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| Original Version |
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| 2008 Re-Release |
I’ll be delaying my Top 10 Wrestlers post until sometime later this week (Friday most likely), but this couldn’t be ignored, even though I almost did. Today marks the 10-year anniversary of the final album from Type-O Negative. An album that, reluctantly, would be the last thing that Pete Steele and the boys would ever put onto a cd. It’s only right that I take a look at it today, as sort of a 2nd tribute to the band. So, get on your Sunday best, grab a glass of holy wine, and enjoy my look at Dead Again. Let the review begin!
Background
The 2000s was a difficult time for Pete Steele. Drug/Alcohol addiction, writer’s block, a month-long stint in prison, and departing their longtime record company Roadrunner were just a couple of the roadblocks he ran into. However, the divine seemed to have plans for the Green Man, as he rediscovered his long lost Catholic faith, and finally got off of his drug & booze habit. He and the rest of Type-O Negative even found a new record company in the form of SPV/Steamhammer, and when the situation was right, the band got back together to what would eventually be known as their final album.
Released on March 13, 2007, Dead Again would be Type-O Negative’s highest charting album on the billboard 200 (No. 27, if you were curious.), and the reception from fans & critics was quite positive. Curiously, Dead Again remains the only Type-O Negative album to feature Johnny Kelly’s actual playing, as he was only credited as such on their 3 previous released (The used a drum machine beforehand).
Basic Description
Heavy, Spiritual, Illuminating.
At it’s core, Dead Again is a Gothic/Doom Metal album. Death, Betrayal, and other goth things are definitely at the norm on this record. It when it goes in a more religious direction that the vibe this album generates do things turn into something different. Like the depressive World Coming Down from 1999, this album definitely leans in the more serious direction. That said, Dead Again illuminates Pete’s mind, showing off a side of him that unfortunately had little time in the sunlight. The lyrics have a touch of the divine as well, as much of what’s sung has some connection to God in someway. My favorite track is particularly cemented in this, but I’ll talk about that........now!
Best Track
I said this back during the overview for this band, picking what is considered to be the “Best” song of the album is a challenge, especially since everything is fantastic! That said, my favorite track is the incredible These Three Things. Coming in at the monolithic 14 minutes & 21 seconds (In comparison, World Coming Down is 11 minutes & 10 seconds, and The Profit Of Doom off of this album is 10 minutes & 47 seconds), this song embodies Pete Steele’s rediscovered religious beliefs, and is a journey of a track. It might drag your patience on for a little bit given it’s length, but if you can get through it, you’ll be witness to one of the best gothic masterpieces of the late 2000s.
These Three Things
Worst Track
I briefly talked about this in my overview for Type-O Negative in April of 2015, but it deserves to be mentioned again. Though Pete Steele had come full circle at this point in his life, what with the spiritual awakening & cleansing of drug usage, but none the less Dead Again is a pretty heavy album when it comes to emotions. This was definitely an album that allowed the Green Man to cleanse himself once again, and as such the listener will bear the brunt of his emotions. In this album’s defense, the heavy emotions aren’t self-depreciating like the ones felt on World Coming Down, and I didn’t feel drained or depressed by the time I was done. At the same time I felt like I’d taken a punch to the gut or two, and the impact was felt for a day or two afterwards..
Other
If you’d like to hear this album, check out the link below. It’s gonna be a brutal experience!
Dead Again
Overall Impression & Rating
Dead Again is good. Damn good! It’s a reluctant concluding album to be sure, but even it was forced into the spot it was, it’s quality does not diminish in any way. Pete Steele, Kenny Hickey, Josh Silver, and Johnny Kelly went all out, and produced what may very well be the best album of Type-O Negative’s career. If you’re a fan of this band, and you haven’t even listened to a single song from Dead Again, you are doing an incredible disservice. Give this album a go, and I promise you won’t be disappointed!
Dead Again gets a 9.5 out of 10. A nearly flawless masterpiece!
So that was a look at what would unfortunately be the last Type-O Negative album ever produced. It’s tragic to be sure, but if there was ever a way for the band to go out, it’s sure as hell this album! So I’ll see you later this week, when I’ll get my original entry for today’s post up. Until then, may we all be dead again at some point.
**
For comparison of Billboard 200 spots, Life Is Killing Me & World Coming Down were both at no. 39, and October Rust debuted at no. 42.
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