Recommended reading

Top 10 killer slasher flicks as chosen by Ice Nine Kills

Features
By ( Metal Hammer ) published

Horror metallers Ice Nine Kills share their top slashers guaranteed to give you chills this Halloween

(Image credit: Ice Nine Kills)

Ice Nine Kills without horror would be like mac without cheese, pepper without salt, a lock without a key.. you get the picture. The horror-inspired metal band have just dropped their latest album, appropriately titled The Silver Scream: Final Cut – and it features thirteen (of course) killer tracks including four acoustic renditions of songs from previous release The Silver Scream and a cover of Michael Jackson's iconic Halloween anthem, Thriller. 

The album also sees the band enlist some notable guest vocal performances including Matt Heafy (Trivium), Ari Lehman (the original Jason, Friday the 13th), Chelsea Talmadge (Stranger Things) and Sam Kubrick (grandson of Stanley Kubrick who famously directed The Shining).

If that's not enough, the band have also included a brand new track, Your Number's Up, paying homage to Wes Craven’s 1996 slasher masterpiece, Scream. Check it out below:

Vocalist and horror aficionado Spencer Charnas devoured horror films as a child, visiting his local video store and studying the covers of all the videotapes – and he still remembers vividly which art goes with which film.

So, in celebration of the band's new release and with spooky season upon us, we enlisted Spencer's expertise to find out which slasher films he recommends to ensure you have a truly bone-chiling Halloween. 

1. The Burning

1. The Burning

"A killer camp slasher flick released in the wake of Friday the 13th's success. It features some of make-up effects guru's Tom Savini's best work, as well as a pre-Seinfeld era appearance of Jason Alexander."

2. The Prowler

2. The Prowler

"An elegantly shot slasher film directed by Joseph Zito who later gained slasher fame for directing Friday the 13th - the Final Chapter."

3. Silent Night Deadly Night

3. Silent Night Deadly Night

"Infamously banned killer Santa flick that enraged PTA groups across America. Features some of the best kills ever put to the Silver Screen."

4. Hatchet

4. Hatchet

"A return to the hey day of 80s splatter films, Hatchet features a terrifying performance from slasher icon Kane Hodder who also famously portrayed Jason Vorhees in the Friday the 13th franchise."

5. Terrifier

5. Terrifier

"One of the most violent slasher films in recent memory, some would say Art the Clown makes Pennywise as scary as Krusty the Clown."

6. Pieces

6. Pieces

"It's exactly what it sounds like."


7. Slaughter High

7. Slaughter High

"Another slasher film released in the wake of Halloween and Friday the 13th, it sports a fantastic cast and score by longtime Friday the 13th composer Harry Manfredini."

8. When a Stranger Calls Back

8. When a Stranger Calls Back

"A made for TV sequel to the 1979 cult classic When a Stranger Calls, this underrated film is one of the scariest and psychologically thrilling that I've ever seen."

9. Maniac

9. Maniac

"If an art-house in the Chelsea district of New York City were to ever show a slasher film, Maniac would certainly be the front runner."

10. Sleepaway Camp

10. Sleepaway Camp

"Before The Crying Game, there was Sleepaway Camp. A film whose anatomically incorrect reveal in the closing seconds, made this a genre standout."

Ice Nine Kill's The Silver Scream: Final Cut is out now via Fearless Records. In addition to the CD,The Silver Scream: Final Cut includes a DVD of the full-length feature horror film, The Silver Scream.