Five Underrated Horror Movie Soundtracks for Halloween

During the Halloween season, atmosphere is everything. Every mundane activity must be transformed into a dark undertaking befitting the season. Taking out the garbage at dusk transforms into a perilous journey spent dodging shadowy corners and imagining escaped lunatics lying in wait behind every tree. Washing the dishes becomes an exercise in inescapability as you watch bleak clouds of grey slowly overcome the bone-white sun. Interlocking scattered puzzle pieces turns into solving a ghostly mystery concealing deeply buried secrets of yore. In my opinion, there is no better way to evoke atmosphere in otherwise ordinary situations than by listening to music. And what music is better to elicit a spooky mood than a good horror movie soundtrack? 

Photo by Enrique Guzmán Egas on Unsplash

 

You know the classics: Halloween, Candyman, It Follows, Suspiria, Psycho, Nightmare on Elm Street, The Omen. Albums chock with chilling and thrilling tracks that either electrify the maniac within or have you constantly looking over your shoulder. Such a variety exists that surely there is a horror soundtrack to satisfy every sort of Halloween mood you could conceive of. However, with the vast array of great movies and soundtracks out there, some are bound to slip between the cracks. Sensational works of musical art perfect for the Halloween season that, for whatever reason, remain unbeknownst to the casual consumer. To help rectify this great injustice, I present to you five horror movie soundtracks that deserve way more love than they currently receive.

Happy Halloween everybody >:)

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers

Composed by Alan Horwath

Everybody has heard of the original Halloween (1978) and its iconic score that influenced generations of horror soundtracks. Among its (many) sequels, a select few have been able to recapture the eerie magnetism of the original. Lost amidst these successes and failures is Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers.

The first Halloween soundtrack not chiefly composed by John Carpenter, Alan Horwath takes his stab (no pun intended) at scoring the iconic horror franchise. Halloween 4 is a soundtrack that exists in the shadows—much like its ubiquitous antagonist. An airy synth pervades the score, interspersed with sharp bangs and clangs that can give the music a discordant, murky feel—sometimes to its benefit and at other times the opposite. Horwath, who assisted Carpenter in scoring Halloween II (1981) and III, is able to differentiate Halloween 4 from previous soundtracks (something (most) Halloween sequels don't do) while still staying true to the core of the series. From the dreamy reimagining of “Laurie’s Theme” in “Haddonfield” to the metallic “Halloween Theme” riffs in “Darkest Night” to the marching inevitability of the drums in “In The Shadows”, Horwath succeeds in delivering unique Halloween musical moments. Is this soundtrack perfect? No. But it is a distinct and enjoyable iteration of the Halloween score and deserves its place in horror soundtrack lore.

Editor's Note: Halloween (1978), II (1981), III, and (2018) aren't included on this list as I feel they are appropriately rated as good (if not great) soundtracks.

Standout Track – Still He Kills 

 

Personal Favourite – Haddonfield

Fright Night

Composed by Miscellaneous Artists

 

I have a lot of love for Fright Night (1985) as both a movie and a soundtrack. An 80’s cult classic, Fright Night (1985) is a tongue-in-cheek tale of a teenager who becomes convinced his next-door neighbour is a vampire. Opposed to the other solely instrumental compositions on this list, the Fright Night (1985) score consists of actual songs with words. Lilting vocals are complimented by a combination of EDM, synth, and guitar-driven rock overtones—in other words, quintessential 80’s music. And as 80's music tends to be, the score is a tremendously fun collection of songs. From pure dance songs (“Give It Up” and “Boppin Tonight") to tracks intended to energize and motivate (“Armies of the Night” and “You Can’t Hide From The Beast Inside"), the soundtrack is bound to fill you to the brim with Halloween-inspired energy and excitement. Compared to traditionally dark and edgy horror scores, the Fright Night (1985) soundtrack is a nostalgic breath of fresh air and perfect for enjoying the lighter side of the spooky season. 

Standout Track – Come To Me 

 
 

Personal Favourite – Armies of the Night 

Maniac

Composed by Rob

I first stumbled onto Maniac (2012) while trawling YouTube for horror soundtracks to listen to while studying. I was instantly hooked. A remake of the 1980 movie of the same name, Maniac (2012) is a synth-heavy score made for nighttime in the city. Its pulsing melodies alienate the listener from reality, urging you to lurk in pools of darkness and observe. Acutely haunting and darkly powerful, the album's tracks bleed together, resulting in a seamless listening experience. The two outliers are “Boum” and “Juno”—the former being a melancholic, elevator-music-esque track, and the latter a synth-based European pop song. Both songs are good in their own right but don't fit the vibe of the soundtrack. In the movie they are played as the credits roll.

While the Maniac (1980) soundtrack is a classic in its own right, Maniac (2012) undeniably transcends the original in nearly every way. The soundtrack of Maniac (1980) is more minimalistic and relies on sharp synth stingers, opposed to the layered, throbbing approach used in the 2012 soundtrack. The rare horror remake that successfully reinvents the original, the Maniac (2012) soundtrack is well worth a listen.

Standout Track – Haunted 

 

Personal Favourite – Doll 

Tonight She Comes

Composed by Wojciech Golczewski

Calling all fans of synth horror scores! Tonight She Comes is the soundtrack for you! Full disclosure—I haven’t actually seen the movie. Stumbling onto the soundtrack while browsing Spotify’s recommended albums, I started listening to "She Comes" (the opening track) and kept on listening until I had gone through the entire album. The score is founded in a synth that hums and vibrates with eerie distortion, aided by a thumping beat that pistons the music along with mechanical precision. The composer, Wojciech Golczewski, impressively layers these melodies in building to spectacular crescendos of static-y chaos. Much like Maniac (2012), each track of Tonight She Comes flows into the next, resulting in a cohesive soundtrack best listened to as an album. In my opinion, this score deserves to be up there with It Follows, Halloween II and III, and Suspiria (1977) as one of the best synth horror soundtracks of all time.

Standout Track – She Comes

 
 

Personal Favourite – The Ritual 

 

 

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

Composed by Vince Guaraldi

Everybody has heard of It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown—it’s a Halloween staple. But when people think of the best Charlie Brown holiday-themed soundtrack, most are quick to mention A Charlie Brown Christmas or even A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving! It’s a shame because It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is a great soundtrack and perfect not just for Halloween but the entire autumn season. The score is calm and soothing—excellent background music on a rainy October weekend while doing a puzzle or reading a book. The jazz-like piano and soft orchestration combine to produce warm tones reminiscent of children running about the schoolyard on a brightly lit autumn afternoon, golden leaves swirling through the air. We all need a break every now and then—even during the high-intensity Halloween season of October. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, whether in its movie form or purely as a soundtrack, can help enhance those relaxing interludes between dark, spooky fun.

Standout Track – Great Pumpkin Waltz 

 

Personal Favourite – Graveyard Theme 

Editor's Note: Yes, I know It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown isn't a horror movie. I only listen to popular horror soundtracks and needed a 5th for the list, sue me.