It’s Halloween, hooray! Time to break out everyone’s favorite spooky jams, like “Thriller,” “Monster Mash,” “I Put a Spell on You,” the “Ghostbusters” theme, “This is Halloween” and all the other happy fun time Halloween favorites. Or, you could stop being a baby and listen to something that is actually scary. That was a bit harsh, but this isn’t your grandma’s spooky music, and we’re all big kids here, so suck it up. A bit of a disclaimer: these albums are not for the faint of heart. They create dark atmospheres and require your full attention while listening to them to get the full effect. If you are up for the challenge, then put on your headphones, take a walk on a foggy night, and get spooked. Here are five albums that will give you a real fright.
The Haxan Cloak – Excavation
This album will rattle your bones. The bass is menacing, the synth lines are nightmarish, and the melodies speak of nothing but impending doom. The best way I can think to describe this album is to imagine you’re driving down a dark road on a foggy night, with nobody around for hundreds of miles. That is, except for the giant Cloverfield-esque monster chasing you.
Akira Yamaoka – Silent Hill 2 OST
This is the soundtrack to what is arguably the scariest video of all time. The game is all about atmosphere, and that is exactly what this album provides. Listening to the album takes you right to Silent Hill. The same unsettling feeling overwhelms you. Be careful, Pyramid Head might be right around the corner.
Burzum – Burzum
Varg Vickernes, also known as Burzum, is the reason Norwegian black metal is what it is today. His debut album is oppressive, brooding and just plain terrifying. To add to Burzum’s spooky credentials, he was charged with murder for allegedly stabbing his guitar player, Øystein Aarseth, 23 times. When confronted by the cops, he told them that most of the cuts were from Aarseth falling on a lamp. On top of that, Varg has been charged with burning down three churches in Norway. Metal.
Giles Corey – Giles Corey
Giles Corey is the solo project of Dan Barrett of the band Have a Nice Life. The project is named after Giles Corey, a man executed during the Salem Witch Trials. The album comes with a booklet about the life of the real Giles Corey that is supposed to be read while listening to the album. The album itself deals with themes of death, disease of the body and mind, suicide and any other horrifying things you can think of. If you were to get nightmares from listening to any of these albums, this would be the one.
Godspeed You, Black Emperor – F♯ A♯ ∞
This album is the soundtrack to the apocalypse. Powerful crescendos give a sense that the world is falling apart around you. Vocal samples of men talking about the good old days of Coney Island give a sense that we are all already doomed. This is truly a post-rock opus. If I were to see any band play live before the world ended, it would be Godspeed You, Black Emperor.
