Question of the Week: What's the Scariest Piece of Music You've Heard, and What Made it Scary?

[XPerryMental]

Since it's near Halloween, how about a spooky subject? What's the scariest piece of music you've heard, and what made it scary?

Here's one number that always gives me a chill. The use of staccato notes played in a minor key set up an element of tension in the listener. A great way to start a horror movie!

 https://open.spotify.com/track/7swocJUCUWTCiRUAU9oerC?si=f0ec4e9d93e84423

[jorge112]

Here is a scary little list but all great tunes enjoy !
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4bD4UNE82Q7z3ioExocEma?si=e5906e2767fc4525

[XPerryMental]

@jorge112 -
Awesome list! Thanks for sharing it. While you're at it, would you like to take a stab at answering the Question of the Week? "What's the scariest piece of music you've heard, and what made it scary?"

[jorge112]

Love is Murder by Al Ross and the Planets , Scary cause violins are like the famous Psycho movie music by Hitchcock ! Ha Ha

[XPerryMental]

Awesome choice! Here's the song if anyone would like to check it out.
https://open.spotify.com/track/5BKEacx0Aqmv9nhJkFLvma?si=563d7ed429344bec

[AdamDam]

Great question! I’m not completely sure it’s the scariest song I’ve ever heard, but one that comes to mind is “Careful with That Axe, Eugene” from Pink Floyd’s live album, Ummagumma:

https://open.spotify.com/track/60WujjVzXLbbx4D6pSVg56?si=d32a8f5634d4418d

The ghostly wails heard in the beginning of the song bring about an eerie effect that nicely leads up to what I think is the spookiest part of the track, at around 3 minutes in; as the bass intensifies, the title of the track is whispered, followed by piercing screams. I think the first time I heard this track, I was genuinely startled by the screams; however, I’ve since gotten used to hearing them and “Careful with That Axe, Eugene” has become one of my favorite Pink Floyd songs. Cheers!

[XPerryMental]

@TreyAnastasio -

I love that song, and that live version is the best version by far. Umma Gumma was the first Pink Floyd album I ever owned, and it's still my favorite. Great choice!

[Soundofus]

Personally, all what is horror movies or supposed scary movies don't scare me at all but rather make me laugh. Why ? Because I can never "enter" the story and I can't relate to a character.

So, I don't have any track that I really could call "scary".

But to answer the question I would rather talk about "oppressive piece of music" which is, in my meaning, mostly always related to a real event that I could be or could have been an actor ; a war, an accident, a drama, an attack, etc...

To illustrate that I would link it to my answer to the previous "Question of the Week'.

https://open.spotify.com/track/7ezxnrzFzaOoy9yYUhP9S2?si=1d339d7ec98049e6

This song is coming from the Episod 8 of the Season 3 of the series Twin Peaks.

We are in 2017. The band is on stage playing, filmed like a live gig. Suddenly we dived in 1945, July 16 in White Sands, New Mexico, where happened the first atomic explosion, like a rehearsal before Hiroshima and Nagasaki. From one minute to another we plunge into the "dark age'. 

More than a simple flashback in the episod, we have just entered History. During 10/15 minutes of psychedelic images through the atomic mushroom, our mind is drowned in what really was horror, not a 'fake horror' but the real one.

I don't want be too long in this post but for those interested I have compiled in a small playlist all the oppressive tracks soundtracking this descent into hell.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/743FAAS4VkyXrSkDoCnOUJ?si=c336760ca55344f8

twitter.com/soundofus

www.soundofus.com

[CarloObrien12]

 LOVE IS MURDER   Al ross  and the Planets Yes agreed the horror is not that bad its the Psycho Music that's scary ! That's why I like this track and its a bit Elanor Rigby to , but then it was recorder at Abbey Road same as the Floyds Careful with that axe !
and other horror scores

[XPerryMental]

@Soundofus    -

Thank you for such a thoughtful, well reasoned reply! That's an awesome piece of music, and a cool scene in Twin Peaks.

[vaajy]

Industrial hardcore scared me at first.

I listen hard dance edm all the time since 2012 officially, even before since my teen ages, I heard it sometimes. But this.

https://open.spotify.com/track/2LdP8NFPSmPiMZyT55GvFd

Industrial hardcore scared me at first time.

It scares me no more.

[XPerryMental]

@hpguru   -

Thanks for posting your reply! I can see how that piece of music would be scary!

[Xenia]

I remember that as a kid the 'Thriller' video was pretty scary and hearing that song always made me uneasy

spotify:track:3S2R0EVwBSAVMd5UMgKTL0

Here's a more recent track that gives me the chills just because of its eerie feeling. Imagine listening to it walking home alone in the dark 😱

spotify:track:4XjW9fcihP29h7fBAvXlDe

[XPerryMental]

@Xenia    -

Those are great choices! I'm sure Thriller has given plenty of people chills over the years.

[Sebasty]

This song (Zomby - Tears in the Rain) is first to come to my mind:

spotify:track:1SZ5Q4PdUbdgm8Mwl6KOmq:small 

Eery atmosphere where murderous affairs, love and intoxicating fumes are intertwined. That male vocal sample is terrifying to say the least. : )

[XPerryMental]

@Sebasty   -

Wow great choice! That's a scary song for sure!

[Noah]

I think the scariest would have to be the "Halloween Theme" song you mentioned @XPerryMental, but a close second for me would have to be the remixed version of the purge intro!

https://open.spotify.com/track/3SJuQeKTvH83bFPbfQOWJF?si=d9245b2a436847a2

[XPerryMental]

@Noah    -

That's another great example!

[kittycat01]

The first song that came to mind was 'Shame' by Mitski.

It's something about the eerieness of her vocals, the very sinister violins that play in the background and her sighing just before that. Every time I hear it, I'm immediately on edge.

https://open.spotify.com/track/3khxaYbENFyUIFz7MsAliU?si=967be3cf5d4f40df

[Noah]

Great song choice, @kittycat01!

I got chills just listening to that one — the vocals and those sinister violins definitely make for the perfect scary song! I'll be adding that one to my Halloween playlist for next year 🎃