October is the month when I sometimes put on ghost parties, inviting a group of friends together for an evening of ghost stories. Candles flicker inside grinning pumpkins. In a dark corner, a hooded ghoul sits propped in a chair. Some of the stories are macabre and disturbing, others melancholy and filled with pathos. Nine Inch Nails has recorded a set of instrumental “ghost stories” titled Ghosts I-IV that superbly captures this spectrum of the spectral. Continue reading →
Haunting ghost stories from Nine Inch Nails
October is the month when I sometimes put on ghost parties, inviting a group of friends together for an evening of ghost stories. Candles flicker inside grinning pumpkins. In a dark corner, a hooded ghoul sits propped in a chair. Some of the stories are macabre and disturbing, others melancholy and filled with pathos. Nine Inch Nails has recorded a set of instrumental “ghost stories” titled Ghosts I-IV that superbly captures this spectrum of the spectral. Continue reading →
Face it: we’re fascinated by ghosts. Especially this time of year, during the season of Halloween and the Day of the Dead. Whether as metaphors or as intimations of our mortality, you don’t need to necessarily believe in ghosts to appreciate them. These ten songs and CDs represent a variety of styles, from somber to playful, from traditional to experimental. But they all share a sure sense of artistry that deals with the dead, the dying, or things departed. 
To celebrate the Halloween season, I’m profiling a variety of musical takes on the holiday. Of the many composers who have scored soundtracks for horror films, Charlie Clouser is one of the masters of the genre. He produced scores for Resident Evil: Extinction and the four Saw movies, in addition to contributions outside the genre for The Matrix and Collateral. A former keyboardist with Nine Inch Niles, he has also worked with David Bowie, Rod Zombie, Marilyn Manson and Helmet. 
I confess, Halloween is my favorite holiday. But most horror music disappoints when it comes to setting a truly creepy mood. Pop hits, cheesy maniacal laughter and backbeats just don’t cut it. So I’ve scoured the web to find the best music to give you goosebumps.