As 31st October draws ever closer, it’s getting to that time of year again where we spend some time facing our fears. A good music video can do wonders for an artist, but something unforgettably disturbing that burns itself deep into the back of your retinae can do the trick, or the treat, too.
Below we’ve accumulated a collection of visuals that are not for the faint of heart. Many of these terrified us as youngsters and even adults, and now it’s time to relive those moments.
Michael Jackson – ‘Thriller‘ (1982)
Michael Jackson‘s iconic ‘Thriller‘ is packed with zombies, werewolves and killer dance moves – what more could you want? Probably the most legendary clip on our list, the track, video and outfits have been a staple in Halloween and it’s playlists for years.
Rockwell – ‘Somebody’s Watching Me‘ (1984)
Rockwell‘s paranoia plagued ‘Somebody’s Watching Me‘ plays host to a number of ghoulish apparitions, creepy paintings and a backyard-graveyard. If this wasn’t enough, the songs eerie synth lines and lyrics are enough to send you hiding beneath your sheets.
The Prodigy – ‘Breathe‘ (1997)
Any child from the ’90s can relate to the uneasy feeling The Prodigy‘s ‘Breathe‘ video left lingering with them long after the screen fades to black. Keith Flint and Maxim‘s unsettling onscreen performances made even more intense by the flickering lights make it seem like you’re peaking through the doors in a fictitious haunted mental asylum. Don’t even get started on the cockroaches and the alligator crawling around.
Rob Zombie – ‘Dragula‘ (1998)
The video for ‘Dragula‘ sees Rob Zombie caked in ghoulish makeup driving a hellish hot rod around a number of trippy settings – one of which looks very familiar if you have seen Mel Stuart‘s 1971 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. If this wasn’t enough just wait for the clowns and aged black and white footage of children laughing. Nope, no thank you Rob Zombie.
Cradle Of Filth – ‘Her Ghost In The Fog‘ (2000)
For anyone who had to witness the Judderman television advert as a child, this one’s for you. The band perform their song ‘Her Ghost In The Fog‘ in an eerily enchanted looking forest as a damsel in distress is stalked by something malevolent. This is truly the fuel of nightmares – and the song itself doesn’t help in the slightest.
Aphex Twin – ‘Rubber Johnny‘ (2005)
Where would any terrifying videos list be without the help of Aphex Twin and visual collaborator, Chris Cunningham? The video features a deformed teen named Johnny who’s locked in a pitch black basement with his Chihuahua. The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity ain’t got nothin’ on Rubber Johnny.
HEALTH – ‘We Are Water‘ (2009)
If you’re a fan of the Friday the 13th franchise and love watching Jason Vorhees slash his way through herds of horny teenaged camp counsellors, HEALTH‘s ‘We Are Water‘ is the one for you. Like the penultimate scene of a Wes Craven movie, HEALTH’s video for ‘We Are Water‘ follows the ‘final girl’ as she tears her way through the woods with a machete-wielding maniac hot on her heels. The tongue-in-cheek visuals take an unexpected turn with video’s climax.
Aphex Twin – ‘Come To Daddy‘ (2012)
The combination of Aphex Twin’s harsh pounding rhythms, howling feedback and a gang of creepy menacing children terrorizing a town all prove for a deadly combination. The track’s harrowing pay-off sees a shrieking demon born from an analogue TV screaming in poor granny’s face. Eugh, just watch. Props to Chris Cunningham again on this one.
Arca & Jesse Kanda – ‘TRAUMA Scene 1‘ (2014)
With the title, ‘TRAUMA Scene 1‘, this video was never going to be a walk in the park. Arca and visual artist Jesse Kanda have formed the new torch-bearing team for the weird, wonderful and just downright WTF creations. Deformed yet beautifully choreographed digital babies throw some disturbing shapes to an equally jarring track.
