by: James Southworth
It's hard to believe, but Halloween is already on the way! This is easily one of my favorite holidays, mainly because I love creepy things. Horror movies are one of my favorite genres to watch, and they become even more fun on Halloween (countdown of my favorite horror movies coming on Halloween day!). But oftentimes people associate songs just as much with Halloween, if not more, than the movies they're part of. Who can forget the crazy string arrangement of the "Psycho" theme, the campy fun of "Ghostbusters", or the absolutely unsettling crescendo of clashing sounds in the "Insidious" intro? There's a lot of memorable horrifying music out there for sure. Today I've decided to challenge myself to name off ten songs that aren't just for this season of scares; however they still feel like they work for the Halloween spirit (I will break my rule one time for the number 1 song though). Sometimes I do feel like all those iconic themes can become overexposed and tiring. So why not name some more unconventional ones to add to the playlist?
10. "The Darkest Part" by RED
This song feels just right for the Halloween spirit. It starts off with a quietly unsettling string arrangement, and Barnes's vocals come in distorted and creepy. The theme of this song is perfect as well, as it is discussing the idea of not wanting someone to see your more corrupt side. What really sells this song, though, is the amazing music video. The video has Halloween aesthetic all over it, especially with the gorgeous red and orange leaves, as well as these frightening masked figures that are representations of the darker parts of our selves. The song's subject is deep, but chilling things should have weight to them.
9. "MNSTR" by Crown the Empire
There are a lot of songs that bands have made surrounding the theme of monsters, but I feel like this song not only did a good job at addressing the idea of a monster lyrically ("I am the ghost in the shadow/I am the fear of the dark/I am the murderer of apathy/An angel that's fallen"), but it also nails the atmosphere. The song starts off with a lot of menace as the unclean vocalist is practically spitting out his words over an effective guitar riff. The song builds and builds until it explodes, and leads into a guitar riff that sounds like it could be in "Frankenstein". In fact, thematically, this song does remind of that play, especially with how theatrical and over-the-top the song is. It's a fun listen and is sure to get you into the Halloween spirit.
8. "Turn Your Back and Run" by Demon Hunter
This song gives me chills every time I listen to it. The song starts with this very distorted guitar riff which transitions into some of the most guttural growls that Ryan Clark has done. Even the rare singing moments in this song feel very off. The lyrics in this song give off some frightening imagery of their own ("A small price to bleed and give you everything that you want/Dancing with the spirit, giving heart to pump a dirty veil/Leaving with a scar, a uniform to bruise a perfect stain"). Those lines have even more weight considering they're talking about the very real consequences of what temptation can do. Where this song really gets its horror feel is in the very creepy choir. This choir really does sound like it belongs on a "Halloween Noises" compilation. The song ends off with a keyboard that sounds out of tune in just the right way to make you have goosebumps.
7. "Doomed" by Bring Me the Horizon
This is an odd song for BMTH, as it is a moody electronic piece with none of their signature screams, but it happens to be one of my favorites by them just because it gives off its mood so effectively. The electronics in this song are an intriguing thing to behold, as they give off this somber, depressing vibe that was a little creepy to listen to the first time I heard it. Then we get into Oliver's vocals, which are very have a monotone feel to them. The repetition of "you can have my heart" adds to the depressing vibe of this song. Where the Halloween feel of this song really comes in is the end of this song, where there's this amalgamation of human noises and more unsettling electronic elements. The song has a fall vibe to it, and it can work quite effectively for a Halloween playlist.
6. "Insane" by Korn
Easily the newest addition on my list, this song is a delightful return to form by Korn. I would say their whole dystopian themed album "The Serenity of Suffering" could be the soundtrack to a horror movie because of all of the themes it tackles. But "Insane" might be the best one to use, as this song just reeks of horror themes. Lead singer Jonathan Davis seems to go into the mindset of an insane person, someone who is so used to their insanity that it has become the new normal to them. Now things that are deemed as "normal" to them are insane. Davis gives this insane person further characterization by making his voice sometimes sound off-tune with the guitars. It's done in just a way to make one feel that something could be behind them. This is yet another song where I recommend you watch the music video. It has that Halloween aesthetic to it, and it adds another dimension to this awesome song.
5. "The Phantom of the Opera" by Andrew Lloyd Weber
I know that a lot of people do associate this song with Halloween, but I do not think the original intention of this musical was just to be for the season of Halloween. Nevertheless, what makes this song work is, obviously, its theatricality. The Phantom and Christine's vocals sound beautiful yet ghost-like in this song, as Christine expresses how the Phantom has gained this odd control over her, while the Phantom says his power over her will continue to grow. What really makes this song shine is the keyboard, as it plays this arrangement of notes that will stick in your memory because it makes you feel unsettled. Also the final part where Christine is going higher and higher in her vocal range while the Phantom continues to darkly tell her to "keep singing" ends the song on what can only be interpreted as the Phantom having some sort of power over her. This is easily the highlight of the whole musical, and it made this romance all the more compelling, while also being frightening.
4. "No Place Like London" by Stephen Sondheim
This song comes from the musical "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street". Now, on that title alone, you might think this whole musical is Halloween themed. I would debate it is not, as this musical goes up when it is not the Fall season. But the content of this song, which is talking about all the awful people that live in London, is horrific to say the least. The image of London being a "great black pit" is a frightening one. The song certainly sounds beautiful, but it also has odd time signatures, and the different vocals always offset each other, adding to the feeling of being unsettled. I would honestly recommend giving any song off this musical a listen, as it will put you in the mood for Halloween instantly.
3. "Heathens" by Twenty One Pilots
I think it's pretty easy to see why this song gives me a lot of Halloween vibes. The lyrics alone make you feel like you can't trust anyone ("You're lovin' on the psychopath sitting next to you/You're lovin' on the murderer sitting next to you...All my friends are heathens take it slow"). Like almost any TOP song, this track does have a deeper meaning, as it is addressing the band's huge fans not giving warm welcomes to any new fans who only came knew TOP because of their successful "Blurryface" album. But that metaphor gives this song some even more weight and depth, as it is talking about real things and real people. The creepy feel of the song is accentuated by Tyler's vocals having a more epic, dark feel to them, as well as later in the song when a distorted voice says "watch it" over a guitar riff. This song is superb, and it can work for Halloween perfectly.
2. "Nightmare" by Avenged Sevenfold
Man, I love this song. It's what got me into A7X, and it's easily one of my favorite tracks by them. I enjoy listening to this song more than ever around Halloween. Something about Synyster's beginning guitar riff made me instantly think of a horror movie. The song becomes even better when Shadows has this extended "yeah" that he belts out along with a laugh that does sound like it could come from a famous horror villain. The song has an unavoidable Halloween feel as the band is talking about nightmares. The music video seems to be an ode to horror movies, and it works for what the song sounds like. I heard this song being played while I was going to a haunted attraction, and it added to my enjoyment of being there rather than taking away from it. So this song definitely works.
1. "This is Halloween" Cover by Marilyn Manson
I did say my number one song would be the only one that had explicit ties to this holiday. But really, I can't resist. No matter how much attention this cover gets, to me it will never be enough. It's pure fun and it actually builds off what the original Tim Burton version established rather than just copying it. I love the guitar riffs here, as they give off all the spooky Halloween sounds that the original song had. But the real star of the show here is clearly Manson's voice work. I love how he changes his voice with every different character he portrays. He could've easily taken the easy route and used his standard voice, but instead he decided to have fun and embrace his theatrical side. It makes this song that much more of a fun listen, and is probably one of the best covers of any song I've ever heard. Go check it out now. With this song and all the rest, you should be more than ready for October 31st!
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