It’s that time of the year again, when it feels like the rest of the world is catching up to where I am at the other 11 months of the year. Skulls and eerie lighting begin to adorn houses. Horror movies become a regular fixture on television screens. You know, my average Tuesday night. So this is the fourth year I have created a soundtrack to this. While most of these songs are bumping in my iPod year round, I’m bringing them to you as a soundtrack to your Halloween. I am too obsessive to recycle the same artists. In fact, I don’t repeat them at all, unless they are different projects or bands entirely. I am also bringing a blend of different sub-genres – not all death rock or the post-punk icons that you have already heard countless times. In other words, not just a bunch of “Bela Lugosi’s Dead.” So you are going to find dark strains of metal, folk, punk and rock. There are a few of the names synonymous with Halloween, but songs that are deeper album cuts. Lyrically I also want the subject matter to relate to ghosts, vampires or other forms of dark ghoulishness. So here is my 4th annual Halloween Playlist:
Sure everyone knows “Them” and “Abigail,” and while they are among his best work, “Conspiracy” is sadly under rated. So we’re giving that one a fair shot, with it’s ultra creepy theatrics.
Dead Boy and the Elephantmen – “We Laugh Like the Dead Would”
I have used Agents of Oblivion before , but not this Dax Riggs project, so it’s fair game and a song that pretty much speaks for it self.
U.S Grave – “Voice of an Idiot Ghost”
So this playlist is not just a trip down memory lane, here is some pretty convincing death rock influenced rock released earlier this year.
Sleepy Time Gorilla Museum – “the Creature”
Whenever I am pressed to sell this band to one of my friends, I describe them as “Imagine if Tim Burton for once decided to not use Danny Elfman and instead use a progressive metal formed by Tom Waits and Bjork.
Whenever I am pressed to sell this band to one of my friends, I describe them as “Imagine if Tim Burton for once decided to not use Danny Elfman and instead use a progressive metal formed by Tom Waits and Bjork.
Harley Poe –“Transvestites Can Be Cannibals Too”
A wolf turned me onto these guys. It’s folk music with a smug darkness to its lyrics. It’s a layered emotional tale of a multi-layered cannibal. So it makes me think lovingly of said wolf.
Much like my fetish for Vegas Elvis and Disco Kiss, New Wave Alice Cooper is another odd mental twist of mine. This ode to vampires has stood the test of time at least in my mind, though my inner ten year old might sway this.
Acid Witch – “Hardrock Halloween”
I could not resist loading this album back into my iPod back in September, after all Halloween flavored death metal what more could you ask for this time of year?
Both Marilyn Manson and Shining released covers of this classic vampire anthem from “Lost Boys,” however it’s this Canadian duo that nailed the vocals better, thus putting their version head and shoulders above the other two stabs at this song.
Danzig –“Possession”
I’ve featured Samhain before in my playlist, and while the Misfits would be too obvious, Glenn’s solo work is fair game, so here’s the darkest offering from the first album.
