Halloween 2020: Samhain Songs – Music for the Spooky Season

Trying to get into the spooky season and awaken that Halloween Spirit(s)? Make up some Witch’s Brew, or a pumpkin spiced latter, and give these a listen:

1. Chelsea Wolfe – Birth of Violence

https://sargenthouse.com/chelsea-wolfe

In the 2019 album, Wolfe steps away from the heavier sounds of 2017s Hiss, Spun, to deliver a dark folk album that could easily be used as the soundtrack to a new Folk Horror movie (or anything by A24). In my mind, Birth of Violence is like a companion piece to 2015s The VVitch.

Favourite track: “Be All Things”

2. Emma Ruth Rundle & Thou May Our Chambers Be Full

A collaboration between post-metal folk Emma Ruth Rundle and noise band Thou, the tracks released so far assure the listener they are in for all sorts of gloom and doom. Of the tracks released so far, some lean more into Rundle’s folkier elements while others lean more into Thou’s noise. Oh, and the full album will be available October 30th via Sacred Bones, just in time for Halloween.

Favourite track (so far): The Valley

Looking for something with no vocals? Try:

3. The VVITCH OST, 2015

This is an obvious one, but no less stellar. I think this album is on most Horror writer’s writing playlists, those of us who listen to music while writing.

The album by Mark Korven does the same thing as Robert Egger’s directing and writing. Korven puts you into the woods and surrounds you with folk horror through nothing but sound.

Favourite track: “Witch’s Coven” – damn when the witchs’ voices get louder and louder…it always gets me.