And of course, we have a lot of artists who have perhaps taken that freedom to an unhealthy level. Well, here we are going to embrace that. Here I have put together the top ten songs (in no particular order) that truly shock, disturb and freak out the listener. However, they all have another quality they share—these songs FUCKING ROCK!!
1. “Counting Bodies Like Sheep To The Rhythm of The War Drums” by A Perfect Circle
A choice favorite, this song is a twisted continuation of “Pet” from A Perfect Circle’s album, Thirteenth Step. I love this song for multiple reasons. I love the combination of what sounds like soldiers marching, combined with screams and heavy breathing from Maynard James Keenan, the lead singer. It goes on to include political speeches, pornography sound clips, and what sounds like Raoul Duke from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. All this in the background with the lyrics “go back to sleep” repeating incessantly in the forefront. It is haunting and ultimately, ridiculously awesome.
2. “Entombment of a Machine” by Job For A Cowboy
I believe this song qualifies as Grindcore Metal. I think this because it was given to me on a mix entitled “Grindcore” with a smiley face after it, given to me by some tattooed, straight edge guy, in a band (cliché much?). The blood-curdling scream in the very beginning of the song prepares you for what is to come. For those who know absolutely nothing about metal, I truly believe this is what they think all metal sounds like . . .. Fine by me.
3. “Die Eier Von Satan” by Tool
This song I love because it is fooling you into thinking it is frightening, Nazi propaganda when it is actually nothing of the kind. The lyrics are spoken by Maynard and spoken in German in a very stern tone. The track in the background of the song is not music so much as machine sounds grinding out what we can only assume are some type of sick weapon they would use in the Saw films. However, the words, when translated, are actually a recipe. The title (when translated means “Balls of Satan”) is totally a joke on you. I actually played this song in a presentation once, to prove a point about freedom of expression in art and music (I am not sure my classmates got the point).
4. “Bind Torture and Kill” by Suicide Commando
Scary, but an excellent running song if you work out a lot. Really keeps you going. Anyway, I digress—so this song documents an actual serial killer, Dennis Rader who was also known as the BTK Killer because he would “bind, torture and kill” his victims. The woman speaking in the song is a recording from actual news reports about Rader. The song is disturbing no doubt, however, the beat is really good. About 2.5 minutes into the song, it really picks up and gets into the core of the song and gets a little more fast paced. All killing and torturing aside, I enjoy this song very much.
5. “I’m With Stupid” by Static-X
“So I grabbed my shovel . . .and I beat him in the skull and took him down . . .and then I grabbed a rope and I hogtied him.” That is pretty much all I need to say. Luckily, these sound clips come from a film and are not real, though the band has said otherwise. A little frightening just the same. And of course with Wayne Static singing and screaming, “He’s a loser, she said,” there is nothing else you can do but be a little concerned he is not referring to you.
6. “(Let’s Get) Physical” by Revolting Cocks
The bands name is disturbing enough, but this is a great industrial metal song. Starting with the lyrics, “no pain, baby—no gain” the song clearly is not the slightly subtler version by Olivia Newton-John. Fairly innocent lyrics compared to the raunchy lyrics of the typical horny pop star, but really, the beat and singer’s voice and tone are what makes this song a little creepier than what people are used to. The lyrics, “A fly on the wall would be disgusted by us/welcome to my mattress/my yellow-stained fortress,” followed by a haunting laugh may cause a listener to remain a virgin—permanently.
7. “Down with the Sickness” by Disturbed
A classic. Anyone who loves metal and doesn’t appreciate this song is crazy (in a bad way). There are 3 precise elements in this song that make it devilishly delightful:
1) David Draiman’s noteworthy shouts—almost like a Tarzan screech with a little more edge
2) The opening with the heavy beat and then the guitar comes in—you get chills
3) And of course, Draiman’s one-sided fight with his mother. “Don’t, don’t, your hurting me/Why do you have to be a bitch?”
8. “Burn the Obedient” by Korn featuring Noisia
Well, the first words in the song are “Are you scared?” Well, of course I am scared—I am listening to Korn! This song is great and an awesome beat. The most disturbing part of the song is the short spurts of rap that are so muffled, you can barely understand what is being said . . . “None of you people mean shit to me/Sadistic little fucking fantasy/smashed on the ground in your own debris/While choking on your blood from the sodomy/None of you people mean shit to me/Sadistic little fucking fantasy/Burn the obedient, set yourself free.” Ok, maybe a little too Last House on the Left, but the message is a good one. Don’t try to conform and do what you think others want you to do—be yourself. Perhaps Dr. Seuss may have said it better.
9. ‘War” by Wumpscut
I was introduced to Wumpscut my senior year of college by an IT technician. He opened my eyes to some artists that were one notch scarier than I was used to (and I loved that). The song, “War” is really a lot of screaming the word “war” with some screaming in the background and some foreign languages. Sound good? There is also heavy breathing, if you listen closely, with the main beats of the song, which add a haunting element. Got to love the heaviness, though.
10. “Dr. Online” by Zeromancer
This song, I consider, one of the more “pop” songs on this list. Not to say this song is not Goth Metal at its finest, however the beat and singing are not really intimidating or frightening. What it really is that freaks you out are the lyrics. The song is all about suicide. Towards the end of the song, there is, what sounds like, a pre-recorded message on a phone (if you were to call 1-800-SUICIDE). It lists off options of how you may wish to kill yourself; “for termination by overdose, press 2. If you would like to make a reservation and visit our drowning pool, press 3 . . .” A rather peppy song for such a morbid topic. Don’t let your mom catch you listening to this song—she might check you into the hospital.
Perhaps not the most “puppies and rainbows” of my blog entries but there is still quality music listed here that you all should check out . . .IF YOU DARE!
Maniacal laugh . . .maniacal laugh . . .maniacal laugh . . .
Photo from truecultheavymetal.com
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