Type O Negative

Type O Negative

Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	1989
Founder	Peter Steele, Kenny Hickey, Josh Silver, Sal Abruscato
Headquarters	Brooklyn, New York City , United States
Products	Studio albums, live albums, greatest hits collections, DVDs

Type O Negative was a gothic metal group originating from Brooklyn, New York City, established in 1989 by Peter Steele (bass and lead vocals), Kenny Hickey (guitar and co-lead vocals), Josh Silver (keyboards and backing vocals), and Sal Abruscato (drums), who was later succeeded by Johnny Kelly. Renowned for their lyrical focus on themes such as love, melancholy, and mortality, they earned the moniker "the Drab Four" as a nod to the Beatles' "Fab Four." Their commercial breakthrough came with the 1993 album Bloody Kisses, which achieved platinum status, followed by 1996's October Rust, certified gold. Over their career, they produced seven studio albums, two greatest hits collections, and live performance DVDs.

Peter Steele passed away on April 14, 2010, at 48 years old; the reported causes include heart failure related to an aortic aneurysm or sepsis resulting from diverticulitis. Seven months posthumously, the band’s remaining members declared they would not proceed under the Type O Negative name.

Formation and Early Years (1989–1991)

Following the dissolution of Peter Steele's previous band, Carnivore, he reunited with his longtime friends Sal Abruscato, Josh Silver, and Kenny Hickey to establish a new project initially called Repulsion. After encountering a naming conflict, they briefly adopted the name Sub-Zero before settling on Type O Negative. Despite Carnivore's end, Steele remained signed with Roadrunner Records, which retained him after receiving Type O Negative’s demo. The label officially signed the band in 1991 and soon released their debut album Slow, Deep and Hard.

Slow, Deep and Hard and The Origin of the Feces (1991–1992)

Type O Negative’s first album, Slow, Deep and Hard, combined slow, Sabbath-inspired riffs with hardcore elements and gothic-industrial soundscapes. The record featured extended multi-part compositions centered around themes of vengeance and suicide.

Their sophomore effort, The Origin of the Feces (1992), was presented as a mock live album accompanied by a disclaimer: "Not Live at Brighton Beach." It contained reimagined versions of tracks from their debut alongside previously unreleased material such as "Are You Afraid," a reinterpretation of Jimi Hendrix’s "Hey Joe" retitled "Hey Pete," and a cover of Black Sabbath’s "Paranoid."

Bloody Kisses and October Rust (1993–1998)

Released in 1993, Bloody Kisses marked Type O Negative’s third studio album and garnered critical praise while becoming Roadrunner Records’ first US gold-certified release. The album’s success intensified expectations, yet Peter Steele was initially reluctant to embark on nationwide tours. Monte Conner, then Roadrunner’s vice president of A&R, recalled the difficulties balancing the band’s progression with Steele’s hesitance to quit his day job—this tension nearly caused the group to disband.

Bloody Kisses explored motifs of isolation and heartbreak through tracks like "Too Late: Frozen," "Blood & Fire," and "Can't Lose You." The organ-driven piece "Set Me on Fire" echoed 1960s garage rock influences. Their rendition of Seals and Crofts’ 1972 hit "Summer Breeze" attracted notable attention. Radio edits shortened lengthy tracks such as "Christian Woman" and "Black No. 1 (Little Miss Scare-All)," which became signature songs. To support the album, Type O Negative toured extensively worldwide for two years and appeared on platforms including MTV, VH1, and in Rolling Stone. During this period, drummer Sal Abruscato departed to join Life of Agony and was replaced by Johnny Kelly. A limited-edition Digipak reissue followed featuring eight original songs plus the previously unreleased "Suspended in Dusk."

Type O Negative’s next release, October Rust, delved into subjects like sexuality, nature, and sensuality while incorporating humor in tracks such as "My Girlfriend's Girlfriend" alongside darker compositions like "Love You to Death." The album also included Neil Young’s cover "Cinnamon Girl" and fan-favorite "Green Man." Although it did not reach the commercial heights of Bloody Kisses, October Rust achieved gold certification in the US and marked the band’s first appearance within the top half of the Billboard Top 200, debuting at number 42.

World Coming Down and The Least Worst of Type O Negative (1999–2001)

After completing a successful global tour, the band began composing their fifth studio album, which was released in 1999 as World Coming Down (initially titled Prophets of Doom and Aggroculture). This record entered the Billboard Top 200 at position No. 39 and presented a noticeably darker and more somber atmosphere than earlier works, shaped by the personal losses experienced by frontman Peter Steele within his family.

In 2000, the group issued a greatest hits collection entitled The Least Worst of Type O Negative. This compilation included previously unreleased remixes, B-sides, tracks originating from the World Coming Down sessions, a cover of "Black Sabbath" featuring revised lyrics penned by Steele, as well as a polished version of "Hey Pete" taken from their parody live album The Origin of the Feces.

Life Is Killing Me and Dead Again (2002–2009)

Type O Negative's sixth album, Life Is Killing Me, was unveiled in 2003. Compared to World Coming Down, this release showcased a more accelerated sound with shorter compositions such as "Todd's Ship Gods (Above All Things)" and "I Don't Wanna Be Me", while still preserving melodic qualities. The album also includes a distinctive rendition of "Angry Inch" from the musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Upon fulfilling their contract obligations, the band parted ways with Roadrunner Records.

In June 2004, Type O Negative signed with Steamhammer, a division of SPV Records. Their sole album under this label, Dead Again, was released in 2007 and achieved their highest U.S. chart position at No. 27. This record drew inspiration from frontman Steele’s earlier band Carnivore, which had reunited in 2006, incorporating thrash and punk influences on tracks like "Dead Again" and "Tripping a Blind Man". Meanwhile, slower pieces such as "The Profit of Doom" and "September Sun" maintained their trademark gothic doom style. The band supported the album with extensive touring through October 2007, including an appearance at Germany’s Rock am Ring festival.

Peter Steele's death, disbandment and aftermath (2010–present)

On April 14, 2010, bassist and lead vocalist Peter Steele passed away due to heart failure; subsequent reports clarified that sepsis resulting from diverticulitis was the cause. The band issued an official statement expressing profound sorrow and revealed that Steele had been preparing to compose and record new material following their 2007 release Dead Again. His funeral was held privately, with public memorials arranged for a later time.

In an interview conducted in November 2010, Johnny Kelly and Kenny Hickey confirmed that Type O Negative had ceased activity after Steele’s passing.

For Back to Black Friday in 2011, Roadrunner Records released a box set compiling the band's albums—excluding Dead Again—featuring original artwork and memorabilia related to the band. This collection was reissued in 2019 with remastered audio and special vinyl content.

Remaining members have repeatedly declined opportunities to revive Type O Negative with a different singer. In a June 2023 interview, Hickey stressed that Steele’s role was irreplaceable but showed willingness to participate in tribute performances alongside guest artists. Similarly, Kelly dismissed any possibility of reunion without Steele while supporting commemorative tribute shows honoring his legacy. Due to his current profession as a paramedic, Josh Silver is unlikely to be involved.

In early 2023, Hickey and Kelly formed a new group called Eye Am with Kirk Windstein and Todd Strange from Crowbar. The band was renamed Sun Dont Shine in 2024. Their debut album, titled Birth to Death, is slated for release in early 2026.

Musical style

Type O Negative is chiefly recognized as a gothic metal and doom metal group, though their sound has also encompassed styles like alternative metal, gothic rock, industrial rock, punk rock, and thrash metal. Their initial two records, Slow, Deep and Hard and Origin of the Feces, leaned heavily into crossover thrash, featuring leftover material from Steele's earlier band, Carnivore, with subtle gothic doom influences present. This approach shifted with Bloody Kisses, where punk elements became less prominent, and the album solidified their status as pioneers in gothic metal by fusing doom metal, gothic rock, and psychedelic rock.

With October Rust, the band intensified their focus on goth and doom metal sounds, producing what is often considered their most accessible work during a period marked by stability for Steele. This album was the first to credit Johnny Kelly as drummer, although programmed drums were utilized. The follow-up, World Coming Down, took on a more somber mood, influenced by personal tragedies in Steele's family. Later releases, Life is Killing Me and Dead Again, retained the dark thematic content but introduced stronger punk influences. Life is Killing Me incorporated pop-oriented songwriting alongside arena rock elements, whereas Dead Again drew more heavily on Carnivore's thrash metal roots and was unique in featuring Kelly playing an actual drum kit.

Type O Negative became known for incorporating humorous intros into their albums. For instance, October Rust opens with "Bad Ground," a 38-second clip of buzzing that imitates faulty audio connections. Similarly, World Coming Down includes "Skip It," an 11-second staccato sound resembling a skipping CD player, followed by guitarist Kenny Hickey exclaiming "sucker!"

Inspirations

Johnny Kelly pointed to The Beatles and Black Sabbath as the collective influences acknowledged by the band. Steele also mentioned a diverse range of artists who personally inspired him, including Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Judas Priest, AC/DC, Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, Einstürzende Neubauten, Curve, Duran Duran, the Cure, Depeche Mode, Devo, and Laibach. Additionally, the group showed admiration for shoegaze bands such as Lush and My Bloody Valentine alongside synth-pop acts like A Flock of Seagulls and Simple Minds. Both Kelly and Josh Silver cited grunge groups including Alice In Chains and Soundgarden among their key influences.

Soundtracks and cover versions

Type O Negative’s tracks have been featured across several movie soundtracks. Notably, "Blood and Fire (Out of the Ashes Remix)" appeared on the 1995 Mortal Kombat soundtrack, while "Love You to Death" was included in Bride of Chucky. The song "Everyone I Love Is Dead" featured in Faust: Love of the Damned, "(We Were) Electrocute" was part of Freddy vs. Jason, and their rendition of "Summer Breeze" appeared in I Know What You Did Last Summer. Due to Howard Stern’s enthusiasm for the band, "Pictures of Matchstick Men" with Ozzy Osbourne on vocals was included on Private Parts: The Album. The track "Haunted" was part of The Blair Witch Project soundtrack. In 1998, Arrow Videos released a version of the 1922 silent classic Nosferatu featuring Type O Negative songs from their first four albums as the audio track; this edition is now available on DVD.

In video games, "Haunted" was used as an instrumental piece in Descent 2 and in full form on Descent 2: The Vertigo Series. The extended remix of "Cinnamon Girl" appeared on the compilation Duke Nukem: Music to Score By, while "Love You to Death" was included in the game Blood. The track "Out of the Fire" was composed as a theme for wrestler Glenn Jacobs (Kane) but ultimately went unused. The opening segment of "I Don't Wanna Be Me" was sampled for Liberty Rock Radio in Grand Theft Auto IV, and "Black No. 1" was featured in the multiplayer lobby music for 2012’s The Darkness II.

Type O Negative produced numerous cover songs throughout their career. These include The Doors’ "Light My Fire", frequently performed live; Seals and Crofts’ "Summer Breeze" on their album Bloody Kisses; Neil Young’s "Cinnamon Girl" featured on October Rust; and "Angry Inch" from the musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch on Life is Killing Me. Their album World Coming Down contains a medley tribute to The Beatles with "Day Tripper", "If I Needed Someone", and "I Want You (She's So Heavy)". Other notable covers include Black Sabbath’s "Paranoid" and "N.I.B.", Status Quo’s "Pictures of Matchstick Men" featuring Ozzy Osbourne, two renditions of Black Sabbath’s "Black Sabbath", Jimi Hendrix’s "Hey Joe" reimagined as "Hey Pete", The Beatles’ "Back in the U.S.S.R.", Deep Purple’s "Highway Star", Creedence Clearwater Revival’s "Bad Moon Rising", as well as a Santana medley ("Evil Ways," "Oye Como Va," "Black Magic Woman") included with the DVD release Symphony for the Devil. Their 2007 tour often commenced with a performance of The Beatles’ "Magical Mystery Tour."

Additionally, Type O Negative covered Pink Floyd’s "In the Flesh?", which served as the opening number during their 1999 World Tour and appears on the live DVD Symphony for the Devil. This DVD also features an introduction to "Too Late: Frozen" incorporating Jethro Tull’s "Aqualung."

Band personnel

Final members

• Peter Steele – bass guitar, lead vocals, keyboards, guitar (1989–2010; until his passing)
• Kenny Hickey – guitar, backing vocals, occasional co-lead vocals (1989–2010)
• Josh Silver – keyboards, piano, effects, synthesizers, programming, sampler, backing vocals (1989–2010)
• Johnny Kelly – drums, percussion, backing vocals (1993–2010)

Former members

• Sal Abruscato – drums, percussion (1989–1993)

Touring musicians

• Scott Warren – keyboards (2009)

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Albums

Main article: Type O Negative discography

Studio releases

• Slow, Deep and Hard (1991)
• The Origin of the Feces (1992)
• Bloody Kisses (1993)
• October Rust (1996)
• World Coming Down (1999)
• Life Is Killing Me (2003)
• Dead Again (2007)

Accolades and nominations

Award	Year	Nominee(s)	Category	Outcome	References
Žebřík Music Awards	1996	The band itself	Best International Group	Template:Nom
		Peter Steele	Best International Male Artist	Template:Nom
		October Rust	Best International Album
		"My Girlfriend's Girlfriend"	Best International Video	Template:Nom

External links

• Archived version of the official website preserved via the Wayback Machine
• Official music videos available on the Roadrunner Records YouTube channel
• Interview from 2008