By: James Southworth
Some people may not know this, but Halloween is my favorite holiday. This may be because I'm particularly biased towards fall. I love the color that leaves change into, the weather becomes pleasantly chilling, and there's just a sort of atmosphere of the calm before the storm that is the bitter cold of winter. I also think fall is the perfect time to watch horror movies. Halloween in general is a holiday that is ripe with creativity if done right. It can be a time to really express a part of yourself that you don't the rest of the year: a part of you that maybe enjoys being scared and being in the dark. There's a lot of great music out there to get you in the mood for scares. Last year, I identified ten songs that should be part of your Halloween playlist. This year, I'm going to talk about five whole albums that have such clear horror/scary vibes to them. Enjoy the list, and be on the lookout for another special list coming out on the day of Halloween (keep in mind this list is in no particular order)!
1. "The Silver Scream" by Ice Nine Kills
Certainly the most recent on my list, Ice Nine Kills's new album "The Silver Scream" just came out at the beginning of October. Even though I was initially hesitant on this album due to some of the cheesy lyrics, it's grown on me a lot. I wouldn't say it's top album of the year status for me or anything. However, one thing can't be denied: this album is FUN. Sometimes albums don't have to be super deep; sometimes an album can just be a loving tribute to horror movies. That's exactly what this release is. You'll hear songs that are based around all sorts of classic horror flicks, such as "Saw", "A Nightmare on Elm Street", and even "The Crow". The songs also take different perspectives. Lead singer Spencer Charnas will sometimes sing in the perspective of the killer, and other times he will speak as the victim. It keeps the album varied and interesting. This album is a fun metalcore ride, and it can get pretty intense (there's even some deathcore influence in one of the tracks). I think if you opened your mind you could find something to enjoy in this album, even if you aren't a fan of the genre. The best song is definitely "The American Nightmare", which has one of the most powerful, anthemic, sing-along choruses I've heard all year. I'd also recommend "It Is the End" for it pure theatricality and "Rocking the Boat" for its clever utilization of the "Jaws" theme. If you're a horror buff or want an album that screams Halloween in every way, this is for you!
2. "Demon Hunter" by Demon Hunter
I feel like I could've chosen pretty much any album by Demon Hunter to put into this slot, but their self-titled has always felt perfect to me for the fall season. The cover is colored red like fall leaves, and it is also depicted like a story book, with a DH's classic logo plastered on it. It feels like you're getting ready to venture into an older styled horror classic. And most of the songs on this album are a little bit darker than your typical DH fare. "Screams of the Undead" is a chilling song which starts with Ryan Clark giving some of his highest pitched screams, which combine with a static sounding guitar. This creates an effect that feels like it could be the buildup to a jump scare. Clark's uncleans throughout this album are monstrous, and I have an appreciation for his more raw clean vocals as well. "My Throat Is an Open Grave" is a gem in DH's discography, and expresses a sense of spiritual regret in a way that the band hasn't quite accomplished sense. It's their best ballad, easily, and the quiet acoustics give this song a perfect place in autumn. The album ends off with Ryan spitting out venom in "A Broken Upper Hand", and then going into a haunting epic with "The Gauntlet". "Turn Your Back and Run" gives me cold chills every time I listen to it, especially when this dissonant children's choir comes in unexpectedly. There's something so purposefully horrifying about it, and it works very well in context of this dark album. This release is nearly flawless from front to back; and ranks among the top 3 of the band's discography as a whole. It's perfect for a cold October night.
3. "Phobia" by Breaking Benjamin
This choice is almost too obvious in my opinion. What more can I say about "Phobia" that hasn't already been said by countless others? It's Breaking Benjamin at their finest, filled with songs that are now equated with who the band is at their essential core. I think what I appreciate the most about this album is its consistently unsettling, dark atmosphere. We get taken into that right from the familiar opening song "Diary of Jane". The vibe only gets more clear with "Breath", which has Ben speaking on a very toxic relationship in disheartening detail. "Dance With The Devil" probably screams Halloween more clearly than any song on here, as Ben's voice broods with menace when he sings out "Say goodbye/As we dance with the Devil tonight/Don't you dare look at him in the eye". What might be the best about this album is that the horrors talked about aren't supernatural; rather a lot of them reflect Ben's very real insecurities, especially his struggles with drug addiction. You can tell that he was in a pretty dark place with this album, and yet he was still able to make some of his most artistically potent work here. The whole band is succeeding in every aspect of this record, making this an album worth listening to at least a couple times through during this Halloween season.
4. "The Resistance: Rise of the Runaways" by Crown the Empire
If there was one word I could use to describe this album it would be "theatrical". This album showed that theatricality and over the top is what Crown the Empire does best. It's somewhat unfortunate that this album is sandwiched in between a generic metalcore album and a generic rock album. I don't know why this was the one album where CTE took risks, but I guess that's the way things go sometimes. Somewhat similarly to "The Silver Scream", there are some very cheesy moments here, but what is important is that the band doesn't take themselves too seriously. Just think that you're watching a crazy Halloween movie along the lines of "Scream" or "It", and you'll enjoy this album a lot more. The musicality is really where this album succeeds. The poignancy of "Machines" should never go unnoticed, and it's probably one of the only moments here where it succeeds lyrically and musically. "Maniacal Me" has a fittingly insane performance from lead singer Andy Valasquez. He really embraces a Joker-esque role here, and totally owns it because he goes all in. The over the top aspects of this album appear in cuts like "Johnny's Rebellion", which feels like a 7-minute play, and especially "Phoenix Rising", which gets more and more epic as it goes on. "MNSTR" has a brutal sense of menace from unclean vocalist David Escamilla (who is unfortunately no longer in the band). The song feels like a bit of a tribute to "Jekyll and Hyde", and I like that aspect of it. This is one of those albums that is easy to listen to in the fall, and it gets more and more fun with every time you hear it.
5. "Nightmare" by Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold is another one of those bands where I feel like I could listen to any album by them during Halloween and it would work (except for perhaps "Hail to the King"). But "Nightmare" has always felt like a sort of seminal Halloween album. I mean, the artwork itself is pure horror fuel. The image of a Grim Reaper figure looming over the body of a child who is clearly terrified is as symbolic of Halloween as anything you'll find. The title track is freaking awesome; probably one of my favorite songs of all time if I'm being honest. In fact, as I'm writing this, I realize that I haven't listened to this album very much lately and should probably get on that. M. Shadows embraces this murderous character who delights in frightening and intimidating anyone who comes in his path. Uncensored anger appears in "God Hates Us" (with God most likely being symbolic of the government), and an epic desperation comes to fruition in "Buried Alive". This is one of those albums where I feel like my descriptions wouldn't give it justice. Instead, you should probably just go and experience the album for yourself. This release proves Avenged is a juggernaut in the rock/metal world, and will continue to be that always.
Halloween is such a fun time. The key is to let yourself have fun. Let yourself be scared; let the chills go up your spine, and let a unique sense of creativity flow through you. These albums all embody that spirit of this holiday. So please, listen to all of them!
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