For a long time now, horror and licensed soundtracks have been a killer combination (no pun intended). From Lost Boys and “Cry Little Sister” to the gold certified Scream 3 to the metal and industrial-laden soundtracks of the Saw franchise, some of the best licensed soundtracks have come from the blackened depths of horror. That’s what got me thinking, “If I had to compare a subgenre to a band, who would I choose?”
So I came up with a list of 10 bands that I feel near perfectly represent 10 different horror subgenres and I wanted to share it with you! Head on below, check it out, and weigh in with your opinions in the comment section!
Ex: Resident Evil, Aliens
If you want explosions, action, weird sexy stuff, and full on monster goodness, what better band is there to represent the action horror genre than German industrial metal behemoths Rammstein? These guys are action horror personified! Huge bombastic songs, explosive (literally) live performances, and some seriously twisted themes throughout their catalog. Yeah, I’m pretty sure I nailed this one right on the head!
Check out “Mein Teil“
Ex: Basket Case, Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn
For B horror flicks, I figured you’d need something aggressive yet playful, something that’s heavy but also a damn good time. I mean, that’s what B horror is, right? It’s vicious, violent, and something you can’t help but love every cheesy second! That’s why I went with Swedish metal band Avatar, who mix metal with an almost carnival-esque charm to create something that’s fun as hell!
Check out “Hail The Apocalypse“
Ex: Se7en, Silence Of The Lambs, Session 9
For psychological, I needed a band that was cerebral, one that made me think while drawing me in seductively before turning into something eerie, something sinister, something brooding in a dark corner, waiting for me to let my guard down for just one second. This is why I chose Tool. What other band fulfills that kind of description?
Check out “Sober“
Ex: The Exorcist, The Omen, The Wicker Man
This one should be pretty obvious. However, it’s not only the band’s lyrical content that makes them so good to portray the worship of evil deities, it’s also their atmosphere and tone. They completely embody the tone and style of many of these films and are a spot on representation of the genre and its many offerings.
Check out “Year Zero“
Ex: Alien, Event Horizon, The Thing
Alien, dissonant, foreign, disorienting… These were the words that came to mind when thinking of sci-fi horror. Theses were also the words that have always come to mind when I think of Aphex Twin. A marriage made in heaven…well, more like the universe for this example, but you know what I mean.
Check out “Windowlicker“