Halloween is upon us, and what better way to get into the spirits of the holiday than by listening to scary music. Here are five albums that are absolutely essential for your Halloween music listening.
Visions of Bodies Being Burned – clipping.
This album is deeply rooted in an appreciation and love for horror movies and the soundtracks that accompany them. The production is eerie and devastating, incorporating elements of noise, horror movie soundtracks and horrorcore, all presented in an experimental hip-hop package for the ages. Rapper Daveed Diggs paints vivid pictures of violence and the occult in a way that will make you want to check the lock on your door and will leave you looking over your shoulder when walking to your car late at night.
TW: Violence, vulgarity
Dead Magic – Anna von Hausswolff
Made up of a frightening soundscape, “Dead Magic” is as ethereal as it is scary. Listening to the record feels like stumbling upon a congregation of cult members stuck in a trance-like worship for something that isn’t there. The way that Hausswolff crafts the mood and atmosphere with so much power while never feeling oppressive makes for an incredibly original and transformative experience.
Prowler in the Yard – Pig Destroyer
Oppressive to the highest degree, “Prowler in the Yard” assaults your ears with sharp and fast grindcore that will either leave you horrified or impressed. Maybe a little bit of both. The lyrics however are just as brutal as the soundscape. They feature poetic descriptions of violence that exude dystopian and Lynchian aesthetics. Listening to this album feels like watching a snuff film on an old CRT monitor made by a maniacal and hopeless romantic who commits violence while reciting twisted poetry about the very actions he is committing.
TW: Violence, sexual violence, vulgarity
6 Feet Deep – Gravediggaz
Gritty and eccentric horrorcore and hardcore hip-hop straight out of New York City, “6 Feet Deep” is as fun as it is intense and will leave you banging your head like a madman. RZAs grimy beats in addition to the wild, off the wall rapping makes you feel like you stumbled upon an alternate reality New York City where murderous villainy lurks in every corner but carries enough whimsy to give you a chuckle in between the raps about death and violence.
TW: Violence, vulgarity
If You’re Into It, I’m Out of It – Christoph de Babalon
Breakcore has never sounded scarier. What makes this record particularly frightening is the sinister and isolating atmosphere that Christoph de Babalon creates through his use of dark ambient music. The breakcore segments are brutal and robotic, giving you the impression that you fell into the human death trap of a machine that wants to kill you, but still wants you to bust a move while it tortures you for eternity.
