Classified by most as "goth", Type O truly sets their own agenda and doesn't fit into any particular category. Self-described as The Drab Four, you'll find influences from The Beatles through Black Sabbath, and lyrics that focus on hate, hope, love, and loss. The gloom is occasionally pierced by a wicked sense of humor and cover songs you would least expect, but their original lyrics remain true to reality and far from politically correct.

Of all the offerings presented by TON, October Rust is the sonic masterpiece. Layer upon layer of highs and lows, between and within the songs, both musically and emotionally. The opening anthem of self-doubt (Love You to Death) sets the mood for 80 minutes of orchestra-quality music. Every song is a highlight unto itself, with twists and turns and a musical finesse that is unmatched in the metal or rock category.

This is not "get up and dance" rock, and certainly not moshing material. There is no thrash here. No hint of Peter Steele's previous venture with Carnivore, or the early days of TON. While some critics hint that Type O lost their metal edge with Rust, they instead progressed into uncharted territory. There is imaginative, original music beautifully arranged and meant for your easy-chair.

The follow-up to Rust, World Coming Down, is darker and gloomier and not nearly the musical accomplishment of this 1996 classic. A fine listen on its own, it pales in comparison to the sonic benchmarks acheived on Rust.

Find the best headphones you own, and seclude yourself for a while with a candle, a bottle of blood-red wine, and October Rust. And welcome to the world of TON.


Five Stars Aren't Enough!!   February 24, 2005
 5 out of 5 found this review helpful

I'll admit, usually my tastes in music run to Thrash and Death Metal, but when I chanced upon this album (after seeing the video for "My Girlfriend's Girlfriend"), I knew I had struck gold!! Here's a little breakdown...

The Music: The whole Beatles/Black Sabbath thing has been said before, but it's true. The unforgettable melodies of the Beatles, and the imposing doom 'n gloom of vintage Sabbath. The songs veer from the poppiness of 'My Girlfriend's Girlfriend' to the sprawling majesty of 'Haunted' and all points in between. Probably my favourite thing about this album is that there are so many cool, weird noises buried in the mix, that every time you listen, you hear something different. You could spend YEARS trying to digest this.

The Lyrics: Sometimes creepy, sometimes humorous, always on the mark. And made all the better by Peter Steele's rich baritone delivery (and backed up by the Bensonhoist Lesbian Choir - I'm not making this up!!).

The Production: This is where it gets weird. Sometimes it sounds like it was recorded at Abbey Road, and other times it sounds as if it were tracked onto an old-school four-track in Josh Silver's garage. And how they manage to blend the two aesthetics so FLAWLESSLY is something I've pondered fruitlessly for many years.

The Performance: Although no one would ever accuse these guys of being virtuosos with regard to technicality, the sometimes straightforward approach lets the music BREATHE. They probably realised that an overly technical approach (of which they are fully capable of, as evidenced on their earlier stuff) would confuse an already complicated thing.

The Highlights: EVERYTHING! Well to be more specific, here goes...

Love You To Death - Beautiful, and hauntingly romantic. If your girlfriend happens to be a metal fan (as she bloody well should be!), pop this in the background, and enjoy one hell of a shagfest!

Green Man - Catchy as hell, with a very cool (albeit bizzarre) sample of a garbage truck at the beginning.

In Praise Of Bacchus - An awesome ode to the Roman god of wine, and always a great tune to get hammered to.

Haunted - Creeping slower-than-buggery doom-laden metal with a sprawling, poetic feel and (like most songs on this record) erotic overtones.

In Summary: This album is perfectly flawless. Although I dig "Bloody Kisses" and "World Coming Down", this album is where the 'O' hit their stride. And on a related not, if you're a heterosexual guy, AVOID ANY CONTACT with the Peter Steele Playgirl pics!! The absolute LAST thing you want to visualise when you put on this record is Peter's 'schlong'... it took me YEARS to erase that mental pic! Otherwise... ENJOY!!


His voice will rock your soul and curl your toes!   January 7, 2007
 5 out of 5 found this review helpful

This was my first introduction to TON and still my favorite. Forget about it being "Goth" forget about it being metal, it's just great music. Peter's voice is one of the most...spiritual experiences ever. This is a must for any lonely woman. So light some candles, crank it up, and make sure you have plenty of batteries on hand!


THE BEST ALBUM TO DATE   June 4, 2000
 4 out of 4 found this review helpful

I have been a fan of Type O Negative since their inception onto the music scene. This is by far the best album they have ever made. The smooth melodic music is enough to put you in a trance, Peter Steele's vocals and Bass playing are perfect. Kenny Hickey attacks his guitar with a new found vengeance, Josh Silver is a musical genius on his keyboards. And the "new" drummer Johnny Kelly is an excellent match for this band. All together this band has gone through some very hard times, and they have perservered. I recomend this album to anyone who can tolerate using their brain. This band is like a fine wine, they only get better with age! I also recomend their new album "World Coming Down"