My original plan was to review October Rust in October. More specifically, I wanted to post a review of October Rust on Halloween day. Obviously, I'm a procrastinator. Seriously, though, no band is better for Halloween than Type O Negative. They've been one of my favorites for a few years now, and I've yet to find a band that can compare to them in terms of mixing genuine sadness and morbidity with such dark, unique humor.

Choosing the best Type O Negative album isn't the easiest thing to do. The band's frontman Peter Steele has went on record numerous times saying that October Rust is his favorite Type O release; personally, I'm all about Bloody Kisses, though all of them have their moments. It just depends on one's mood. So, if World Coming Down is the most depressing and Bloody Kisses is the 'catchiest,' where does October Rust fall? It's an amazing album with lush, memorable melodies and a great balance of funny moments and glimpses of despair. In fact, those unfamiliar with Type O would find a good starting point in October Rust.

Type O Negative introduces virgin listeners to their trademark humor with the infamous "Bad Ground," which may temporarily fool the unfamiliar into thinking there's a problem with their CD. Soon after, you're taunted by the band laughing at you and introducing you to the album. "Love You To Death," the first 'real' song on October Rust, sets the tone beautifully. It's a slow-whirring ballad of sorts, with delicate keyboards and amorous lyrics. Obviously this isn't your typical love song, as it's very dark-sounding, but it'll work perfectly for all kinds of metal fans. The highlight, of course, is Peter's chilling pleas toward the end of the song: "Am I good enough...for you?" he continually repeats.

"Be My Druidess" is more uptempo and playful, with blatantly sexual lyrics that -- once again -- may make Type O newcomers squirm a bit. It has a synth-heavy, '80s sound and does a great job of highlighting Peter's extremely low voice. Then there's "Green Man," which is slow, wistful, and absolutely gorgeous in its arrangement. It also contains one of my favorite Type O Negative vocal melodies.

Perhaps October Rust's most depressing moment comes in "Die With Me," a semi-acoustic song about Peter's then-love who was frequently gone overseas to college. The pain in his whispering voice is indisputably real, and as always, Josh Silver's keyboard melodies are especially haunting. Despite its gloomy nature, "In Praise of Bacchus" has a lovely flow to it; Kenny Hickey's guitars seem to just glide along perfectly. It's also a pleasant sing-along. No wonder it's a fan favorite.

October Rust stands out for so, so many reasons. Its lyrics are exceptional, the vocals are superb, and the songs have a tendency to linger in one's mind for hours at a time. Some even refer to this album as relaxing. I don't know if I'd go that far -- it seems to be that one is usually quite alert while listening to Type O Negative -- but it may be the band's most 'mellow' album. Here, Type O Negative has experimented with a variety of musical soundscapes and textures to create something romantic, real, touching, emotional, strange, and timeless. As with any other album by this awesome band, you'll be wasting your time by trying to find anything similar to it.

Related Works:
Bloody Kisses - Type O Negative
Life Is Killing Me - Type O Negative
Dead Again - Type O Negative




Recommended: Yes