I think many of the creators of black metal/death metal would like to think they're being pretty scary. They're not. They're just geeks with long hair and black t-shirts that growl into microphones. Fast drumming and guitar riffs (no matter how "heavy") are not scary; guitar solos are definitely not going to send someone into a state of terror. Marylin Manson would like to think he's frightening. He looks like a drag queen. Alice Cooper and Ozzy Osbourne have basically given up and are now just funny old men.
No, the music that has the greatest potential to scare, is as far away from music as it can possibly be. Usually it's referred to as "industrial" or "musique concrète" (there is a difference between the two but I can't be bothered finding or writing about it), and it doesn't sound like anything created by a regular band.
Here are some songs that may just freak you out if you listen to them alone, in the dark (they probably won't have the same effect, during the day):
Frankie Teardrop - Suicide
The first time I heard this, I knew it was meant to be pretty creepy and I had my cynic hat on. It sounded almost funny at first; the singer's voice is strange and his delivery of the corny lyrics is pretty amusing. But the song draws you in and the relentless background noise, along with the sudden shrieking, make for an intense 10 minutes.
Revolution 9 - The Beatles
I'm not sure if this song is intended to freak people out... I think it's just an experiment. It appears on the White Album and I would often skip it because it was too long and not tuneful enough (or rather, not tuneful at all). Once though, I was listening to the White Album when I was in bed and I dosed off, then woke up when Revolution 9 was playing. There is definitely something creepy about hearing that "number 9... number 9... number 9... number 9..." when you're lying by yourself in complete darkness.
Hamburger Lady - Throbbing Gristle
I don't even know what this song is about, and I don't want to know. The sound of it is chilling enough.
Come to Daddy - Aphex Twin
I can remember seeing the film clip to this, late one night on Rage. It scared the crap out of me. While it's not a terrifying song, it was creepy enough to have an effect on me at the time.
What are some songs you find a bit freaky?
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When I was a kid, my mum had two records that weren't classical or Indian. One was Sgt. Pepper, the other was Dark Side of the Moon.
One night while I was home alone (cause I wasn't allowed to play with the record player), I put on Dark Side of the Moon. It starts off with the heart beats and creepy noises, then the screaming, the screaming.
I ran up, switched the power off, and didn't listen to it again for 2years.
There was a novelty song in the 90s called "The Dead Eyes Opened" I think, that was pretty scary too.
Yeah, Dark Side of the Moon is pretty scary, in a way. Especially if you're young.
Speaking of Sgt Pepper's, I find the "secret track" after 'A Day in the Life' to be pretty unnerving. I usually try to turn it off before that bit comes on and takes me by surprise!
I will eat your soul..... scary stuff!
My mate Clive (who says the Drones are the real deal) lent me Frankie Teardrop and insisted that I listened to it while driving, late at night.
NIN have rarely been as scary as they are on The Downward Spiral.
Other scary songs? I'll have a think about it... late at night... all alone... in the barn...
Thanks for that picture, Der. I'm going to have nightmares tonight and it's all down to you. Good work.
Oh, but I have to say, I think Alice Cooper is AWESOME. He owns a baseball-themed restaurant in Phoenix, Arizona, called "Alice Cooperstown."
Sorry Laura. But if, for whatever reason (can't think why), you feel the desire to have a really traumatic nightmare - listen to these songs before bed.
I think you need an education on what actually constitutes black metal. Although those guys do have long hair, they're shit is scary, and a lot of has not a trace of what you're talking about.
None of Marilyn Manson, Alice Cooper or Ozzy Osbourne could even remotely be called black metal.
If you really want to hear it, check out something like Shining, but I don't advise it.
For me, the imagery of Tool freaks me out.
I knew some metalhead would pull me up on that. ;)
I wasn't suggesting that Ozzy, Marilyn or Alice are black metal; I would call their music hard rock.
I was kind of just generalising, but you're right, I don't know much about black metal.
You've named two of my scariest right there: 'Come to daddy' and 'Revolution 9'. Mr Aphex Twin is just a freaky dude. It was years before I could listen to 'Revolution 9' all the way through. As a kid I used to dare myself to see how far I could make it through. The backwards thing in the run-out groove of Sgt Pepper is also pretty scary. For as long as I can remember, I've had dreams in which John Lennon is a scary, elusive figure.
'Space oddity' used to scare me a lot when I was little. The whole thing seemed very real to me. Poor Major Tom floating round his tin can far above the moon.
I remember being really scared one day, turning the radio on to hear a Laurie Anderson song (pretty sure it was 'O Superman') and not knowing what on earth was going on.
I think Metallica's 'Enter Sandman' is really scary, but fun scary. I used to turn off all the lights and listen to it in the dark real loud to freak myself out.
Oh, also there's a song (by Tool?) which has a very disturbing film clip of a little (plasticine or metallic) man trapped doing stuff in a futile, ominous way.
I think that's all of Tool's film clips.
1. Half of the songs on "Murder Ballads".
2. "Slide" by the Dresden Dolls.
'Slide' is a very creepy song indeed!
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