Track or Treat: A Spooky Track Roundup

     Well, one of the best months is over. Changing colours, a seasonal change in the air taking place, and Justine and I find ourselves back home in Canada. I'll be honest, the cooler weather is a welcome treat after the uncharacteristically hot London summer. We are happy to be home, and right in time for the best holidays. Which leads me into a special monthly Track Roundup.

     This month, I will be focusing on a number of tracks which have been around for a while, some for decades. All to honour the spirit of Halloween, these tracks have been selected due to their close association with some Horror movies, lyrical nature, or general Halloween nature they give off. You may recognize some if you are a fan of Horror movies, there should be something here for everyone who can appreciate the uniqueness of October.

Exhumed - Defenders Of The Grave

(Death Revenge - 2017)

     Kicking off this special Track Roundup is Exhumed, the likely longest running "Gore Metal" band. Though the moniker is a tad juvenile and immature, it fits their subject matter. Taking notes from British greats Carcass, Exhumed lyrics reflect botched surgical procedures, bodily function gone wrong, and throughout this concept album about grave robbers in 1820's Scotland,  murder and Edinburgh's criminal underworld.

     "Defenders Of The Grave" is a pretty typical Death Metal track, but the highlight for me are the two vocalists. They both have different timbres to their voices which make the trading off lines within verses all the more exhilarating. The lyrics themselves are very entertaining, albeit schlocky:

"Stone walls do not a prison make, nor six feet of sod a grave

Pray the lord your soul to take, you'll need defenders of the grave"

Ghost - Cirice

(Meliora - 2015)

     I feel that a Halloween list would be incomplete without Ghost, the Swedish rock band practically own the topics Zombies, Ghosts, Mummies, and just general spooky themes. Every one of their albums has had an album cover which reflects a great classic Horror or Sci-Fi movie. Meliora's cover has bits of Metropolis in it. Despite their imagery, they are usually a very sunny-sounding Abba worship band at times, as hard as that may be to believe.

     "Cirice" is so great because of the video, linked above. The video perfectly adapts the nature of the song, from the opening ominous acoustic guitar, to the stomping main riff. It's a simple fun video which takes inspiration from Stephen King, Suspiria, and other classic Horror properties.

Type O Negative - Black No. 1

(Bloody Kisses - 1993)

    THE Gothic Rock band, everyone else is an imitator. Type O Negative are one of my favourite bands of all time, and I am glad to finally have an opportunity to talk about them. Dark and mysterious, self-deprecating and crude, what else could you want. I don't think there is any Type O Negative song that is not in some way tongue-in-cheek, besides a clear few.

    For example, "Black No. 1" is a toast to all their fans of a specific demographic, which is Goth girls who dye their hair every 2 weeks using Black No. 1 hair dye, the the song is not without making fun of Goths for liking gloomy weather. In addition to the supreme heaviness of the bass and guitar in this song, the lyrics are truly the main attraction:

"She's got a date at midnight
With Nosferatu
Oh baby, Lily Munster
Ain't got nothing on you

Yeah, you wanna go out cause it's raining and blowing

Well you can't go out cause your roots are showing

Dye 'em black

Ooh, dye 'em black"

Akercocke - Eyes Of The Dawn

(Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone - 2005)

     Another band I have praised on this blog, I can't help myself. Akercocke are masters at creating a spooky and mysterious atmosphere, so I would be amiss not to include their "Werewolf" song in this list. One day, years down the road I wouldn't be surprised if the entirety of Words/Deeds ends up being spoken about at some length.

     "Eyes Of The Dawn" is probably one of Akercocke's most heavily Death Metal influenced songs. Because of their propensity to shift between Death and Black Metal and fuse the two together, none of their songs ever sound the same and that can be said for this one. Ushering in the pummel of the song is a creepy synth intro which provides the image of an emerging full moon. Even after the song, the following "Abbadonna, Dying in the Sun" returns to that ominous synth, accompanied by Middle Eastern influenced woodwinds and snarling dogs.

Opeth - Demon Of The Fall

(My Arms, Your Hearse - 1998)

     This track comes from an era of Opeth I rarely talk about. I have stated before every Opeth album is nearly perfect for me, but that being said if I had to rank each album best to... least favourite, My Arms, Your Hearse would be among my least favourites. I revisit it every now and then, but not often. Though, for the themes we're going for this month it fits very well. One of Opeth's favourite lyrical themes has always been tragedy and ghosts. This whole album reflects that lyrically. 

     By far the darkest and heaviest song on the album, "Demon Of The Fall" has been a staple in Opeth's live setlist for years. Even set during Autumn, the songs lyrics fit this season well. 

"Silent dance with death

Everything is lost

Torn by the arrival of Autumn

The blink of an eye, you know it's me

You keep the dagger close at hand"

Goblin Rebirth - Requiem For X

(Goblin Rebirth - 2015)

     The sound in which Goblin operates works strictly for this time of year. Originally working as a band who would exclusively make music for Italian horror movies in the 70's, they regrouped in 2015 as Goblin Rebirth. They have always been a Progressive Rock band, and this is in part why they are so unique and recognized. Progressive Rock as part of a Horror movie's score is not exactly a norm. With this album they brought back their sound with a high-fidelity sheen to it, though it still keeps its mystery through Danilo Cherni's masterful and creepy synth-work.

     "Requiem For X" was my first exposure to Goblin Rebirth, and it's preceding Goblin. It does sound different than some of their other work, definitely being more Rock oriented but it captures their former nature, and former glory.

Fields Of The Nephilim - Moonchild

(The Nephilim - 1988)

     Another very typical Gothic Rock band, but one of the greats. Taking a much different, serious approach than Type O Negative, Fields Of The Nephilim still belong on this list. Their image mixes western films, complete with dusters and cowboy hats, but their is sufficiently dark and brooding. Carl McCoy's husky growl works wonders to help them fit into this list as well.

     "Moonchild" is a rather loose inclusion for this list however, it doesn't really boast sppoky lyrics or themes, I just love the song and it's sound is more than enough to put it here.

Windhand - Orchard

(Soma - 2013)

     Windhand's thematic inclusion on this list owes itself to one thing, Dorthia Cottrell's voice. It has been lauded again and again by other music publications, but her resonance and power is undeniable. Making Doom Metal music like Windhand do, her voice is the perfect accompaniment to the trudging and plodding melodies. Her voice is almost akin to a less theatric and campy Messiah Marcolin, of Candlemass.