type o negative had an undeniable influence on the metal world during their existence from 1989 to 2010 and beyond. pete steele was one of the most charismatic vocalists and frontmen in contemporary music and so it is no wonder that the band generated quite a cult around itself. i am ashamed to admit that i fairly overlooked type o when they were active and even years after the passing of pete steele and the associated breakup of the band. a cover song of "love you to death" from pallbearer was the spark to lit the fire of interest.
the song is part of pallbearer's "fear and fury" e.p. and i have this piece of vinyl since its release in 2016. recently i began to really appreciate the cover song but never bothered to check out the original until a few weeks ago. i listened to more songs of type o negative, which i vaguely knew from the past ("everything dies" for example, which i used to watch the video of on music tv back in 1999). i decided that those were great and that i needed some vinyl.
unfortunately i found out that type o negative vinyl is not for the faint of heart and doesn't come cheap. in the face of those mean second hand prices i threw the towel. in today's re-issue madness i am pretty sure that there will be new pressings of all the type o full lengths sooner or later. thankfully a copy of this best of compilation fell into my hands at a media markt for a very decent price of fifteen bucks.
the price was too good and the opportunity to get some great type o songs on vinyl too tempting to not take it with me, even though i usually do not buy those best of comps. as this one wasn't just a label pick but the band itself chose the song selection, i think it's one of the better assortments. a few different non-album versions and a good cross section throughout the band's carreer. all this comes on heavy black dual vinyl in a matte cardboard gatefold sleeve with printed dust sleeves. good work by roadrunner and cargo records. originally released in 2000. vinyl version from 2014.
