TYPE O NEGATIVE / Bloody Kisses (Ltd Ed) (1993)

The Drab Four must have shut themselves away from sunlight for a year to come up with this opus. It's a gothic masterpiece that crawls into your brain like viscous blood seeping into your ear canal. The fuzzy slowed down Black Sabbath bass sound perfectly complements Peter Steele's drawn out vocal delivery. The guitars are low in the mix. Along the way there are some beautiful pastoral moments that by contrast heighten the gloom. Then they throw in an upbeat happy tune with keyboards and you know that the full spectrum of grief is to be explored. Play it at a funeral for extra good times.

Songs of Note: Summer Breeze; Black No.1 (Little Miss Scare-All)

4½ burning thighs out of 5

Note: The Ltd Ed loses some tracks and adds one new one. It's a more coherent listening experience, and I would recommend it over the original release.