Unconfirmed reports suggest that Peter Steele, frontman of gothic metal group Type O Negative, has died of heart failure aged 48.
The news was broken by Fuse TV DJ Juliya Chernetsky, who wrote on Twitter: "Today is a very sad day in metal. End of an era. Peter Steele passed today. I loved my friend...our idol...my heart is with his band and family...
"He passed of heart failure today. Just spoke to Kenny [Hickey, Type O Negative bassist]."
Steele was previously rumoured to have died in 2005, when an image of a tombstone was posted to the group's website bearing his name. The announcement turned out to be a hoax, but rumours persisted that all was not right with the New York-born singer. He had recently been thought to have overcome his long-standing cocaine and alcohol dependencies.
Steele, born Petrus T. Ratajczyk in 1962, released seven studio albums with Type O Negative between 1991 and 2007.
fonte: Sputnikmusic