It’s Halloween Every Day for These Legendary Bands

2023-10-21

Image of the metal band Slipknot

Slipknot – Story by Anne Erickson, courtesy photo

These rock and metal bands keep the Halloween spirit alive year-round

Halloween is a fun holiday for everyone from children who are excited to trick-or-treat to adults picking out their trendy Halloween costumes. But, for a handful of legendary bands and musicians, every day is Halloween. That’s especially true for some famed rock and metal bands. After all, the aggressive nature of this genre allows musicians to indulge in a world of fantasy and disguise. In addition to the creepy, dark-sounding music, certain bands go beyond the music itself and incorporate elaborate visual elements into their performances, offering a complete escape for the audience.

Sure, the spooky season is always fun, but why keep it to one season? Let’s embrace the bands and musicians who keep the Halloween spirit alive all year long. Read on for 10 (okay, it’s 11) rock and metal acts who embrace the spirit of Halloween each day, giving us a unique source of excitement throughout the remaining 364 days of the year, when normal folks can’t don costumes, at least without getting some weird looks.

Slayer

Any band who releases a record called “Reign in Blood” knows how to keep Halloween alive for the entire year. Slayer, of course, is that band, and the group’s dark, menacing songwriting coupled with their dramatic live shows make for a Halloween treat no matter the season.

Helloween

Helloween take their name from the spooky holiday, so they have to be on this list. The German power metal band originated in Hamburg in 1984, formed by members from various other heavy metal bands. Renowned as one of the most influential heavy metal bands in Europe during the 1980s, Helloween certainly bring that Halloween vibe year-round.

The Misfits

The Misfits have been delivering their horror-infused punk to the masses since the 1970s, making them pretty much synonymous with Halloween. Jerry Only, the band’s famed leader, always sports his trademark devilock hairstyle, which has become such a signature of the Misfits. These guys really created the horror-punk genre.

Mushroomhead

Mushroomhead designed elaborate masks for every member’s pseudonym to distinguish themselves, but the masks also have a theatrical and performance use. What’s extra cool is that each of these masks fits that band member’s persona. Creepy, much?

Slipknot

Slipknot’s masks have evolved alongside their changing image, and as with Mushroomhead, the masks are an added enhancement of the personalities they embody. Corey Taylor has explained that the masks serve as a means for the band to establish a deeper connection with their music, allowing them to detach from their individual identities and focus solely on their musical expression.

Dee Snider

With the assistance of his wife Suzette, Dee Snider progressively transformed into the complete and terrifying persona that ultimately characterized not only Snider but his band, Twisted Sister. Despite Dee’s already boisterous nature, his attire has consistently been even more audacious. That’s a great thing, too.

Alice Cooper

Alice Cooper, the epitome of the creepy essence of Halloween, instills fear, unease and twisted terrors into both his music and onstage persona. His performances consistently feature Halloween-like gore and effects, offering great theatrical spectacle. Moreover, the frontman is often beheaded by the guillotine, which is a recurring element in his shows.

GWAR

GWAR may look scary to us mortals, but don’t hold their gory look against them. Okay, well, maybe you should, because GWAR are actually intergalactic warriors who are on a mission to kill the human race. How much more Halloween can it get?

Rob Zombie

When it comes to Halloween, Rob Zombie is king. Not only is he a musician, but he’s also a full-fledged horror movie director, making him a Halloween expert with a wealth of experience. You can’t beat “Living Dead Girl” on Halloween.

Iron Maiden

British metal band Iron Maiden have a rotting corpse as their band mascot. Need I say more? Yes, Iron Maiden bring that Halloween vibe year-round, thanks to their creepy mascot, dramatic storytelling and piercing live shows.

Motionless in White

This list was supposed to include 10 acts, but we’re making it 11, because Motionless in White needs to be on here. They’re one of the newer metalcore bands making horror cool again with vocalist Chris “Motionless” Cerulli always bringing a creepiness and mysterious nature to anything he touches.

Find Audio Ink Radio’s story on some of the greatest Halloween heavy metal songs here.

Anne Erickson
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Posted by Anne Erickson | Features, Metal, Music, Rock