Music and Counterculture

After a glorious several weeks of dark escapades and moonlit festivities, we have reached the end of the Spooky Season. Throughout this, I've enjoyed gifting you a menagerie of songs from different reaches of the subcultural music world. This week, we shall wrap up this series with a brief, final spotlight on a classic tune that encapsulates the theme of our ghoulish Soundscape. For a last hurrah, this is the aptly-named "Halloween" by Siouxsie and the Banshees.  Like I said, I shall be brief. Siouxsie and the Banshees, formed in London, England in 1976, originally rose to prominence as a unique presence in the punk scene. A major cause of this may have been their artful, experimental instrumentation and innovative guitar techniques, all of which earned them the additional title of "art rock." Their pivotal 1981 album Juju , from which our song comes, lent a largely influential hand to the flowering post-punk genre, the precursor to gothic rock. Although Siouxsi...

  Graveyard dirt has been an important component in spell work for centuries, featuring in rituals from all across the globe, from ancient cultures even to modern witchcraft. Its significance comes from its connection to the dead, to the world beyond to veil, and to the churchyard that graves used to border, steeping it in enough power to aid in whatever magic for which its used. Although the name of the ingredient sounds ominous, it can be used for positive or good-intentioned outcomes just as often as negative ones. However, if the person in question uses the graveyard dirt in deals with too dark of forces, he may find himself trapped in a dance with the devil. In this week's song, we explore that outcome. Here is "Ruumiinmultaa" by Korpiklaani. First, I must say that in recent weeks, Korpiklaani has become one of my favorite bands, so imagine my delight when I found a song that was perfect for this series. But who is this band of whom I've grown fond? Korpiklaani ...

 All Hallows Eve has passed, but there still remain three weeks in the Spooky Season. So, join me as we begin to round out this list of ghoulish melodies. This week, we return to our flesh-eating friends for The Creepshow's "Zombies Ate Her Brain." Canadian band The Creepshow, formed in 2005, specializes in the high-spirited genre of psychobilly, an intriguing mixture of rockabilly (including the use of the stand-up bass) and punk. Alongside fast-paced rhythms and a wicked energy, their lyrics are commonly inspired by horror tropes. "Zombies Ate Het Brain" clocks in at only around one and a half minutes, making it not only the shortest song on its album but also in our entire Shuddersome Soundscape - a counter to last week's 13-minute adventure. It was featured on the band's first album, Sell Your Soul , with Jen "Hellcat" Blackwood on lead vocals to tell the gruesome story.  The tale here is easy to find (even summarized by the title), and it ...