Mr. Steele had battled substance abuse for many years, but the band said he had triumphed over…
On Wednesday, Type O Negative’s lead songwriter, bassist, and vocalist, Peter Steele, passed away. 48 was his age.
The band posted an announcement of his passing on their website, typeonegative.net. The notification did not specify the location of his death, only that the cause of death was not yet known for sure but seemed to be heart failure.
Mr. Steele had battled substance abuse for many years, but the band said he had triumphed over his addictions. “Peter had been enjoying a long period of sobriety and improved health and was imminently due to begin writing and recording new music” for the band’s next album, the online announcement of his death said.
Type O Negative, based in Brooklyn, was formed in 1990 and attracted a loyal following. Its style was a mixture of goth gloominess and heavy-metal intensity; the songs Mr. Steele wrote explored dark themes, sometimes with dry humor, as reflected in titles like “Life Is Killing Me” and “Everyone I Love Is Dead.” The band’s “Bloody Kisses,” released in 1993, was the first album on the Roadrunner label to be certified platinum.
