October Rust

I like Type O Negative, especially their debut and World Coming Down, which both reveal frontman Peter Steele's most fractured and vulnerable sides. I love how all over the place Slow, Deep, and Hard is, as well as the various different types of somber moods tackled on World Coming Down. These two albums are my favorite because they're both dynamic and interesting listens which cycle through a bunch of different movements and moods in a very satisfying way.

October Rust is an album which is lauded pretty much across the board by everyone I know who likes TøN. What's so great about it? Well.. I don't really know, actually! This dissonance between mine and the majority opinion also happened to me with Mr. Bungle's California. Everyone says that album is "Bungle's masterpiece" and whatnot, and I'm just sitting here like.. really?? THAT'S the best one? It's an apt comparison because October Rust is a bit of a softer, easier listen than other TøN albums, just like how California is softer and easier than the other Bungle albums. The difference is that I still find merit in California because a sizable portion of it consists of Bungley bangers, whereas October Rust, to me, just plods along and never delivers the goods. I'm constantly left wanting after tracks on here end, almost as if they're all super long and drawn out crescendos with no climax. Some of the songs even just abruptly cut off, only for a new one to start, like they didn't even bother writing an ending at all.

I will give it some credit, it is a very beautifully made album. It's the type of album you could get really high or drunk to and vibe with its swirly textures and ambience. But at the end of the day, that's really all it has. It's lacking in hooks, It's lacking in dynamism (the music and Peter both never get angry or intense at all), and mostly just plays like a lazy, lifeless, empty version of Type O Negative. Outside of a few really cool moments like the Neil Young cover and Love You To Death, October Rust just goes on for way too long, doing the same type of thing over and over again. (Drawn out, stale gothic doom with a lot of ambient elements).

I gave this album a lot of tries. I listened at different times, in different moods, but it just kinda never grew on me. I really wanted to have that "eureka" moment where it jumps out at me as to why it's so fucking great, but that just never happened. Maybe I'm the idiot, maybe I'm just too dumb to get it or something, but I don't really understand how this album is better than its direct successor, or even its flawed but enjoyable predecessor.

Despite my personal distaste for it, I'm still going to give it a 69. This is a very beautiful album, the production is rich as hell, and under certain circumstances, I could really vibe out to it for the whole hour+ it lasts. Aside from a few laughably bad lyrics like the cringe-inducing "I'll do anything to make you cum" from Be My Druidess (I audibly cackled when I heard this), and the ultra repetitive lines from songs like Burnt Flowers Fallen, Peter delivers some very pretty and poetic lines throughout this album. I guess October Rust just wasn't really made for me, and that's okay. It might be my personal least favorite TøN album, but that doesn't mean that it's shit, it's just not really an opus I thoroughly love and cherish like others do.

All of Peter Steele’s experiences led up to this. To his work in his band Carnivore to creating Type O’s early albums which have far less gothic tinge and far more brutality and anger brought upon the sounds Peter managed to evoke, slowly progressed into the core album that defines Type O Negative’s spirit for me - October Rust. I can go on on how this album came to be and what may have influenced it, but I’d rather look into the album itself and what makes it truly special. The first thing I want to mention is the guitar tone. The tone seeps with atmosphere and emotion, especially heightened with the highly convincing musicianship that creates a sense of majesty and etherealness to an already incredibly unique tone by itself. The chemistry between it and Peter Steele’s vocals feels almost organic. Through the many emotions this album covers, the tone and Peter’s voice never deteriorates the Rust’s characteristically honest and raw atmosphere but only adds to the endearing sorrow that can be heard upon the near entirety of the album. I don’t think I’ve heard an album that quite has the same dynamics and reverb that each instrument produces in this album; a true marble in itself that must be commended to some fair degree.

I also love how artificial and dreary Peter’s voice sounds on here. He’s able to keep the voice in temper with the instruments that accompany it and - even though there’s awful amount of distortion in his voice - it feels natural and sympathetic to the rest of the music. Both the tone and musicianship in both the voice and instruments is unique, captivating and awfully tranquil. However an element that may work for a certain song, doesn’t work as effectively in another song especially when the mood noticeably contrasts with the rest of the album. Take my girlfriend’s girlfriend for example. While the song itself is fantastic, with the incredibly memorable opening keyboard passage to the oddly encompassing subject matter which further increases its distinct flair upon Type O’s discography, the song itself feels very inconsistent with the rest of the given atmosphere that flows across the melancholic blood that October Rust is possessed by. The same anomaly can be found with certain parts of other songs in the album, which can interrupt the flow at some points. However it does create some diversity and intrigue, so I would consider this trait more of a double edged sword than anything.

Other than that, the flow itself is potent and seamless. There’s no real flaws I have with how this album flows on (other than what I just mentioned earlier) especially when it’s complimented by the supernatural like guitar lines that soar across each track. Each track has something going for it that makes it memorable and distinct. Not a single song sounds the same, even if the atmosphere is gushed in a similar fashion in each song. This factor only adds to the already high replay value this album has. It’s by far Type O’s most mature album up to this point in their career, with gothic and doom metal influence to back up the already unhinged emotional depth that the song writing and lyrics hold. The drums aren’t very noticeable (due to them being outweighed by the guitars and Peter Steele himself) however they’re pretty much perfect for what they are and already add a sense of melody and focus that makes up this album. I can span this review for even longer than what it needs to be if I put some more time into analysing the individual tracks themselves, but they really don’t need dissecting when the album itself is so perfectly captivating in its performance. It’s almost majestical with how seamless each instrument plays with each other, as well as the emotional value given in each song. There isn’t any skips in this album (unless you count the intro), and each song has its own place that holds this monolith of an album to a near perfect conclusion.

- This album is unique, bold, personal and mind expanding
- The musicianship is on point, almost every note created has a purpose
- The songs themselves are fairly slow yet manage to be memorable and convincing
- The flow for the most part is perfect
- The album is confident yet unpretentious
- Lyrics are thought provoking. Story telling is encapsulating, honest and inventive
- Phenomenal production, every instrument can be heard to a degree that represents their respective roles perfectly

There will never be an album quite like October Rust (especially when context is included), and given the quality that makes up this album, everyone should listen to what Type O managed to create here at least once in their life. It’s impossible to describe what Peter Steele and his band members composed here without doing it somewhat of a disservice without listening to it yourself. Rest easy Green Man, your legacy will be remembered.

There is always something magically intangible about truly classic albums. The instrumentation, composition and production create an experience for the listener that transcends mere metal.

Type O Negative’s ‘October Rust’ is one of those albums that is so unique and special that it can be difficult to articulate one’s feelings about it. Yet, despite the excellent scores it has already received here, its praises must be sung.

I first came across this album just after it was released in 1996 when a friend bought it. I had the digipak version of ‘Bloody Kisses’ at the time – that wonderful re-ordering of ‘Bloody Kisses’ tracks that removes the wastrel ‘comedy’ songs and re-sequences the album into a state that was close to perfection – and the romantic essence of the band was at its peak. For a 16 year old, it couldn’t have been better timing when ‘October Rust’ arrived.

Firstly, it must be acknowledged that the production is a work of genius, and I don't say this flippantly. The remarkably warm yet penetrating guitars complement the ghostly atmosphere of the manifold keyboard sounds, while the confident fuzz of the bass contributes towards a sound that is virtually impossible to replicate. Then there is the sheer majesty of Peter Steele’s voice at its best. He is confident, powerful and lascivious in equal measure. The aural quality of the gothic doom here is such that it is truly transformative – to listen to it is to be immediately drawn into a world beyond our own, because the songs aren’t simply rock based nor are they progressive. They seem to defy a simple definition of structure. If anything, they're like stories, with beginnings, meanderings and crescendos.

The songs are by far the best of the band’s career, and the whole album is one long exercise in excellence. ‘Love You to Death’ is a staggering composition. Its haunting piano introduction is accompanied by other eerie keyboard sounds that combine to create a gothic landscape of pastoral beauty, and when Peter Steele’s deeply smooth voice comes in, a beautifully evocative tone is created. At the other end of the album ‘Haunted’ ends things with a profound resonance. Listen to Steele here as he booms “I hate the morning” as the song’s protagonist wakes after a night of ghostly erotic visitation. It's vampiric without being lame; it's romantic without being kitschy. It's pure human yearning and passion. Again, it’s not something that can be replicated by other bands.

The whole album is full of gothic anthems. ‘Wolf Moon’ with its sexually dubious lyrical theme is a masterpiece, its solemn guitar picking opening and its huge and rousing chorus sending chills. ‘Die With Me’ with its acoustic guitar and jet-plane lyrics is a bittersweet love song. ‘Red Water (Christmas Mourning)’ is a huge epic to a Dickensian type of Christmas – for years being a mandatory Christmas day theme, replete with sleigh-bells. Think that sounds foolish? It's amazing.

Lyrics are sophisticated while still being couched in the vampiric landscape painted by the music behind them. They're a pastiche of modern life with Stoker-like fantasies and earnest yet fantastical relationship experiences.

Even parts of it that can cause difficulties for others are very much enjoyed by me. ‘My Girlfriend’s Girlfriend’ is a darkly erotic go-go dance championing the virtues of a threesome, while ‘Cinnamon Girl’ is a great, if lighter, love song and a fun cover to include. We all have a cinnamon girl in our pasts.

The album artwork is simply brilliant; the vertical thorns that combine the green and black look amazing, while the booklet contains some simply stunning photographs of trees across the various seasons. Even the font of the lyrics is artful and fantastic.

Ultimately, it's the focus on the power of romance and gothicism that truly works so well on this release. Unfettered by later personal depression on the part of Steele, and emancipated from their annoying penchant for potty humour, ‘October Rust’ is able to stand as a serious work that does not self-sabotage. It is confident, honest and emotional, and due to a mature sense of pathos, shows a profound understanding of human sentimentality.

It is possibly the greatest album that this reviewer has ever heard, whether as a lovestruck 16 year old when the disc first spun, or a melancholic and nostalgic man of 40 who plays it today. ‘October Rust’ is an unmitigated triumph.

Whenever a metal band tries to go for a more melodic and commercial sound it doesn't really work out. Sure it would work out for bands who want to reach for a bigger demographic, but the authenticity is loss from die-hard metal fans who just want more aggressive stuff. However, if we're talking about gothic metal, it is usually an acceptable form as long as that authenticity is not lost. That was the case for Type O Negative's fourth album "October Rust." After reaching success with the groundbreaking "Bloody Kisses," Peter Steele and crew decide to take a big gamble by going for a more melodic sound compared to the previous album. If "Bloody Kisses" was the album that defined gothic metal, then "October Rust" defined that anything is possible when it comes to melodic songs, catchy lyrics, and sensitive and dark atmosphere.

"October Rust" is at the top of my favorite Type O Negative albums as well as the top 5 of my overall favorite metal albums. This album showed that you can play melodic and romantic without losing an ounce of heaviness and darkness. I listen to the album the most because the songs are catchy, it's very atmospheric and dreamy, and it's an album that inspired me to want to play this kind of melodic metal. Some may disagree whether this album is considered metal, but this is still an album that made it acceptable to have dark ballads.

We start off the album with one of the band's trademark joke track where it makes it sound like the speakers are igniting feedback for 30 seconds, then it was all smooth sailing as you listen to the album more. The music is incredibly lush, sensitive, and atmospheric. It is loaded with melodic elements, but it wasn't commercial sounding, it was acceptable. This is an album that would also define Josh Silver as an important force throughout the entire album. The keyboards are amazing, it has those gothic melodies heard from the likes of The Cure and Swans. In most of it's songs they are not just melodic, but depressive sounding that work in unison to Peter's crowning vocals. Alongside the elegant keyboards of titles like "Wolf Moon," and "Haunted" this is an album that would be a shining example of what you can do right with keyboards/piano.

Its guitars remain heavy throughout even at the album's most melodic moments. Chorus effects and distortion would be another element that would define gothic metal and in "October Rust" this the epitome of such elements. An uncommon staple to gothic metal is taking that post-punk Influence in its bass guitar approach by creating some unique sounding bass with damn good bass lines. The bass lines are phenomenal with such great examples as "Be My Druidess," "My Girlfriend's Girlfriend," "Cinnamon Girl," and "Wolf Moon." They are catchy and memorable for it's dark gothic Melody, and would be some of Peter Steele's best work as a bassist.

Here's the reason why I didn't give "October Rust" a perfect score. My least favorite song on the album is "Cinnamon Girl." It's not a bad track, but for some reason it didn't hit me as hard as the other Songs off the album. Probably because the direction of the Song and the key it was in could have been better. Even when I say this that's not saying much because every Song was not bad, they were phenomenal.

Peter Steele as a vocalist is another shining moment for "October Rust." We hear Peter singing the lowest keys in his Career. In Songs like "My Girlfriend's Girlfriend," and "Haunted" he sings the deepest keys with no sign of force or exhaustion. His voice on this album is also dreamy. Like a low energy Robert Smith inspired sound, but richer and crowning. Steele was always a phenomenal singer throughout Type O Negative's Career, but in "October Rust" this is Peter Steele at his very best singing.

The lyrics to "October Rust" are also phenomenal. They are written with a lot of sensitivity and depression that go both hands to hand without being overused from either direction. This is the way in which melodic Songs should be written especially with "Love You to Death," "My Girlfriend's Girlfriend," and "Die with Me." They are not simplistic and dumb as with most melodic Songs inside and outside metal music it's more sophisticated. Even with a Song like "Burnt Flowers Fallen" the lyrics may be simple and redundant, it's further saved by its phenomenal direction thanks to not only to the music and the vocals, but because it's some really phenomenal lines in terms of romanticism and Sophistication. No Song was plagued with terrible lyrics and dumb one-liners as "October Rust" will date really well because of these lyrics.

"October Rust" is no doubt one of the greatest gothic metal albums of all time. It proved that with the right talent, the right execution, and the right sense of humor any metal band can make an accessible melodic metal album without losing its authenticity. It is also what many to be considered to be the perfect autumn album, the soundscapes give it that atmosphere where this album takes place during the autumn time.

Three years after an impactful record from Type O Negative's Bloody Kisses, the band went fully romantic, gothic, dramatic, and all about love their praised and impeccable successor, October Rust. Personally, I consider this as a major improvement over Bloody Kisses, having fully developed their direction, sound, experiment, and memorable music, as well as some hidden gems. Out of all the overly depressive (not that it's a bad thing) and doomy records the band recorded, October Rust is the go-to for stress-relief and euphoric atmosphere, as the majority of the songs are simply gothic with a lot of rock essence and prominent keyboards, yet the doom metal elements are still at large.

Now featuring longtime friend and member, Johnny Kelly. Sal left for some reason, maybe because he liked being with Life of Agony, but he departed from the band on good terms. That being said, as Johnny is the drummer, It's important to note that with this record all the way to the 2003 record, Life Is Killing Me, the band used a drum machine. I don't know how that reflected on the final product not to record actual drums, but the live performances since Johnny joined the band say it all. There was nothing on those albums that made me suspicious about the drums. As for the other Brookylnites, Josh was implementing more samples and featuring prettier keyboard layers than before, while Peter & Kenny added in some chorus effect, especially for the former's overwhelming distortion effect, which made the music more powerful than the predecessor. And speaking of Peter, he started to incorporate more melodies into his singing.

The band returned to use fillers again, which expands the actual tracklist from 12 to 15. At least they're not interludes to other tracks that are meaningless and they're not spread across the album itself (refer to Bloody Kisses and World Coming Down). They're shorter than a minute, which gets us straight to the point: Bad Ground sounds like an unplugged instrument, but I suppose it stayed for the humor. Afterward, you have two untitled tracks that represent the intro and the outro of the album. The intro is represented by the entire band and the outro is concluded with Peter.

As for the product itself: the majority of the songs are longer than five minutes, and by producing a record only three years later - and prouder than ever, the band had more time and creativity to perfect their direction. The infamous and pop-ish My Girlfriend's Girlfriend; just to keep up with the humor and metaphoric lyrics, as well as the Neil Young cover of Cinnamon Girl which Neil did not approve, are the shortest songs on the album. With that, you have the ridiculously long-titled instrumental track, The Glorious Liberation of the People's Technocratic Republic of Vinnland by the Combined Forces of the United Territories of Europa. This silly concept of the made-up country, Vinnland, has your standard Scandinavian flag but painted green and black to contemplate for the band's image. You can say it's the anthem of this made-up country - and goddamn if it ain't the heaviest anthem you ever heard.

Love You to Death, Be My Druidess, My Girlfriend's Girlfriend, Die with Me, Burnt Flowers Fallen, In Praise of Bacchus, and Cinnamon Girl are the gothic songs on the album. Showcasing atmospheric, fulfilling, gazing, and chilling keyboard effects and samples by Josh; perfecting the band's gothic direction. Striking chorus-effected power chords and melodies with linear riffs on top by Kenny made this record much more fun to listen to. The ever-overwhelming distorted bass riffs and pick-scratching on top of the strings that created amazing grooves; extensively turning on the chorus pedal, too. And speaking of the giant behind those factors, Peter sang more cleanly, with more depth to the lyrics and delivery, and variable melodic singing that made these songs romantically appropriate, full of life and quality. Additionally on In Praise of Bacchus, as it's a romanticizing and composed very well, it features some death growl-ish bass vocals and female vocals from Val Ium of Pist.On, adding an extra layer on to make the song much more powerful in its delivery.

Although the gothic songs aren't bad and some of them are quite underrated, they're pretty beatable by the likes of Green Man. While it's also gothic, it's lyrically different that made it a counterpart to the rest of the gothic songs. The metaphors are stronger than before, for Peter's kind of writing, if I may say. The vocal delivery is fantastic, and there are the returning and effective (pedal-wise) acoustic guitar melodies, with more chorus-effected/jazzy bass grooves. Showing his utmost love and appreciating for autumn and the dream he wanted to make real, this is one of the band's best compositions and also just criminally underrated.

Red Water (Christmas Mourning), Wolf Moon (Including Zoanthropic Paranoia), and Haunted are the only doomier songs, and they beat a lot of the band's catalog out of the park. One way to crash the Christmas holiday: Red Water (Christmas Mourning) takes inspiration from the sound and lyrical theme from Bloody Kisses. However, it's much more atmospheric, powerful, depressing, and unique. Josh's melodies are the main sound of this song, but Peter's long vocal deliveries and crushing singing will blow you away without a doubt. Wolf Moon (Including Zoanthropic Paranoia) might have a gothic atmosphere, but the structure and the sound imply it's more revolved in doom metal due to how dark but enlightening it sounds - and that's taking all of Josh's input on the song alone. You still have the groovy, highly effected bass, and Peter sounds incredible, trying to sound like a wolf with his high notes to capture the essence of the song. Speaking of darkness, Haunted might just be the darkest song from the band. Sure, the entire World Coming Down is pretty much a dark record in itself, and you also have the debut album, as well as the unreleased Bloody Kisses recording of Suspended in Dusk to put on the table. In comparison to these examples, what made Haunted so unique is not only the longevity but the multiple keyboard layers by Josh including some melodies, as well as Peter's melodic and the bass and guitar's striking, distorted chords. While the verses showcase more of the melodies Josh delivers, the most powerful part of the song is the bridge, which is repeated twice but with Peter first growling the vocals and the second time reaching for his high notes one last time on the album.

While I've always had mixed feelings for Die with Me because I find it to be unnecessarily long, and Burnt Flowers Fallen for the same reason but also due to the lack of lyrics and repetitive music, they were never really bad songs, just underrated - but unmemorable. Still, I think this album turned out to be perfect. It showed how unique and creative the band can sound. Since the majority of the album consists of gothic metal rather than doom metal, the best gothic metal songs are the first three songs and In Praise of Bacchus, and the only three doom metal songs are even better, and it leaves you with a diverse listen between the more easy-going stuff with the humor, to the darker side of the band.

Peter Steele's discography is truly diverse and exceptional. During the span of his musical career, he was able to move away from the more violent, frustrating and angry sound on Carnivore to the more beautiful, desolate and theatrical sound on Type O Negative. The progression from his previous band is quite evident as Peter emphasizes his oblivious influences such as Black Sabbath and the Beatles. This is most notable on his later work such as World Coming Down and Life is Killing Me. Furthermore, the inspirations are much more distinguishable than on Carnivore's only two albums and on Type O Negative's debut album Slow, Deep and Hard. After Type O Negative's magnum opus Bloody Kisses, featuring memorable and epic tracks like "Christian Woman", "Black Number 1" and "Summer Breeze", Peter and the gang were undisputedly becoming more and more commercially successful. It was then where the once lesser known "Drab Four" as they called themselves started touring with bigger name metal and non-metal bands such as Nine Inch Nails. After the instant classic and gothic masterpiece Bloody Kisses got a wide spread of recognition, their follow-up October Rust had many expectations to be fulfilled.

With another absolutely brilliant album under their belt with a few noticeable differences and changes such the new drummer Johnny Kelly and a more melodic and enchanting approach. October Rust showcases a more of uplifting and less dismal and darkened mood than on Bloody Kisses. Kenny Hickey plays many instantly catchy but also extremely powerful and soulful riffs. Peter's singing and songwriting is another major feature that makes October so great. The profound lyrics paint a picture of someone screaming for isolation, venturing through an abandoned castle and trying to escape misery, confusion and hopelessness. The opener "Love You to Death" already shows Type O Negative's lighter side and a different approach to their instrumentation and songwriting. The chainsaw like guitars on Slow, Deep and Hard sound much more clean, precise and refined as well as Peter's approach to singing. "Green Man" is a blissful but also sorrowful tune that depicts someone struggling to be free and ends with Type O Negative's signature marching and chanting sounds.

The album continues with the ever changing "My Girlfriend's Girlfriend" which starts with a keyboard intro and then follows up with Type O Negative's distinctive and recognizable grandiose sound. "Die With Me" is another example of an absolutely gorgeous track where the chorus give chills, it is type of song that one would listen to on while taking the train far away from home and never returning. "In Praise of Bacchus" sounds like wandering through the wilderness in the absolute darkness while gazing at the starry night. "Haunted" is the perfect closer to the album, a slow and gloomy ending that gives the listener the impression that there will be more greatness to come later on, as evident on their next album World Coming Down. Another unique aspect that I particularly enjoyed on October Rust was that each band member personally thanked the listener for buying and listening to the album. Never before I have I heard a band do this at both the beginning and ending of a record. Even the closing statement by Peter isn't a true farewell but rather an indication that the fans will hear from the ensemble of Type O Negative sooner than expected.

As a concluding statement, October Rust is another essential and masterful record in the Type O Negative discography. Peter truly had a rich voice and musical vision unlike anyone else during the time. His one of a kind and cunning humour added to his distinctive songwriting approach. From start to finish, October Rust is the perfect example of a gothic metal masterpiece and shows Peter at his most creative. Even the cover of Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl" sounds somewhat better than the original. While the spotlight is mostly on Peter throughout the album, the collective effort of Johnny, Josh and Kenny is not to go unnoticed. Their exquisite musicianship is the reason why Type O Negative has such impactful, emotional and unique sound.

“October Rust” is definitely the most emotional, and impressive album Type O Negative ever put out. This not saying that the rest of their catalogue is lackluster, this is me just picking my favorite album of theirs, and believe there are many reasons why this is my favorite record of theirs.

Released after their much-heralded “Bloody Kisses”, “October Rust” serves as a “softer” album then it’s predecessor. It starts and ends with comedic elements, but in the sandwiched in the comedy, there is some really emotional stuff. Such as the ending of “Love You To Death” when Peter sings the “Am I good enough, for you” part, that part always gets me. And “Red Water (Christmas Mourning)” which has some really sad, and painful lyrics, and a great guitar solo that brings it home with mournful keyboards. “In Praise Of Bacchus” is a standout because of it’s mournful lyrics and vocals from Peter Steele and guest vocalist Val Ium and “Haunted” is a standout because it ends the album on a definite high note, although to get the full effect you have to listen to the full record.

Instrumentally this album is very sound as well. Peter Steele’s bass is used mostly as a rhythm guitar, and his vocals are just superb on this record. Kenny Hickey’s guitar playing adds great solos and riffs all over the record. Josh Silver’s keyboard playing is an integral part of the album, and a definite standout, without the keyboards, this album just wouldn’t feel complete (the same goes for every Type O Negative album). Johnny Kelly’s drumming (although artificial) still brings the overall sound together, to create a great record. Also live he played his parts perfectly, so I have no problem with the drums being artificial.

Concluding my review I will say that this is definitely my favorite Type O Negative album. It has everything you would want from one of their albums, heaviness, emotion, and vocal melodies to kill for. If you are looking to get into this band I suggest you start with “Bloody Kisses”, because of it’s commercial relevance, but “October’s Rust” is without a doubt in my opinion their best album.

Type O Negative have always been known for their spooky atmosphere and their dark sense of humor. With this release, however, they took a rather different approach. Many people see Bloody Kisses as their masterpiece, and that is surely a damn good album, but I feel like October Rust just offers something more. Early on, the entire idea of the band was essentially a joke, combining slow, booming riffs (and occasional ones on the thrashier side) with over-the-top lyrics, often sexually charged, and even misogynistic or racist at times. It's no question that these ideas were in part a continuation of Peter Steele's previous project, Carnivore, which shared the same overtly and farcically offensive demeanor, albeit played in an exclusively thrash-oriented style. Carnivore's influence on Type O Negative can primarily be heard on their debut, Slow Deep and Hard, but its follow-up, The Origin of Feces went a bit further, by essentially pretending to be a live album, and for this reason, it's probably the the silliest point the band ever reached.

Many fans would agree that the album on which they truly came into their own was their third, Bloody Kisses. This album largely dropped the doomy droning and thrash riffing they had exhibited previously, in favor a more accessible, but just as inventive, gothic metal sound. The riffing remained relatively slow, but keyboards became much more prevalent, and Peter Steele's crooning clean vocals came to the forefront. The band had not lost their sense of humor though, and although their lyrical contend shifted more to themes of love, lust, and all things Halloween, their more low-brow side could still be heard on tracks like Kill All the White People. The album trod new ground for the band, and is generally regarded as their most influential release, and it probably is, but I would personally argue that they perfected this sound on the album's follow-up, October Rust.

Stylistically, October Rust isn't very far removed from Bloody Kisses. The keyboards remain prevalent, the riffs are still slow and downtuned, and the thunderous lamentations of Peter Steel are as melodious as ever. However, this album perfects and polishes the overall sound to an astounding degree. In terms of lyricism and overall songwriting, the album is noticeably more mature than its predecessor. The derogatory humor they once exhibited so profusely is now completely absent, but the band retains a sense of humor,which can be heard in the first two tracks, which begin with a forty-five-second-long speaker hum, followed by a recording of the band laughing at the listener for falling for their joke, and then expressing their hope that the listener will enjoy the album. The album immediately gets down to business though, and from that point on, it's all gloom and doom.

While there are hints of dark humor here and there, the vast majority of the album's lyrical content is hauntingly genuine. Where the previous album's dark atmosphere was very spooky in nature and drew from Halloween fantasy more than anything else, this album's approach is dark in a different and arguably truer vein. As per usual, the lyrics dwell on themes of lust, love, and sexual perversion, but without the over-the-top mockery of Slow Deep and Hard, or the often cliched goth stereotypes of Bloody Kisses. They read like the delusional writings of a lovesick psychopath, pining for morbidly erotic pipe dreams, rather than the work of a satirist or a gothic romance author, and while I'm sure none of this sentiment actually belonged to Peter Steel or anyone else in the band, the way it's written and performed feels incredibly down-to-earth.

The instrumentation is much more atmospheric than on previous releases, and the golden tone of the guitars gives the album a dreamlike quality throughout, further accentuating the album's grim lyrical themes. As most would agree though, what particularly shines on this album (or any given Type O Negative album) is Peter Steele's emotive and fruity vocal delivery. Everything meshes perfectly on this album, but if there's one thing that serves as the linchpin between it all, it's Peter's voice. It's almost as if it creates an atmosphere of its own to go along with everything else that's going on. Every soaring chorus, silvery passage, and somber requiem is purely magnificent. His vaguely Transylvanian "R" sounds give the music just the right touch of gothic camp to keep things a little spooky, and his occasional spoken-word parts (most prominent on My Girlfriend's Girlfriend) are used surprisingly effectively. Peter Steele was a truly one-of-a-kind vocalist, and his work on this album was among his best.

Whether you prefer this or Bloody Kisses, there's no denying that this is a classic. It perfected the sound that made them popular and furthered that sound into an even darker direction, while still retaining elements of the band's signature humor. There's even a Neil Young cover thrown in there for good measure. I trust that a lot of people on this site have already listened to this album, but if you haven't I highly recommend it.

Bloody Kisses represented a major turning point for Type O Negative. More than anything, it’s when they really found their signature sound. The album traded much of the raw aggression of Slow, Deep and Hard and Carnivore for a very distinct brand of gothic doom, while still retaining some of the earlier grit. For October Rust all of the dirt has been swept up and Pete’s roots in thrash and hardcore have been completely removed from the equation. This is easily Type O’s most polished and atmospheric album. Their poppiest, even. While a foray into the lighter side of their sound could have been a travesty, this is Type O Negative we’re talking about.

On Bloody Kisses both the pop element and the big slabs of doom came to forefront. They could have really gone either way with this one, and they chose to push the pop direction as far as it would logically go (saving the doom for World Coming Down). While Steele admits that part of this move was to get the leeches at Roadrunner of his back, it’s really astonishing how good the drab four are at making stuff sound good that really has no business sounding good. Does a pop album rooted in gothic doom (and let’s be honest, on this one the doom often takes on a more tertiary role), with lyrics heavily focused on the fairer sex really have any business being so goddamn excellent? On paper this would seem like blatant pandering to whatever the mid-90s equivalent of scene kids were. Not unlike Bloody Kisses, what should have turned out to be a disastrous move for the band has turned out fucking swimmingly.

One of the first things it’s hard not to notice is just how potent the atmosphere is. Lush would probably be the most apt descriptor. There’s a lyric in “Haunted” about green mist, and this would definitely be the best visual equivalent to the vibe October Rust takes on. A long with the echoey, reverb-drenched guitars are lavish synths as well as some piano here and there. “Red Water (Christmas Mourning)” is pure atmosphere. This song is a rare moment of perfect atmosphere; it is completely immersive and overpowering (with some damn good songwriting to boot). If the rest of the album has that aura of green mist floating around, this is like drowning in it; having the dense fog slowly fill your lungs and suck the life out of you.

Although this is not a steadfast rule, the earlier part of this album tends to contain the lighter numbers. The record slowly lurches into more doomier territory (most prominently in the last third), culminating in the ten minute suicide dirge closer, “Haunted”. “Be My Druidess” and “My Girlfriend’s Girlfriend” would constitute as comfortable territory for the MTV crowd, while containing strong enough songwriting to hold their own and not be written off as crowd-pleasing tripe. Heavier material such as “Red Water” and “Wolfmoon (Including Zoanthropic Paranoia)” makes up some of the albums most powerful moments, though. “Haunted” is pretty much a sequel to “Bloody Kisses (A Death In The Family)”. Being the heaviest song, some guitar parts show glimpses of what’s to come on their masterpiece World Coming Down. While a nice ending, this can’t rival the sheer massiveness of its spiritual predecessor.

Type O Negative has often been pigeonholed as a “ballad gone heavy” band. While in many ways this is a lazy oversimplification, it does contain hints of truth. If that descriptor is bordering on accurate on any of their works, it is without a doubt October Rust. It’s something that usually would be stupid and even laughable, but goddamn, do these four dicks from Brooklyn pull it off. This release is often lauded as fans as the pinnacle of Type O negative. While I definitely think they have stronger albums, it’s not really hard to see why so many people feel this way. October Rust is easily the record that is most indicative of their overall sound. This has the ballad-esque stuff, the atmosphere, lyrics about women with the inclusion of Pete’s trademark black humor, dirgier sections and a really strong riff here and there, all rolled up into one smooth package.

After Sal left, the band recruited John Kelly. While this was not made public knowledge at the time, a drum machine was used on studio recordings starting on this album and spanning to the band’s one and only major misstep, Life is Killing Me. It was only on the group’s final record, Dead Again, that Kelly would be allowed to record using an actual kit. As lame as using a drum machine sounds, it’s hard to deny that it works out well. For the slow, lush and atmospheric sound they go for, the tones garnered through the fake kit turn out to be very complimentary. The echoey snare sounds particularly good.

As great as this record may be, it is not without a few blunders. Chief among them is the inclusion of a cover of Neil Young’s “Cinnamon Girl”. Seriously, what the fuck Pete? Was this because of the record label? Was all the cocaine messing with his brain? Did he just want to piss people off and simply had no fucks left to give? Look, the band has a knack for making things work that shouldn’t and this is actually a lot better than you’d expect, but it’s still Type O Negative covering fucking “Cinnamon Girl”. There are so many better songs they could have covered; hell, there’s so many better Neil Young songs they could have ran with. This should have been left for a b-side or a rarities comp. The intros and outro also seem pretty unnecessary. The first intro, which makes it seem like the CD player is broken would have been pretty funny back when CDs were the primary way people consumed music. However, the other intro of the band goofing around and the outro of Steele saying he hoped you enjoyed the music don’t really seem appropriate for this album. It would have been kind of funny on the debut, but here it just comes off as silly and out of place.

Casting off the grimy remnants of Carnivore, here Type O sounds like a completely new entity. Bloody Kisses made the leap into new territory and October Rust finds itself completely on the other side of the fence. It seems like the biggest reason that they can make shit work that would sound preposterous by any other group (the lyrical themes successfully pulled off here would get any other metal band forcefully ejected from whatever dank basement they’re playing), is the sheer force of Pete’s larger than life personality. This is a perfect example of how a heavy band can do a more pop-oriented album and not come off as a bunch of sell-out doofuses. While not the best they have mustered, this is damn impressive effort that fully explored one aspect of their versatile sound.

Type O Negative. None more negative. Period.

As compared to the band's older releases, "October Rust" stands out from the crowd; it could be outstanding because its sincere production and songwriting process. Or it could be its atmospheric depth, its paraphernalia of death and love; This album is a masterpiece in all the possible senses. Unlike the other releases, it employs heavy usage of keyboards to deepen the emotions, scything guitar riffs and the ToN trademark bass lines, as cold and serene as a winter's night. Type O Negative achieved platinum and gold with "Bloody Kisses", as we all, the negativists, do know. "October Rust" is its kindred, and it should have gained the same status, though it did not for unknown reasons. At least for me.

"October Rust" focuses more on a ballad-esque approach of songwriting; there are plenty of passages left alone for the keyboard to shine, granting a very vivid depiction of inner upheaval and turmoils. There's "Love You to Death", one of the best songs ever written by Type O, with its creepy, yet so relaxing piano intro. There's the intro, and then Peter's vocals rise from the mist, the bass tears its cadaverous path through the harmony of the song. There's something strange about the song (and about Type O Negative in general). I use to keep every night two candles lit on the satellites of my audio system, and oh boy!, how many nights I stood awake, hooked to this song and glancing with an empty stare to the nightly streets of the little park that's in the front of my block. I have never found a band that ignited this question of life and death in my mind as Type O Negative. This band's sorrow and depression are so genuine that sometimes I find myself crying on the dream-like tunes of "Wolf Moon" or "Burnt Flowers Fallen". It is hard to listen to the Drab Four when you share some feelings with their music. Believe me.

I mentioned above the song "Wolf Moon". This is by far the most amazing song off "October Rust". Implying the fact that you listen to your music consciously, you should feel some chills on your spine while listening to it. Now, I'm not sure what are those chills from, but there are three simple options: the epic character of the song, its creepy, melancholy keyboard arrangements or Peter's crestfallen, yet so damn powerful, voice. "Green Man" is another pristine song off "October Rust". Peter's swirling vocals and the overall ballad-esque construction of the song make it one of the most moody songs Peter & Co. have ever written; The song is about the days in which Peter worked as a Park Supervisor, and "The Green Man" is the nickname that children gave him.

"Wolf Moon", "Love You to Death", "Christmas Mourning" and "Burnt Flowers Fallen" are, of course, very, very sad and negative songs, but they are no match for "Haunted". If there is a prize for "The best song to commit suicide on", then this song should be the winner. "Haunted" is under the aegis of the same glacial keyboard tune and tired drumming as almost all the songs of the album; Peter's voice is dreamy and fits perfectly the overall atmosphere of the song. Peter Steele was born to do this, its obvious. He is an amazing vocalist and after listening to Type O Negative's discography, it was clear to me why he was suffering of stage-fright. It is impossible not to fear audience when everything on the album is so damn personal. I mean, "October Rust" is like a mirror reflecting Peter's inner sanctum, and I will never understand his friendship with the other members of the band. I suppose they were quite frustrated to sing everything according to Steele's crestfallency.

"October Rust" is, indeed, one of the band's masterpieces, for sure. It is hard to label their music because it is so original, but call it doom/gothic metal. That should fit the profile, although the doom in Type O should be put after the release of "World Coming Down", but that's a whole different story. Grab "October Rust" if you put your hands on it;

I've been listening to this album for over fifteen years and therefore I believe it's safe to say that the music herein is timeless. Three years ago the world lost one of the most profoundly unique musicians to ever pick up a guitar, Peter Thomas Ratajczyk. The Green Man left us with a legacy of artistic integrity, brutal honesty, legendary lyrical wit, and nine brilliant albums between his two groundbreaking bands, Carnivore and Type O Negative.

I am a self-described doom metaller, and I'll never forget the first song I heard that caused me to actually feel doomed. It was the title track from Bloody Kisses and at that time I had never heard a dirge so agonizingly and poignantly depressive. I discovered Bloody Kisses and October Rust around the same time back in '97 and Type O is one of only two bands that I have never “grown out of” or “moved on from” since my teenage years. This band will be with me for the remainder of my days. Their music is like the comforting presence of an old friend.

Some may say that the Drab Four lightened their sound for this album. It may be the least heavy of Type O's works sonically-speaking, but the emotive significance here is undeniable. There are no gruff vocals, no hateful lyrics, no double bass or wailing guitar solos, and most of the tempos are slow and driving. This is full-blown Type O Negative where the youthful exuberance of the hardcore days of Carnivore has been exchanged for something a bit more adult, although the familiar self-degrading humor remains palpable. The sound of Peter's deep laughter always makes me smile as the band goofishly introduces the album from the studio.

Clearly, they spent a couple of months gettin' high working on it. “Love You To Death” is a song that almost always causes goosebumps to appear on my forearms with its sheer emotional weight. This is the penultimate fucking song. Seriously, fucking to this album is Sex Majik defined. The riffs undulate and penetrate, in-out, in-out, rendering space and time irrelevant. “Be My Druidess”. Case fuckin' closed. Probably the most erotic song in all of metal. Peter uses his bass in the creeping doom part of the song as though it were his foot long Polish sausage, fucking his earth goddess into submission, doing anything to make her come.

This is not a perfect album. I've often wondered if the drums are programmed. If so, they did a great job of making them feel like real drums, but sometimes the resonance of the toms is a bit grandiose. That said, the big drum sound perfectly suits the ethereal atmosphere of October Rust. Sometimes I skip “Red Water” because of its hoary Xmas yule time lyrics, and I can do without the cover of “Cinnamon Girl”. Too fun. “My Girlfriend's Girlfriend” is a bit much as far as the cheese factor, but if anyone was gonna get two chicks to double up on him, it's Pete fucking Steele. The video for that tune is frankly hilarious, what with the bright pastel color themes and very young chicks. That surely marked the height of Type O's coke-fueled decadence.

Take away the two happy or upbeat songs and this would of course receive 100 percent, which I am tempted to give just because I'm a total fanboy, but a perfect album should not have songs that get skipped, and I always skip “Cinnamon Girl”. Ah, here it is now, and I'm skipping it. It just doesn't fit in with monoliths like “Green Man”, a poem of Peter's adoration of all seasons, especially “Autumn in her flaming dress of orange, brown, gold, fallen leaves.” The machine sounds at the beginning of the track represent the time Pete spent working for the New York Parks Department, which were among the happiest days of his life, working outdoors and driving massive steam rollers and dump trucks. In his own words, “I wanted to be a sanitation worker, not a musician. But if I'm not picking up trash, I'm gonna be putting it out.”

“Burnt Flowers Fallen” is the kind of song you might want to avoid if you think your woman's fuckin' around on you. Present again is that driving riffage and the emotional heaviness of loving someone who doesn't love you anymore, which leads beautifully into the mournful masterpiece “In Praise of Bacchus”, which features some very enigmatic and poetic lyrics.

“A used boyfriend just bought her this new car...” - October Rust is, in a word, huge. The music is towering, moribund, sensual, and transcends the confines of stereotypical heavy metal. This is more like ambient or atmospheric rock, and yes, it's Gothic, but in a stoic or archaic sense of the word as opposed to the message conveyed in “Black No. 1”. I tend to avoid the g-word because it makes me think of those Cure-listening, cigarette smoking goofballs depicted in the cartoon South Park.

“The Glorious Liberation of the People's Technocratic Republic of Vinnland by the Combined Forces of the United Territories of Europa” is the longest title in the Type O catalog, but probably the shortest tune therein. It is, however, heavy as fuck with its martial drumming, mammoth riffing, and samples of the din of battle, fighter planes, and cheering crowds.

A previous reviewer seemed to have a problem with the song “Wolf Moon”. What the fuck? If you can't enjoy a song about Pete the vampire eating a bleeding cunt to the down-tuned and silken riffing of this band, well, fuck off. In the quieter parts of this tune and “Green Man”, Pete's bass sounds so fluid that it could be fretless, though I don't think it is. He's just that good. “Haunted” closes the record in true doom fashion with a dream-like 6/8 meter, woefully expressing the band's disdain for morning. The night time is the right time, especially for this, ein klein Nachtmusik. Well, that's about it. That's all I have for you. I hope it wasn't too disappointing. I will write more reviews. Until then, take it e-.

Type O Negatives fourth official release, October Rust, is a stunning and beautiful release of the gothic doom metal genre, a genre that prior to listening to this album I was only vaguely familiar with. I was and still am very into Danzig and I like my music to be dark, melodic, and with a singer that preferably has some type of unique vocal style and delivery. I had listened to all of Danzig's albums dozens and dozens of times and was looking for something similar, so I looked at the other members of Danzig's band to see what their former or alternate bands are and I found Johnny Kelly of Type O Negative. I had heard of T.O.N. when I was younger, but I did not know anybody that liked them and had never heard them, however I was interested so I looked them up and the first song I heard was Love You to Death off of October Rust. I liked it so I listened to a few more songs and read some reviews on this website and I thought that this would be the most accessible album for me, so I bought it. It took me at least a few listens to fully appreciate the album, but I find that I don't really get the full experience until at least the second listen of most gothic doom metal bands.

Anyway I think the standout songs are Green Man, Love You to Death, Red Water (Christmas Mourning), Die With Me, My Girlfriend's Girlfriend, In Praise Of Bacchus, Wolf Moon, Haunted, and a much heavier version of Neil Young's song, Cinnamon Girl. I think all of the songs are great and they are mostly more positive than their other albums. This album has a very lush and pretty sound and the keyboards are excellent. The vocals are amazing with Peter's leads and Kenny’s backups. The bass is great and unique and it does not just follow the drums or the guitars like most bands, and the drums are great even though they are programmed.

I believe this album needs to be listened to as a whole to fully appreciate it and maybe even more than once. This album got me hooked on Type O Negative and they are now my favorite band. Sadly, the lead vocalist of this band, Peter Steele, died April 14, 2010 and left a hole in mine and many other peoples' hearts that will never be filled again. I love Peter Steele and Type O Negative. The lyrics that were written by Steele have such a deep resonance and meaning for me and his words have touched me like no other. So in conclusion, I suggest you buy this album because it is one of a kind. This is the album that got me hooked on gothic doom metal, which is now my favorite genre.

Although there are few women in the world who love metal, there are plenty who go moist over this work. Assuming you start with track 3. The first two are little joke tracks that have been known to make a rube out of many customers in the past.

From track three, this album has a very atmospheric feeling. You get the standard heavily distorted and downtuned guitars, but you also get more ambience from the keyboards, which are very much at the forefront of this album. The first two songs are romantic, in different ways. In the fifth track, 'The Green Man' there is a great acoustic riff, but also a very heavy distorted riff, and the song swells into a noisy soundscape near the end.

There is a very diverse sound present, but at the same time, there are many elements recurring in all songs, most noticeably the depressed and romantic meanderings of Peter Steele's vocals, as they are much lighter on this record.

The track at the very end has to be one of the most enjoyable tracks the band has put out. The title 'Haunted' is quite fitting, as that essence is captured perfectly by the music.

All in all, it's a great buy, with few flaws. And believe me, this album is the only one present in the Type O Negative catalog that is guaranteed to get any music-loving female in the mood when the crucial time comes.

Best song: Haunted
Worst song: Wolf Moon

Type O Negative has had a long history together. They've gone through a few line up changes, released albums that were jokes (literally), and scored big with Roadrunner Records with "Bloody Kisses"; but even with all that nothing compares to how great of an album "October Rust" is.

Peter Steele himself said this album was just for commercial success and such. Well if that really is the case they should keep making albums for the sake of commerce. Doom metal has never seen such a good album as this one. It's one of my own personal favorite albums of all time. The pain and anguish is so obvious and speaks volumes through the deep bass voice and bass guitar of Steele, the keys of Josh Silver, the droning guitar sounds of Kenny Hickey, and the slow, almost tragically painful drums of Johnny Kelly. These masters of doom combine on this album to make even the soulless of things cry buckets.

Of course the biggest thing for me is the lyrics (as a lyricist myself I always delve into the lyrics of any song I listen to) and Peter Steele ranks among one of my favorite lyricists because of the emotion he adds to his words. Each word has a hanging sense of agony or despair, and even sometimes, lost love. That kind of lyrical mastery combined with expert song writing of the three other members make for a tremendous success.

The ambience of some of the tracks makes for a haunting, goose pimple forming experience. I really cannot praise this album enough; it's just that damn good. There is not a bad track on this album and that alone is enough to be praised. My personal favorite track is "In Praise Of Bacchus", an 8 minute homage to the Roman God of wine and loves long lost.

The only real compliant I could even make for this album is its repetitiveness. Some of the tracks like "Bacchus" use the same phrases time and again and sometimes, only sometimes, it gets a bet nerve wracking but honestly that only happens once in a blue moon. This album is as close to flawless as it could possibly be.

To close I will just say one thing: if you do not buy this album and you are a Type O fan you are missing out not only on one of their best release, but one of the best albums of an entire decade of music and that is something only an elite few artists can do. Type O Negative prove with this album that they are here to stay until the leaves of October have rusted over into nothing, and that will not be for many an age.

Once again one may pay homage to Type O Negative original blend of indus/gothic rock elements like distorted sound, nasty keyboards and occasional sound effects, with majesty, heaviness and slow tempos borrowed from doom metal. Once again one may smile at their tongue-in-cheek humour and self-derision, from the opening track of silence (they already did a similar joke on their debut, but well) to the one minute noisy interlude soberly called The Glorious Liberation of the People's Technocratic Republic of Vinnland by the Combined Forces of the United Territories of Europa, which is close to win the prize for the longest and most stupid title ever. But I’m afraid that once again one may sigh before the obvious waste of talent this album otherwise represents.

As soon as the band puts some effort in its songs, it easily comes close to greatness. Listen for instance to the beautiful Love You to Death, its grand piano intro and its very doom-metal-ish vibe, which is the living proof that writing clever and thought-provoking love songs is far from being impossible. Peter Steele’s voice remains still hard to describe, being altogether impressively deep, slightly scornful in its low range, while almost sounding whiny when he reaches the high notes, and occasionally surprisingly atonal and emotionless. It also carries its usual load of sighs, moans and tears which makes it totally unbearable to some. Like it or not, but TON wouldn’t certainly be the same without.

The album reaches another height with Red Water (Christmas Mourning), a song about remembrance of one’s dead relatives on Christmas day, in the same spirit as Love You to Death, but sounding far sicker, showing a strong emphasis on the gothic side rather than on the doom one, with extensive use of distortion, tortured vocals and keyboards, without forgetting a short but particularly nasty organ part. Certainly my favourite track alongside the following My Girlfriend’s Girlfriend which shows a complete stylistic shift, this time leaning towards some degenerated depressive mid-paced rock to tell us about the encounter of Peter with a lesbian couple. The last really interesting song may be Wolf Moon (including stupid subtitle), once again a gothic-doom piece of work similar and as strong as the aforementioned two – a tad more centred on the bass though, what gives it a rather unpleasant feeling.

And then? Mostly fillers.

Be My Druidess doesn’t qualify exactly as a filler, but exhibits a very annoying break (when Pete sings “I'll do anything... to make you come”) which sounds out of place and kills the otherwise rock-ish feeling of the song. The same goes with Green Man, which fails in really catching the listener’s attention in spite of the not-so-common use (in this kind of music) of an acoustic guitar. Eventually, the closing track Haunted has every element required to make a good gothic-doom song, from slow pace to creepy guitars and eerie keyboards, but the band seems to have lacked of inspiration to put them altogether and it just drags on.

On the other side the middle part of the album consists in four absolute fillers: Die With Me sounds like a longer, and worse, version of Green Man, Burnt Flowers Fallen is repetitive and annoying as hell, In Praise of Bacchus seems to have been resurrected from the depths of the previous album Bloody Kisses which also exhibited an impressive range of similar forgettable tracks, while Cinnamon girl is as uninteresting as almost every other cover TON did (I don’t know the original Neil Young version though, so I can’t compare). None of these tracks are outrageously bad, they just sound useless. Eventually, add the fact that the band still can’t end their songs properly, but I guess we’re all used to it.

October Rust may be the best Type O Negative album, but if you reckon well on fifteen tracks four are here only to serve amusement purpose, four are masterpieces (which alone are worth a 80, really), three sound OK without being outstanding, and four are perfectly insignificant. To sum up this album more than ever leaves the listener with the impression that this band is incredibly talented, but also fucking damn LAZY.

Highlights: Love You to Death, Red Water (Christmas Mourning), My Girlfriend’s Girlfriend, Wolf Moon (including Zoanthropic Paranoia)

This was my introduction to Type O Negative, and I must say, I am very pleased with the results of this masterpiece. This disc has everything a goth/doom fan could want - a great atmosphere, dark lyrics, and the deep vocals (and bass, for that matter) of Peter Steele.

There is also plenty of variety on this disc, such as a cover of Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl", a rather humorous song about a lesbian affair that singer Peter Steele gets involved in ("My Girlfriend's Girlfriend"), and plenty of goth-tinged tracks that have made the impression on Type O's sound. The keyboards from Josh Silver, guitars from Kenny Hickey, drums from Johnny Kelly (who replaced original drummer Sal Abruscato in 1994), all play a significant role in the album's sound. One listen to the aforementioned cover of "Cinnamon Girl", and you would not be even able to tell that it is a cover! The cover is done Type O style, although it is sped up quite a bit, rather than trying to copy Neil Young. I highly commend them for playing the cover this way, because some of their covers on other albums have been disappointing, in my opinion. This is not one of them, though. "Love You To Death", "Burnt Flowers Fallen", and "In Praise Of Bacchus" are some of the finest tracks ever recorded by this band, and they set the tone of October Rust very well. The guitars and Peter Steele's bass playing are very slow and deep sounding on these songs, and like I said, it makes for a very good listening experience.

These songs, just about all of them, in fact, show why Type O Negative is one of the best-loved goth metal bands on the planet today.

This album was my introduction to Type O Negative, and I was surprised by the sheer beauty of the various sonic structures incorporated throughout. I'm not terribly familiar with the Gothic Metal genre, but I suppose if I were to imagine what it sounded like, the sound of this album wouldn't be too far from my expectations.

Now, before I go any further, you must realize that Peter Steele pretty much abandoned the aggressive vocal styling from his work with Carnivore. Whereas the lyrical content in Carnivore dealt with issues of race, war and overall ugly human tendencies, Type O Negative deals with tortured longings for a seemingly lost loved one and the like. I must say that the lyrics are occasionally on the perverted side, but that never hurt anyone, did it? Anyway, the guitars and keyboards flow nicely, and the drums keep the pace relatively steady throughout.

My major gripe would have to be the progressive tendencies to wander off and leave the listener behind on occasion, especially during the second half of the album. Rather than that, nothing stands out in a negative manner, although nothing actually grabs you and makes you want to listen to this more than once in a while. Overall, this is a very solid release. Hopefully I can expect more of the same from the rest of the band's discography.