Ice Nine Kills - ‘Welcome To Horrorwood: The Silver Scream 2’ - album review
Ice Nine Kills – Welcome To Horrorwood: The Silver Scream 2 (Fearless Records)
If you like a good (or absolutely awful) horror film, chances are you will like Ice Nine Kills. The Boston-based band use their music to pay tribute to the horror genre, with each song being inspired by a different specific film. Its predecessor The Silver Scream 1, released in 2018, follows the same model.
While their music may be quite campy in some places, there’s a reason why. Take a quick look at the first taste we had of this album back in July: Hip To Be Scared featuring Papa Roach’s Jacoby Shaddix. Based on American Psycho, the song is haunting from the start, before the band kicks in and it becomes this driving piece full of powerful vocal lines. It cuts out halfway through and starts a parody of Huey Lewis and the News’ Hip To Be Square, playing out a version of the scene in which frontman Spencer Charnas discusses Ice Nine Kill’s work, just like Bateman in the film. Then the driving riffs kick back in and carry the song to the end. It's not for everyone, but you have to admit that its extremely clever and they’ve done it well.
The album has a mix of styles, switching seamlessly between more aggressive guttural vocals, or the more emotive guitar chords and guitarist Dan Sugarman’s technical lead riffs. There are orchestral elements that blend in with furious double kick drums and chugging riffs, just like in The Shower Scene. If you hadn’t guessed already, the song is about the 1960 film Psycho and flawlessly blends the most recognisable element from its score, the stabbing violin, to make it extremely clear to the listener. A stand out track on the album is Rainy Day, which is based on the Resident Evil franchise, and it's not even because of the subject matter. For me, it’s the most put together song on the entire album and is definitely the catchiest. It uses a pulsing electronic synth throughout and incorporates all the best elements of the band to create what I think is the best song on the album.
If you don’t like horror, then you’re probably not going to like this album because of the sheer number of references throughout. As any good sequel should, Ice Nine Kills have upped the ante with The Silver Scream 2, with catchy choruses, more brutal breakdowns, and a ridiculous number of high-profile guest features. Ice Nine Kills have diversified their sound to make anyone that listens want to watch a cheesy 90s slasher.
8/10
