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Worst Week Ever

IN WHICH WE REMEMBERED A FALLEN HERO

 Friday, April 15th, 2011 at 5:00pm by

I’m not gonna do a regular worst week this week, because I wanna ramble for a minute. I’m sure no one will be too disappointed.

I really can’t believe it’s been a year since Peter Steele died… I also can’t believe he’s really dead. If you haven’t already read Anso’s two-part rememberance of the man, featuring interviews with bandmates, family members, and friends, you absolutely must do so — it’s amazing. Here’s part one, and here’s part two.

But I’d like to take a moment and pay tribute to the guy in a way that I know might seem weird — by discussing the song “Enemy of the State” from the Roadrunner United album. Steele didn’t write the music — Joey Jordison and engineer/mixer/producer Matt Sepanic did — but the keyboards and samples are by his Type O Negative bandmate, Josh Silver, and Steele did write the vocal melody and lyrics, and those contributions from Steele make the song really special.

See, the entire track is sung in a made-up language. And it sounds pretty authentic — I didn’t know it was made up until I read an interview with Jordison. I honestly thought, “Oh, Peter Steele is fluent in some cool Eastern European language. Awesome.”

Singing words that don’t actually mean anything might seem crazy, but I get the distinct impression that they meant something to him. I mean, check out his vocal delivery, the way that he laughs after certain moments — he was most certainly telling a story. He conveyed that narrative purely through sound and the tone of his fantastic voice — maybe he was making a commentary on how lyrics don’t matter, maybe he was just trying an experiment, or maybe he was just fucking around. I just find the fact that he even thought to approach the song this way so brilliantly weird. Even if it’s not necessarily the definitive Peter Steele song, the way he made it is definitively Peter Steele.

Vince and I will be away most of next week, but we leave you in the competent hands of Anso DF and Corey Mitchell. Try to take it easy on those dudes and not miss us too much.

-AR

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  • Aether Jake

    Never heard this song, it rocks

  • yzermantiis

    So I guess I won’t be tuning in much next week…..

    • http://www.coreymitchell.com Corey Mitchell

      That’s too bad because you’ll be missing out on weed, murder, FUBAR, Watchtower, and much more…

  • http://www.myspace.com/thestarsthrewdowntheirspears Tim

    Sigur Ros sing all their songs in a made-up language. Their reasoning is that no lyrics are going to be universally excepted, and sometimes lyrics ruin songs for people.

    • CrestalMyth

      Let’s not forget Kobaïan.

    • Simon from Canada

      No, not all of Sigur Rós’ songs are written in their made-up language (“Hopelandic”). Their third album, called “( )”, is written entirely in the language, as well as sporadic songs throughout their career, but the rest are written in plain Icelandic.

      Although they probably started using Hopelandic to prove that you don’t need to understand a song’s language to appreciate it. I guess they’re trying to say that a lot of the emotional input is not during the writing process, but the performance itself.

  • Etzell

    From what I’ve gathered about the song, it’s done like that because he was pissed about having to work for people 1/2 his age, and didn’t take it seriously.

    Strangely, it’s always been my favorite song on the album.

  • Booker

    this song is awesome, definitely one of my favourite off the All Star Sessions. Also Peter’s last recording as far as I know which makes it all the more poignant. I always thought it had a funeral march type of feel to it.

  • Utmu

    Pretty song. I actually got kinda’ choked up, and I’m not even a Type O fan (although I do hope to be soon, in fact I’ve got “Everyone I Love Is Dead” on YouTube on another tab right now. Thanks Peter, rest in peace mate!

  • http://multimedia-ami.deviantart.com amelia

    Is it just me or did you guys not mention the death of Scott Columbus, Manowar’s former drummer?

    • lol@youguys

      theyre probably being paid by the band

      • Aaron R A

        You’re a dumbass.

  • KMFCM

    wow

    I never heard that song

    it’s fucking cool

    it sounds like “The Glorious Liberation Of The People’s Technocratic Republic Of Vinnland By The Combined Forces…”

  • DudeinFL

    Bloody Kisses came out when I was in i think 7th grade…bought it because I heard “Christian Woman” on the radio and dug it. They’ve been arguably my all-time favorite band ever since. I never am the type to get all frothy over musicians/actors/athletes/etc, but Peter Steele was one dude who I’m actually bummed that I didn’t know personally. And Utmu, I’m sure plenty of ppl around here could recommend some tunes. I’m currently listening to the Santana Medley right now…their covers were always different (therefore awesome).

  • msv81

    How the hell have some of you guys NEVER heard this song? It’s almost 6 full years old at this point. Is it because you guys were too kvlt and tr0000 for any Roadrunner release? Fly under your radar? Never knew about the “super compilation”? Didn’t care to listen to it? I’m genuinely curious.

    I’ve loved the comp ever since it came out. Sure, there are a few misses but even the “shitty” songs aren’t THAT bad. Also features a few “OK” tracks, while the rest, in my opinion, is absolutely killer! For those who are just hearing of it (or bothering to listen to it) now, I also strongly suggest seeking out:

    Track 1 (“The Dagger”)
    Track 2 (“The Enemy”)
    Track 3 (“Annihilation By The Hands of God”)
    Track 7 (“Independent (Voice of the Voiceless))”
    Track 11 (“Baptized in the Redemption”)
    Track 12 (“Roads”)

    …those are by no means all the highlights, either. Just a good starting point.

    • paganheart

      Roadrunner United is an awesome comp. I have to admit that I haven’t listened to it since some asshole broke into my car stole a case of my CDs about a year ago, including that one. I just haven’t got around to replacing it and I forgot about how great some of the songs are (inclding this one.) A very appropriate tribute…iTunes, here I come!

  • blah

    Peter Steele has never sounded better as he does today.

  • Jim Heine

    Is it weird that my favorite Type O Negative song is their cover of Seals and Croft’s “Summer Breeze”? The song is shockingly well-suited to metal, but part of what makes it work so well is Peter’s voice, which is so ethereal and just so awesome. For a genre that is constantly in danger of growing stagnant, it’s tough to lose someone who wasn’t afraid to fuck with the formula until he heard something he liked like Peter.

    • Brock Sterns

      I discovered that cover merely days ago, and even before that Summer Breeze was a guilty pleasure. Respect.

  • MachinaeSupremacist

    There’s an English version of the lyrics, just Google it. Definitely tells a story.
    Amazing song from an album that definitely had some solid moments.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Will-Morley/618112437 Will Morley

      Wrong, google the lyrics of the “English version”, that’s been kicking about for a while and it’s just a song of the same name by another artist. How would you translate a language that even the vocalist doesn’t really speak?

      Only Steele knew the meaning to this song, and one way or another I think that makes it more poignant now. RIP.

  • lol@youguys

    omfg get over it he’s dead you didnt write a colomn for anyone else who died noone gives a fuck

  • lol@youguys

    ‘remebered a fallen hero’ lol

  • Lol@youguys

    Rage on fanboy

  • Isaac

    It’s equally hard (if not more so) for me to believe that Dio’s been gone for a year. Both were such imposing figures. It’s very difficult to see them gone.