Type O Negative

The Least Worst Of seems to be the perfect title for Type O Negative's best of, unreleased and rarities offering. Even in their most embryonic and misanthropic stages, Type O possessed a self-deprecating aspect that allowed them to come across as more vulnerable than hostile, and that aspect has only increased with every release since their landmark debut, Slow, Deep and Hard. Represented in this collection with the inclusions of "Unsuccessfully Coping With The Natural Beauty of Infidelity" and "The Misinterpretation of Silence and its Disastrous Consequences," Slow... still stands as Type O at their most aggressive and misanthropic, combining hardcore, metal, sludge and Peter's suicidal ramblings to create the definitive traumatic post-relationship record. But life moves on and so did Type O, gradually evolving away from their hardcore roots and adding a gothic element that would see the bands stock rise. "Black No. 1," "Christian Woman," from Bloody Kisses, and "Black Sabbath (From The Satanic Perspective)" are perfect examples of Type O getting the mix of goth, metal and sexuality just right. However, inclusions from October Rust only serve to demonstrate that Type O took the sensuality angle too far, in turn losing both the emotion of previous releases and coming dangerously close to self-parody. However, World Coming Down showed Type O refocusing their attack, and tracks such as "Everything Dies" demonstrate how crushing and comforting Type O's sound can truly be. However, it is the bonus tracks that make the release something worth acquiring, with unreleased tracks from previous recording sessions and alternate mixes raising the stakes. A live studio version of the modified Hendrix cover "Hey Peter," and the previously unreleased/hard to find "It's Never Enough," "12 Black Rainbows" and "Stay Out of My Dreams" are more than worth the price of admission.