Bloody Kisses

Accolades

In 2005, Bloody Kisses was ranked number 365 in Rock Hard's book of The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time.^[23] Loudwire called Bloody Kisses the best album of 1993,^[24] in addition to ranking it at number 42 on its Top 90 Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Albums of the 90s.^[25] Rolling Stone placed Bloody Kisses at number 53 on its Top 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time list, citing memorable songs such as "Christian Woman", "Bloody Kisses (A Death in the Family)", their cover version of "Summer Breeze", and "Black No. 1". The latter was cited by the author J. D. Considine as the band's signature song.^[26]

Bloody Kisses Digipak Edition (1994)

On May 17, 1994, Roadrunner Records reissued Bloody kisses as a limited edition tri-fold digipak that featured alternate cover art. This digipak reissue also featured an alternate track listing. The new track listing revised the running order, removed all of the soundscape interludes, and removed the two "hardcore" songs ("Kill All The White People" and "We Hate Everyone") replacing them with a previously unreleased, over eight minute long, slow and very "gothic" sounding track titled, "Suspended In Dusk". The intro track, "Machine Screw" and the first four seconds of the song, "Christian Woman" were also removed on this release, omitting Peter Steele's spoken intro to the track ("Forgive her..."). This slightly edited version of "Christian Woman" is exclusive to this digipak reissue.^[27] The digipak re-release and its aforementioned changes, were done specifically at the request of bassist/singer/songwriter, Peter Steele.^[28]

In an interview for the liner notes of the remastered, "Top Shelf Edition" reissue of Bloody Kisses in 2009, Steele said that although he hated ripping off the public (by releasing two versions of the album), he felt it was his opportunity to fix what he believed was a musical mistake. Guitarist Kenny Hickey, who was not a fan of "Suspended In Dusk", noted that the digipak version of the album was Steele trying to move into the vision of the band fully realized on 1996's "October Rust".^[28]

Producer and keyboardist, Josh Silver had stronger feelings on the digipak version of Bloody Kisses, stating, "the digipak sucks". Silver went on to say that part of what makes Type O Negative great is the, "eclectic insanity" - going from songs like 'Black No. 1' to 'Kill All The White People' and that brilliance was a "happy accident". Silver noted that Peter, "doesn’t get it half the time. Which is fine. He doesn’t have to get it — he just has to do it. But he wanted continuity, so they put out the digipak."^[28]

"Summer Breeze" was initially recorded by the band as "Summer Girl" with lyrics parodying the original, but "Summer Breeze" songwriters Seals and Croft objected to the lyrical changes and the song was re-recorded with the original lyrics before the album's official release date.^[29] "Summer Girl" remains unreleased commercially but it did appear on a Roadrunner Records 5-track promotional CD/cassette. Issued simply as "?", with no mention of the artist, this release was part of a Roadrunner Records contest promoting the upcoming release of Bloody Kisses. The first twenty-five fans who correctly identified the artist received "a special gift that only this artist could provide." "Summer Girl" has since circulated online.^[30]

Along with the new cover art, this digipak release also contained alternate internal artwork giving the layout more of a "gothic" look. The new packaging also included an amended booklet that reflected the re-ordering and changing of the tracks. Another change was found in the album's liner notes which contained the title of and lyrics for "Summer Girl" instead of "Summer Breeze".^[27] The parody lyrics of "Summer Girl" were included such as, "Kenny Hickey lying on the sidewalk, Devil music from the house next door". Josh Silver said the misprint was a mistake by Roadrunner Records.^[31] The recorded song is unchanged. The standard release of the album was pressed with the original "Summer Breeze" lyrics and title in the liner notes.^[13]

Bloody Kisses - The Top Shelf Edition (2009 remastered & expanded reissue)

On May 5, 2009, Roadrunner Records released Bloody Kisses - The Top Shelf Edition, a remastered and expanded reissue. This version features the original album’s first-ever remaster—handled in January 2009 by Grammy-winning engineer George Marino, who also mastered the original release—alongside a bonus CD of rarities and B-sides. The package is rounded out by expanded liner notes, additional photos, and an exclusive new interview with the band discussing the album's creation and enduring legacy.^[28][32]

Bloody Kisses: Suspended In Dusk - 30th Anniversary Version (2024 reissue of "The Top Shelf Edition")

To commemorate the album's 30th anniversary, Roadrunner Records re-issued "The Top Shelf Edition" of Bloody Kisses on March 29, 2024. Titled Bloody Kisses: Suspended In Dusk - 30th Anniversary Version, this release features the remastered audio and bonus content from 2009's "Top Shelf Edition" with the exception of the song, "Christian Woman (Butt-Kissing, Sell-Out Version)" which is not included on this release.^[33]

Early pressings of this re-issue incorrectly note eight tracks on Disc 2 with "Christian Woman (Butt-Kissing, Sell-Out Version)" listed as Track 5. These misprints were eventually fixed and later pressings correctly list seven tracks on Disc 2.^[34]

Additional personnel

• Paul Bento – sitar, tamboura
• The Bensonhoist Lesbian Choir – additional vocal performance
• Erasmus High School Boys Special Ed. – additional vocal performance
• Bonnie Weiss, Karen Rose, Debbie Alter, Chris Zamp, & Life Of Agony (Alan Robert, Joey Zampella, Keith Caputo, & Mike Palmeri) – additional vocal performance
• Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra (Verdigris Phlogiston conducting)

Production credits

• Produced by Peter Steele/Josh Silver
• Recorded at Systems Two, Brooklyn, NY
• Additional Recording at Sty In The Sky, Brooklyn, NY
• Mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound, NYC
• John Wadsworth – photography
• Jeff Kitts – portrait photography

Bloody Kisses – The Top Shelf Edition (2009) reissue credits

• Re-issue producer – Monte Connor
• Project Coordinator – Steven Hartong
• Re-mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound, NYC, January 2009
• Liner notes – J. Bennett
• Design – Mr. Scott Design
• Additional photography – John Wadsworth and Joseph Cullice

Album