Type ‘OK’ Negative returns

By Greg Manning
Collegian Staff
April 4, 2007

New York’s Type O Negative has always had a special place in my discography. I’ve frequently turned to Peter Steele and company’s unique blend of morose metal drenched in cheap guitar distortion and keyboard swells whenever the machinations of the so-called “fairer sex” have me bummed out. Steele’s lyrics, which run the gamut from self-consciously self-indulgent anthems of heartbreak to humorous parodies of the band’s own goth style, have always struck a chord with me on some level. On their sixth studio album, Dead Again, Type O Negative continues to do what they do best, with no real surprises thrown into the mix.

Dead Again covers all the aspects of Type O Negative’s sound. Some of the tracks have a very clear old-school thrash/hardcore/punk influence that calls to mind much of the band’s material on 1991’s Slow, Deep, and Hard, or even Steele’s thrash band, Carnivore, while other tracks are slow Sabbath-esque dirges. The opening title track is arguably the album’s catchiest moment, with its reliance on fast, simple chord progressions and memorable keyboard melodies during the chorus. On the other hand, the appropriately titled third track, “The Profits of Doom,” is a 10-minute exercise in epic doom metal that gives way to some atmospheric sitar work and vocal harmonies at the end. Other highlights include the Sabbath-worshipping penultimate track, “An Ode to Locksmiths,” the surprisingly thrashy “Some Stupid Tomorrow” and the old-school rock ‘n’ roll feel of “Halloween in Heaven.”

Rounding out the album are a few of Type O Negative’s trademark ballads — “September Sun” and “She Burned Me Down.” The nearly 10 minute “September Sun” starts off with Steele singing solo over Josh Silver’s piano, and builds in intensity as the frontman/bassist relates a tale of lost love and childhood. This track also sees Steele discard his usual knowing wink in favor of a more serious approach to lyric writing. This stylistic shift is indicative of many of the other cuts on the album, such as the 14-minute “These Three Things,” which deals with the issue of abortion and unwanted pregnancy. Despite the fact that I have always appreciated both the serious and not-so-serious sides of the band, I wish their unique sense of dark humor surfaced a little bit more on Dead Again.

Overall, Type O Negative has released a very solid album with Dead Again — an impressive feat 17 years into their career. There really isn’t anything new here, but the band’s legions of loyal fans should have no reason to complain, as the strength of the material is top-notch. However, if the album has one shortcoming, it’s that, despite the generally exceptional songwriting, there is really nothing on the record that screams “classic.”

This may seem like a particularly picky judgment, but coming from a band that has written such songs as “Christian Woman,” “Black No. 1,” “Love You to Death” and “Unsuccessfully Coping with the Natural Beauty of Infidelity,” I expected this release to feature at least one track to be in that elite category. Nonetheless, this is an immensely enjoyable album from one of the most unique and influential voices in heavy music.

manningg1@lasalle.edu