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Boo! It’s that gloomy, autumnal time of year again, it’s starting to get colder during the day and darker at night. We’re fast approaching Hallowe’en; the festival of fear, terror and using dressing up as an excuse to get wasted, and here at AltSounds we’ve really been getting in the mood over the last few days. Whether you’re throwing a costume party and you need an appropriately themed playlist, you’re going out trick-or-treating (there’s no age limit on threatening neighbours for Haribo) or you just feel like getting into the festival spirit, here are our fifteen favourite Hallowe’en-inspired tracks - some more obvious than others - for your consumption…
From a musical reimagining of the Burton epic ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ (a must-watch before next Wednesday), first up is Marilyn Manson’s fantastically grungey version of the staple October 31st tune ‘This Is Hallowe’en’.
Play this one at your Hallowe’en house party. Cooper’s slightly sinister half-spoken half-sung narrative creates a wonderfully eerie atmosphere…
What an excellent day for an exorcism!
And from the final few, resonating notes of Oldfield’s iconic bells comes the intro to one of the biggest pop songs of all time. Ever. If you’re gonna be playing anything this Hallowe’en, make it this. Again and again. We’ve embedded the full thirteen minute clip below so you can enjoy the full ‘Thriller’ experience. Mwuahaha…
Sticking with the cinematic theme… I ain’t afraid of no ghost! 118-118 adverts however…
A song of legendary proportions, we’ve picked the Primus version here for the macabre stop-motion animation accompanying the track (it’s got a very Hallowe’en-y feel to it, check it out), but by all means go ahead and take a look at the original by (of course) The Charlie Daniels Band. Or, if you’re more of a rock kinda person, there’s a great version for you too.
We’re livening things up a bit now, from the tail-end of that head-noddingly upbeat Charlie Daniels Band track, we’re offering you something a little heavier but equally as rhythmic and even creepier (listen to that synth motif...) from the likes of Children of Bodom. We like to think ‘blooddrunk’ means ‘wankered on sangria’, but who knows.
What’s that? More metal? You read my mind. This moderately-budgeted (we imagine) video seems to purport the benefits of using metamorphosis as an anti-bullying measure. Maybe.
The atonal, diminished chords of The Specials’ cult classic ‘Ghost Town’ create such a recognisable feeling of unease, the track has got to make it onto your Hallowe’en playlist; who parties at this time of year without it?
A suitably creepy live performance courtesy of The Cramps frontman Lux Interior, this relatively slow yet visceral track is a welcome addition to any weird costume party. Hallowe’en too.
Nothing says ‘festival of the dead’ like the bassy, guttural clamour of KoRn and the nightmarish quality of Jonathan Davis’ raw vocals. Another inspired by the music of ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’, but a worthy inclusion. La la la la la la…
There’s always something a little disturbing when you delve into the more morbid aspects of organised religion… revel in the darkness of this one, it takes you on an unnerving journey. Buckle up.
Famed for vampiric obsession back in earlier days of lip gloss and black, Atreyu have a wealth of material that in itself would form an appropriately gloomy soundtrack to any Hallowe’en celebration. We picked ‘The Crimson’, a song that highlights the presence of a monster in us all. Fun to dance to. Also consider ‘Demonology and Heartache’ or ‘Her Portrait In Black’.
You didn’t think we were gonna get through the likes of Atreyu and Bullet For My Valentine without mentioning the mighty Maiden did you? The masters of intriguing, half-demonic imagery and lyricism that they are, with Eddie by their side, they brought songs and stories of mythical and terrifying beasts (‘The Wicker Man’, ‘Flight of Icarus’, ‘The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg’) to the masses and an entire genre of music has never looked back since. Up the Irons!
Let’s finish on a high. On a legendary high. Blast this one at full volume and make sure your neighbours come knocking to join in. “Don't need reason, don't need rhyme / Ain't nothing I would rather do / Going down, party time / My friends are gonna be there too”. When Bon Scott tells you it’s party time, it’s party time goddamnit.
Marilyn Manson - ‘This is Hallowe’en’
From a musical reimagining of the Burton epic ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ (a must-watch before next Wednesday), first up is Marilyn Manson’s fantastically grungey version of the staple October 31st tune ‘This Is Hallowe’en’.
Alice Cooper - ‘This House is Haunted’
Play this one at your Hallowe’en house party. Cooper’s slightly sinister half-spoken half-sung narrative creates a wonderfully eerie atmosphere…
Mike Oldfield - ‘Tubular Bells’
What an excellent day for an exorcism!
Michael Jackson - ‘Thriller’
And from the final few, resonating notes of Oldfield’s iconic bells comes the intro to one of the biggest pop songs of all time. Ever. If you’re gonna be playing anything this Hallowe’en, make it this. Again and again. We’ve embedded the full thirteen minute clip below so you can enjoy the full ‘Thriller’ experience. Mwuahaha…
Ray Parker, Jr. - ‘Ghostbusters’
Sticking with the cinematic theme… I ain’t afraid of no ghost! 118-118 adverts however…
Primus - ‘The Devil Went Down To Georgia’
A song of legendary proportions, we’ve picked the Primus version here for the macabre stop-motion animation accompanying the track (it’s got a very Hallowe’en-y feel to it, check it out), but by all means go ahead and take a look at the original by (of course) The Charlie Daniels Band. Or, if you’re more of a rock kinda person, there’s a great version for you too.
Children of Bodom - ‘Blooddrunk’
We’re livening things up a bit now, from the tail-end of that head-noddingly upbeat Charlie Daniels Band track, we’re offering you something a little heavier but equally as rhythmic and even creepier (listen to that synth motif...) from the likes of Children of Bodom. We like to think ‘blooddrunk’ means ‘wankered on sangria’, but who knows.
Bullet For My Valentine - ‘Waking The Demon’
What’s that? More metal? You read my mind. This moderately-budgeted (we imagine) video seems to purport the benefits of using metamorphosis as an anti-bullying measure. Maybe.
The Specials - ‘Ghost Town’
The atonal, diminished chords of The Specials’ cult classic ‘Ghost Town’ create such a recognisable feeling of unease, the track has got to make it onto your Hallowe’en playlist; who parties at this time of year without it?
Moral of the video: driving around London at night is scary shit.
The Cramps - ‘I Was A Teenage Werewolf’
A suitably creepy live performance courtesy of The Cramps frontman Lux Interior, this relatively slow yet visceral track is a welcome addition to any weird costume party. Hallowe’en too.
KoRn - ‘Kidnap The Sandy Claws’
Nothing says ‘festival of the dead’ like the bassy, guttural clamour of KoRn and the nightmarish quality of Jonathan Davis’ raw vocals. Another inspired by the music of ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’, but a worthy inclusion. La la la la la la…
Billy Talent - ‘Devil In A Midnight Mass’
There’s always something a little disturbing when you delve into the more morbid aspects of organised religion… revel in the darkness of this one, it takes you on an unnerving journey. Buckle up.
Atreyu - ‘The Crimson’
Famed for vampiric obsession back in earlier days of lip gloss and black, Atreyu have a wealth of material that in itself would form an appropriately gloomy soundtrack to any Hallowe’en celebration. We picked ‘The Crimson’, a song that highlights the presence of a monster in us all. Fun to dance to. Also consider ‘Demonology and Heartache’ or ‘Her Portrait In Black’.
Iron Maiden - ‘The Number of the Beast’
You didn’t think we were gonna get through the likes of Atreyu and Bullet For My Valentine without mentioning the mighty Maiden did you? The masters of intriguing, half-demonic imagery and lyricism that they are, with Eddie by their side, they brought songs and stories of mythical and terrifying beasts (‘The Wicker Man’, ‘Flight of Icarus’, ‘The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg’) to the masses and an entire genre of music has never looked back since. Up the Irons!
AC/DC - ‘Highway to Hell’
Let’s finish on a high. On a legendary high. Blast this one at full volume and make sure your neighbours come knocking to join in. “Don't need reason, don't need rhyme / Ain't nothing I would rather do / Going down, party time / My friends are gonna be there too”. When Bon Scott tells you it’s party time, it’s party time goddamnit.
Have a frightful Hallowe’en!
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