Simply put, they’re a death metal band with a female singer who has a serious passion for creativity.

Come January 25, the foursome – vocalist/band namesake Otep; guitarist Lee Rios; drummer Doug Pellerin; and bassist eViL j – will headline the Alliance of Defiance tour, which will feature fellow metal-heads Candiria, the Autumn Offering, Blood Simple and American Head Charge.

The first show kicks off in Sparks, Nev., at the New Oasis. From there the dark entourage will hit up a few dates on the West Coast before making their way east. The tour currently has 21 dates inked on the books.

In recent months the Los Angeles-based quartet has been touring with the likes of heavy metal darlings Kittie, in support of their second full-length album, House of Secrets. In fact, the video for the Otep’s “Warhead” was recently selected as one of the year’s best for MTV’s “Headbangers Ball.”

A round of dates in March for the Alliance of Defiance tour are to be expected but nothing has been confirmed. Those gigs will most likely have the bands touring through Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.