Of course, when we listen to the discography of Type O Negative, there's something to be said when I can't find another band that even comes close to achieving the sound they strove for. The reason for this? Well, even in the genre of death metal, there are bands that are similar to Death, so much so that a band I heard that wasn't them, I had mistaken for being them due to the sound. In the past 2 months, Type O Negative has been a band that somehow has perhaps overtaken my favorite band, Death. I finally reviewed the 1991 Roadrunner records original pressing of Slow Deep and Hard in the mail today, and of course I was expecting a good sound, and boy did I find it. Moral of the story: be careful with writing your music while drunk and don’t be afraid to adjust your craft while sober! At the same time, Slow, Deep and Hard is hardly the most cohesive album that I can think of (there’s a six minute long interlude present on this album - go figure), so some patience is required once you’re going to give this album a shot. There’s a creepy introduction that properly leads to a soundscape of Peter Steele’s angry outbursts and it’s not done without a sense of humor! Who could forget that section where Peter Steele Steele starts to yell like a drunken cowboy and those exaggerated gang shouts back him up? Metal rarely gets this hilarious, I reckon. Just listen to 'Xero Tolerance' which is another shameless rampage that structurally speaking, develops with clarity at least. Overall, Slow, Deep and Hard makes an amusing listen and generally, it's a lot of fun. That’s not to say that there aren’t any superior moments here there’s a faithful Sabbath-esque riff that the track rides on for a while and I also enjoy its trilling later half where the band goes back to playing loud and proud. It’s as if Type O Negative weren’t always sure what to do with the ideas that they’ve had and instead, would try out as many things as possible. Likewise, ‘Prelude to Agony’ is another head scratcher wasting its time with a dragging introduction and even the church organs and croons that work far better in other tunes, serve little purpose in between here. Caught between metallic fury and industrial-like ambiance, 'Der Untermensch' spends the first two minutes building little atmosphere that works in the song’s favor and not even a minute after kicking into high gear, already returns to its original state. 'Gravitational Constant: G = 6.67 x 10⁻⁸ cm⁻³ gm⁻¹ sec⁻²' is a superb finale number and while it lacks some of the up-tempo changes that are present on most tracks, it manages to compensate with its mass of down tuned sludgy guitar work that slashes with morbid effects around Peter Steele’s high-spirited vocals.Īt its worst, you end up with tunes that hardly benefit from their multiple sub-parts and it’s a shame, cause even these feature their better moments. Versatile from a musical and emotional perspective, it’s not something that you don’t stumble upon every day, but this daring opener certainly justifies its length. 'Unsuccessfully Coping with the Natural Beauty of Infidelity' starts off with some hardcore-inspired moments of Carnivore and eventually leads to an over-the-top chorus that’s caught between the atmospheric church organs and gentle gothic croons. When things work out well, Slow, Deep and Hard becomes rather entertaining clear right off the start. Indeed, Slow, Deep and Hard consists of many ideas - that at best, work rather well together. It sounds like a weird mix, but then again, it’s not like Peter Steele hasn’t shown his versatility in his Carnivore days (think of ‘Male Supremacy’, with its raging verses and its surreal gothic-esque break). Musically, there’s obviously still some Carnivore left in Steele’s sound, yet that ranges from faster, Carnivore-esque sections of pure anger, to occasional Black Sabbath-esque heaviness of authentic gloom. Peter Steele’s raw passion shines through these heartfelt (if occasionally quirky) compositions that are full of hatred, spite and sorrow. I’ll admit that I’m by no means a Type O Negative fan (not that I’ve heard too much of this band), but Slow, Deep and Hard works well enough for me. It’s an authentic record that tells the story of Peter Steele’s desire to kill his girlfriend after getting cheated on and before you forget: this is the same band that would focus on attracting a female audience in the years ahead - believe it or not! Originally written by a drunk Peter Steele within four hours during his Carnivore days, Slow, Deep and Hard is one of those albums that’s undeniably hilarious, yet isn’t just about comical value.
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