J Mays

Type O Negative – “Black No.1”.

I have a couple stories related to this song, but the lyrics themselves; “It’s all hallows’ eve, the moon is full. Will she trick or treat? I bet she will,” always make me think of Halloween. My first story relates to when I was learning the guitar and brought this song to my teacher, not proficient enough to know the difference between bass and guitar. I brought the extended version to my guitar teacher to learn, and the part where Peter croons “Loving you… is like loving the dead… is like fucking the dead,” made my deeply religious guitar instructor simply say; “Oh, ewww.” The second story pertains to my college life where we had finished setting up the stage for a country performer, had a live mic setup, and a friend of mine started playing the song, so I decided to do my best Pete Steele impression into the mic, which I must admit at the time, was pretty damn solid. As always, RIP Green Man.

Moonspell – “Vampiria”.

“You’re a beast, evil one…” If those lyrics don’t evoke a certain spooky, fall feeling, I don’t know what will. The song title, the lyrics, including references to bats and Transylvania should do it, if that doesn’t. Sure, several Moonspell tracks could fall into this category, especially the most gothic ones of their catalog, but because this is the first track I ever heard from this band with whom I fell in love, this one gets the nod. Its gloomy, gothic atmosphere is the perfect addition to any Halloween playlist.

Mars Budziszewski

Fastway – “Trick or Treat”.

Fastway’s “Trick or Treat” is the infectious heavy metal ear worm featured in the 1986 cult classic film Trick or Treat.  One I should add that guest stars both Gene Simmons and Ozzy Osborne.   It holds a special place for me.  Having seen the movie just once at a neighbors house at 7 year old both the film and song stick with me until some 25 years later when attending a 24 hour horror film fest the puzzle was completed when this turned out to be one of the films.  I was finally reunited with the creative film and it’s accompanying pseudo-single.  This one isn’t scary in the least bit, but would be a banger deep cut at any tastemakers Halloween party worth dressing up for.

Beherit “Black Arts”.

I also want to recommend one more self-seriously “spooky”.  A vibe admirably fulfilled by Beherit’s “Black Arts”.  Beherit’s Drawing Down The Moon already sounds like it the album was recorded straight to and over an abused VHS tape copy of Black Sunday. Beginning with the ominous sound of a waning fire in the final stages of a sorcerers burning on a pike, “Black Arts” never quite gets going, instead loping along like the confused and reckoning spirit of the sorcerer floating.  Gazing upon his murderers with spectral layered vocals groaning intent to exact revenge from beyond.

Nick K

Rigor Mortis  – “Re-Animator”.

Texas thrash legends Rigor Mortis will always have a special place in my heart with the insane guitar playing of the late Mike Scaccia and the bellowing lyrical performances of the late Bruce Corbitt.  Their 1988 Capitol Records Self-titled album is loaded with songs that I would consider Halloween songs either for the references to horror films or songs that speak to torture, violence, or gloom.  “Re-animator” is not only one of my favorite movies but one of my favorite Rigor Mortis songs.    Nothing overly complicated about the song.  It kicks off with a sample from the film and then enter the buzzsaw guitar work and some of the catchiest vocal patterns for the time.  If you are a thrash fan and have never heard this record, give yourself an ear treat and check it out.  It truly is a gem.

Kristophor  Allred

Ghoul “Ghoul Hunter”.

Aaahh, Halloween. That one time of the year where the mainstream masses out there seem to get on board with everything that is pretty much second nature to a good ol’ fashioned metalhead. It’s a glorious time for many of us; a time to celebrate our dark humored sarcastic loving sensibilities, to revel in the off-kilter and macabre musings of horror in the world, hell, to even just be cheesy while we poke fun at death and tragedy, giving us a sense of victorious relief over this ever suffocating presence we call life. Also, and maybe most importantly,  it’s a time to enjoy some fucking candy. Seriously, no one is getting out of here alive in the long run, so don’t worry about that battle vest getting a bit more snug in a few places, enjoy the full size bar and be happy.

That’s the key to life isn’t it? Happiness and whatnot…and what makes a metalhead the happiest of all? That’s right friends, Heavy. Fucking. Metal. So lets get to the task at hand and talk about that perfect metal track that just gets you all in that Halloween-y spirit of “black candles slowly burning, white fangs and flashing eyes”.

No doubt that there is more than a treasure trove of material that could fit the bill when it comes to Halloween and metal. I mean damn near the entire discographies of bands like Type O Negative, Cradle of Filth, King Diamond and Danzig/Samhain/The Misfits could be bonafide seasonal reps., as well as other acts such as Deceased, Vaultwraith, Mortician, Crypticus, or really any artist found on Hell’s Headbangers or the once stellar, Razorback Records…and I didn’t even mention the mighty Black Sabbath, or the death-doom dealers the likes of Paradise Lost, Draconian, or even Katatonia; or the black metal corpsepaint sporting mammoths such as Immortal, Dimmu Borgir, Ancient, Behemoth, and Old Mans Child. And hey, what about Iced Earth and their Horror Show album? That thing was a fucking ripper with some absolutely wonderful source material resulting in brilliances like “Wolf”, “Damien”, “Jack” “Dragon’s Child” and “The Phantom Opera Ghost”, tackling the project with great success in my eyes.

Though all of these artists, and more, have something that brings Halloween to my mind, there is one track that just does it for me perfectly and that is “Ghoul Hunter” from none other than the legendary Ghoul of Creepsylvania and their sophomore album, Maniaxe. The song mixes a dark and sometimes humorous story narrative into the thrasing, bloodied burlap sack wearing entourage of death that members Digestor, Dissector, Creamator, and Fementor do so well. The band rips and shreds with a gnarly Gwar-ish audacity of pigs feeding at a body farm, culminating into a fantastically enjoyable mish (monster) mash of blood, bone, gore, and guts with a heaping helping of campy, comic book-y cheese. It all comes off like an aural version of Creepshow and it’s the tits, if I do say so myself. Nothing downright amazing or utterly mindblowing, but a headbanging good time nonetheless, sure to get anyone pumped for a night of mischief and mayhem.