ihavebeenfloated

Type O Negative is one of those bands that I probably shouldn’t like. They’re metal. They’re gothy. Just not my thing these days, you know? But much like Nine Inch Nails, they’re one of those bands that I grew up with that I can’t help but love unabashedly. They even have other things going for them, like the Beatles and 70’s soaked Life is Killing Me. They wear their influences so subtly yet on-their-sleeve that I can understand how most people miss them, or just don’t care about them, but they really make the band for me.

So, to say I was excited about the prospect of a follow up to Life is Killing Me after five years was, perhaps, a bit of an understatement. Life is Killing Me is brilliant, and it got me through a relatively lousy but exciting part of my life. For that, I have a tiny little spot in my soul that I hold open for it at all times if it needs it, which it never does, for albums aren’t people and—what in the world am I saying?

I was going to keep an open mind and avoid listening to the tracks they put on their Myspace a few days before release. Thankfully, and oddly, the album was never leaked online. They were really sore over Life is Killing Me being leaked all those years ago, seemingly threatening to break up the band because of it. But, my curiosity got the best of me one night and I listened to two of the tracks, the title track, Dead Again, and another one, The Profit of Doom, and I was somewhat horrified.

It seemed to me that they traded in their psychedelic influences for punk influences. Hard, fast guitars and harder, faster vocals. Though The Profit of Doom slowly gave way into somewhat classic Type O Negative, I still felt cheated. I was hoping for further descent into psychedelic territory. More misplaced trumpet sections, swirling guitars and dreaming vocals backing up Steele’s classic vampire crooning. But, alas, we were getting something somewhere between Slow, Deep, and Hard and Bloody Kisses and I was totally underwhelmed.

Somewhat thankfully, however, I am proud to admit that Dead Again is not a bad album. In fact, it’s a really good album. All the songs have really good parts even if they aren’t completely good all around. September Sun is a notable exception, as the song is nearly perfect. It might be the most like their latest work before this. I’m thankful for that.

But what’s alarming to me, and somewhat subtracts from my enjoyment of the album, is this passage from Wikipedia on the album:

Of the ten tracks, all but two reference Christianity in some way. In interviews conducted surrounding the albums release, Peter Steele revealed that he had rediscovered his Catholic faith and that he wrote the songs from a Christian perspective. “Dead Again” details his struggles with drug addiction in this light. “The Profit Of Doom” predicts the coming Christian Armageddon on April 13th, 2029 due to the Apophis asteroid which will come close to colliding with the Earth on that date. Initial calculations in 2004 caused some concern about an Earth impact, but the asteroid has since been given a 1 in 45,000 chance of striking the Earth, and reduced to a 0 on the Torrino impact threat scale. “Halloween in Heaven” details an afterlife in which many late Rock and Roll musicians, such as John Bonham and Bon Scott, play music in Heaven. “These Three Things” continues the religious overtones, with lyrics that condemn abortion.

Peter Steele, purveyor of all sorts of pagan undertones, even the song Green Man, and My Girlfriend’s Girlfriend, and all sorts of other crazy fucked up shit—Christian Woman, anyone?—is, is, is, I can’t say it, I just can’t—A CATHOLIC?!

THIS IS BLASPHEMY! THIS IS MADNESS!

You know what,

I can deal with that. I really can. But, what I can’t really deal with, is writing a song about the Armageddon being caused by an asteroid. Actually, you know what, I can deal with that, too. That’s artistic license, I can dig it, whatever, we all go a little crazy sometimes. But, what I really can’t deal with is writing an anti-abortion song.

You can write all you want about how Jesus saved you from drug addiction or how it’s retarded and the world is going to blow up and we’re all going to burn in hell, you can do that all you want. But you, purveyors of metal and all that is corrupt and evil in the world cannot possibly justify writing a song about how it’s bad to kill fetuses. You just can’t! You’re supposed to be writing tongue-in-cheek songs about eating fetuses, because they’re tasty and good business! Eating fetuses, not writing songs about them, that is. But, still! The point stands, all on it’s own, as if it’s got legs and it’s walking around looking for a fight.

Regardless, it’s a really good album, it’s not Life is Killing Me or Bloody Kisses or maybe even October Rust but it’s certainly a step above World Coming Down in some ways. I just wish it wasn’t cluttered up with nonsense. Luckily, and I don’t know how I can do this since I am a lyrically centered music listener, I have gotten good at trying to not listen to the words on this album and none of it gets in my way of enjoying it.

So, rock on, people, listen to this album, just don’t listen to what he’s actually singing about, because it is ridiculous nonsense.