Life Is Killing Me

It's been almost four years since Type O Negative's last studio album, "World Coming Down". The Industrial Goth Metallers from Brooklyn, N.Y. have had plenty of time to work on their songs and perfect their craft as musicians and it shows on the new album, "Life Is Killing Me". According to Peter Steele, there are three types of song writing that were used on this album. One is hardcore/punk, almost like party punk. The other is the older style of goth-metal that they have always done. The third is a combo of '60s and '80s type of song writing. "Life Is Killing Me" continues in the style of their last two releases, "October Rust" and "World Coming Down". The songs are very rich in melody both vocally and musically, using sitar sounding instruments, acoustic guitars with chorus, luscious keyboards and even some Beatlesque orchestration. Of course, the trade mark industrial sound effects and distorted bass guitar are still there, as well as the Black Sabbath influenced guitar riffs and the dark, gloomy, depressing lyrics of Peter Steele, whose vocal range switches from low and vampiric to a nice, clear mid range and some strained singing on the higher octaves. Tracks such as "Nettie" center around Steele's mother and could pass for something out of a horror movie with the background monk like chanting and angelic vocals during the chorus. “Todd's Ship Gods (Above All Things)” is about Steele's father. “How Could She?" is more of a humorous approach by Steele asking all of his favorite female TV characters, both cartoon and human, questions. "A Dish Better Served Coldly" is a self-described revenge anthem with distorted screams and haunting acoustic guitars. "I Like Goils", "I Don't Wanna Be Me" and "Angry Inch" (which is a killer cover of the Hedwig and the Angry Inch song), are examples of the more up-tempo tracks that take on a punk approach. "Uncle Freddy" and "Loud And Queer" are instrumentals with that slow, depressing Sabbath sound. Overall, Type O Negative have managed to put together a killing album! I find "Life Is Killing Me" to be their most listenable album since "Bloody Kisses". Every song aims to please.