Halloween CDs provide break from scary metal

Try Danzig, Depeche Mode, Danny Elfman

By Scott Iwasaki
Deseret Morning News
Published: Friday, Oct. 27, 2006 10:12 a.m. MDT
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Halloween is my day. There's a running joke in the office that every day for me is Halloween because I usually wear black and try to avoid the sun's glare through our windows while listening to all sorts of heavy, dark, scary metal and goth music for the other 364 days of the year.

This past week, I've been watching vampire movies every night after my wife goes to sleep: "Dracula's Daughter," "Son of Dracula," "House of Dracula" and the Bela Lugosi version of "Dracula," as well as the Spanish-language version of "Dracula" (which is my favorite).

Over the weekend, I plan to watch "Interview with a Vampire," "Queen of the Damned" and the non-vampire flick, "Sleepy Hollow."

In the meantime, I've taken a break from my metal listening and have been overdosing on some other dark Halloween CDs.

GLENN DANZIG, the former Misfits and Samhain lead singer, has released his second classical album, "Black Aria II." Much in the same vein as the first "Black Aria," which was released in 1993, "Black Aria II" is a sometimes creepy listen. While the original "Black Aria" was Danzig's soundtrack to the pre-existence war between good and evil, "Black Aria II" takes on the legend of Lilith. Moody, ritualistic chants and dreary, murky compositions can sometimes send chills up the spine. Danzig, who fronts his own band Danzig, has recruited Prong guitarist Tommy Victor to add some touches of instrumental atmosphere to Tania Themmen's sacrificial-virgin vocals.

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DEPECHE MODE — just the name conjures up darkly fashionable, seductive vampire vocals sung to electronic, heartbeat pulses. Reprise Records and Rhino Records have teamed to rerelease the pioneering new-wave group's entire catalog. Every album from "Speak and Spell" to "Exciter" is being remastered and repackaged with a bonus DVD. Hits like "Enjoy the Silence," "Dreaming of Me," "Personal Jesus" and "Just Can't Get Enough" are sharp and clear. And the DVDs feature the band's videos from its MTV heyday in the '80s, as well as featured short films documenting the band's various years in existence. Reprise has also released a two-DVD concert release, with a bonus CD, of last year's successful Touring the Angel tour. New songs such as "John the Revelator" live up to other dark, religiously inspired works such as "Personal Jesus" and "The Sinner in Me." The DVDs also feature a documentary and the concert back-drop videos as well.

"TIM BURTON'S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS" has been rereleased in movie theaters in 3-D, Walt Disney Records has reissued the famous Danny Elfman soundtrack. But this is not only the full soundtrack from this gothic, stop-motion animated film. There is a bonus disc, which was originally a tribute extended play of the soundtrack. Marilyn Manson and Panic! at the Disco play their own versions of Elfman's "This Is Halloween," Fiona Apple takes the lead from Catherine O'Hara on "Sally's Song" and Fall Out Boy reworks "What's This?" My favorite is She Wants Revenge rocking out to "Kidnap the Sandy Claws."

These releases are guaranteed to put the "Eeeeeeeee" in Halloween. I love them almost as much as I love that spooky night.

E-mail: scott@desnews.com

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