After years of struggling with substance abuse and health issues,
Type O Negative singer/bassist Peter Steele was in a good place before his sudden death, his bandmates said. The towering frontman died at age 48 on Wednesday from apparent heart failure.
"It is with great sadness that we inform you that Type O Negative frontman, bassist and our bandmate, Peter Steele passed away last night of what appears to be heart failure," keyboardist Josh Silver, guitarist Kenny Hickey and drummer Johnny Kelly, the grief-stricken rockers, said in a statement on their Web site. "Ironically Peter had been enjoying a long period of sobriety and improved health and was imminently due to begin writing and recording new music for our follow up to Dead Again released in 2007."
The group said an official cause of death has not been determined, pending autopsy results, and that funeral services will be private, with a possible public memorial at some point.
"We are truly saddened to lose our friend and appreciate the tremendous outpouring today from around the world," the trio wrote.
RIP .
