Today marks the end of an era. After 250+ editions of Twisted Music Video of the Week, I’m bringing the series to an end. If you think about it, I’ve been running this series for about five years, bringing all of you music videos that are gruesome, violent, harrowing, and connected to horror in some way, shape, or form. It was my mission to connect music and horror using the medium of music videos and I hope I succeeded. However, all good things must come to an end and I feel like this series has run its natural course.
So, rather than end the series with one music video, I thought I’d share some of my absolute favorite twisted videos, ones that have stuck with me over the years.
Thank you all for being part of this experiment and I hope you enjoyed watching these as much as I enjoyed bringing them to you.
I remember the first time I watched Jeff Ray’s video for Sigur Rós’ “Varúð”, which was created as part of their Valtari Mystery Film Experiment. I remember immediately being taken in by the beauty of the visuals and how wonderfully the story was being constructed. Then the climax came and I remember sitting on my couch, holding back tears. Never have I been so moved by a music video, which is probably all the more surprising considering the horror foundation upon which it was built.
If you haven’t seen this video, I recommend grabbing a box of tissues, just in case.
After that last video, I figured we’d need something a bit more lighthearted. That’s just what Big Data’s “Dangerous” offers as it’s a catchy tune with a toe-tapping beat and an exploding head. Yeah, I’m not joking. That’s not even bringing up the amputated leg that was severed using only the power of a couple of foreheads. Honestly, if this isn’t making sense to you, it might be worth watching the video.
Man, I can’t tell you how much I love this video. It’s got great visuals, a wonderful atmosphere, and the music is just badass! I was never a car person but this video makes me want to get in something fast and just floor it, pulling some GTA evasions and launching myself into the air only to land perfectly and hightail it away.
Sure, I’d probably be dead within two minutes but don’t ruin this dream for me, okay?!
I saw this video several times when I was young and every time it scared me to the point that I thought I was going to have nightmares. The texture and design of this video is magnificent, every frame oozing a surreal nightmare that feels dirty and impure. If ever there was a video that embodied “Twisted Music Video of the Week”, this is probably it.
I love Behemoth, so it’s probably not a surprise that one of their videos showed up on this list. The thing about this video is the beauty in its terror. Some of these images are pure blasphemy, almost a direct insult levied against God. No matter your beliefs, I think we can all agree that this video pushes boundaries that make some people feel distinctly uncomfortable.
This one might seem like it came out of nowhere and that’s kinda because it did. I’d never heard of Asian She before seeing this clip but it blew me away. I even wrote in my piece, “…the video is a throwback mixture of giallo and 70’s horror but with a slasher character that is as terrifying and as vicious as any we’ve seen up to this point.” I’m still waiting on a feature-length movie with this villain as I’d be 100% into that!
Want to piss off people? Show a bunch of kids “killing” each other while acting out their imaginative playdate of being drug dealers. No, I’m not joking. This video is a pure rollercoaster of exciting visuals, animated deaths, and outrageous elements that will make your parents’ eyes bulge. Personally, I say death to more kids.
I’m a big fan of stop-motion videos, mainly because I recognize the sheer amount of work that goes into creating something so intensive and detailed. “I Am Colossus” uses this technique to craft a terrifying story of nuns summoning a gigantic beast that is bent on destroying the world. The video is the build up and the arrival of the monstrosity, leaving our imagination to determine what path it will take next. Just think The Cabin in the Woods and you’re golden.
I have literally no shame in admitting that I absolutely love this song and this video. The first time I saw it, I was simply blown away. It’s not too often that we get videos that push boundaries like this. After all, many of the themes in this video are rather taboo (prostitution, deformities), so I guess it makes sense that Limp Bizkit are the ones to tackle them. Visually, I’m telling you that it’s worth the watch. And when it comes to the music? Fuck the haters, I say bring it on.
Mastodon are known for their wild and inventive videos, most of which have a rather comical twist to them. Drummer Brann Dailor told me in the past that the reason they do this is because the music is very serious but the videos are their way of having fun. No matter what the reasoning is, “Curl of the Burl” is a wild, psychedelic trip into the woods, one that ends in a rather heated fashion…
Once again, thank you all for supporting 250+ editions of Twisted Music Video of the Week. You can see all of them right here and I hope enjoyed these weekly videos over the past five years!