It’s A Halloween Riff Fest! 10 Rock And Metal Tracks For A Frightful Night
- Riley Edmett
- Oct 30
- 4 min read
Updated: Oct 31
You've put out decorations, carved the pumpkins, armed yourself with a bountiful harvest of Swizzels Matlow multipacks: you're almost ready for a great Halloween night. All that's missing is the music, the soundtrack to your trick-or-treating.
It's impossible to present a full catalogue of spook-filled hymns, but here are some of my favourites, ranging from the overtly creepy to the more subtle undertones.
Ghost - "Hunter's Moon"
"Back in the old cemetery / I'm dying to see you, my friend"
Released back in 2021 to coincide with the release of Blumhouse's Halloween Kills, this is a perfect track to kick things off. That spooky lead guitar, that 80s synth horror punch, and of course the vocals straddling the line between comforting and eerie.
Bonus points if it's the 'film' version too (is it better than the studio version? Possibly).
Ice Nine Kills - "A Work of Art"
"Tongue-tied and your terrified"
This addition is a no-brainer. The US horror metallers match the ridiculous over-the-top nature of Damien Leone's sadistic clown franchise perfectly, delivering a barrage of heavy riffs, violent breakdowns, and circus sound effects for a dark comedic touch. To solidify it even more, the track itself was featured in the latest Terrifier instalment.
Chuck in the live version (recorded in Australia) for that extra punch.
Rob Zombie - "The Devil's Rejects"
"Hell doesn't want them / Hell doesn't need them / Hell doesn't love them / The Devil's rejects
Whilst perhaps not as cemented in pop culture status as the "House of 1000 Corpses" title track, there is still a great Halloween undertone here. A slide guitar, a short piano arpeggio, a slow, sludging rhythm. It all feels appropriately sinister, slowly eating away instead of being in your face.
Alice Cooper - "I Love the Dead"
"I love the dead before they're cold / The bluing flesh for me to hold"
You can't have a Halloween playlist without including one of the great horror rock pioneers.
Any of Alice Cooper's tracks could easily take this spot - his ability to blend shock rock theatrics with a horror tinged edge, delivering a performance as powerful as it is memorable.
Creeper - "Headstones"
"Curse on your heart, you're a stake in my chest / You're flaccid for life as I lust for your death"
Fresh off the band's latest album, "Sanguivore II", Brit vampires Creeper up the ante with "Headstones" - a driving rock rhythm with infectious spook-filled energy.
The track's a real foot tapper, perfect for getting people up and moving.
Tellers Scribe - "Hallowed"
"Two thousand years ago / Began the ritual that we now know"
Going to a more grassroots level, Hertfordshire's Tellers Scribe have built themselves on a Dickensian, gothic horror sound, their first album taking major inspiration from urban legends and dark folklore stories.
This track in particular seems a bespoke fitting for the Halloween season.
Iron Maiden - "Fear of the Dark"
"Watching horror films the night before / Debating witches and folklore / The unknown troubles on your mind"
As far as Maiden tracks go, this one is definitely up there in its spookiness.
The track finds life on the stage, costumes and props adding to the theatrical nature of it all, combining an eerie sound with that classic Maiden gallop.
The 69 Eyes - "Lost Boys"
"We are dead until dark / But that's another thing / Nothing really matters / Behind the shades of blue"
There's a reason that, 20 years later, "The Lost Boys" has cemented its place in rock pop culture. The original Helsinki vampires deliver a blood soaked blend of catchy riffs and energetic choruses, making it hard to not get sucked in.
After all - who doesn't want to rock?
Wednesday 13 - "Good Day To Be A Bad Guy"
"It's a real good day, and I can't wait / I've got really bad thoughts inside of me"
Despite what some say, I've got a soft spot for the Tommy Lee Wallace directed 'Halloween 3: Season of the Witch', which is partially what makes this track so fun.
Whilst the homages to the 1982 film are specific to the video, the song itself still has plenty to offer, with hard hitting riffage and a good old, simple chorus, perfect for shouting after a few drinks.
My Chemical Romance - "Honey, This Mirror Isn't Big Enough for the Two of Us"
"Well, I'll choose the life I've taken / Never mind the friends I'm making / And the beauty that I'm faking / Let me live my life like this"
Another track that has earnt its place here more for its video, but when it pays homage to a film such as 'Audition', it's easy to see why I've included it.
It's not as theatrical as their later releases, but there is still a lot of fun to be had here, swapping the grandiose theatrics with ferocious energy.
What's your go to Halloween track? Leave a comment!
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