SHINING – "YTTERLIGARE ETT STEG NÄRMARE TOTAL JÄVLA UTFRYSNING"
This one starts with a partial recitation of an 1899 poem ("Antigonish") written by William Hughes Mearns: "As I was going up the stair / I met a man who wasn't there / He wasn't there again today / I wish, I wish he'd go away." I wish I could say it gets less disturbing as it plays on. -MM
Misfits – "Dig Up Her Bones"
There's a special place in my heart of hearts for Michael Graves and his (relatively) brief but memorable tenure as frontman to the legendary Misfits. While little can rival the reign of Danzig at the helm of one of the true-pioneering punk rock bands, Graves certainly brought something memorable to the table.
The 1997 lineup features original members Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein and Jerry Only alongside Graves and new drummer Dr. Chud. American Psycho is the bizarre yet beloved result of that unholy union, with the riff driven anthem "Dig Up Her Bones" the standout cut of the bunch.
The album's video is set in a graveyard for Christ's sakes! Give it a spin and mosh to the old horror gods and the new. –DC
ANAAL NATHRAKH – "WHEN HUMANITY IS CANCER"
Markedly more aggressive than the previous few selections, this one's creepy on a wholly different level. If "When Humanity Is Cancer" were a horror movie, it'd definitely be a gore flick. -MM
Alice Cooper – "Feed My Frankenstein"
The undisputed king of shock rock himself, Alice Cooper sits high among the pantheon of greats when it comes to the creatures of the night. He was spilling buckets of blood and dropping jaws on stage long before it was fashionable, so you can say that the Halloween season is tailor-made for his particular brand of entertainment.
While there are more than a few choice cuts that fit the bill ("The Ballad of Dwight Fry" and "Welcome To My Nightmare" score high points), "Feed My Frankenstein" is the natural choice. You don't need to be a Rhodes Scholar to see why. –DC
PORTAL – VEXOVOID (whole freakin' album)
Ok, so I cheated a lil' bit and put a whole album on here. If you've never heard of the Aussies in Portal, they're soul-crushingly dark and probably the sorta shit H.P. Lovecraft had nightmares about. This record's a dizzying perversion of extreme metal. In other words, it's fantastic and perfect Halloween fun for the whole family! -MM
More picks on the next page…
