Top 5 Halloween Albums
By: Timothy Coffman, Columnist
Featured image courtesy of Dailymotion
As October is wrapping up, we are slowly moving closer to the darkest and most twisted day of the year. Since All Hallows Eve is almost upon us, many people will be blasting music to get into the spooky mood. Here are a few examples of some of the most chilling, spine-tingling albums that are perfect for your Halloween night.
- Michael Jackson “Scream” – Nope, it’s not “Thriller.” This compilation from last year takes all the King of Pop’s spookiest hits and packs them into one record. The track listing spans Jackson’s career from his work with his brothers to his glory years with songs like “Thriller,” “Dirty Diana” and “Dangerous.” This album is truly one of the best Halloween playlists in pop history.
- “Nightmare Revisited” – This album takes the “Nightmare Before Christmas” soundtrack and flips it on its head by bringing rock band instrumentation into the mix. While Danny Elfman’s classic theme is still a highlight, new rock versions of songs like “What’s This” by Flyleaf and “Jack’s Lament” by the All-American Rejects give the listener a welcome change of pace. This album may be a hit-and-miss for some who prefer the original soundtrack, but it is certainly something to shake up your traditional Halloween playlist.
- Alice Cooper “Welcome to My Nightmare” – This is the original shock rocker and probably his finest album. This record is the epitome of over-the-top horror rock and is orchestrated perfectly by Bob Ezrin. This album even has a cameo from horror extraordinaire Vincent Price, helping it serve as a classic album that helped bring horror and macabre into stadiums around the world.
- Black Sabbath “Black Sabbath” – Since it is Halloween, it is only fair to throw some metal into the mix. Black Sabbath’s debut takes all the twisted vibes from 1960s horror movies and made a demented record as a result. I challenge anyone to listen to the title track and not get a chill. To top it all off, the menacing vocals of Ozzy Osbourne put the listener into a trance that is bone-chilling, but captivating at the same time.
- My Chemical Romance “The Black Parade” – My last pick throws it back to the emo days of the early 2000s, with what is perhaps the darkest album on this list. This concept album details the life of a dying cancer patient and his journey into the afterlife. From the one-two punch of “The End.” and “Dead!” to kick things off, this record is an absolute blast to listen to. The standout Halloween tracks are “Mama,” featuring Liza Minnelli, as well as the roller coaster of emotion that is “Sleep.” This album is hands-down one of the greatest albums of the 2000s and enhances the Halloween season to the nth degree. Simply put, this album centers around death, but makes the listener feel so alive in the process.
