Masturbating Peter Steele's Ego One More Time ...
Written: Sep 01 '04 (Updated Dec 23 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: It’s Type O Negative, it’s all good.
Cons: It’s Type O Negative, there are no cons.
The Bottom Line: Call yourself a fan? You aren't unless you have this in your collection.
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| Freak369's Full Review: Christian Woman [single] - Type O Negative Movies |
Type O Negative have always managed to shock the public with their suggestive and religious lyrics; they have often been labeled ‘goth’ or ‘metal’ but neither term really sum up their true musical image. For me, a fan for years, I see them as a group that stands alone from the cookie cutter music world – they aren’t sell outs, Peter still has a room in his mother’s basement and Josh still sleeps with a teddy bear when there’s a thunderstorm … and don’t even get me started on Johnny and Kenny. But these little things are what keep the group interesting; look at any of their home video compilations and you’ll see that they aren’t all about blood, torture, sex and depravity all the time .. they do like to have fun in other ways you know. When I first saw this single I passed on it, I mean, who needs more versions of a song that’s already on the parent release?
One of the things that I love about the group is that all of their music has a high replay value – you can listen to it over and over again without it ever getting boring or redundant. The overall sound of the music isn’t dated or bound by any type of label like metal, grunge or alternative – even those that dare to classify this as ‘goth’ have to admit that the music is truly timeless – well, at least as timeless as music can be. The stuff they released over ten years ago [Bloody Kisses 1993] is still as hard core and impressive as their 2003 Life Is Killing Me release. If you have never checked out the group, the singles are a great way to get a feel of what they are all about but make no mistake about it, in most cases they are nothing more than a tease – the pay off and gratification comes from slipping on your headphones, popping in the CD, closing your eyes and experiencing a little bit of what the group is all about.
The Tracks
Christian Woman [studio version]
Christian Woman [edited version]
Suspended In Dusk
One of the core principals of Type O’s music is temptation … such an intoxicating word in and of itself. There are so many songs in their discography that could be used an example of that statement however Christian Woman is the one that I feel, personally, sums it all up. It’s the tale of a girl trapped between good and evil, her future being decided by her choice to remain faithful to her god or to give in to be enticed by carnal pleasures. Outside of the story, lyrics and vocals, the underlying and ever-present music is what really impacted me the first time I heard it – rich, layered, textured and gripping – in so many ways it’s one of the groups best cuts. That’s not to say that it is the best because it’s hard to ever say that there is a definitive track from the group. Mid way through the song [4:20] take a break from the “goth” feel – an almost angelic pitch fills the air and the acoustic guitar work slows things down. This is one of the sweetest breaks but at the same time it’s like foreplay; building up and backing off – over and over until the track rips open and the climax arrives … yeah .. that might sound sexual … and to me that’s what this song really represents … indulging your desires from time to time and allowing something dark and haunting to creep out. This is something that you sort of miss out on with the edited version – there is a build up but the release is a little watered down.
The edited version that appears on this single is the same one on all of the singles – edited to remove most references to Jesus Christ / God / higher power – seemingly done so to make it more appealing to the masses. I touched upon this in my review of Summer Breeze but I will say it again – Type O Negative has never been about the almighty dollar. They aren’t like Metallica – once a great band that became blinded by million dollar houses, gold plated toilet seats and the status that money can bring. That’s what really irritates me about this edited version – it wouldn’t have been so bad had it just been edited to trim down the play time or to remove any obscene language – but that’s not the case – this was done my the producers to try and make it a little less “slanderous” or religiously risqué in the hopes that it would catch on in the mainstream. Type O Negative. Mainstream. Sorry, even a freak like me has a hard time with that concept. Even so, the trimmed / edited version is suitable for all ages but is this something that you’d really want the tots listening to? Well, my kids have been listening to the groups music since they were in utero and none of them are serial killers or running around with loaded weapons although they have come close to blowing up the garage a few time with their ill fated science experiments.
A cross upon her bedroom wall.
From grace she will fall.
An image burning in her mind.
And between her thighs.
While you will never hear me trash Christian Woman, that isn’t the reason to buy this single – it’s for Suspended In Dusk. Deemed a “rare track” for various reasons, this was released on the digi pack version of Bloody Kisses but that doesn’t necessarily mean that if you buy a CD in this format that you are going to get the track. Some of them were pressed without a bonus tracks … who knows why … just make sure you read the back of the package or if you are purchasing online, make sure you are 100% sure that you are getting the copy that you want. The real allure to the song isn’t the music – but that in itself is a force to be reckoned with and will be addressed shortly. So what’s so great about this song – simply put – Peter’s voice; this isn’t what I would technically classify as a song but rather spoken word. It’s one of the groups most haunting works and if you’ve never heard it, it is most definitely worth tracking down.
If you are curious about Suspended In Dusk, here’s my take on it; a vocal confession about the mysterious bloodlust … for those who follow the group you’ll know about their dark side and this serves as a fitting primer for those who are just getting into exploring that side of their music. There are only a handful of singer that can take the written word and transform it into aural art – and this my friends is one of my all time favorites. Hearing Peter talk about his love and hate of being crossed is sort of like a confession – something that he would only do in the confines of a darkened studio with a nice bottle of 㤆 Langhe Nebbiolo Costa Russi. When you listen to the track each and every word holds meaning; every breath an emotion and each pause serves to prolong the beautiful agony he expresses. If you are just a casual fan of the group chances are this song will be just that .. a song. However for those who are fans or fanatics .. it will get you just an inch closer to tapping into Peter’s mindset.
With every victim I pray for my own death
And as much as I love the night
I curse the moon's eerie glow
This bloodlust that drags me to forever
The toxic rays of dawn that condemn me to limbo
I am forced to dwell in grey Autumnal twilight
I am suspended in dusk
The Bottom Line
For me, this was a no brainer that I had to get it for my collection. I wasn’t really all that concerned with the two versions of Christian Woman but getting the first release of Suspended In Dusk was the driving force behind this purchase. While I have other versions of the song, when it comes to the content and presentation … you can never have too many in your collection. Come on now .. what could be better on a cold winters night than tossing this CD in, grabbing the headphones, opening the window to let the stinging cold air fill the room … and indulging in a little bit of darkness with Type O Negative. If you consider yourself a fan of the group, getting this for your collection should be at the top of the list of things to do … trust me … you won’t regret it.
As always, thanks for the read!
~^V^~ Freak ~^V^~
© 2004 Freak369
Singles
Black No. 1, Summer Breeze, Love You To Death, Christian Woman, My Girlfriend's Girlfriend, Everything Dies, Cinnamon Girl
CD's
October Rust, Bloody Kisses, Life Is Killing Me, World Coming Down, Slow, Deep And Hard, The Least Worst of Type O Negative, Life Is Killing Me – Import Version
Video
Type O Negative: After Dark
Symphony For The Devil
Editorial
Blood. Sex. Fire. Lust & Immortality
The Best of Type O: Peter Steele Naked
Special thanks to lambchops for adding this to the database!
Recommended:
Yes
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![Christian Woman [single] - Type O Negative Movies](http://img.epinions.com/images/opti/d6/6f/Christian_Woman_single_-_Type_O_Negative-resized200.jpg)
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