Despite having a legendary status in their own right, this cult American band had eluded me until recently. I'd seen plenty of Type O Negative shirts at Metal shows over the years. I may have even passed up the opportunity to see them live a couple times before the vampyric Peter Steele's death in 2010. Having now familiarized and come to adorn some of their best material, it seemed certain a new journey was in wait.
Starting with their debut, Slow, Deep and Hard breaks out with an unmistakable identity hinged around a willingness to meld new and distant musical ideas. Birthed through Gothic Horror and a crude sadistic humor, cheesy synth tones, gritty Industrial percussion and embrace of guitar dissonance somehow emerges authentic with underlying pains. A crude mix of Hardcore, Doom Metal and all things Gothic, Type O Negative straddle the estranged Avant-Guarde soundscape with oddities, yet land their lengthy songs with chant-along choruses, memorable melodies and rocking riffs.
Its a chemistry of their own making with cheerier punches fit for the 90s spirit. This light rarely departs a depraved side, gloomy and blood soaked as many of these songs lunge into slow and sluggish rhythm sections resting on dissonance and audio horror. Its quite the ride for an adventurous listener. Burly poetic recitals, gang shouts, pained screams and heavenly choral singing, variety is no stranger. Song structures straddle similar constructs as twisted avenues tend to return to the gratifying ideas.
This introduction is a powerful entry point, yet wanes with multiple listens as many of the first two tracks key ideas seem uncannily recycled over the remaining records span. Type O Negative display a unique character fit to bloom into a beast. With thoughtful appreciation, one can hear the previous decades influences. The likes of Swans, Bauhaus and Christian Death among others clearly shape an ever evolving Gothic mood. Industrial and Metal influences present too, this union of genres feels so odd and genuine too, the kind of chemistry that gets me excited. I can feel it already, this journey will be one of the greats!
Rating: 7/10