5 Metal Bands You Should Listen to During Spooky Season

My favourite month of the year is October! Not only because of my birthday, but because it’s Halloween, even though it’s the last day of the month.

You may wonder whether I like Halloween for the dressing up, the stories, or, rather, the fun of trick-or-treating. Well, I love Halloween for all of those reasons. However, what I love the most is that I can finally embrace my music interests. And no, I don’t mean popping “Spooky Scary Skeleton” or “Ghostbusters” on my playlist (don’t get me wrong— those songs are great), I mean actually headbanging and throwing a Halloween party to metal songs, or rather songs with a spooky, chilling atmosphere. 

As a metalhead who also loves gothic music, I always feel the need to express my own tastes when my birthday month arrives. And I’m glad to say my favourite music genres suit the theme of Halloween. That’s because metal is pretty much known as a dark genre with plenty of horror themes (heck, black metal artists incorporate a lot of gore into their performances). A few other bands still love incorporating dark aesthetics, but other than that, I’m sure we all have known a metal band or two that released a Halloween song. 

If you’re looking to add some Halloween soundtracks to your playlist other than the classics, here are five metal bands you should consider.

Nightwish 

Every metalhead has likely heard of the band Nightwish. After all, they have influenced symphonic metal to a great extent. When they first formed and released their songs, people referred to them as “opera metal.”

The vocalist would often sing in an almost operatic, gothic style, with backing instruments creating an eerie, mysterious vibe. When I told my friend to listen to them, she referred to their songs as “epic or “otherworldly.” And those are exactly two of the adjectives that describe Halloween. 

My recommended track:

“Ghost Love Score”

Dark Sarah 

Just like Nightwish, Dark Sarah is also a symphonic metal band. They’re from Finland and their songs run like a story. For every song, there seems to be a beginning, conflict, resolution, and end. So if you want to travel through a gothic fantasy story, this band is definitely up your alley. You’ll feel as if you’re in Narnia, meeting the witch, lion and the rest of the creatures. 

My recommended track:

“Illuminate”

Within Temptation 

Many metalheads have also entered the world of symphonic metal through Within Temptation. The band is known for their combination of pop-like vocals and heavy guitars and drums. If you’re a fan of rhythm and breakdowns, Within Temptation is the band for you! There are parts where you can sing-along and parts where you can headbang or mosh with your friends. But what’s a bonus is that the themes are also dark. 

My recommended track: 

“We go to War”

Delain 

I recently discovered Delain through acquaintances and friends in the metal community. I decided to give them a shot and was not disappointed. Some of their songs have a haunted, dark aesthetic, like tracks you would play in a haunted house or a spooky mansion. The combination of minor scales and the use of keyboards, synthesizers and opera-like vocals complements this effect. But other tracks often have a disco-like and Europop feel to them. So you can easily switch between atmospheric and energetic tracks. 

My recommended track: 

“A Day for Ghosts”

Hevisaurus 

If you’re looking for a cutesy, almost adorable Halloween band, consider Hevisaurus. This band was founded in Finland, and believe it or not, it’s full of dinosaurs. Musicians decided to create Hevisaurus as a metal band for kids. However, their tracks are great for adults as well, since they’re full of content, ecstatic and heart-warming messages. Besides, their tracks are honestly a blast — there hasn’t ever been a time when I was disappointed or bored. 

My recommended track: 

“Rayh!”

Whether you’re hitting the dance floor or moshing in your room, listen to these five bands for the metal vibes. You’ll definitely be feeling the Halloween spirit haunt you after a song or two. And who knows… perhaps this year’s spooky season may convert you to a metalhead. And if you do end up becoming one, welcome to the dark side!

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