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“Scored to Death” Interviews Some of Horror’s Greatest Composers
Update: The book can now be pre-ordered on Amazon.
The resurgence of horror scores on vinyl has drawn a lot of attention to the craft itself and the importance of a good soundtrack. After all, it’s impossible to imagine Jaws without hearing that unsettling tuba just as one can’t imagine Psycho without those terrifying shredding strings during the shower sequence. And that’s why J. Blake Fichera, who was a teacher at SUNY Purchase College, has endeavored to create a book that addressed this very topic but in a new and exciting way.
Enter “Scored to Death: Conversations with Some of Horror’s Greatest Composers“, an upcoming book that interviews some of horror’s most respected and acclaimed composers. From John Carpenter to Goblin, Nathan Barr to Simon Boswell, Joseph Bishara to Christopher Young, this book features 14 interviews that go over the importance and earmarks of a quality horror score.
Some quotes:
Have you ever watched Suspiria without the volume on? Or Halloween? Or Hostel? Music elevates a film to a level it could never achieve otherwise. It conjoins with the imagery. It burns into your memory. Too often we know the films, we can hum the tunes, but cannot name the composers or tell their stories. J. Blake Fichera’s brilliant Scored to Death gets into the meat of talented musicians and pulls out their insides for you to enjoy. A must-have for any horror aficionado. – The Soska Sisters (American Mary, See No Evil 2)
Try to imagine the shower scene in Psycho without the famous staccato strings of Bernard Herrmann, and you begin to realize how important music is in making your skin crawl while watching a horror film. In J. Blake Fichera’s fascinating book, Scored to Death, he introduces you to some of the genre’s greatest composers as they explain the process of creating unforgettable nightmares of sound. – Stuart Gordon (Re-Animator)
This book is the best opportunity you will have to peek behind the curtains of those people who create the soundtrack of your life! The music they create provides the emotional road map to the narrative for the audience, and embeds those moments in your memory forever. I highly recommend this for any film or music buff! – Tom Holland (Child’s Play, Thinner, Fright Night)
“Scored to Death” has a release date of July 1st. More information can be found here.
We have an exclusive first look at A Man in the Woods With an Axe, a blood-soaked, genre-twisting homage to 1980s slasher films.
Spanning four decades, A Man in the Woods With an Axe begins in the summer of 1987 before pushing into the modern era, weaving together timelines and perspectives in a way that builds both dread and intrigue.
Drawing inspiration from genre standouts like Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, Hatchet, and The Cabin in the Woods, the film blends visceral horror with moments of dark humor, creating a uniquely balanced experience that honors tradition while carving its own identity.
Writer-director Dillon Brown (Primal Darkness) aims to deliver everything fans crave from a slasher while boldly subverting expectations with a mid-film twist that redefines the story.
“This is an unapologetic love letter to the films that made me fall in love with horror,” Brown tells Bloody Disgusting. “But I didn’t just want to recreate that feeling; I wanted to challenge it. About halfway through, the film takes a turn that completely changes how you view not only this story, but the genre itself.”
Brown describes the vintage-inspired production as “far and away the bloodiest film I’ve ever made,” with practical effects helmed by Cody Ruch (The Mill, Pig Hill), an instructor at Tom Savini’s Special Make-Up Effects Program.
From Horror Dadz Productions, A Man in the Woods With an Axe is currently in production and targeting an early 2027 release.
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