Don't waste your time
There's no mistaking that Type O Negative are a great band. They are masters of the gothic genre, often copied but never bettered. Giant vocalist Pete Steele not only has a distinctive voice, but has steered Type O Negative into having its own distinct and recognisable style. They are a band able to create beautifully crafted songs as well as those with a grittier edge, enabling them to thrash it up when time calls for it. So it was with great surprise and disappointment that I discovered that this latest DVD is as irritating as a sore boil and as dull as ditchwater.
The meat of this DVD is Type O's performance at the Bizarre Festival in Germany in 1999. On disc, the band's expansive style of music is carefully honed, allowing the subtle passages to breathe giving the music depth and clarity. Live however the music just doesn't have the same impact, almost all of the band's distinct sense of musical subtly has been rubbed out. Firstly the sound mix isn't great with Pete's bass and Kenny's guitar often muddying together. Josh's huge keyboards, choirs and samples fail to fill the mix, often being drowned out by the distorted mush. Their hits are all here though, some more audible than others. Pete's vocals are perhaps the best thing on show proving that not only can he cut it live, but also demonstrate varying emotions from shouting, to softly spoken murmurs, all whilst having an instrument chained around his neck.
Visually speaking they're not much to write to your mother about either. Josh and drummer Johnny Kelly are stuck behind their respective musical tools. This leaves Pete and Kenny Hickey to provide the energy. Pete remains static for the whole ninety minutes and Kenny never really plays anything of any merit. I have to admit after only half an hour I was itching to stick on Iron Maiden's 'Death on the Road' DVD just for some sheer excitement.
Perhaps the band realised how dull the proceedings were and interjected every few songs with some pathetic and extremely irritating 'on the road' antics. These range from shooting grapes out of one's bottom, shouting obscenities through a megaphone at passers by, putting smelly trainers over the nose of a sleeping band-mate, pissing in the street and so on...hilarious.
Extras wise the choice is slim pickings, there are some pictures and a banal interview in which the members of the band don't particularly look interested. Maybe if this disc was chock full of recording and studio footage, some promo videos and an in depth documentary about the history of the band etc...then this maybe worth your hard earned cash. As it stands it's a pretty dull live performance, some pathetic attempts at anarchic humour and a 'blink or you'll miss it' bonus section. Die-hard fans will no doubt buy it, watch it, file it. The rest of us should just wait 'till nightfall and blast 'October Rust' for getting into the dark moody areas of our souls is the area where Type O Negative really excels. A shoddy package.