# Scariest music ever?



## Mike Fox (Sep 16, 2018)

What piece of music scares the sh#$ out of you, and why?


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## Michelob (Sep 16, 2018)

Hello,

Ligeti's Requiem. Because there's in it the certainty that something really bad is going to happen. Or maybe something really good, but so impressive...

As I heard of it first in the Kubrick's 2001, maybe I'm influenced by the story, but I don't think so.

Michel


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## Gerbil (Sep 17, 2018)

Comanche by The Revels. I doubt I need to explain why.


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## ka00 (Sep 17, 2018)

When I was a little kid, it was this:


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## richardt4520 (Sep 17, 2018)

Suspiria by Goblin. The reason probably has to do with how well it ties to the visuals of the first 10 minutes of that movie. It's cheesy and over the top now but when i first saw it, it was pretty brutal at the time.


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## MA-Simon (Sep 17, 2018)

Bioshock Infinite: Songbird chase, so intense


Obvious horror, but nice sound:
Soma, the Abyss:


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## Daniel (Sep 17, 2018)

The original movie 'The Ring' from Japan.


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## Vin (Sep 17, 2018)




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## ein fisch (Sep 17, 2018)

Aphex twin grass and aphex twin tree, both pretty intense


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## JonesyXL (Sep 17, 2018)

Been listening to Marcus Fjellstrom's music recently after watching the tv show The Terror. Really weird and atmospheric, love it.


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## Jeremy Spencer (Sep 17, 2018)

That creepy brass cue during the opening sequence of The Conjuring (when the text is rolling by).


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## CT (Sep 17, 2018)

It's an obvious answer, but the usual suspects: Ligeti, Penderecki, Crumb, etc.

I don't know if it's *scary* though. I think there's something disquieting about it, often as a result of the feeling that the musicians and instruments are being pushed to their limits, like in Ligeti's Volumina. There's an almost physical discomfort to that. But, it does draw the mind in some dark directions, Penderecki more than Ligeti for me. The latter often seems more strangely beautiful than outright horrific.

For music to actually be scary, I think it needs context, so... film music. It's the associations with something non-musical that's explicitly frightening that does it. That's just me though.


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## I like music (Sep 17, 2018)

Ave Satani from The Omen will do it for me


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## Soundhound (Sep 17, 2018)

Had to keep the lights out downstairs for months after seeing that. 



Daniel said:


> The original movie 'The Ring' from Japan.


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## Soundhound (Sep 17, 2018)

These scared the crap out of me when I was knee high to a grasshopper (couldn't get enough of it)


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## rollasoc (Sep 17, 2018)

Goblin - Susperia OST


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## rottoy (Sep 17, 2018)

Michelob said:


> Hello,
> 
> Ligeti's Requiem. Because there's in it the certainty that something really bad is going to happen. Or maybe something really good, but so impressive...
> 
> ...


Was hoping to see this at the top. It really is breathtaking.


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## MaxOctane (Sep 17, 2018)

Interesting question! I don't think any music *by itself* is actually scary to me. It's only scary _by association_ with an actually-scary thing.

Psycho score is intense as hell, but I don't think any of us would be _scared_ by it without the movie.

And here's the first tune that popped into my head when I thought of "scary music." But there's nothing creepy about it -- it's actually a soft and beautiful piece of music.


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## givemenoughrope (Sep 17, 2018)

Scelsi str qtet 4 (and some larger orch stuff), Crumb Black Angels, some extreme paranoia moments in Shostakovich symphonies and qtets.

In rock/electronic land... Diamonda Galas - Litanies of Satan, Swans early albums circa Cop, etc., Neurosis (especially live), Sunno (cannot deal with them live, the group hanging scene at the end of Sinister), Godflesh, early Throbbing Gristle (Hamburger Lady), Gnaw Their Tongues (forget which album), Portal (“death metal” from Australia, basically if HP Lovecraft had a band), some of that Haxan Cloak stuff can be creepy.

I dunno...by association, I’d say the first six notes of Cape Fear and the six chords over that JC pulse in The Thing. And Aphex Twin’s “Come to Daddy” bc of that scene at the end of 8MM (starring Nic Cage).

I love Goblin’s theme to Suspiria but it’s that bozouki track that plays as she’s running around and in the end credits that really gets to me. (If you have a chance to see the 4k restoration in a proper theater, DO IT!)

That Lego Movie song kinda terrified me when I heard it. Same with any library-type music or artist with tons of “oh, oh, oh” choruses. Enough already.


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## CT (Sep 17, 2018)

givemenoughrope said:


> Scelsi



Yeah, another great one. He did some really strange, unsettling stuff.


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## Akhenaten (Sep 17, 2018)

Akhlys - The Dreaming (Ambient Black Metal)


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## Marcin M (Sep 17, 2018)

For me it would be this piece. I like the atmosphere this piece creates and how it is achieved without those typical strings FX or brass FX 


And it works perfectly well in the game when it plays during night as you walk alone through the fields expecting some monsters to attack at any moment.


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## JonAdamich (Sep 17, 2018)

Beautiful piece, but very haunting


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## pfmusic (Sep 17, 2018)

Still creeps me out!


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## Michelob (Sep 17, 2018)

givemenoughrope said:


> In rock/electronic land... Diamonda Galas - Litanies of Satan, Swans early albums circa Cop, etc.,



Hahaaargh, Diamanda Galas, totally insane, great choice !


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## givemenoughrope (Sep 17, 2018)

^finally saw her live earlier this year. Fantastic performer.


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## Wally Garten (Sep 17, 2018)

When I was a little kid: The Sorcerer's Apprentice and Holst's Mars. No film context needed -- just found them terrifying. 

As a teenager and young adult: a fair amount of metal, industrial, NiN. I was simultaneously scared and thrilled by John Zorn. 

Now... yeah, probably Ligeti. Messiaen?


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## Guido Negraszus (Sep 17, 2018)

The Omen by Jerry Goldsmith! Why? No idea. It always gives ne a chill down the spine.


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## Kuusniemi (Sep 18, 2018)

"Witch's Coven" by Mark Korven freaks me out everytime.


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## pfmusic (Sep 18, 2018)

Kuusniemi said:


> "Witch's Coven" Mark Korven freaks me out everytime.



That's a great score. Very creepy!


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## Light and Sound (Sep 18, 2018)

Surprised not to see the Iron Foundry here!


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## PaulBrimstone (Sep 18, 2018)

Simple = better


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## TimCox (Sep 20, 2018)

Modern example and not _really _the scariest but "Valak" from The Nun is pretty cool and unsettling with church organ and throat singing. I had a good time listening to the whole score


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## KEM (Sep 20, 2018)

Play this for anyone and I guarantee you they will get a disgusted look on their face and walk away in fear, or they'll ask you what's wrong with you and why you'd ever listen to such messed up "music". 

Arca's "music" is demented, unsettling, and basically wrong in every way, but that's what makes him the most talented, creative producer ever, no sane person could ever do what he does, what he does isn't even music, it's transcended that, it's pure art.


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## gussunkri (Sep 22, 2018)

I stumbled upon this track from Annihalation while working on my dissertation last night as a storm hit Sweden where I live and the music really got to me. I am never scared from music, but this got under my skin. Maybe it was the context. Scary but also eerily beautiful in some ways.


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## Mike Fox (Sep 25, 2018)

PaulBrimstone said:


> Simple = better



One of my favorites! Creepy ass movie too.


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## Mike Fox (Sep 25, 2018)

Kuusniemi said:


> "Witch's Coven" by Mark Korven freaks me out everytime.



The music was undoubtedly the best part of this film.


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## Mike Fox (Sep 25, 2018)

MaxOctane said:


> Interesting question! I don't think any music *by itself* is actually scary to me. It's only scary _by association_ with an actually-scary thing.




Really? Listening to some of the posted pieces in the dark with your eyes closed is pretty dang scary, lol! 

Btw, do you find your statement true with all genres of music, or just horror?


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## Smikes77 (Sep 25, 2018)

Mike Fox said:


> Really? Listening to some of the posted pieces in the dark with your eyes closed is pretty dang scary, lol!
> 
> Btw, do you find your statement true with all genres of music, or just horror?



I`m with you on this one. I don`t find Tubular Bells scary on its own, but if I listen to this, it just gives me the creeps.


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## Lassi Tani (Sep 25, 2018)

Not sure about you, but this always gave me chills, when I was younger, still does:


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## KEM (Sep 25, 2018)

Smikes77 said:


> I`m with you on this one. I don`t find Tubular Bells scary on its own, but if I listen to this, it just gives me the creeps.




Mica Levi is incredible!! She actually worked with Arca (who I posted in the thread) and ever since I’ve been a big fan of hers.


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## pfmusic (Sep 27, 2018)

Smikes77 said:


> I`m with you on this one. I don`t find Tubular Bells scary on its own, but if I listen to this, it just gives me the creeps.



Great film and score. Love this one.


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## Michelob (Sep 27, 2018)

Smikes77 said:


> I`m with you on this one. I don`t find Tubular Bells scary on its own, but if I listen to this, it just gives me the creeps.



Totally insane, great !


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## redlester (Sep 27, 2018)

Loved Mica Levi's score for Under The Skin.
Absolutely hated what she did for Jackie though!


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## BeneJ (Sep 30, 2018)

but seriously, can music ever be scary per say? Probably something like this:


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## Lionel Schmitt (Sep 30, 2018)

I tend to find music rarely really scary.... But there are some...

The entire soundtrack for Sinister by Christopher Young is very disturbing and creepy!


Also, this productionmusic album has some really creepy tracks... especially the tracks 35 and 53.
https://www.universalproductionmusic.com/de-de/discover/albums/4392/Evil-Innocence

Thomas Bergersen has written some of the most beautiful music I've ever heard but also some of the scariest!
The album Shadows and Nightmares has some really scary tracks.
Like this


And here a rather disturbing track by Nick Phoenix


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## Chr!s (Sep 30, 2018)




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## dcoscina (Sep 30, 2018)




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## SergeD (Sep 30, 2018)

Long time ago that was scaring me a lot


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## imagegod (Sep 30, 2018)




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## dcoscina (Oct 1, 2018)

From his material from Fiery Angel opera about a girl with demonic visions. Love the string writing in this movement. 
Creepy.


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## dcoscina (Oct 1, 2018)

Used to great effect in The Exorcist


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## kitekrazy (Oct 1, 2018)

Michelob said:


> Totally insane, great !



Wow! I think the extended version of the Exorcist theme is still scary and so is some of the soundtrack. The most frightening one I heard was an amateur one that use to be on Acid Planet. He took sounds from Half Life 2 and created an ambient piece. I think it was called Satan's Room. I can't find it anymore.


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## Michelob (Oct 1, 2018)

kitekrazy said:


> Wow! I think the extended version of the Exorcist theme is still scary and so is some of the soundtrack. The most frightening one I heard was an amateur one that use to be on Acid Planet. He took sounds from Half Life 2 and created an ambient piece. I think it was called Satan's Room. I can't find it anymore.



Haha great. If you find some link, please tell.


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## LamaRose (Oct 3, 2018)

FYI: John Adams created a wonderful course, of sorts, on how to write unsettling music:


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## LamaRose (Oct 3, 2018)

A personal fav from my youth... love the juxtaposition:


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## Erick - BVA (Oct 3, 2018)

The entire sound design and feel of this movie creeps me out. The use of silence is some of the best I've seen in a film.


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