The two main influences on the band are the Beatles and Black Sabbath, and keyboardist Josh Silver has expressed a love of Pink Floyd--evidence of which can be heard in the atmospherics of his production techniques.
The band arose from the ashes of the band Carnivore and gained popularity with their songs "Black No. 1" and "Christian Woman" from the Bloody Kisses album. The album was the first in Roadrunner Records' catalog to go both gold and platinum. They have successfully toured with Pantera, Life of Agony, and dozens of other established and up-and-coming bands, as well as taking part in Ozzfest. The band had VHS and DVD documentary releases in addition to their CD releases and contributions to movie soundtracks and compilations.
Steele died of sepsis caused by diverticulitis (initially reported as heart failure) on April 14 2010 at the age of 48.
Singles and video-featured songs
Black No. 1 - 1993
Christian Woman - 1993
Cinnamon Girl - 1996
Everyone I Love Is Dead - 1999
Everything Dies - 1999
I Don't Wanna Be Me - 2003
Love You to Death - 1996
My Girlfriend's Girlfriend - 1996
Profits of Doom - 2007
September Sun - 2007
Summer Breeze - 1993
Discography
Slow, Deep and Hard - 1991
Origin of The Feces - 1992
Bloody Kisses - 1993
October Rust- 1996
World Coming Down - 1999
Life Is Killing Me - 2003
Dead Again - 2007
Members
Peter Steele - Vocals, bass guitar and songwriting (1990-2010)
Josh Silver - Keyboards (1990-2010)
Kenny Hickey - Guitar and backing vocals (1990-2010)
Johnny Kelly - Drums (1994-2010)
Sal Abruscato - Drums (1990-1993)
Less Than Zero
Type O Negative Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Blessing my death
Lost soul in agony meet machine tragedy
God if you love me, then why won't
You set me free?
I don't have call-waiting, hey, was that
You pranking me?
The sheep within
Wearing wolf's skin
Weak vagiant
Amongst midgets
Snot and cum, piss and shit
Of this I am made - like the taste of it?
Vomit, pus, sweat, tears, blood
The scab removed, revealing what was
Of this man of Steele
Nothing is real
The truth be scant
Lord of Idiots
The punishment?
Eternal lent
Victims be clear
You're all volunteers
The lyrics to Type O Negative's song Less Than Zero are incredibly dense and cryptic, as is often the case with the band's music. The first line, "My reflection has a shadow's blessing my death," seems to imply that the singer is looking at themselves in a mirror, and that this act is somehow connected to their impending death. The second line, "Lost soul in agony meet machine tragedy," suggests that the singer is in a state of emotional turmoil, and that this state is somehow linked to machines or technology.
The next lines seem to be directed at God, and express a sense of frustration and disillusionment with religion. The singer asks why God won't set them free, and sarcastically wonders if God was the one prank-calling them. The lines "The sheep within wearing wolf's skin / Weak vagiant amongst midgets" are difficult to interpret, but seem to suggest that the singer feels out of place and uncomfortable in their surroundings.
The final section of the song includes a list of bodily fluids and substances (snot, cum, piss, shit, etc.), which seem to symbolize the raw, messy reality of human existence. The lines "Like a taste of it? / Vomit, pus, sweat, tears, blood / The scab removed / Revealing what was" suggest that the singer is inviting us to confront this reality, and to understand that beneath the surface of our lives lies something more primal and difficult to comprehend. The song concludes with the lines "Of this man of Steele / Nothing is real / The truth be scant / Lord of idiots / The punishment? / Eternal lent / Victims be clear / You're all volunteers," which seem to suggest that our perceptions of reality are faulty and incomplete, and that we are all complicit in our own suffering.
Line by Line Meaning
My reflection has a shadow's blessing my death (???)
I am slowly dying and my reflection assures me that this is a blessing.
Lost soul in agony meet machine tragedy
I am a tormented and distraught individual meeting a tragic and merciless fate.
God if you love me
Oh God, if you hold any love for me,
Then why won't you set me free?
why won't you relieve me from my desperate situation?
I don't have call-waiting
I am unable to hear any divine messages because I do not have the patience to wait for a reply.
Hey, was that you pranking me?
I am doubtful of any divine signs and am suspicious that it could be a prank instead.
The sheep within wearing wolf's skin
I am a timid and vulnerable person pretending to be tough and intimidating.
Weak vagiant amongst midgets
I am a weak and insignificant person surrounded by others who are even weaker and smaller than me.
Snot and cum, piss and shit
The substance I am made of is not ideal - it consists of mucus, semen, urine and excrement.
Of this I am made
This is the composition of my existence.
Like a taste of it?
Are you interested in experiencing it too?
Vomit, pus, sweat, tears, blood
My bodily fluids include vomit, pus, sweat, tears and blood.
The scab removed
When my wound is healed and the scab is removed,
Revealing what was
it exposes the ugliness and unpleasant reality that existed underneath.
Of this man of Steele
This person, seemingly strong and unbreakable,
Nothing is real
has no real substance or substance that is tangible.
The truth be scant
The truth is barely present and nearly nonexistent.
Lord of idiots
The ruler of those who are foolish and thoughtless.
The punishment?
What is the punishment for this existence?
Eternal lent
It is an endless and everlasting spiritual journey.
Victims be clear
It is important to be aware that we are all victims in some way.
You're all volunteers
We have all willingly taken on the responsibility and burden of our own suffering.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Peter Thomas Steele
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind