The leader of Brooklyn goth metal rockers Type O Negative, Peter Steele, has died of a suspected heart failure, age 48. Mike Renault, the manager of the “Christian Woman” outfit, confirmed the news in an email to US news network CBS, following a previous joke by Steele which saw him post a picture of himself along with the dates “1962-2005” on the band’s website before heading to rehab several years ago. “Peter passed away last night,” wrote Penault. “As of now it appears to have been heart failure. That’s all the details we have right now.”

The controversial band formed in Brooklyn back in the late 1980s, after originally calling themselves Repulsion and Sub-Zero. The politically incorrect group – Steele once appearing on the “Jerry Springer Show” talking about groupie conquests – crossed over to mainstream fans in the ‘90s with their third release, Bloody Kisses, the first record by metal label Roadrunner to go platinum. Even cartoon characters Beavis & Butthead were fans: ”These guys are like a cross between Danzig and Megadeth,” Beavis had quipped.
Having battled drug and alcohol problems, the six-foot-seven singer was “a nice (and very funny) man,” wrote Nine Inch Nails leader Trent Reznor on via Twitter. “I’m smiling recalling a funny story involving Pete, a microphone, an all-girl lipstick-lesbian band and a can of tuna. Ahh, the good old days…”