We’ve past the spookiest time of the year, and now we’re in the home stretch of 2019. It’s the start of November, and December is just a few weeks away. I got some end-of-year content planned for next month, but beforehand I got some catching up to do. Since we’ve only got a little bit of a year ending in 9, a bunch of albums have some special birthday’s this year, so why not give them a little bit of love. All throughout this month, I got reviews coming up that all have their birthday in year’s that ended with the number nine. Today’s review turned 20 just a few short months ago, and it’s one of the bleakest records to ever conclude a decade. So sit back, turn down the lights & grab a stiff drink, and read my review for Type-O Negative’s darkest record. This is gonna be rough.
Background
The year following the release of October Rust weren’t the easiest for frontman Peter Steele. In the upcoming years he was having family members die for what seemed like every few months (If I’m being honest, things began to go downhill the year before October Rust when Pete’s father died), and coupled with his own growing depression eventually caused the man to break. He began to take cocaine at the age of 35 (He said in interviews he knew it was stupid, but was so broken he didn’t care), and the music to come would take a drastically bleak turn. Released on September the 21st, 1999, World Coming Down was the darkest Type-O Negative album at the time, and remains so to this day. Gone were the gothic themes (Outside of 2 exceptions) on prior albums, and in it’s place were personal issues of suicide, drug & alcohol abuse, depression, & whatever other negative thing Pete was feeling at the time. Not only that, but the album marks the first time that the band ever went full-blown Doom Metal, as a lot of the tracks come across like dirges meant for the most tragic of funerals.
Ironically enough, despite the bleak nature of the record and the lack of songs on the promotional tour (The band rarely if ever played any songs off the record, with the title track being one of the few exceptions during the Dead Again tour), World Coming Down was actually the 1st Type-O Negative record to ever break the Top 40 on the Billboard 200. Reaching no. 39, the album was received favorably by fans and critics back then & now, with AllMusic critic Steve Huey gave the album a 4-out-of-5 star rating, and Adam Wasylyk of Chronicles of Chaos gave it a very positive review: "An album that won't be ignored, it's my favorite album of 1999. Hands down.".
To add further irony to the situation, the members of the band had mixed opinions after World Coming Down was released. Keyboardist and producer Josh Silver felt that the band had release a strong record, while Pete Steele said that the music was too strongly connected to an uncomfortable period in his life (Hence why they hardly promoted the record during the tour for it).
Basic Description
To quote CoverKillerNation: “This album is mired with depression and suicidal iletiations with excess, addiction, alcoholism.”
This record is the very incarnation of rock bottom. This is the embodiment of someone who’s at the lowest point of their life, and even if they recover from it a piece always remains. This record is the definition of everything dark in our life, and what a few of us might become if life decides to throw some particularly virulent shit at us. This record is what some of us dread at the worst points of our life, and dread as what those close to us might become. However, I propose one addition.....that World Coming Down is beautiful.
You might laugh at that, but hear me out. The entire album is a torrent of negative thoughts & emotions, and if you’re not properly prepared you will get punched in the face with the force of a hundred sledgehammers. However, in creating an album that let’s out all of this negativity, Pete Steele was already beginning the healing process. Whether he knew it or not, World Coming Down was the 1st step in getting back to normal. In my opinion, that’s what makes this release beautiful in a sense.
Best Track
Like I said back in 2015, Creepy Greet Light really is the only song on World Coming Down that has any positivity to it (Apart from Skip It). Make to mistake though: it’s still just as emotionally heavy as everything else on the album. However, the bittersweet feel of the track makes it stand out among every other song, and the fact that it’s one out of two tune that are the lone gothic standouts make it special. The Doom Metal like pacing mixes with the Gothic tone & vibe really well, and Pete Steele’s voice is at an all time high on this track (Even though he’s great everywhere else). Definitely a song that’s great for October.....or for a Gothic romance.
Creepy Green Light
Worst Track
Like I said earlier, World Coming Down is a torrent of dark emotions. Outside of Skip It or Creepy Green Light, every other song is incredibly sad. The themes of the album are incredibly obvious, and not the least bit comfortable. Due to this severe emotional bleakness, it makes the album the least accessible out of everything Type-O Negative has ever produced, and in turn is the black sheep of the lot. Even the albums that came after World Coming Down (Including The Least Worst Of a year later ironically enough) have nowhere near as much bleakness all over the music, and are easier to get into.
Other
If you’re curious enough to listen to this album, click on the link below:
World Coming Down
Overall Impression & Rating
World Coming Down is just one of those albums that could have only come from Pete’s tormented psyche. Sure, there have been plenty of albums before & after that are pretty dark, but because of a mix of awful moments in life & personal issues not being handled well, it could only have come out in the late 90s and from Type-O Negative. This definitely isn’t the easiest release from the band to access, but if you manage to get your hands on this & give it a listen, you’ll find it to be an essential “Dark” record.
World Coming Down gets a 10 out of 10 from me (Probably most other Type-O Negative fans as well), but others might give it a 9 out of 10 due to how heavy the emotions are. Maybe an 8 out of 10 if listeners are especially critical of the emotional aspect of the record.
And with that, we continue further into November, and into albums that are older. See you all towards the middle of the month, when we’re get stung once again. Until then, keep your head up if you can.
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