sevas Tra "is a story about life's struggles and what you do to overcome them, or what you do to be swallowed by them."[8] The album's song "Jonestown Tea" is about child sexual abuse and is also believed to be about Otep Shamaya being sexually abused by her father.[9] The song was used by a teenager who, along with her sister, was sexually abused by their father, to inform her mother about her father's sexual abuse. Otep Shamaya spoke about the song "Jonestown Tea" saying Otep Shamaya called organized religion "a lie". Many people have mistaken the song "Menocide" to be against men. Otep Shamaya said that it isn't hateful towards men and that it goes against women abuse, including violence against women.[10]

Release

Sevas Tra was released on June 18, 2002 by Capitol Records. the first 75,000 copies of the album were available as a limited edition tri-fold digipak.[11] A month after its release, the album had sold 15,000 copies in the United States.[12]

Critical reception

The album received mixed reviews. Allmusic gave the album a 4 out of 5 stars rating writing "Sevas Tra is a record that raises the high watermark for goth metal." CMJ gave the album an extremely positive review.

Personnel

Main personnel
Additional personnel

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

YearChartPosition
2002UK86[13]
The Billboard 200145

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2003-08-03 . OTEP . 2022-05-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20030803115206/http://www.otepsaves.com/alt-index.htm . 2003-08-03 .
  2. Web site: Sevas Tra by Otep. AllMusic.
  3. [{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=otep|chart=Billboard 200}} Otep – Chart History: Billboard 200 ]. . . February 7, 2013.
  4. LOUD ROCK . . 71 . 766 . 0890-0795 . June 10, 2002 . 19.
  5. Web site: Otep Challenges Corey Taylor, Jonathan Davis To Poetry Slam . https://web.archive.org/web/20150326175418/http://www.mtv.com/news/1457071/otep-challenges-corey-taylor-jonathan-davis-to-poetry-slam/ . dead . March 26, 2015 . . Kaufman . Gil . August 16, 2002.
  6. Web site: Otep adjusts to being sole female artist on Ozzfest . Niccum . Jon . August 16, 2002 . Lawrence.com.
  7. OTEP . . 1074-6978 . 102 . 19 . 2002.
  8. Web site: Jonestown Tea by Otep . Songfacts.
  9. News: Florida Teenager Uses OTEP Song To Inform Mother Of Sexual Abuse At Hands Of Father . . January 15, 2006.
  10. Web site: From Otep, with rage . Harrell . Jeff . Southern Bend Tribune . April 4, 2013.
  11. Book: Inc, CMJ Network . CMJ New Music Report . 2002-06-03 . CMJ Network, Inc. . en.
  12. Web site: Sludge . Metal . Sludge Scans For June & July 2002 Metal Sludge . 2022-02-07 . en-US.
  13. Web site: Chart Log UK: The O - Ozric Tentacles . zobbel.de . Tobias Zywietz . July 7, 2009 . Zywietz, Tobias.