Life Is Killing Me is the sixth studio album by gothic metal band Type O Negative. It was released on June 17, 2003, and was their final studio album released through record label Roadrunner Records.
The album’s title and content refers primarily to frontman Peter Steele‘s dissatisfied life outlook and experiences with mental illness at the time of writing and production, with lyrics concerning relationship problems and the illness and death of his parents.
The album reached No. 39 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 27,000 copies in its first week, and received positive reviews from music critics, who noted a more melodic sound in comparison to previous records. “I Don’t Wanna Be Me” was released as a promotional single, for which a music video was produced.
Life Is Killing Me was recorded at Systems Two Recording Studio in Brooklyn, New York. Vocalist and bassist Peter Steele used a custom Fernandes Tremor bass guitar for the recording of the album, an instrument which was built to his exact specifications under his sponsorship with the company.
This is the last album by the band to make use of programmed drums, which had previously been used on October Rust and World Coming Down; the band’s next and final studio album, Dead Again, would feature only studio drums.
Tracklist:
- Thir13teen (Jack Marshall)
- I Don’t Wanna Be Me
- Less Than Zero (<0)
- Todd’s Ship Gods (Above All Things)
- I Like Goils
- …A Dish Best Served Coldly
- How Could She?
- Life Is Killing Me
- Nettie
- (We Were) Electrocute
- IYDKMIGTHTKY (Gimme That)
- Angry Inch (Stephen Trask)
- Anesthesia
- Drunk in Paris
- The Dream Is Dead
Type O Negative
Peter Steele: lead vocals, bass guitar, additional electric guitar and keyboards
Kenny Hickey: backing vocals, co-lead vocals (on “…A Dish Best Served Coldly”, “How Could She?” and “Angry Inch”), electric guitar
Josh Silver: backing vocals, keyboards, sound effects, drum programming
Johnny Kelly: backing vocals, drums, percussion
Additional personnel
The Bensonhoist Lesbian Choir (actually the band members themselves): backing vocals
Paul Bento: sitar (on “Less Than Zero (<0)”), tamboura, drum machine (on “Less Than Zero (<0)”, “Electrocute (We Were)” and “Anesthesia”), lead guitar (on “How Could She?”)
Pandit Kinnar K. Seen: tabla (on “Less Than Zero (<0)”)
Sal Abruscato: backing vocals (on “I Like Goils”)
Technical personnel
Mike Marciano: engineering, mixing
George Marino: mastering
Rebecca Waterfall: sleeve design
Daniel Moss: sleeve photography
Peter Steele (January 4, 1962 – April 14, 2010).
