“A Happy Death” by Strange Boutique is an early 90s, alternative shoegaze song that contains remnants of The Cure and Cocteau Twins. Frontwoman Monica Richards says, “I dream of a man/Alone with his rage/Hoping for a happy death.” Death is a common theme throughout the track, as it usually is in gothic aesthetics and, of course, Halloween. While it’s not a holiday song, the track has potential to be in the soundtrack of “The Crow” or an Anne Rice vampire film.
“October” by Faetooth is a gothic, melancholy sludge-doomgaze track. The vocals are delivered with a defeated tone: “I have nothing left to give” suggests the narrator’s lack of emotional strength. The narrator is “Bedridden, beneath the sheets/With a raging fire,” meaning that despite their weak state, there is still anger within them. October’s heavy sadness is equivalent to that of a dark, gritty medieval film. In fact, the entirety of their album Labyrinthine should be considered a grim, autumn playlist.
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“Death Knell” by Ghost feels almost satirical with on-the-nose lyrics like “A symbol for the goat” and “six, six, six/Evoke the king of hell.” The occult, doom metal band’s song is the equivalent to the 80s Satanic Panic and the fear that metal bands evoked in the public. Death Knell refers to a solemn church bell that announces a person’s passing. The themes of Death and the occult are the ultimate vibes for Halloween.
When Tame Impala dropped the track “Dracula” last year, there was something about it that felt oddly familiar and nostalgic. Maybe it’s the upbeat, feel-good tone of the song that contrasts with cryptid lyrics like “I'm on the verge of caving in, I run back to thе dark.” The narrator uses the vampiric villain Dracula as a metaphor for wanting to retreat into oneself but simultaneously wanting to stay the night for that one person or lover. “I just wanna be right where you are (Oh, my love),” he sings. “Dracula” is that one song you hear at a Halloween party and stays in your head the rest of the ride home while you’re still buzzed.
Whether it’s because it appeared on “American Horror Story: Hotel” or because of its gothic, dark wave sound, “Tear You Apart” by She Wants Revenge deserves to be on this list. The song plays on the episode “Checking In,” introducing Lady Gaga as the Countess, a glamorous vampire, sharing a bloody, intimate moment with Matt Bomer’s character and two others. “Tear You Apart” is a perfect mixture of nervous sexual tension and deep yearning. “I wanna fucking tear you apart,” is the most iconic lyric of the track, showing the narrator’s lustful, almost cannibalistic urge to consume someone with desire. There’s nothing spookier than that.
