| Horror punk | |
|---|---|
| Stylistic origins | Hardcore punk, shock rock, doo-wop, rockabilly, heavy metal, Punk rock |
| Cultural origins | late-1970s United States |
| Typical instruments | Vocals - Electric guitar - Bass - Drums |
| Mainstream popularity | Mostly underground; with the exception of The Misfits and a few other bands |
(complete list) |
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| Regional scenes | |
| England - Germany - East Coast USA - West Coast USA | |
| Other topics | |
| Deathrock - Gothic rock - Gothabilly - Shock rock - Psychobilly | |
Horror punk (sometimes called horror rock) is a music genre that mixes Gothic and punk rock sounds with morbid imagery and lyrics, which are often influenced by horror films. The genre is similar to and sometimes overlaps with deathrock, although deathrock leans more towards the Goth sound while horror punk leans towards a 1950s-influenced doo-wop and rockabilly sound, reminiscent of the era championed as the heyday of science fiction and horror B-movies.[1][2]
The Misfits are recognized as the progenitors of horror punk, releasing a series of singles and EPs beginning in 1977 before releasing their first full-length album Walk Among Us in 1982.
Influenced by The Misfits, California punk bands T.S.O.L. and Christian Death released the horror punk albums Dance with Me and Only Theatre of Pain in the early 1980s. In the late 1970s however, 45 Grave appeared in California taking the imagry of Italian horror films although not so much so in the lyrics.
Horror punk is generally apolitical in comparison to other punk rock subgenres, although some horror punk songs refer to political events (e.g. the Misfits' "Bullet", which discusses the assassination of John F. Kennedy), and some artists like Jack Grisham (on the left) and Michale Graves (on the right) have espoused political views.
Horror hardcore, a term coined by Dwid Hellion, refers to a hybrid of horror punk and hardcore punk.[3] The Misfits' 1983 album, Earth A.D., and the early work of Glenn Danzig's subsequent band Samhain inaugurated the style. Septic Death and Integrity also performed this subgenre.
Horror metal is a term to describe heavy metal music with horror themes. Bands that fall under this category include Ripper,[4] King Diamond, Mercyful Fate, Necrophagia, The Vision Bleak, Murderdolls and Motionless in White.[5]
Psychobilly is another subgenre of punk that combines elements from horror movies and punk, almost a specified form of horror punk, despite the heavy influence of early rockabilly in the actual music. For other horror punk bands the rockabilly influence is more visual. One notable exception is American Nightmare by the Misfits. The doo wop influence on the other hand has been a major influence on horrorpunk.
With the exception of the Misfits most horror punk bands are underground. AFI was for a time a notable exception until they evolved into a more direct rock band.
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