The Mosh Pit 10.26.07: The Darkest Music For Halloween

Posted by Dan Haggerty on 10.26.2007

This week the Mosh Pit goes seasonal and looks at the darkest metal for the darkest day of the year! Also, some great new music makes the list and Nightwish is in the house tonight!





Alright, the last couple of weeks I have gone into some fairly involved subjects, from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to straight into the belly of the beast in how the industry is failing to invest in its future. This week I thought it would be good to kick back and actually talk about the real reason we are here: Music.

Speaking of the beast, this is also the weekend before Halloween. So what better subject than combining my love of metal and the season? The two are made for each other, for what genre of music is more associated with darkness, horror, and paganism (or out right Satanism). Black Sabbath invented metal after all, and you can't get much closer than that!

It's the day for ghost and goblins and serial killers, and metal has more than enough material to fit the bill. But quite frankly, that is too easy onto itself. I'm sure everyone can go rip some CD's of their favorite tunes, so I'm not going there. Besides, I have a deep love of playing an entire album as a whole. Why? An album is an experience into itself, as the original artist intended it. 99% of the time an album is a journey to be taken as a whole. Do I rip my own CD's? Now and then, but that is a column for another day. So if we discuss seasonal albums, then we need to have the whole damn album and that we will. The darkest music will have to be the darkest albums.

The final consideration is the type of metal? There is music that fits the theme of Halloween, and then there is music that is dark, creepy, scary, haunting, and scare-the-crap-out-of-the-neighbors. Now that sounds interesting.

For those who like my "Forgotten Classic" piece every week, I'm sorry to say that feature is technically not in this edition. I axed it for one week because this entire column is essentially filled with them, even if built around a theme, so having it seemed rather redundant. It'll be back next week.

So there you have it. We're going to look at the darker side of metal, with the albums that not only fit Halloween, but in my opinion give this modern day cutesy candy-festival the kind of teeth it's needed for years. Not to dump on the "The Monster Mash", but if we are going to talk All Hallows Eve, then we're going to do it up Mosh Pit style.

Move over Hot Topic goth-girls, because some of the following will scare your shit white!


Tonight's Show

The criteria for the following albums to have the honor of being played on you system must be:

• The album must be metal


• The album must fit a Halloween theme


• The album must have really convinced people of it's theme

Witches, Rituals, and Satan Oh My!

Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath




Every time I turn around, it seems like Sabbath's self titled is my "Go to" album for various columns. But come on, the damned four with their debut album and the original song of the same name is the cornerstone of metal, and more importantly the epitome of the dark lord song. I won't go into the history of this album yet again, or give it a breakdown. If you don't know it, then you just might as well go put on a suit and tie and find a real mosh pit to play in. That'll teach you.

But for the purposes of this column, you can't get more pagan and dark than the story of a man meeting Satan during the apocalypse. Put the speakers in the window on that late October night and just see the look on the kiddies faces when those three notes drift out, or even better the infamous moment when Ozzy cries "Oh No!" While it would be tempting to disregard this classic because the of the blues and jazz type tracks, the tone of the album, not to mention tracks like "The Wizard" is enough for me to keep the integrity of the albums experience real. Besides, you're going to want something a little light to break up some of the following…



Merciful Fate - Melissa

At the beginning of the 80's, when metal was picking up steam on the sunset strip, out of the blue came this classic of unholy proportions. Merciful Fate came at you full bore with solid music and lyrics that were unapologetically dark. Motley Crue may have livened things up with "Shout at the Devil", but that was just a sort of ‘nudge-nudge-wink-wink you now what I mean' kind of thing. You knew they were having fun – They are shouting at the devil after all. But Merciful Fate? These dudes hit you over the head with the imagery. And it was not just the theme, but from the lyrics you knew that front man Kind Diamond had personally walked many miles in the fallen angel's steps. Diamond strolled out of nowhere with his face painted white (arguably the primary precursor to corpse paint by the way), upside down crosses etched on his face, and a microphone that was two femur bones shaped like a normal cross.

Raw music that was a controlled barrage of power, progressive, and the first steps of black metal (notice a trend here), the guys didn't let the words carry the day. The music was outstanding with a solid work ethic (no filler) that just keeps you coming back for more. No one went this far out, in this style, before ‘83 and the possibilities for metal changed. Add to that King Diamond's vocals were another hair rising bar never before experienced. Rob Halford might have hit some high notes, but Diamond came at you with a continuous skin crawling falsetto that could, and still does, wake the dead.

Haunting

Ahab - The Call of the Wretched Sea

Chris Hector (Guitars)and Daniel Droste (Vocals, guitars, and keyboards) take a sojourn from the group Midnattsol (Midnight Sun) to join forces with Stephan Adolph (Bass) and Corny Althammer (Drums) to form the concept band Ahab. Not concept album, but a band based around a concept. In this case it is the story of Moby Dick, and the album The Call of the Wretched Sea is a dirge retelling the total and haunting hopelessness of that book. Not the story, for it is there, but what this piece of weight does is drown you in the feeling of losing yourself to the soulless sea, hell bent on a quest driven by a man who forgot he had a soul.

You don't get much more haunting and doom filled than funeral doom, and this delivers in spades. This album is new actually, only being released last year. I'm sure funeral doom aficionados will remind be of better classical representatives, but this one just does the trick for me. Of course, how can you go wrong with a band dedicated to reproducing classical literature in essence and in such an extreme form. And make no mistake about it, this is extreme metal. You put this on, and not only will the little trick or treating kids turn white, but their parents will also turn white and quickly walk past your house, along with your neighbors, stray animals, and probably the resident population of your local graveyard. You've been warned.

Back to the music, which is slow, as if you could get a beer from the fridge between beats kind of slow, and the sound is a crushing piece of forgone death you would rather not look at. There is heavy metal and then there is a dense mass of force that suffocates you in its haunting clutches. Death style vocals, slooooowly issued like gravel scrapping with lush severity over guitars whose riffs that take forever to churn, all forming what can be assumed to be a melody if your mind could grasp the length into a whole. In sum, all rolling over and over like a wave crashing upon the shore.

This has depth that reveals itself with each listen, and an infectious quality that makes you want it to end but the need to hit replay when it does. Just like the sea it haunts, it will drain you but leave you wanting more. Unlock its secrets, and there is a beauty that shines in its haunting melodies and tragic fare. Fail to unlock its secrets, and it will leave you an empty but haunted shell.

Death and Despair

Type O Negative - World Coming Down

As tempting it would be to put the groups popular Bloody Kisses on here, the fact is that album also contains some hardcore punk and a few other odd rock influences (Summer Breezes). This one is no where near as popular; but on one hand it does fit the bill of what we are looking for while on the other it is an underrated album in its own right. Finally, World Coming Down it is the epitome of despair. Gothic organs, slow buzzing guitars, Peter's deep voice lamenting life, morbid lyrics, this thing is almost metaphysical in its rebellion against life. While the group has produced numerous "fun" songs, and I use that term loosely when describing Type O, this invitation to the dance macabre is a heads on look into the eyes of a man who has every reason not to care.

Songs like "Everyone I know is Dead" and "Everything Dies" gets the message across. But for the living things get worse in the cocaine addiction of "White Slavery" and the soul selling tale of "All Hallows Eve". If that wasn't enough, three segue tracks, about a minute each, feature a various band member dying by a possible death by vice: Sinus (Death by cocaine), Lung (Death by smoking), and Liver (Death by drinking). This thing literally reeks of loss, loneliness, despair, and the inevitability of death; even fate. Sure, "Who will save the sane?" is an almost tongue in cheek look from the outside in, and the Beatles medley has a charm when cast in the "Negative" style, but this is just a reprieve from the frontal assault that is the awakening realization that you're a pawn in a game you didn't ask to be in.

If that was not enough, I can't help but seeing this opus as a sort of farewell also. It's as if on a deeper level the album wasn't about life or fate, but the world view that Peter and company has been lying at our feet. Type O Negative helped create the goth/doom sound, and right away they also made jokes about the "scene" kids (OK, they make jokes about everything), the typical mall goth-girls who dress the look and try to talk the talk, but don't walk the walk because they only belong to a high school scene. These guys have punk roots, but punk and other underground sounds became commercial and well, not underground anymore. These styles also changed with that popularization. "Black No. One" is a great song, but it also takes a jab at the girls emerging into the goth scene for what they are. But in the end, those same goth-girls became the typical representative of that scene, because goth became something Type O didn't want it to be. When I hear this album, I don't just experience the despair, death, and other visions preached by the self titled "Drab Four"; I also hear the final goodbye to the world view they wanted, but loss. Now that is depressing.

Fear

Venom - Black Metal

This one could have also made the cut as an old fashion nod to paganism thanks to the lyrics, but the music and overall experience tells another tale from my perspective. This thing hit the metal scene out of nowhere and got a similar reaction to Merciful Fate, in the "I can't believe they're doing this!" category. This is considered to be a founding album of black, and to a an extent death metal for a reason, even if the sound is more proto-black with elements of death. It's 1982 and this album was that far ahead of it's time. You can make the case extreme metal would not have evolved till much later without these dudes.

The real story behind this album for our purposes is the delivery of this stripped down and harsh thrashish scare is the vocal performance of Crosnos. The dude puts on the performance of a life time that conveys the actual emotions of the lyrics, and with subject matter like "Leave Me in Hell" and "Sacrifice" you know those emotions are none to bright. And the song "Buried Alive" is nothing more than the definition of terrifying as Crosnos' voice portrays the idea so livid I can picture him getting buried alive. Yikes.

No doubt about it, this one freaked us long haired partiers out back in the day. People talked a good game, but we just didn't believe anyone would show up and actually mean it. This put the world on notice that metal was going to go to dark places.

Ghosts

King Diamond - Abigail

You should have seen this coming. If Merciful Fate made the list than what better fare for All Hallows Eve then the solo work of the singer! Diamond's solo catalog is filled with concept albums, most a tale of horror in its own right. But if you are going to play one album, then you go with the signature classic, and this is it. Abigail delivers across the board and one listen (and a quick read through the lyrics) will reveal that this is indeed the most appropriate Halloween album of all time, as it is the most famous ghost story set to metal.

Period

This concept album is the story of a couple that inhabits a haunted house. We quickly learn that the couple is expecting a baby, and this detail conects with the huntings. It would appear that the husbands ancestor lived in the same house, and he killed his pregnant wife by tossing her down a flight of stares. The bad spirit is none other that the murdered spirit of…


Wait for it…


It's not who you think it is…


It's Abigail, the unborn baby that died when the mother was killed. This is where the story gets unnerving, as the father (in the here and now) becomes convinced that the sprit of the unborn child has possessed his own unborn baby, and slowly comes to the realization that history will need to repeat itself to stop the spirit! I won't finish the tale, as I've said too much all ready. You'll just have to listen through this chilling ghost story yourself. Hopefully this gets you started.

And the music? Awesome, of course, as Diamond brings a few guys from Merciful Fate along to team up with some new guns to deliver a straight in your face assault. Driving, bending, power tented with prog, this is a soundtrack to a great story set to the key of metal. And lets not forget King Diamond's vocals, The Voice^TM. His falsetto took me a bit to get use to, but it delivers. The shrill notes act as a capstone (tombstone?) on the whole affair and will help the story send shivers down your spine.


Encore

That should be enough to get you through a party or at least an evening of terrified kids knocking at the door. There is plenty more albums, and themes you could go with. How about a classic slasher films tied to Slayer's Reign in Blood for example. It's your turn. What would you pick and why? Let us know what scary music you have hiding on your shelf, or hidden deep in the you're computer's hard drive!





The Set List
The albums on my playlist this week; some new, some old, always good :

Ghosts and goblins are fun, but I've picked up lots of new music so here is some of the traditional fare playing on my car stereo.


Amorphis - Silent Water

Amorphis is back, and this album follows on the heals of the much acclaimed Eclipse. It's a direct continuation of that album, but also deepens as what can be described as an amalgamation of their entire catalog. Metal, progressive, folk influences, and a little death all combine to create the lush sound of Silent Water. This album is dense, a thick display of sounds that unravel with each listen. Almost to much but a pleasure to delve into for more.

Type O Negative - Bloody Kisses

OK. All this talk of goth, horror, and the drab four put me in the mood for their classic. What can be said, but that this put album put the band and goth/doom music on the map. "Christian Women" is their seminal piece in my opinion with its "Engaging" lyrics and the big hit "Black No. One", with its cheeky poke at goth girls. "We Hate Everyone" is a punk throw back that takes shots at the bands critics, while "Bloody Kisses" is the hard look at what the band can do when they turn the doom up to 10. Fun stuff.

Nightwish - Dark Passion Play

After the much trumpeted firing of their former singer, many though one of the first female fronted operative symphonic bands would just become a generic example of a trend they helped create. Honestly, I was more skeptical of most because I didn't like their last album with Tarja, "Once"; but Olzon's leads present a more emotional delivery, if less operatic and Holopainen still brings the music (along with the orchestra compositions) so this is a pleasant experience. Final verdict? Jury still out, as this is a long piece of muse to digest, but so far the epic progy "The Poet and the Pendulm" is great while "Amaranth" is annoying and poppy, but I can't shake the damn thing out of my head!

Good news everyone, Nightwish is in the house tonight so take a look and judge for yourself!

Nightwish – "Amaranth"






"Bye, Bye Beautiful"

Incidentally, this is the bands parting shot at their former lead singer…











Tales from the Pit
Reader Feedback, what's on your playlist, and the great gigs you've seen.

A nice bit of feedback landed in my email thanks to the column last week. That's good. The more we discuss the downright stupid business model of the music industry, hopefully the faster the ideas become widespread enough to cause change.

I can dream.

First up was Marlen:

" Great article, man. Usually sticking to 411wrestling only, I must say I was surprised to see this on 411music since 99% of the music covered here completely blows. This piece and that Power of the Damager review are the first articles I've looked at in this section in almost a year.

Anyhow, you've written down everything I've been saying is wrong with the recording industry for years. Sure they all want to blame illegal downloads, but instead perpetuating trends and signing big name artists to inflated contracts (remember when Mariah Carey bombed on her 100 million dollar deal with Virgin?), that money is better spent on defining new ideas. New ideas have always been what brings home the most bacon.

Again, great read. You deserve a Pulitzer Prize."

Wow. I know people are passionate about their music, but… Wow. You made my year dude. And right on with that killer example in Mariah Carey. That's a perfect demonstration of the rampant stupidity that infects the industry. If I had a stock broker that invested my money that well, he'd be fired. Of course, I wish I had enough money to claim I needed a stock broker. A lot of people think like you and me, and were getting louder every year. Just look at the industry's record sales for the proof.

Also, don't be afraid to scope the landscape here at 411, as there are plenty of good writers plus lots of new writers came in with the batch I was brought in. Its natural some writers will not work for you, but it's good a site like 411Mania has the variety of writers who speak their mind as we do. You're the winner as you get a variety of honest opinions to choose from. Keep looking though so you can find the columns you like. It's how I got rolling here!

Christ. I can't believe I just wrote a commercial for the site in a response to a reader.

Thanks for reading and glad to have you on board my man!



Ed writes in and calls me out on a data blunder…

" Just to say that I found your article on the Madonna/LiveNation issue interesting. But you stated that Madonna's last studio album sold 1.7 million copies, and that the CD/DVD tour set shifted 1.4 million units. Whilst this latter figure is correct, 'Confessions on.....' has actually sold around 11 million copies worldwide, with the 1.7m figure being the tally for the States alone.

This aside, it was a good article."

Ed is absolutely correct. My quote was for domestic figures, which I had mixed with the international numbers. Damn numbers. The correct number is 11 million worldwide, which would mean that if we spotted Live Nation this album's sales (questionable for all three, but possible enough with the Madonna brand name behind it), their cost for just the artist is a staggering $2.27. That's 41% higher than the average budget of $1.60. When you add the fact companies like Wal-Mart (now the largest music distributor in the world by the way) are demanding lower costs so they can sell CDs cheaper, this is still a no win scenario. But at least it's not the total loss I originally projected.

Anyway, thanks for keeping me on my toes Ed and I do appreciate the feedback!



Finally, we have Ryan with…

" First time I've checked out your column, very glad I did... that
Christopher Lee/Rhapsody duet was amazing. Wow.

Cheers"

Cheers to you too! I'm glad you liked it, and it is amazing to see Lee do that. It's also nice to know the little extra's I throw in not only work for people, but helps them discover something new. At any rate, if you're ever interested, I know there is an EP of the duet still in circulation. As it's only that song with a bunch of translations into other languages, it's not much of a value, but still cool to find on a deal if you really like that song. Thanks for writing!


Final Thoughts

It's been real. Now you be real and go listen to your favorite bands. And while you're at it, turn it up to 11. And if it happens to wake a graveyard, then raise the fist of rock and tell the corpses Dan said ‘Hi'.

Then run.