"Half brooding romantic, half back-of-the-class smart-ass." Type O Negative do both doom and gloom on October Rust

After a prank opener and a jovial message of thanks from the band, this autumnal epic represents the culmination of Type O Negative’s progress from ugly ducklings to ugly swans, honing their dreamy alt-pop sensibilities while nailing some of their most affecting doom atmospheres in Red Water, Wolf Moon and Haunted.

But it’s the lush harmonic textures and radiant romanticism that proved the biggest revelation, holding the attention for 70+ minutes of unorthodox beguilement.

Frontman Peter Steele – who died in 2010 – fleshed out his band’s grandiose vision here, and wrote the perfect gothic pop song in My Girlfriend’s Girlfriend.

“I made a slight mistake with October Rust,” he told Kerrang! in 1998. “When I look back on that record now, I think, ‘Okay, this sounds alright’, but it sounds like I was trying to write for the radio."

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Other albums released in August 1996

• Brave Murder Day - Katatonia
• Paranormalized - Six Finger Satellite
• She's the One - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
• Beautiful Freak - Eels
• Fantastic Planet - Failure
• Friction, Baby - Better Than Ezra
• Turn the Radio Off - Reel Big Fish
• Acrobatic Tenement - At the Drive-In
• Die for the Government - Anti-Flag
• Into the Unknown - Mercyful Fate
• Songs of Love and Hate - Godflesh
• Weird Food and Devastation - The Connels
• Voyager - Mike Oldfield
• Dusk and Her Embrace - Cradle of Filth
• Written in the Sand - Michael Schenker Group

What they said...

"In Praise of Bacchus, Wolf Moon, and Haunted are all like a shot of lithium mixed with a sprinkle of amphetamines and a heavy dose of valium. In short, these three tracks that include gorgeous piano, Latin chants, horror-infused lyrical subject matter, and time changes that leave the listener soothed, satisfied, and at times horrified." (Sputnik Music)

"Steele's attempt at 'pop-goth' actually works well for a while; his cynical take on goth rock's typical subject matter is in full swing over the first half of October Rust, and the band gleefully wallows in its stated commercialism by personally thanking the listener for purchasing the album at its start and finish." (AllMusic)

"October Rust is an album that is far from disappointing. It is a beautiful collection of songs and ballads containing elements of rock, metal, and gothic styles. With devotion, tranquillity, lust, and heartbreak being recurring themes throughout, October Rust really encapsulates key aspects of the human condition all while romanticising it with supernatural elements." (The Rangeview Raider Review)

What you said...

Mark Herrington: Never heard this before, but always interested to listen to a bit of Goth as I enjoy the Cure, Sisters of Mercy, etc. So I was surprised it didn’t really resonate with me at all.

Something was a bit misdirected about the whole album. First off, the opening sound effect and joke track were not a great album intro. Then the music was a melting pot of different goth bands, but without quite pulling it all together.

A vital part of this type of music is the atmosphere that it creates, whether that be the dystopian vibes of the Nephilim and the Sisters, or the brooding melancholy of the Cure. It adds a vital evocative layer that intensifies the music. This has none of that, and doesn’t take itself seriously, often even attempting bits of humour. Like watching Christopher Lee as Dracula crack the odd joke and pull out a whoopee cushion, it just doesn’t gel.

Peter Steele’s rolling ‘r’s in the vocals of Green Man are ludicrously comical. His over-dramatic, deep-spoken voice sections seem contrived. The juxtaposition of humour and goth might work in Carry On Screaming, but here they are just discordant.

James Southard: That's a definite 10/10.

It's not even my favourite Type O Negative album. Life Is Killing Me and Dead Again are even better, but this album is a classic where they ditched the hardcore "Carnivore" style songs and became the Type O Negative most people know.

Andy Crawley: The Drab Four are a bit of an acquired taste.

This isn't my favourite Type O album (that would be Bloody Kisses), but it's got My Girlfriend's Girlfriend and a great cover of Cinnamon Girl on it. What it does have is Peter Steele's unique vocals and their distinctive musical style. More so than most bands, I feel you either like it or you hate it. I like it, there's a couple of duff tracks, three or four decent ones: a solid 8/10 to this ageing goth rocker.

I first came across Type O Negative when I walked past a tented stage at a well-known bike festival in the UK and caught sight of a giant bloke wearing a double bass like normal people wear a bass guitar, and was hooked. Lucky enough to see them twice on UK tours. RIP Peter Steele, you are much missed.

Chris Downie: Recalling a time when Kerrang! magazine was still regarded as a cutting-edge publication, way back in the mid-90's and before its descent into a nu-metal and punk-pop rag, they described Type O Negative's giant frontman Peter Steele as "the only living American who understands irony". Whether that bold claim was true or not, it was clear that, despite being an acquired taste, for those of us who truly 'get' this band, there was no one quite like them, before or since.

While their friends and one-time tourmates Paradise Lost rightly garner the credit for pioneering gothic metal a few years before Type O Negative emerged, the latter were the tongue-in-cheek (and yes, often ironic) face of the genre, taking their musical cues from early Black Sabbath and classic 80's goth-rock like the Sisters of Mercy and Fields of the Nephilim and infusing it with lyrics that ranged from camp horror, to delf-deprecation and occasional gallows humour.

With all that said, choosing their finest hour is always a difficult task; many would cite 1993's Bloody Kisses as their masterpiece, while others opt for the 'Drab Four' approach (replete with Beatles medley) of World Coming Down, or even the late-career highlight of Life Is Killing Me. All great efforts, but 1996's October Rust is what many saw as their crowning achievement.

The throwaway 'false start' tracks aside, this is perhaps their most accomplished and eclectic release; Love You To Death represents a great atmospheric opener, while the MTV-bothering My Girlfriend's Girlfriend gave them another minor hit that filled many a dancefloor, and the 10-minute dirge of Haunted closes things in suitably downbeat fashion. However, the deeper cuts like Wolf Moon (best not mention the subject matter!) and Burnt Flowers Falling are arguably the album's greatest strength, as they accentuate their dark humour and sense of wit, which sadly remind us of what we lost in 2010 when Steele left this mortal coil.

Whether this band would remain as relevant and prolific as Paradise Lost, had Steele lived, is a moot point. He had his demons and was never comfortable in the spotlight. What is undeniable is that the goth-metal scene is so much poorer without them. 9/10.

Anna Cristina: I bought this album when it came out. Agree with other commenters that Type O Negative are either something you love, or just do not get at all.

I absolutely loved it. In the 90s, there was so much Britpop, pop and Britrock, and then one morning I saw Type O Negative on the ITV Chart Show doing My Girlfriend's Girlfriend, and I thought, “Wow, what the hell is this? Who is this guy?”

That guy was Peter Steele.

It just sounded so different to anything, and it was so engaging to me. The intro to that is still one of my most favourite song intros.

I don’t listen to any other goth music. Just this. There was something magical, evocative and very singular about the sound of this album, all low and dark and rumbly and then with the twinkly bits of Josh Silver’s keys. I re-listen to it in autumn, like a lot of us do. Peter Steele is sadly missed.

They told me I’d grow out of Type O Negative and this album in 1996. But 30 years later, and uncannily, when you first posted this album of the week suggestion, I was wearing my “We Are Suspended In Dusk” October Rust-era T-shirt.

I will never stop loving this album.

Robby Jackson: So this is Goth rock? Interesting. Read about the production of the album. Very polished and not hard on the ears. I liked it when I was feeling laid back. Couldn't listen to it when I had things to do.

Type O Negative - My Girlfriend's Girlfriend [OFFICIAL VIDEO] - YouTube

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Philip Qvist: I am not a huge fan of goth rock. I don't hate the genre, but I only like it in small doses. It's probably the main reason why I hadn't heard of Type O Negative until this decade, way after main man Peter Steele had passed away.

October Rust had some interesting moments, but no song really stood out for me, apart from their cover of Cinnamon Girl.

I did notice that October Rust picked up a lot of positive reviews and I suspect that it will gain high points on this forum, but this album really didn't do it for me.

Greg Schwepe: Big Negative for me on Type O Negative's October Rust. Back in the mid 90s I had signed up for some music magazine subscription service, not like BMG or Columbia House. Instead, you just got sent 1 CD per month; you didn't get to choose. One month was Bloody Kisses by Type O Negative, and after listening to two or three songs, it literally got chucked in the trash. So kinda knew where this review was headed.

Just not my thing (but I did really like the Sisters of Mercy album we did before! Go figure!). And yes, I fought my way through this whole album. Anywhere I can get a refund on my one hour, twelve minutes? 5 out of 10 on this one for me.

Chris Elliott: I made the mistake once of thinking the goth bit meant something. Nope, truly awful thrash with a new frock.

Nigel Mawdsley: I got bored of this album very quickly. I didn't find anything 'original' in their goth rock style; Fields Of The Nephilim and Gary Numan, for example, are far superior.

Mike Canoe: When does a parody of a goth band become the real thing? October Rust may be the answer.

Just about a year ago, the club reviewed the Tubes' Completion Backwards Principle, a parody of a band selling out that sounded a lot like, well, the Tubes actually selling out. The spoken word intros and outros of October Rust with the members of Type O welcoming/apologising to the listener seem to tread the same ground.

Like many, I bought their previous album, Bloody Kisses, based on the strength of Christian Woman and Black No. 1, and, I suspect, like almost as many, I resold my CD when the full 73-minute album didn't live up to those two songs. I never bought the band's music after that, but begrudgingly acknowledged they had found a successful formula for themselves. It struck me as misery with a twinkle in the eye and less about exorcising ghosts than picking up cute goth chicks. I was also secretly paranoid that their whole raison d'être was to make fun of the overly solemn Danzig, who were a guilty pleasure of mine.

As can sometimes happen, I have a much better appreciation for an album now than when it came out. October Rust is still a lot of long, plodding songs that don't seem to go anywhere (and it's also 73 minutes long!), but I enjoy the ride more now. In particular, I can appreciate Josh Silver's keyboard musings more than before and have to admit Peter Steele has a more expressive and nuanced singing voice than his deep grumble on the radio hits would suggest.

October Rust is not as dull as I feared it would be. It lacks the bark and the bite for me to return to it often, but I can understand their particular brand of doom and gloom better now; half brooding romantic, half back-of-the-class smart-ass.

Type O Negative - Cinnamon Girl [OFFICIAL VIDEO] - YouTube

Watch On

Nigel Taylor: Must admit I find a lot of Type O Negative vastly overrated, but on this album everything comes together perfectly, and it really is brilliant.

John Davidson: Much of Type O Negative and Pete Steele's appeal was that they didn't take themselves too seriously, but at the same time, it was a weakness. Too many jokes tended to break up the mood on their albums.

October Rust has fewer such interjections, and it's no coincidence that it is probably their strongest album.

I prefer the songs and the production on World Coming Down, but October Rust is very good. The lush, slightly off-kilter keyboards and fuzzy guitars dominate this album even more than Pete Steele's famously bassy voice.

Lyrically, the songs are mostly about love, sex and death. So far, so goth, but I suspect there's genuine feeling behind the lyrics, and the occasional moments of levity are consistent with real grief in a way that performative sadness isn't.

The playful songs like Be My Druidess and My Girlfriend's Girlfriend may draw you in, but if you hang around, you might find something deeper lurking behind the funereal pace of the songs.

Adam Ranger: Still a bit "meh" with Type O Negative. A very well regarded goth rock band, but they never floated my boat. All a bit samey to my ears. Some much better goth from Fields Of The Nephilim, Bauhaus, and of course the Sisters.

It's not that this is bad, just doesn't leave me inspired or moved. I was in no hurry to play it again.

Interesting to hear their take on Cinamon Girl. You can recognise the Neil Young song, but it's different enough to put their stamp on it, and it's always a plus when bands don't do a like-for-like copy. So kudos there.

I may well be in the minority here. But overall, I'm still not convinced by this band.

Brian Hart: Type O Negative first came on my radar when they opened up for Motley Crue on the Corabi tour (Kings X opened as well, it was a great but odd tour to say the least). I can’t say I was a huge fan of them, but they had a couple of catchy tunes – Black No. 1 and Christian Woman – that made me take notice.

Fast forward to 1996, and I noticed they released October Rust, and I decided to take a chance. That risk actually led to this album being one of my all-time favourites, and trust me, if I listed you my top 20 favourite albums, this would stick out like a sore thumb. I couldn’t possibly name you another goth album in my collection.

I realise Type O Negative are not for everyone. More so, I feel like this is an album you either love or hate with no in between. The production is lush and filled with atmospheric keyboards, hard-hitting drums and bass lines, and abrasive guitars that all fit perfectly together.

The lyrics (minus My Girlfriend’s Girlfriend) are less comedic than past Type O Negative albums. Most of the songs run on the longer side, with several over six minutes. It also helps that Mr Steel pulls back on the vampire vocals and sings more. Once you get past the Bad Ground and spoken intro, there are no skips on this album. Stand out tracks for me are Love You to Death, Green Man, Red Water, In Praise of Bacchus, and Wolf Moon, but I love every song on this album.

As a previous reviewer stated, this is the album where it all came together for Type O Negative. All their albums have one or two songs on them that I love. Sadly, though, they never came close to replicating anything that stacks up to October Rust. This is a 5-star album for me.

Final score: 7.35 (37 votes cast, total score 272)

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