Heavy metal and horror go hand in hand. Come the genre’s commercial explosion in the 80s, every self respecting horror picture wanted a slice of the metal pie. Add to this the advent of the slasher film and voila. It made much more sense to set cinematic gorefests to loud, thunderous metal than the ominous, ambient soundscapes of the 70s (with all due respect to John Carpenter and Goblin). To celebrate this upcoming Halloween, here’s our top 10 horror movie metal songs. “Welcome to primetime, bitch!”
10. Alice Cooper – “He’s Back (The Man Behind the Mask)” from Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)
It wouldn’t be a horror themed list without the Coop! Good Ol’ Black Eyes contributed three songs to the Jason Lives soundtrack, “Hard Rock Summer”, “Teenage Frankenstein”, and our #10, “He’s Back (The Man Behind the Mask)”. This new wave tinged synth rocker not only signaled the resurrection of the hockey mask clad Jason Voorhees, but the Coop himself. He had gone MIA from the public eye after battling a near fatal drug addiction and finding God. But even the Lord has mercy on leather clad maniacs who get the guillotine on a nightly basis. 34 years since his comeback, the Coop is still rocking and shocking. The same can’t be said for the Friday the 13th franchise which hasn’t put out a movie since an ill fated 2009 reboot.
9. Black Roses – “Soldiers of the Night” from Black Roses (1988)
Who on earth is Black Roses, you may ask? Back in the late 80s, this hellish band of demons was the terror of Mill Basin, possessing the town’s children into heavy metal “Soldiers of the Night”. In reality, they were essentially King Kobra under a different name. Singer Mark Free, guitarist Mick Sweda, and drummer Carmine Appice were joined by Quiet Riot bassist Chuck Wright and neoclassical virtuoso Alex Masi to record four songs for this fictional band. Other bands on the soundtrack include (surprise) King Kobra, Lizzy Borden, and Hallow’s Eve. But its cuts like this simple 80s metal anthem that turned Black Roses into a cult classic.
8. Sorcery – “I’m Back” from Rocktober Blood (1984)
Could you imagine if the premise to Rocktober Blood was real life? If it was, Bon Scott would’ve returned from the dead to kill his ex-mates before they could release the same album for 40 years, but I digress. This metal themed slasher flick features music from the enigmatic Sorcery. This Los Angeles based heavy metal/hard rock band seemed to appear out of thin air in 1978 with the release of their debut album and movie, Stunt Rock. Yes, you read that correctly. These guys had their own movie. As the years went on, Sorcery became all but forgotten…except by the producers of Rocktober Blood who asked them to provide the soundtrack. The chorus of “I’m Back” goes, “When you least expect it, I will attack. There’ll be hell to pay, I’m back.” They weren’t for long. Sorcery broke up a few years later, but “I’m Back” has since been covered by Acid Witch. How hellacious!
7. Bonfire – “Sword and Stone” from Shocker (1989)
While the Shocker soundtrack is best known for Megadeth’s, uh, honorable cover of Alice Cooper’s “No More Mr. Nice Guy”, it’s Bonfire’s take on the best KISS song that never was which cracks the #7 spot. Allow me to elaborate. This Paul Stanley/Bruce Kulick/Desmond Child penned composition was supposed to appear on Crazy Nights (1987). There’s even a demo circulating on YouTube if you care to check it out. Yet it ended up on the cutting room floor. I guess some “genius” thought it’d be a better idea to leave “My Way” and “Bang Bang You” instead. A couple years later, “Sword and Stone” ended up on the laps of the successors to Scorpions’ melodic metal throne, Bonfire. It should’ve been the hit single that broke Bonfire in America, making them a household name. That was not to be. A poorly timed cover of the song from Loverboy guitarist Paul Dean only made matters worse. Come on Paul! You have platinum albums to your name! Why not give the new guys a chance? I guess it really is a dog eat dog world.
6. Virgin Steele – “We Rule the Night” from Zombie Nightmare (1986)
“Alright, so here’s the plot. Thor gets killed by a gang of teenage thugs, only to be resurrected through the power of voodoo. He then goes on a killing spree, avenging his death by murdering his killers one by one. News of the killings spread and the police are hot on the trail. Oh yeah, and the police captain is played by Adam West.” Does this sound like a conversation you had with a buddy while stoned at 2 in the morning? Well it also happens to be the premise of an actual movie, Zombie Nightmare. The movie itself is…uhhhhh…niche? But the soundtrack is totally bitchin’! Where else could you hear the film’s leading man, Girlschool, and Virgin Steele in one movie? I rest my case.
5. White Sister – “April (You’re No Fool)” from Killer Party (1986)
White Sister’s metallic brand of west coast AOR may not have caught the ears of the masses, but it did catch the ears of a horror movie producer or two. I could’ve picked “Save Me Tonight” which appeared in Fright Night (1985), or “Dancin’ on Midnight” which appeared in Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989). And while both tracks rock, neither come close to Killer Party‘s “April (You’re No Fool)”. Does the fact that White Sister themselves appear in the movie add an edge? Perhaps. However, one listen to this song and you’ll understand why White Sister should’ve been massive.
4. Motörhead – “Hellraiser” from Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992)
The sole 90s entry on this list is nothing to laugh at. “Hellraiser” was written by Lemmy for Ozzy. It was then covered by Lemmy and company for the Hellraiser III soundtrack. If I had to choose between the two versions, it’s no contest. Motörhead wins by a landslide. Let’s face it: Lemmy sounds like a much more convincing “Hellraiser” than Ozzy. Plus, could you imagine the Ozzman challenging Pinhead to a game of poker? Neither could I. “And don’t forget the joker!”
3. Fastway – “Trick or Treat” from Trick or Treat (1986)
That’s right! It’s Sammi Curr time! Similar to Rocktober Blood, Trick or Treat is centered around a dead rockstar (Curr) who seeks revenge. Unfortunately, Curr is about as real as Black Roses. It was up to Fastway, the post-Motörhead outfit of Fast Eddie Clarke, to bring the music of Curr to life. How did they do? Well, the Trick or Treat soundtrack has been in regular rotation at heavy metal keggers ever since. Considering you can find it at your local second hand record store for no more than $5, it’s as economical as it is hard rocking. When the needle drops on the album’s sing along title track, the party has begun.
2. Vinnie Vincent Invasion – “Love Kills” from A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)
Vinnie Vincent Invasion had it all. They had the looks, the musical chops, and the chance of a lifetime: A prime spot on the Nightmare on Elm Street 4 soundtrack with our #2 entry, “Love Kills”. For any other band, this would’ve been the beginning of a bright new future: a future filled with platinum albums, jam packed arenas, and more money than Vincent’s ex-bandmate, Gene Simmons, could count. For VVI, it was the beginning of the end. I’m not going to point fingers at anyone specifically, but…yeah, I am. The only person to blame for VVI’s sudden demise is the man whose name graces the covers of the self titled album and All Systems Go (1988). Hint: It’s not Mark Slaughter.
- Dokken – “Dream Warriors ” from A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)
You knew as well as anyone else that this was going to be #1. Not only is “Dream Warriors” the greatest horror movie metal song of all time, but its accompanying video contains one of the greatest plot twists in cinematic history. We all know Freddy Krueger haunts the dreams of Elm Street’s children. But did you ever wonder who haunts his dreams? It’s none other than the band who sang “In My Dreams”, Dokken! In all fairness, you’d probably freak out if a coked out George Lynch burst through your wall Kool-Aid Man style too.
We’d like to wish everyone a happy, healthy, and heavy Halloween. While 2020 may seem like a cruel, endless trick, we hope this top 10 playlist is a treat to sweeten up the season.