Ultimate-Guitar's Halloween Playlist

Oh, Halloween - a time of free candy, cheap scares, and racy outfits. Here at Ultimate-Guitar we recognize that Halloween comes but once a year and we should all cherish the time we have with it wisely. That’s why when we’re not dressed up as The Joker and begging strangers for candy, we’re going to be rocking out to our favorite “scary” tunes.

No horror movie would be complete without an equally spooky soundtrack so why should the scariest day of the year be any different? Here’s what some of our contributors have to say about their favorite scary songs:

“Tubular Bells” by Mike Oldfield & “Come To Daddy” by Aphex Twin

Amy Kelly, reviews / interviews / features writer

Back when I was a child, there was always one standard “spooky” song played every year at Halloween. I’m sure plenty of you out there can remember the huge event that it was every year when Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” got a special slot in the MTV airplay. I know. It’s hard to recall when they played videos, but stay with me. Even without the horror movie visuals of the video, “Thriller” delivered big time aurally when Vincent Price gave his final monologue. The Jackson classic still sends a few shivers, but because I’ve become a tad desensitized, it just isn’t creepy enough.

I spent a good deal of time pondering which song disturbed me so deeply that I had either A) Hit the stop/pause button at about 10 to 15 seconds through, or B) Managed to listen to the complete song, only to be deeply, deeply disturbed at nighty-night time. I sifted through people’s various online lists and message boards discussing what they felt was the creepiest, but I’ve got to admit I was a little disappointed with the choices. “Boris The Spider”? Really? It’s a cool song, but dude.

So my obvious choice is the theme from The Exorcist, “Tubular Bells.” If you were raised Catholic, it’s likely you were scarred in the same way and believe that demons are always ready to do their business with you. “Tubular Bells” is a spooky cinematic classic, but I also have to include a song that is a tad more contemporary. On YouTube I managed to find lots of “songs” that were basically Satanic chants, but I decided to opt for something that featured more than just demonic grunts or Latin phrases. So the winner is Aphex Twin’s “Come To Daddy.” Creepy sound. Creepy lyrics. Creepy video. Jeez.

"Telstar" by The Tornadoes

Steven Rosen, interviews writer

The scariest songs for me was "Telstar" by the Tornadoes. This was an instrumental way back in 1962. I was really young and I heard this and it scared me - but I loved it. I heard it on the radio and couldn't get enough. It had this strange sounding instrument which I now know is called a clavioline - like a very early synth. I loved this song but it scared me to death. When I later started learning how to play guitar, I'd try and play the melody. When I did play the melody, it terrified me - but I was thrilled.

“Sympathy For The Devil” by The Rolling Stones

Joe Matera, interviews writer

The opening track from the group's 1968 album, Beggars Banquet Is A Luciferian Tale, that evokes a kind of creepiness that at times sends chills down your spine. And the chanting "do do's" in the outro, puts the listener smack bang in an orgy of voodoo calls and dark evocations. The definitive spookiest song in rock.

“Mein Teil” by Rammstein

Kristofer Dahl, video lessons contributor (author of Shred Masterclass series)

This song is about cooking and eating pieces of your own body with a good wine, particularly the genitalia. To me it doesn't get creepier than this! The song is based on a true story about Armin Meiwes.

I did the huge mistake of explaing the meaning of these German lyrics to my girlfriend - now I can't even hum the tune without getting angry looks from her!

"You are what you eat" ;)

“A Mansion In Darkness” by King Diamond

Petter Carnbro, reviews writer (author of This Month In Metal series)

I have never really thought of songs this way, because they don't scare me. "A Mansion In Darkness" from King's classic album "Abigail" does set a very, very creepy mood with the guitar harmony and the lyrics depicting the couple's arrival in the mansion (duh). Perhaps the best and creepiest part is the chorus when King sings "And the house began to breathe, it seemed to be alive". I was raised in a house by the sea and believe me, when the autumn storms roll in from the sea it is almost as if the house starts to breathe. And then that shadow on the wall appears to be moving...

“Susan” by The Subhumans

Sam Agini, reviews writer (author of Unsigned Bands Of The Month series)

I have selected The Subhumans’ Susan as my song for Halloween. It is neither conventionally scary nor Halloween-themed and I admit that this is the predominant reason behind my choosing it. A simple way out of really thinking about which scary song to choose would have been to choose a generic Misfits song, such as Halloween or even Last Caress. However, as the melancholic piano introduction to the normally feisty anarcho-punk band’s masterpiece commences, one cannot help but begin to think. Thinking about life’s hard issues often results in fear, and as I begin to consider Susan, I began to think.

Susan is a young woman who “wants to be a secretary”. Dick Lucas’s descriptively harrowing lyrics ensure that the listener has no choice but to think. Susan ended up in a factory making matches. Susan soon "progresses" to taking anti-depressants, before getting married and having a “bouncing baby boy”, much to the glee of her parents. The scary part is yet to come.

“Words like ‘Mummy’ don’t mean nothing” to Susan, because it’s “all she hears from 9 to 5”. When having children becomes like a job, I believe that there is something fundamentally wrong in a person’s life. Despite having been written in the early 1980s, Susan is still relevant today, what with the current economic and financial crisis being incurred by people all over the world today. This Halloween, I hope you remember what is truly frightening; in my opinion, this is dying in anonymity: “Swinging Susan hanged herself […] with the money from insurance, the family went on holiday; nothing left but rotting flowers on an unattended grave; the epitaph has faded badly, no one reads it anyway”. So this Halloween, don’t be scared by a costume; be scared of a harsh reality that could become more prevalent in the future.

“Cannibal Song” by Ministry

Nolan White, columns writer (author of In The Van On Comeback Road and Guitargasm series)

I always thought “Cannibal Song” from Ministry’s The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste album had a very creepy, subterranean vibe to it. It’s got this real down-tuned, looping Paul Barker bass line, and Al Jourgensen’s vocals are sinister. Somehow he makes singing high notes absolutely disturbing. I always think of slime-covered walls and underground dungeons when I listen to that track. That whole album is great for songs that evoke distinct atmospheres. Between the big industrial crashers like “Thieves” and “Breathe” you’ve got these weird tracks like “Cannibal Song” and “Faith Collapsing,” which is structured around these paranoid samples from the film version of George Orwell’s 1984. It’s good. You know what you’re getting when you seeing the skull x-ray on the album sleeve. Creepy good times.

“Tales From The Crypt” Theme Song by Danny Elfman

Susan Frances, reviews / interviews writer

Halloween, the one night in the year when the line between the living and the dead is believed to be blurred, has been effectively portrayed in a number of Halloween theme songs. The one song that really puts me in the Halloween mood is Danny Elfman's score for the title track to the 1990's TV series Tales From The Crypt. The tune starts off with a bass drum beat heated to a light boil, and slowly building up the momentum as slices of strings pierce through the swells like sharp knives that create a macabre ambience. Low registered horns come in producing an underbelly of lofty billows combing through the melodic passages and forming winding corridors and tomb-like echoes along the instrumentation. The score exudes a haunting mist engineered by floating sensations that move like swirling ghosts along the cycling strings, and the periodic cymbal strikes resonate with a ghoulish ringing. The music shows a hint of intensity similarly to the score played during the movie The Wizard Of Oz when the Wicked Witch of the West appears on her broomstick, and a pinch of comedy in the jaunty wobbles of the horns that are reminiscent of the music from the 1993 Disney flix Hocus Pocus. The score is entertaining without ever diluting its macabre coloring.

“The North Cave”

Duncan Geddes, reviews / interviews writer

It's gotta be "The North Cave" from the Final Fantasy VII soundtrack. Whenever I hear that underlying bass hit, I check the vicinity for any evil motherfuckers with swords, though not before soiling myself. Who knew a cutesy little Japanese bloke could invoke such unfathomable evil?

“Bela Lugosi’s Dead” by Bauhaus

Carlos Ramirez, reviews / interviews writer

I could have easily gone with a metal song of the black or death variety but that would have been too obvious. Being someone who always goes against the grain, I chose to go with a selection a lot of the younger Ultimate-Guitar readers might not be acquainted with yet. Bauhaus might not be the most recognizable band in this community but make no mistake, in certain circles the band’s name carries weight. In the goth-rock world Bauhaus might as well be The Beatles. The British post-punk band formed in the late 70’s and has gone on to influence heavy-hitters like The Cure, Jane’s Addiction, and AFI.

“Bela Lugosi’s Dead” was the combo’s debut single and probably their most known song. There’s something about Daniel Ash’s minimal yet menacing guitar riffs that absolutely gets under your skin. The dissonance in his chord choices really punches through lending the arrangements an aura of murkiness. Peter Murphy’s monotone, almost chant-like vocal performance comes off cold and utterly dejected. As deadpan as Murphy delivered this stuff, it still oozed with character. Imagine Vincent Price fronting a smacked-out punk band who listened to more Black Sabbath than The Clash and you’d be getting close. “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” is an anthem for the kids in black eyeliner and trench coats but don’t hold that against it. No, this song deserves a spot on this haunted list.

“Black Sabbath” (basement tape) by Black Sabbath

Josh Urban, columns writer (author of The Crusade series)

My Mom bought me The Ozzman Cometh cd some years ago, before I could drive. She picked me up from some event I was at, and we started listening to it. Driving home, we got stuck in weird traffic at 1 am. So there we were, basically parked on the highway, it's the middle of the night, and we were listening to the song for the first time. Ozzy sings "Turn around quick, and start to run! Find out I'm the chosen one! Oh nooooooo!" and Bill Ward does this creepy drum fill that sounds like feet running after Ozzy. We both were petrified! What a terrific - and terrifying song.

“The Rite of Spring” by Igor Stravinsky

Kole, columns writer / video lessons contributor (author of the Songwriting 101 series)

Happy Halloween everyone! So, you want to know my favorite “scary” song? Well…

It was hard to narrow down my favorite choices because I listen to a lot of film music, which can be quite dark & scary depending on the movie it was composed for. However, each time I listened to a film score that was trying to be “scary”, it always reminded me of Igor Stravinsky’s groundbreaking piece: The Rite Of Spring!

There are a lot of reasons why I love and still study “The Rite Of Spring,” but one of the main reasons why, is its perpetual eeriness. There is a whole list of compositional techniques that contribute to this perpetual feeling of “eeriness”, but I could write a whole book on all of them and I really don’t want to bore you. So instead, I will ask for you to only listen for 3 big things. The first is Stravinsky’s use of trills, tremolos, and other “effects” as actual motifs which repeat and develop throughout the piece. The second is his use of dynamics. He goes from pianissimo to fortissimo at random intervals throughout the piece and it can really catch you off guard! Last but not least, I would ask for you to listen to the intervals between each part. Unlike in most music, it’s not always stacked in thirds to make basic triads. Instead, Stravinsky makes great use of polychords and dissonant intervals between parts (minor 2nd, tritone, etc.) to accentuate the “Scariness!”

Again, I could list a million other things to listen for in “The Rite Of Spring,” but these 3 are big contributors to it’s overall sound. Hope you enjoy and have a great Halloween!

“For Whom the Bell Tolls” by Metallica

David Lowe-Bianco, news writer

From the opening ring of a bell, to Cliff Burton’s downright eerie bass line, to the slow, pounding death-metal riffs that drive the song, “For Whom The Bell Tolls” sounds like it would fit in quite nicely in just about any horror movie. I’ll be honest; I still get chills every time this song comes on. This is partially due to how spooky the arrangement is, but also partially because it’s just flat out a really badass song. This is easily one of my favorite tracks off of one of my favorite albums ever, “Ride The Lightning”. No Halloween Playlist would be complete without it.

“Tyler” by Toadies

Chris McDonald, reviews / interviews writer

Drawling, strained vocals coupled with absolutely chilling lyrics establish “Tyler” as one of the creepiest songs ever recorded. While it is arguably my favorite Toadies song, “Tyler” also serves as the most morbid, allegedly recalling the story of a serial rapist that plagued the town of Tyler, TX for some time. Catchy riffs aside, the lyrics are come from the point of view of the rapist himself, chronicling his thoughts as he stalks his next victim. The song chronicles the full range events, from watching the victim-to-be from afar to actually breaking into her house and stealing a beer to calm his excited nerves. The song reaches a climax just before the stalker enters her room. Via now-shouting, strained vocals, the final lyrics leave the listener with a clear, haunting image: “I stumble in the hallway, outside the bedroom door / I hear her call out to me, I hear the fear in her voice / She pulls the covers tighter, I press against the door / I will be with her tonight!” Though the actual rapist that serves as the subject of the song was eventually caught and imprisoned, “Tyler” has preserved the chilling events and will continue to frighten listeners for years to come.

“I Don’t Feel Like Dancing” by Scissor Sisters

Adam Webb, reviews writer

I personally find the Scissor Sisters’ song "I Don’t Feel Like Dancing" one of the scariest tunes I’ve ever heard. For starters a normal guy should not be able to sing that high. I mean there are rumors as to how male singers (let alone really dedicated ones) reach high octaves by, lets say, pinching a couple of their male organs. But to reach the heights with which this guy sings at, I'm pretty sure you’d have to move out of the "pinching" category and into the "self-mutilating" category. Either that or this guy did not have a happy childhood. I dread to think of what happened to him as a child such that his voice is now as it is. It scares the bloody-excrement out of me. The only thing that could make it even more terrifying is if they made a video in which they attempted a revival of the ‘70’s Glitter Rock. Oh wait…

Yeah I’d definitely take watching "The Exorcist" in a dark dungeon surrounded by screaming pedophiles over listening to that song…

"Iron Man" by Black Sabbath

Argie Plakas, interviews writer

My scariest song is Black Sabbath's "Iron Man". When I was little, my older cousin, who was a Black Sabbath fanatic, would play it all the time and make scary faces when the creepy intro would start: I Am Iron Man! And then I would run and cry because I thought the Iron Man was some scary monster coming to get me!

“Fitter Happier” by Radiohead

Nikhil Deshpande, reviews / columns writer

Fitter Happier is the definition of creepy, and many Radiohead fans will tell you that this is one of the few songs they dislike, mainly for this reason. The song begins with a voice, either a robot trying to exemplify human emotions or a human conformed to society; either way, it’s freaky. Radiohead also incorporates (as they always so brilliantly do) odd sounds and dissonant chords that just leave the listener feeling uneasy. The piano has a very lonely, ominous quality to it. Every time I hear it, it freaks the hell out of me. Take a listen, see what you think.

“The Bird and the Worm” by The Used

Brandon Weiss, interviews writer

One of my favorite scary songs is “The Bird And The Worm” by The Used. This song scares me for a number of reasons. First of all, The Used’s singer, Burt’s inner creep shines pretty brightly. His lyrics about crawling in fear from someone like a worm from a bird are vivid. His spine-chilling cackle at the end of the song is also frightening. There’s also a sinister strings part in this song that adds to the eerie aura. However, what puts this song over the edge for me as one of the creepiest rock songs that I know is the production. John Feldman’s production on this tune is outrageous. Listen closely for creaking doors, a music box, and even a horse sample that instantly brings images of Ichabod Crane (from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow) to mind. The Used hit the nail on the head with this one.

“Come to Daddy” by Aphex Twin

Evan Greenblo, interviews writer

Influential electronic act Aphex Twin most certainly knows how to manipulate just about every sound ever heard to the human ear. Since the 90's he has spat out many noteworthy tracks, but in my opinion, his most memorable is the one and only Come To Daddy. The song may not be the best in the man's catalogue, but it most certainly is the creepiest. From the fast tempo, sample use, to a voice calling out for your soul ("I want your soul, I will eat your soul, come to daddy"), it's the perfect potion to make your little brother or sister cry. However, if the song didn't do its job, I have faith the complimentary video will – because it did its job on me when I was young! You'll witness a mini-horror flick featuring an old lady with a vicious dog, a head in a TV, awkward looking little people, and more. Without a doubt, one of the scarier songs I can recall from my childhood.

There you have it folks. If you’ve got a song you’d like to add to the list, feel free to mention it in the comments below. Have a rockin’ Halloween!

Comments

[undeaded]

Opeth - Ghost of Perdition? Maybe?

[Lil Macker]

I think the scariest out of them is the Scissor Sisters!

I mean, not even Justin Hawkins can get that high!!

[evangreenblo]

It wasn't easy picking Aphex Twin - Come To Daddy with the likes of Britney - Hit me baby one more time, Christina - Genie in a bottle, and so on

[evangreenblo]

That was a bad sentence. Just woke up. Oh and doesn't Ultimate-Guitar look wonderful in the poo theme.

[Reviewer Pete]

I am of course bloody excellent as always.

[FionnRuadh]

Yeah Opeth have scary chord progressions. That why their so hard to listen to.

[michal23]

Something by Nevermore, perhaps?

[Reviewer Pete]

michal23 wrote:

Something by Nevermore, perhaps?

I was thinking about choosing "Sentient 6". The part when the robot goes insane is pretty creepy, but ultimately I stand by my choice. King Diamond is the master when it comes to this stuff.

[evangreenblo]

Another added recommendation. Halloween movie theme song! http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rkZYTg5iM18

[Pookie6]

Night on Bald Mountain by Mussorgsky would be a good one here i'd think.

[Gh.]

Night on Bald Mountain by Mussorgsky would be a good one here i'd think.

You'd think good. Besides I'd add No Quarter by Led Zeppelin. I always thought that it has a quite mistic and romantic felling.

[bootyguard]

Can we have any Morbid Angel or Obituary love?

CHOPPED IN HALF!!!

[\m/Torin\m/]

maybe wolf moon by typ-o-negative, thats a bad ass song for halloween

Checked.

And yes, if I didn't have such an irrational fear of videogame characters I would have mentioned Obituary.

[itmustbejesus]

Mr. Crowley is a decent halloween song or halloween by the misfits

[janecoffin27]

Opeth is overrated. I don't know why they're being discussed here because they aren't creepy either.

The Axis of Perdition is creepy, ambient metal band influenced by the like of Silent Hill. But I can understand that that's not exactly the kind of band they were going for in this article.

[Minkaro]

Woo! Yay! Mike Oldfield!

Alice Cooper's "Steven" is one that unnerves me.

[giginthesky]

Any Type O - would do, but the classic Black #1. is a pretty damn good start

[SylKain]

Black No.1 by Type O Negative will be blasted from my stereo many times in the next 48 hours

[Drew_Entreri]

...Misfits anyone???

[MetallAndy]

"Avenged Sevenfold - A Little Piece Of Heaven" should be there! ^^

[mastrofreakity]

YOU FORGOT THIS IS HALLOWEEN BY DANNY ELFMAN
THATS THE ABSOLUTE NR. 1 HALLOWEEN SONG
OR ANY BAWDY FESTIVAL OR MARILYN MANSON (ANTICHRIST SUPERSTAR ALBUM) SONG !!!!!

[Kalyth]

mastrofreakity wrote:

YOU FORGOT THIS IS HALLOWEEN BY DANNY ELFMAN
THATS THE ABSOLUTE NR. 1 HALLOWEEN SONG
OR ANY BAWDY FESTIVAL OR MARILYN MANSON (ANTICHRIST SUPERSTAR ALBUM) SONG !!!!!

I suggest both together: Manson's cover of the Danny ELfman song... That's great!

[g00fy_130]

"No Quarter" be Led Zeppelin. Need I say more?

[evangreenblo]

Drew_Entreri wrote:

...Misfits anyone???

I was going to use a Misfits song, but I don't really find their stuff 'scary'

mastrofreakity wrote:

YOU FORGOT THIS IS HALLOWEEN BY DANNY ELFMAN
THATS THE ABSOLUTE NR. 1 HALLOWEEN SONG
OR ANY BAWDY FESTIVAL OR MARILYN MANSON (ANTICHRIST SUPERSTAR ALBUM) SONG !!!!!

I was going to pick this song, but never for the same reason above.

[kfilly20]

creepiest song ever !!! The demo version of Absolute Future/Past by Fear Before the March Of FLames. Dear God, this song haunts me in my dreams

[travislausch]

Needs Devin Townsend's "Bad Devil"

[Shaheen_rage]

Drew_Entreri wrote:

...Misfits anyone???

Ohhh yeeaaahhhh, There should be Misfits!!! you cant have halloween without an old guy in make-up!!!!
it'd be unethical!!!!
I

[|69|]

Dogfish Rising by Slipknot
Scared the crap out of me when I listened to it in the dark, alone

[2mins2midnite]

slayer - face the slayer/metal storm

[2mins2midnite]

or even EVIL DEAD BY DEATH
every one should check that out, scary intro

[keithmoon15]

no cramps?

[|69|]

What about songs played backwards they all sound horrific

[ZeppelinruleZ]

i love fitter happier!

[jammyninja]

ZeppelinruleZ wrote:

i love fitter happier!

+1

[Mazan]

i would say that Korn-Daddy is psychotic and it may be good for Halloween :p

[kyshack]

Raining Blood by Slayer. The intro to that song is creepy as hell

[SmashThings]

"I personally find the Scissor Sisters’ song "I Don’t Feel Like Dancing" one of the scariest tunes I’ve ever heard."

Pure brilliance! :P

[guitardemi]

dude this place is cookin i like it....awesome

[Maggot3000]

''A Mansion in the Darkness'' Hell Yes! King Diamond definitely deserves to be on this kind of list

[Zofar]

What about Halloween by Helloween?

[Spay]

Floods-Pantera
The Four of Us Are Dying-Nine Inch Nails
Aero-Zeppelin-Nirvana
The Early Hour-Metallica
Drilled A Wire Through My Cheek-Blue October
Chloroform Girl-Polkadot Cadaver


These all remind me of Halloween =3

[imsimon]

You forgot the backwards version of Stairway to Heaven

haha

[brentondig]

itmustbejesus wrote:

Mr. Crowley is a decent halloween song or halloween by the misfits

Also Halloween II by Misfits.

[Sjusovaren]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2C0PvdPxv-w

is the best one when it comes to FFVII, IMO. ^^

[WALKE5]

'Buried Alive' - Venom. That a proper ****ing creepy song!!

[blackoctober119]

what about Fall Children bt AFI? :P

[WALKE5]

'Buried Alive' - Venom. That a proper ****ing creepy song!!

[darkfire_storm]

how the hell is that used song scary? every time i hear that song i feel more like kicking them in the balls than trembling in fear. honestly, they're not creepy.

[YamiJoey]

Started quite well, but I became disapointed towards the end, I have to admit. I didn't agree with Metallica, as Master of Puppets would have been much better. The laughing is just enough to keep it creepy, whilst still heavy as hell. Iron Man was also a bad decision in my opinion. Iron Man is simply not a halloween song to me. I also prefer Dillinger Escape Plan's version of "Come to Daddy", it is much more evil. I would have prefered Street Spirit by Radiohead, too.

Good list, though. I'll have to check some of these out for the weekender. Scissor Sister's was epic funny. xD

YJ

[dieloony2]

Radiohead and scissor sisters but no Danzig/Misfits or Manson? rob zombie?

You know your right always gives me the creeps, the nirvana song. cuz he's dead etc.

[korbhag]

Revolution 9 by The Beatles! Classic creepy song.

[SynGatesFan1]

Scream by Avenged Sevenfold

[Jet_Black88]

The scariest metallica song is definitely "Call of the Ktulu".

Instrumental madness, climaxing with the bass roaring like an ancient terror unleashed upon the world.

[rebofthetemple]

I was thinking about choosing "Sentient 6". The part when the robot goes insane is pretty creepy

I believe you should've, the breakdown at the end gives me goosebumps everytime

[offspring_freak]

Radiohead and scissor sisters but no Danzig/Misfits or Manson? rob zombie?

i totally agree... not even a slayer or slipknot...

[anenome]

Venus In Furs has to be one of the scariest songs ever

[Minderbinder]

The Rolling Stones arn't really scary

Checked

[Sonicxlover]

No Cannibal Corpse?

[qotsa1998]

I dont agree with Sympathy for the Devil. Its actually a bit of an upbeat song for me. One of the scariest songs for me would be For Stevie's Eyes Only by Bring Me the Horizon. Scary banshee-like screaming, horror-movie dialogue lyrics, all done by a very young kid (around 20 or so i think). Pepper by Butthole Surfers is kinda scary and weird, since its about teenage suicide and all sorts of other nasty stuff.

[Serjem]

hard rock hallelujah . lordi o, yeah

[Kwis]

Celtic Frost - A Dying God Coming Into Human Flesh

[Ibanez2427]

Minderbinder wrote:

The Rolling Stones arn't really scary

Have you seen Keith Richards lately?

[atkm2891]

uh MISFITS- HALLOWEEN, i mean this might be a good idea to put in your HALLOWEEN playlist.....

[Love April]

fitter happier isn't radioheads scariest song.

[Love April]

Oh and yes, halloween by misfits is ****ing scary.

[Shread_6009]

welcome to the machine is such an eerie droning song, with a haunting 12 string and loads of synth. the vocals are so creepy also.

[Reebokanonymous]

janecoffin27 wrote:

Opeth is overrated. I don't know why they're being discussed here because they aren't creepy either.

The Axis of Perdition is creepy, ambient metal band influenced by the like of Silent Hill. But I can understand that that's not exactly the kind of band they were going for in this article.

You're entitled to your own opinion of course, but for scare factor, Opeth is high up there. I actually could not sleep the first time I heard them. I bought Ghost Reveries and I could not sleep that night. My mom tried to take the CD away from me when she read the lyrics. Also, Alice in Chains is scary as all heckfire.

[roknrollmasta86]

ok some songs are good some i would have added were down with the sickness by disturbed-mainly cuz its about the guy on the front which we all now is ****in sick, raining blood by slayer-BLOOD its in the freakin name, enter sandman by mettalica, that also is creepy, inside the fire by disturbed- the song is about a girl named (of course) devon who hung herself and is sent to hell ergo the name, beast and the harlot by avenged sevenfold- the begginning when i first herd it gave me chills and more i dont feel like typin cuz i need to take a crap peace out

[Love April]

yeah, raining blood is pretty scary

[guitar_333]

Rob Zombie - Boogieman would be appropriate? ....the remix version

[Burningwood]

the 'woo's in sympathy for the devil had nothing to do with voodo. one of keef's friends just came into the stueio and started messing about doing monkey empressions.

[Red.Washburn77]

What, no Scott Walker? Seriously, The Drift is creepy as hell.

[shadowsoverhell]

aside from the obvious Halloween by Helloween, Iced Earth's Burnt Offerings, the S&M version of Metallica's Call of Ktulu, Iron Maiden's Remember Tomorrow, Symphony X's King of Terrors, Pantera's Cemetary Gates, and Ozzy Osbourne's Diary of a Madman strike me as songs that would be well suited to the halloween theme

[SilverDark]

...What the hell happened to Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor?! That is the ULTIMATE halloween song, WTF?!

[RizzoWashburn]

Wow I can't believe Susan is on here. Awesome

[muse-ik]

What about Disco Mushrooms by Infected Mushroom??? that's just a creepy song, between the ambience they create, the male chorus, the little girl's voice, and the sound of chains, it creeps me out everytime i listen to it. Don't listen to it in the dark!

[blindfatkid23]

The X-files theme should be here too.

[rednightmare]

Alkaline Trio's cover of Halloween on piano is pretty spooky. Helena, of course. Or Saturday Night, that song's pretty ****ed up. House of Secrets by Otep is an epic. The intro shits me up every time.

[metal_666_man]

cool

[blindfatkid23]

Listen to Buckethead's kaleidoscalp, there's some pretty creepy tunes on this album

[Hesh_09]

I'm thinkin this list needed a Rob Zombie song... I can't listen to his music without thinking of Halloween. I'd also add "A Little Piece of Heaven" or "Scream" by Avenged Sevenfold.

[zointment]

what about "of wolf and man" by metallica...

the howling bit where the guitar builds up near the end of the song sends shivers down my spine every time i hear it...

[FRDesign]

SynGatesFan1 wrote:

Scream by Avenged Sevenfold

+100000


Sounds so creepy, I love it. It screams Halloween.

[G0dzilla]

What about Avenged Sevenfold's "A Little Piece of Heaven"?

Listen to it you'll see what i mean.

[fLYinGV23]

What about Electric Funeral by Black Sabbath?

Creepy stuff...

[theocao]

G0dzilla wrote:

What about Avenged Sevenfold's "A Little Piece of Heaven"?

Listen to it you'll see what i mean.

its kinda stupid
any death/black metal songwould be better

[randyaintdead82]

g00fy_130 :
"No Quarter" be Led Zeppelin. Need I say more

nah that sounds more winterish i dont here anything scary or halloween about that one. Scream by A7X, Iowa or left behind by Slipknot (iowa is ****in creepy) a mushroomhead song and electric funeral or symptom of the universe

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Diary of a Madman by Ozzy

[hossa18]

how is there no afi?!?!?!? their older stuff was all about halloween?!?!?! fall children??? third season?? come on one of the best lines from afi ever is 'candy apples and razor blades'... that is halloween1

[StoneColdCrazy]

Fire On High by ELO.....freaky scary stuff !!!

[ShredFatLicks]

I was thinking maybe Prison Sex by Tool...

[ShredFatLicks]

Or Children Of The Grave by Sabbath

[nolife'tilmetal]

oh... wow.... no burzum. no slipknot... no korn... oh well. good job

[CyWolf]

Awwww, no Cinema Strange? Almost all of their songs could be considered scary.
Or what about Lullaby by The Cure?
Razed in Black, Skinny Puppy, Christian Death, Malice Mizer, Dir En Grey, Seraphim Shock, Suicide Commando, and Rasputina should all be included.

[goneshootin]

what about Iron Maiden's Fear of the Dark??

[SaiNt adEL #13]

master of puppets, by metallica would be a good one! or feed my frankenstien, by alice cooper!

[GoWithTheFlow]

umm first of all.. scissor sisters is a lot less creepy compared to the mars volta.. hit that up mr.webb. and i noticed no tool... cmon. no quarter by tool is i have to say a bit more suspensful and trippy than the led zeppelin version.

[RocknRollRay]

The thing that should not be
Metallica

that or some dethklok

[delizio37]

X is Coming - DMX... man that intro freak the hell outta me when i first got the CD "Its dark and Hell is Hot"

[SDMF_matty]

no rob/white zombie? House of 1000 corpses or devil's rejects?

[redhotsexmagic]

I like fitter,happier hah...its scary to listen to in headphones like in the dark. The voice is the computer speaking guy from the old mac computers (1994ish). Thats how mine used to sound at least and the voice is used in paranoid android in the backround too. radiohead=awesome!

[qrEE]

here's a good suggestion. Cannibal corpse's Hammer smashed face, or Opeth's The grand conjuration.
Hammer smashed face is about the need to smash someone in the face with a hammer, and the grand conjuration is about summoning the devil.

[ETHANR26]

Werepizza by horse the band!!!!

[Giusto]

a couple of song i think should be in this is
Dazed and confused - Led zeppelin
You Don't have to die (Demo Version)- T.S.O.L.
Symphony Of Destruction & Holy Wars...The Punishment Due- Megadeth
Just about every song from alice cooper.

[impropagation66]

"Freezing Moon" by Mayhem. Attila's vocals, the opening riff, the lyrics... Come on!

[ETHANR26]

and the call of ktulu by metallica

[Wakisazhi]

goneshootin wrote:

what about Iron Maiden's Fear of the Dark??

Nah, if not might as well go with Rime of the Ancient Mariner. That interlude before the finale is creepy as hell with the right atmosphere.

[cozzy99coz]

wtf, I Dont Feel Like Dancing isnt scary at all? its a fun song lol.
even tho its played out, 'one' by metallica shud be up there
or byob lol

[ETHANR26]

lol byob is a good song but its not really scary

[Conqueror]

Demon's Gate by Candlemass is a perfect Halloween song.

[knapp88]

obviously no one here has ever heard Miranda That Ghost Just Isn't Holy Anymore by The Mars Volta or Luca by Brand New alone in the middle of the night before.

[D_for_Drastic]

Aqua - Barbie Girl
I'm a barbie girl in a barbie world,
It's fantastic, Im in plastic

This song is very scary. lol

[D_for_Drastic]

"She-wolf" by Megadeth is a good Halloween tune and "Don't feel the reaper" is a classic halloween tune by Blue Oyster Cult even though the song isn't very scary

[Thejoker92]

Hamburger Lady by Throbbing Gristle

Just the idea of being able to describe a lady as practically being hamburger is a little unnerving to me.

[Thejoker92]

Or Spinal Meningitis by Ween

[777Corey]

there should have been some Siouxsie Sioux, shes got a few scary tunes.

[blindfatkid23]

what about ghostbusters? it's not a scary one but it's definitely halloween material!

[tigerking615]

Helloween's Halloween? seriously, where is that?

[StratPat]

Lol at poo theme

[rotaguy]

where is IRON MAIDEN????

[ChaosUnleashed]

what about Dimmu Borgir's Kings of Carnival Creation, those guys scare the living crap outta me, but I always go back to them on my iPod

[shredhead666]

Eaten by bloodbath would be good on here

[boomtank]

misfits - dig up her bones!!

[Raizer Sabre]

i'd suggest zan by dir en grey. it freaked me out when i first listened to it and completely scared my friend when i played it to him. cradle of filth's nymphetamine would be good too

[Morphina]

ever heard Requiem For A Dream's main theme?? if you've seen the movie and later listen to the song i assure you're gonna feel like there is something inside of you trying to eat u up... it's scary... really

[Shadow_player]

OMFG!!!! wat about spainish train by Chris deburgh?????! honestly anyone who reads this message youtube it!!!its a brilliant song/story and should be in first place on this list!:O

Checked.

[MetallAndy]

A lot of Avenged Sevenfold songs have some Halloween feel to it ^^

[kgesme21]

I'd have to go with the version of War Pigs off of the Ozzman Cometh. Grainy, not political yet, and just right down creepy.

[William_4ever]

Give us som Avenged Sevenfold! like A little Piece Of Heaven!

[grille]

This is halloween by marliyn manson

[Serial Rocker]

What about the Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack ?

[Minkaro]

qrEE wrote:Hammer smashed face is about the need to smash someone in the face with a hammer

You mean it's actually about smashing someone's face with a hammer? My word, I've been looking for a hidden message all this time.

[ss311]

Reviewer Pete wrote:

I am of course bloody excellent as always.

I love you.

[Just_Matt]

What? no Misfits?

[Perpetual Burn]

Feaar! of the dark.

[littleguitar]

I personally find "Angel of Death" by Slayer. I remember once when I was going, and I had my mp3 on. I hadn't heard the song before, so I switched to it. BAAAAAD mistake. When I heard that scream in the intro, i felt, you know, bad.

[ss311]

Oh, I intentionally avoided The Misfits, AFI and Danzig due to the fact that they are 3 obvious clichés.

[bangholio214]

ok the song that really freaks me out is alice in chains - grind

[XxGibsonSGxX]

Fear of the Dark!

And possibly, the Requiem for a Dream score by Cliff Mansell.

[Surrection75]

A mansion in darkness!

[blackie13]

Where is Helloween's Halloween...?????

[Tabassco]

Black sabbath is totally right... creepiest song ever. They could've included some Tool too. They have some eerie tracks to choose from.

[Korzack]

Lil Macker wrote:

I think the scariest out of them is the Scissor Sisters!

I mean, not even Justin Hawkins can get that high!!

Don't worry - Hayseed Dixie did a version that removed the crazy and scary

[Master Shake]

I think Steven by Alice Cooper definately needs to be on that list (coupled with years ago) I also think Set the Controls for the heart of the sun is pretty creepy... maybe echoes too

[swart]

Wake The Dead by The Used is pretty creepy too..it should be here

[lukeuh36azabc]

Kathaarian Life Code by Darkthrone

thats scary

[wangmaster]

no Misfits?

fail.

[Helloween4Ever]

Zofar wrote:

What about Halloween by Helloween?

this man is 100% correct

[Vin2254]

hossa18 wrote:

how is there no afi?!?!?!? their older stuff was all about halloween?!?!?! fall children??? third season?? come on one of the best lines from afi ever is 'candy apples and razor blades'... that is halloween1

thats from a misfits song afi covered i hope you know. im a big afi fan but they arn't scary. maybe fall children.

[tekee007]

lol the scissor sisters thing was hilarious
some children of bodom songs can get kinda scary too...but in a different way

[Gormanilius]

Dazed and Confuzed should definetly be added. This is one of LEd Zeppelin's most eerie songs, and quite unerved me while i was on my bike ride.
But definitely a great list!

[Jastul]

SilverDark wrote:

...What the hell happened to Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor?! That is the ULTIMATE halloween song, WTF?!

+1, you can't get spookier than that intro, and the fact that it is (or should be) played in a large pipe organ, preferably one of those huge church ones, just makes it that much more intense

[Jastul]

I would say Toccata and Fugue in D minor by J.S. Bach, Night on Bald Mountain by M. Mussorgsky (especially when watched along the 'Fantasia' clip), and anything by Sopor Aeternus, Marylin Manson or 'This Is Halloween" from the Nightmare Before Christmas

[Snakexe]

Faaip de Oiad by Tool anyone?

First time I heard it I'd fallen asleep listening to the album, woke up about halfway through the song and basically shit my pants...

[pwninator123]

Rob Zombie's techno remix of the Halloween theme song :-D

Bleak by Opeth

Scarborough Fair by Simon And Garfunkel still creeps me out, their harmonies scare me a bit

Dark Eternal Night by Dream THeater

Finnegan by Count Zero

Electric Hellfire by Black Label Society

[imrickjamesn00b]

Where the HELL is the Misfits?

[donnie1718]

What The Fuck Is Wrong With You Guys From UG Havent U Ever Heard Of CALABRESE Or AFI's Old Stuff,YOu Guys really dissapointed me

Checked?

[nconger]

Hamburger Lady by Throbbing Gristle?????

[ZeppNTool]

Climbing Up The Walls - Radiohead
Sober - Tool
Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
Anything by Mayhem
Hellhound On My Trail - Robert Johnson

There are some some creepy songs right there.

[inmyanimal]

Waking the Cadaver-Chased Through The Woods... And Mr Crowley Cradle of Filth version, also Necrophagist-Stabwound, not to mention Emmure- Its not just a party, Its a funeral

[cds+stereo=life]

inmyanimal wrote:

Waking the Cadaver-Chased Through The Woods... And Mr Crowley Cradle of Filth version, also Necrophagist-Stabwound, not to mention Emmure- Its not just a party, Its a funeral

If you want creepy metal, ditch the scene core stuff and listen to axis of perdition. they definitely should have made that list.

[gonzaw]

What about something by Clara Rockmore?

Theremin scares the crap out of me!

[somewhatdamaged]

Marilyn Manson - Antichrist Superstar

[Lord Killswitch]

There should be some buckethead on that list. becasue some of his stuff is so creepy. But hey, i love every second of eveerysong. should still be on the list.

something from colma - thats way tooo quiet and calm not to be eerie in a way.
or something from kaleidoscope (however its spelt i cant remmeber).

infact speaking of kaleidoscopes - scar symmetry should have made this list. And yes my spelling is shocking tonight. its half 2 in the morning though.

[guitarsonist]

How could there be a Halloween list with no Cannibal Corpse?? There isn't any Death Metal at all?!

[slayer666z]

Where the Fuck is Slayer?

[gattcat0]

wat about iron maiden's KILLERS? that song had me paranoid for ages?

[gattcat0]

or the number of the beast
creepiest lyrics eva

"Woe to You Oh Earth and Sea
for the Devil sends the beast with wrath
because he knows the time is short
Let him who hath understanding
reckon the number of the beast
for it is a human number
its number is six hundred and sixty six."

or maybe even hallowed be thy name.... a real sense of terror

[tcangusyoung123]

gattcat0 wrote:

or the number of the beast
creepiest lyrics eva

"Woe to You Oh Earth and Sea
for the Devil sends the beast with wrath
because he knows the time is short
Let him who hath understanding
reckon the number of the beast
for it is a human number
its number is six hundred and sixty six."

or maybe even hallowed be thy name.... a real sense of terror

I think that's the bible.

[SlashKirkSynG]

how bout Little Piece of Heaven - Avenged Sevenfold.
those are some pretty meeeessed up lyrics. it sounds really halloween'y.

[Funky_Fresh91]

ZeppelinruleZ wrote:

i love fitter happier!

That songs creeps me out, lyrics and all.
I have no suggestions i'm cool with the list

[Minkaro]

Lord Killswitch wrote:

There should be some buckethead on that list. becasue some of his stuff is so creepy. But hey, i love every second of eveerysong. should still be on the list.

something from colma - thats way tooo quiet and calm not to be eerie in a way.
or something from kaleidoscope (however its spelt i cant remmeber).

infact speaking of kaleidoscopes - scar symmetry should have made this list. And yes my spelling is shocking tonight. its half 2 in the morning though.

Sanctum would be a great Bucket track to play for Halloween (next year, lol). Kind of gives you that feeling that the villain is near by just creeping around. Fantastic suspenseful piece of music.

[dirtydeeds123]

The Price of Beauty - Suicide Silence

mainly just the music video. scared the SHIT out of me.

[Geothermal]

Go "A Mansion In Darkness" listened to it about a billion times over halloween

[Haris_rock]

God...

where is helloween's song helloween....

[grantjames]

Sonata Arctica - Full Moon!

[Rattlehead1994]

Mozart's 25th symphony and anything from Slayer should do the trick

[Woogles]

Burn the witch by queens of the stone age should have been on there :P

[rocknroll22]

Woogles wrote:

Burn the witch by queens of the stone age should have been on there :P

i was literally just going to say that, and you beat me to it. The UNKLE remix of the song from the Saw II soundtrack is AMAZINGLY chilling. i love it so much. i listened to it like 10 times yesterday (on Halloween).

[bungshal]

Just put on any Opeth album.

[Reviewer Pete]

Geothermal wrote:

Go "A Mansion In Darkness" listened to it about a billion times over halloween

[impropagation66]

lukeuh36azabc wrote:

Kathaarian Life Code by Darkthrone

thats scary

Amen.

[true_bacon22]

Years ago by Alice Cooper is scary as hell.

[AngelWolf]

hmm.. Skulls by misfits lyrics like "hack the heads of little girls and put em on my wall" and Halloween "dead cats hanging from poles" and Helena "if i cut of your arms and cut off your legs would you still love me" along with their look of skull paint, devil lock and heavy aggressive punk/hardcore style easily makes them SCARY

[Silverginger]

The main theme from Puppet Master is the creepiest piece of music ever imo

[AngelWolf]

Halloween by Misfits.... clearly...

Checkked.

[hippie65]

i think It Took the Night to believe by Sunn O))) is pretty scary when i listen to it alone at night.

[surbus]

WTF no manson, no slayer, no slipknot, no bullet for my valentine ect

[HellrzngPinhead]

yes!!!! Somebody mentioned Sun O)))!!! That entire album is some scary shit, though but It Took The Night To Believe is creepy....

Hey, what about that one song by Godspeed You Black Emperor, The Dead Flag Blues? I'm shocked nobody mentioned anything by them, that song's monologue is disturbing.

[ellucifere]

stairway to heaven backwards is creepy as hell
now I can't listen to it the same, everytime it scares the hell outta me

and since i read this thing saying that Jimmy Page selled his soul to the devil to have the biggest rock band ever, and that after that, John paul jones broke his left hand once, Robert Plant's son died, and John Bonham died, but nothing bad ever happened to Jimmy....weird

[Matetz]

The three bands that I would pick for a playlist for this topic would be Six Feet Under, Darkthrone and The Misfits. And probably a few tracks by Tool.

[Matetz]

And Sunn O))) aren't really scary I think. Just a bit strange atmosphere.
And My Wall is pretty funny.

[MrWeenie]

Powerslave by Iron Maiden? that eerie intro would scare the crap out of me in the middle of the night.

[dfresh91]

no iron maiden?

[g_tab_man]

|69| wrote:

Dogfish Rising by Slipknot
Scared the crap out of me when I listened to it in the dark, alone

ur screen name is so cool

[superubercool]

If you ask me, Trail of Blood from the Final Fantasy VII Album is WAAAY more scary thant North Cave.

[superubercool]

Echoes by Pink Floyd is also pretty freaky.

[Shredder J]

for something really scary, you should listen to Dance Club Massacre, and some Dimmu Borgir. I think those two bands' music is scary to a lot of people. oh and some Through the Eyes of the Dead. of course obvious ones like Slipknot, Slayer and Iron Maiden should be on list. some really good ones would be "Hallowed Be Thy Name" by Iron Maiden and "Murders Come with Smiles" by Dance Club Massacre. oh and "Abyssal Creation" from Through the Eyes of the Dead, just listen to those 3, they sound scarier than a mother f***er

[gattcat0]

tcangusyoung123 wrote:

gattcat0 wrote:

or the number of the beast
creepiest lyrics eva

"Woe to You Oh Earth and Sea
for the Devil sends the beast with wrath
because he knows the time is short
Let him who hath understanding
reckon the number of the beast
for it is a human number
its number is six hundred and sixty six."

or maybe even hallowed be thy name.... a real sense of terror

I think that's the bible.

i know but at the start vincent price says it and its scary... i mean vincent price man...

[GoWithTheFlow]

knapp88 wrote:

obviously no one here has ever heard Miranda That Ghost Just Isn't Holy Anymore by The Mars Volta or Luca by Brand New alone in the middle of the night before.

yeah man im with you

[Trudogger]

How about In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida by Iron Butterfly?

[vinc3nt]

possiblt "one" by metallica? i know it's not that scary, but it's a bit creepy.

[drewsy]

scissor sisters?
i only like it when im pretend scared

[bobo2711]

wat about hangin' tree by Queens of the stone age? not a huge fan but song is kinda creepy

[mjones1992]

...what about the Murderdolls and wednesday 13? how can you have halloween without them?

[Nerevarine1991]

Emperor-Into the Infinity of Thoughts.

[git-airman]

a lot of these songs arent scary, i mean sympathy for the devil kicks ass but its not scary, iron man? c'mon your kidding me.

[git-airman]

Trudogger wrote:

How about In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida by Iron Butterfly?

that song is amazing, and the organ is pretty scary.
and that riff is a belter.

[cwnhat56472]

What about Disturbia?

[outlaw metaler]

evangreenblo wrote:

It wasn't easy picking Aphex Twin - Come To Daddy with the likes of Britney - Hit me baby one more time, Christina - Genie in a bottle, and so on

i think the DEP Mike Patton version is scarier

[LazyLatinoRocke]

I think Testament - The Haunting should be added.

[init24]

not bad
it covers several genres well, and isn't particularity offensive

[MusicalMinority]

+1 to the Radiohead one, although I actually kind of find it funny, not creepy.

[georgejonez]

go to hell, by megadeth woulda been a good choice.

[breeder666]

the thing that should not be by metallica...sends shivers down the spine....

[stumaster18]

something off of Slipknot's earlier self-titled album? A lot of creepy tunes on there

[Wakisazhi]

superubercool wrote:

Echoes by Pink Floyd is also pretty freaky.

Nah man, Echoes is just brilliant and beautiful. If anything you could say Brain Damage is ghastly as hell then since it's so matter-o-fact and sunshiney about it's subject matter.

[Wakisazhi]

Also where's Knives Out? That song is WAAAAAY more morbid than Fitter and Happier will ever be, no matter how topical it may be.

[BreakingTheGirl]

how the **** can you not have the misfits on there?
or AFI?
Hell, the misfits have a songs called Halloween and Halloween II

[HeavenReturned]

Swallow the Sun's Don't Fall Asleep. Some of the creepiest lyrics I've heard and it's not ruined by being perverse.