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Music That You Can Die To: Top 13 Horror Soundtracks

The horror movie soundtrack is kind of a time honored tradition. All films of course need muc but few genres rely so heavily on it more than horror. From Psycho to Halloween and beyond, it’s the sounds of horror that stimulate the senses. Then, really starting in the early 80’s, pop/rock songs were added to the mix as selling points.

I have a lot of muc, almost as much as I have movies. This is a list of my all-time favorite horror soundtracks, the cds and cassettes which sat atop my stereo for months in heavy rotation. You will not find any albums with the phrase “Muc Inspired by”, that has to be one of the most dishonest attempts at cash grabbing in recent years. If you think I’m wrong, please put on Texas Chainsaw Massacre-The Album and tell me what Fear Factory, Pantera, Hatebreed or Static X have to do with a group of kids on their way to a Skynnard concert in 1974! Sorry, tangent.

I hope you agree with some of my list and please let me know what you think should be on here.

13. Trick or Treat (1986)



This is kind of a guilty pleasure soundtrack. The entire soundtrack is done by Fastway! I first heard it at a friend’s house on vinyl. He was a serious metal head and introduced me to the likes of Maiden and Sabbath. Oddly enough, this is the only thing that stuck, funny how things work out.

12. Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)



The Cramps and Onigo Boingo were almost mandatory for a horror soundtrack in the mid 80’s. And TCM 2 is a good example of that. I loved this album and with the film set partially at a radio station, it was a good opportunity to use lots of muc and still have it fit the movie. Nice job!

11. Queen of the Damned (2002)



Sometimes a movie sucks so much ass but can still be well represented mucally.

Case in point is 2002’s Queen of the Damned. The film suffered from bad casting and horrible scripting with the studio mashing both The Vampire Lestat and Queen of the Damned into one 100 plus minute mess. On the other hand, great care was taken with the muc nce it is a main focal point of the second novel. Bands providing the sound include Marilyn Manson, Wayne Static of Static X, Jay Gordon of Orgy and alternate verons by songwriter and Korn front man Jonathan Davis.

10. Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1994)



This film gets no love. Granted, the ending is a bit of a head scratcher but it does have more going for it than part III and one of those things is the soundtrack. Not only the score, but the rock songs as well have a hazy dry quality to them that fits well with the Texas visuals. Muc by Roky Erickson, Deborah Harry and an awesomely haunting track from The Coffee Sergeants, you could do worse!

9. The Devil’s Rejects (2005)



This, much like the film, is an ode to the 70’s and early 80’s, the days of Two Lane Black Top, Aloha Bobby and Rose and countless other Road/ Crime flicks.

The soundtrack reflects that with The Allman Brothers , Terry Reid, Joe Walsh and Three Dog Night. It’s perfect for good old fashion hanging out, drinking with friends till the wee hours of the night.

8. Hardware (1990)



An odd cyberpunk horror film, Hardware has an odd soundtrack to match, but it’s equally hard to beat. If industrial grind is what you’re in the mood for, then this is it. Great noise for a raining muggy trip through the city sprinkled with kick ass muc from Motorhead, Ministry, Iggy Pop, and Public Image Limited.

7. I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)



I get a lot of shit for this but goddamn it, I like it! Jennifer Love Hewitt is gorgeous, Sarah Michelle Gellar is as annoying and bitchy bird woman that she always is, Freddy Prinze Jr. is bland as always and Ryan Philippe brings his best spoiled rich boy shtick to the party! Type O’Negative mply rocks their rendition of Summer Breeze and Offspring brings the only song from their catalogue that doesn’t make me ck. Also featuring L7, Soul Asylum, and Toad the Wet Sprocket!

6. Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000)



Unjustly hated for no good reason, Joe Berlinger’s film remains one of the most misunderstood and under-appreciated films of the 90’s. Just for the record, I stand by that statement whole-hardheartedly!

Unfortunately the soundtrack rides the same wave. Pick it up and you won’t be sorry. Marilyn Manson, POD, Knicleback, Rob Zombie, Queens of the Stone Age and more. Who are you kidding? The soundtrack is great!

5. The Lost Boys (1986)



Who are you lying to? You know you had this soundtrack. EVERYBODY had this soundtrack and rode around on dirt bikes with trench coats on. Yes we were nerds, but we thought we looked cool blasting Lou Graham, INXS, Roger Daltry, and The Doors. The fun doesn’t have to end, pop that CD back in!

4. Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992)



Is the movie good? Could have been a lot better but could have been a lot worse. This soundtrack starts hard and ends hard but manages to sprinkle a little lite rock in between. Motorhead, Bowie’s Tin Machine, Material Issue, Soup Dragons and Ten Inch Men. Sure it’s a better soundtrack than a movie, but a least it’s a better soundtrack than a movie. Nuff said!

3. House Of 1000 Corpses (2003)



Like everything with this movie, the soundtrack found its way into our hearts. Pre 1977 jams from The Ramones, Buck Owens (oddly, the best and catchiest song on the album), plus all new Zombie tracks including the awesome “Pussy Liquor” and the criminally ignored “Little Piggy”.

2. The Crow (1994)



Just brilliant! Every song on the album kicks ass. And even though not everyone loves everything, nothing here screams to be passed over! A lot of the best songs here are original and unavailable anywhere else which makes this album a must have for your collection. One of the Cure’s best songs “Burn” (which harkens back to the “Dintegration” era) sets the pace. Nine Inch Nails covers Joy Divion, Rollins Band, Stone Temple Pilots, My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, Medicine, Helmut, Jesus and Mary Chain. Hell, this album transcends. If you don’t own it, you should.

1. Return of the Living Dead (1985)



Posbly the greatest horror soundtrack EVER! OK, I know I’m getting a little crazy but I LOVE this album. Hell, I love it on cassette, three different Vinyl presngs, CD, and even extended bootleg edition. I have more copies of this soundtrack than Anchor Bay Evil Dead DVDs (You know what I’m talking about ;p). For a horror film from 1985, one of the things that is most amazing is that it’s still in print. Again, many of the songs on this album are unique to it, which keeps the album relevant! The Cramps, T.S.O.L., The Damned. The only thing that would make this album better is a song from the Misfits (and it doesn’t even need it!) OK I’m done. I’m gonna go throw it on right now!

Other Reading:

Send More Zombies: Return of the Living Dead (1985) http://ow.ly/d2Qjt

The Lost Art of Art http://ow.ly/d2QdD

Man... anything by David Lynch.. Nobody better understands the importance of sound for creating fear than Lynchy.

I agree there. I was only focung on soundtracks with songs that I listen to from beginning to end. He would definitely make the cut when I do scores. Lost Highway almost made the cut.

Good call man.

I'm going to have to check these out.

The first Scream soundtrack got me into Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.

I love soundtracks, like the Crow soundtrack, that have unavailable songs.

Didn't the City of Angels have a pretty decent soundtrack also?

I agree there. I was only focung on soundtracks with songs that I listen to from beginning to end. He would definitely make the cut when I do scores. Lost Highway almost made the cut. Word.. What about Eraserhead and Twin Peaks? (TV series and FWWM)

Eraserhead has that constant sound of industry and machinery, and this creepy yet beautiful little tune..http://youtu.be/Qrl3n2ZtK2E

Twin Peaks has a great soundtrack, in general. Lynch uses a technique where he can turn everyday sounds into the most dreadful things.. (ceiling fans, record players, etc.) In an already hectic moment, the bass and score kick in, and all you hear over it is the whooshing of a ceiling fan. Brilliant.

Fun fact: Lynch recorded most of the score to Eraserhead in his bathtub!

Good call man.

I'm going to have to check these out.

The first Scream soundtrack got me into Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.

I love soundtracks, like the Crow soundtrack, that have unavailable songs.

Didn't the City of Angels have a pretty decent soundtrack also? Nick Cave makes some creepy fucking tunes!

"A little bird looked down on Henry Lee!"

Didn't the City of Angels have a pretty decent soundtrack also?

Yes both The Crow City of Angels and The Crow

Salvation were awesome soundtracks as well.

I agree there. I was only focung on soundtracks with songs that I listen to from beginning to end. He would definitely make the cut when I do scores. Lost Highway almost made the cut. Word.. What about Eraserhead and Twin Peaks? (TV series and FWWM)

I never listened to Eraserhead but Twin Peaks was in regular rotation on my disc changer.

What about Nightmare on Elm Street part 3 and 4 I mean there is no metal band and song that can ever touch Dokken Dream Warriors bede it was the very first muc video ever featured on a VHS release of the movie .

Or How about Tuesday Knights Running from a Nightmare from part 4 you can't get better ballad for song ever

OH, yes, Henry Lee.

Murder Ballads is so great!

I liked the soundtrack for Rob Zombie's Halloween, it had great songs in the tradition of House of 1000 corpses and Devil's Rejects, but also had a great and menacing Halloween Theme by Tyler Bates. David Lynch/ Angelo Badalamenti have to be there, Twin Peaks, Fire Walk With Me, sounded very refreshing. Bride of Chucky....That's when i became a metalhead...that and Alice Cooper's titlesong for Jason Lives: Friday the 13th part 6.