A Disturbing Halloween Listening List

As September turns to October and the summer heat begins to evaporate from the asphalt, I feel the thrill of fall coming on. The road leading to our little home in the Kentucky hills is paved between clutches of old trees and shrubs, and rusty leaves blow across the pavement as we drive in and out. The scents of fall are roasting pumpkin seeds and clean, crisp air, and its tastes are spiced beer and pumpkin pie.

It is time for Halloween.

This late in the month we've already watched just about every horror movie we can rent or buy for under $4.00. We've scoured FearNet compliments of our local cable provider and watched all the classics. We've fallen asleep in the middle of 867-Evil and been turned onto some real gems like Hard Candy and Midnight Meat Train.

But Halloween isn't just a time for movies filled with gore and frights. It is the perfect time for wonderfully disturbing music. In my case that usually means pulling together certain nightmarish jingles into some of the most grisly iPod playlists ever created.

I encourage everyone to find out what music frightens you and listen to it as much as you can through the month of October. Allow it to run in the background while you work, and don't be surprised if you suddenly feel like playing some horrible practical joke on your co-worker, or if you begin to have strange dreams.

It's the only proper way to get in the mood for Halloween.

I've always enjoyed a wide variety of music from heavy metal to alternative to goth, and the following list is no exception. Some of these albums on my list will be hard to find, but well worth the effort. I hope that you can find some of my suggestions helpful in your quest to unbalance your mind.

Kentucky Kenny's Halloween Listening List

Masters of Reality - Self Titled

White Zombie - La Sexorcisto: Devil Music, Vol. 1

Switchblade Symphony - Bread and Jam for Frances

The Black Bible (4 disc Gothic set)

Celtic Frost - Morbid Tales

Slayer - Reign In Blood

Slayer - South Of Heaven

The Blair Witch Project - (Josh's Blair Witch Mix)

Concrete Blond - Bloodletting

Skinny Puppy - Last Rights

Hogscraper - Self Titled

Type O Negative - October Rust

Marilyn Manson - Antichrist Superstar

Tom Waits - The Black Rider

Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast

GWAR - Beyond Hell

Cannibal Corpse - Kill

Southern Gothic Revival

There are many, many more selections I'm sure, but hopefully I've pointed you in the right direction. If you're alone and jamming some cool October night, make sure to light plenty of scented candles and have your favorite alcoholic beverage handy.

Don't worry about the shadows that shouldn't be, or the sounds beneath the soundtracks. It's probably all in your head! And please, try not to pay too much attention to those murderous thoughts.

Sweet dreams!