On August the 17th, 1993, the Type O Negative third Studio album, “Bloody Kisses”, was released. We got to know Type O Negative because of this album a couple of years after its publication. Having never listened before to something similar, we were really impressed to the special sound of this album. It’s not an emotional issue since it’s been their first album we’ve been listened to, but we believe it’s their best work ever, their masterpiece, their composition’s apex. Unsurprisingly, it’s the album which gave the band a worldwide success and certificated with gold record first in 1995 and followed by platinum after 5 years.
The quality is much higher compared to the first two albums and the production paid the right attention to each instrument; the guitar’ sound is still “buzzing”, but it’s more structured and compact distorted and the keyboards have a range of sounds, very atmospheric and always well chosen; drum’ sounds are stronger and balanced in relation to the past, but above all it’s the voice to make the difference, with deep, original, significant, melodies at the peak of its expression. A variety of songs filled with arrangements and really emotional with groundbreaking structures.
The band of four availed itself of different backing vocalist and even of the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra for this occasion.

Talking about arrangements, the reproduction of a Gregorian chant at the end of the second track, called “Christian Woman”, must be absolutely mentioned. It’s an odd but at the some time, well guessed mix between sacral and profane. The about 9 minutes long song, has been chosen as second single of the album and it’s filled with colours; in the first part there is an exalted choir which fills the hook in an exceptional manner against heavy sounds of guitar, bass and drum… in the second part you are thrown across a completely different atmosphere from the previous one, because they abruptly switch from distorted guitars to the acoustic ones and finally, in the third part of the song, you’ll find distortions once more together with the typical metal sound and Steele’s voice alternated with Gregorian chant, the one we talked about before and the one which gives a special touch, mystically dark, I would say… “Christian Woman” became one of the most known and valued song of the band, an example of a great compositional ability of Type O Negative.

To follow, there’s the third track which is the first single from the album “Black n° 1”, it’s another example of mastery with more than 11 minutes of song… You can appreciate the very intimate and quite suffering Steele’s voice straight away that emits a desperate scream as soon as the distorted guitars start playing. Kenny Hickey’s voice, the guitarist, is heard in several occasions in the chorus while alternating with Steele’s voice. “Black n° 1” has a quite dissimilar scheme and there’s an interesting harpsichord arrangement in a nearly sixteenth-century style following the verse and the chorus. All these are subtleties that define a great expression ability.

Even “Bloody Kisses (A Death in the Family)”, track number 10, deserves to be mentioned, it’s another piece longer than 10 minutes… it’s absolutely a masterpiece and the highest example of gothic metal ever written, according to us. The intro of the song is attached to Josh Silver’s organ with a totally dark atmosphere and to a powerful, rhythmically beat drum which keeps a slow doom speed for the entire length. Even the remarkable Steel’s voice together with the several parts of keyboard increase this track as an unconditional hymn of the genre, it’s so involving and deep that doesn’t seem like it lasts nearly 11 minutes at all.

This masterpiece is ended with the track called “Can’t Lose You”, it’s a 6 minutes pleasant song wherein you have the chance of listening to the sitar which is an Indian stringed instrument that together with the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra string section, plays with great elegance; yet another appropriate and colorful choice which is going to enhance and get ready for the big finale that… doesn’t exist… no, “Blood Kisses” doesn’t have one, in fact the sound is abruptly cut off at the climax, it’s like the power went out… gone, finished!

Critical response to “Bloody Kisses” was very good, in fact lots of positive reviews have been released and it has been even considered the best work in 1993. A reporter and musical critic called Steve Huey wrote as follow: «…it could sound like a funeral, but the shiny tunes together with a fair amount of irony, give life to the gothic genre that was in decline until then».
This is the drummer Sal Abruscato last album, unfortunately he left the band after recording because of disagreements with Peter Steel. Type O Negative will keep their career till 2010 producing certainly good works, but in our opinion they’ve been unable to repeat what they’ve done, they’ve been unable to reach the level of “Bloody Kisses”, an album full of fascinating and tricky sound patterns and of a remarkable expressive power which is able to gift unlimited emotions.