A Halloween Half Dozen Indie Bands for Your Seasonal Spooktaculars!

It's getting close to the greatest holiday of them all- Halloween. The one day of the year
when people embrace their dark side, when everyone gets a little bit wicked. No matter how you
celebrate Halloween - whether you get dressed up in rediculous costumes, get drunk and dance
the night away - you hide away and watch horror movies till dawn, or whether you gather with a
close group and howl at the moon, there is plenty of suitable music of the season to get you
in the mood.
If you think Halloween music is all about The Monster Mash or The Purple People Eater, think
again. There's quite a variety of spooky, creepy, silly and strange music to get you in the
mood. I would like to acquaint you with six different artists that can help set the mood for
your Halloween celebrations.

LUCID DEMENTIA

Lucid Dementia is an electronic dance band fronted by a six foot tall alien puppet. Formed in
1996 by Sheldon Reynolds, they've continued to expand and refine their mix of electronic, goth, industrial and dance music into a sonic trip through the extremes of existence.
Here is a weird video of their song "Creep."

Best Used For: Having an all out Bachanale? Here's your soundtrack.

Website: http://luciddementia.com/fr_home.cfm

VERONIQUE CHEVALIER

Veronique Chevalier, or "Weird Val" as she is sometimes known, has become the go to chanteuse

of the Steampunk crowd. In 2008 the wraithlike Chevalier released "Polka Haunt Us: A

Spooktacular Compilation," a CD full of dreamlike ditties and ghostly ballads. There are songs

about Ghost Trains, Beer Halls in Hell, White Witches and other spooky subjects. I managed to

meet with Veronique recently at Portland's GearCon 2012, and she confided she needs to "make

more recordings." This is true, because until you've heard her version of "La Vie en Rose,"

which somehow turns out to be about a battle with slugs, you haven't lived.

Here is an appropriately creepy video of her song "Blank Face Goblins"

Best Used For: Getting in that joyfully outrageous frame of mind you need for Halloween.

Polka Haunt Us Website: http://polkahaunt.us/
Veronique Chevalier's Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/MadVeroniqueChevalier

THE SLOW POISONER

The Slow Poisoner is one man band Andrew Goldfarb. He sings about a lot of really creepy stuff

like witches, hexes, bad magic, graves, caskets, and other worrisome subjects that will creep

you right out. Goldfarb is the true weird. There's a demonic glint in his eyes when he sings.

Here is an evil video of "A Wood Full of Witches."

Best Used For: Conjuring up evil spirits and getting in trouble while you rock out.

Slow Poisoner Website: http://www.theslowpoisoner.com/home.html

ASTRO AL

Astro Al is an extremely odd conglomeration of musical meandering, strange storytelling, and

off the wall songs. Paul Angelosanto and Debbie Nash, assisted by a wide variety of musical

cohorts, sometimes sing weird songs about rodents, giraffes, purple mushrooms and other

outre' topics, sometimes engage in extended jam sequences, and sometimes tell stories that

will make you wonder what lies just below the surface of what we call reality. Their CD

Psychedelic Drive-In Music tells the story of a haunted drive-in theatre and the movies that

were shown there.

Here's a hair-raising video tale from Astro Al called "Ghost Story."

Best Used For: Showing to your friends if you want to freak them out.

Website:  http://astroal.com/


IN A WORLD...

In a World Music is Nicole Buetti and Dirk Montapert. They make ghastly, evocative
soundscapes, kind of like Midnight Syndicate. Most of their music is instrumental, though they
do have songs with lyrics as well. This is the stuff you put on in the background for your
spooky party or haunted house. They'll even create a custom soundscape just for you! This is
really errie stuff, and over the years they have created an impressive array of musical
creepiness. They even have a kid's album!
Here's their atmospheric video "Ghost Ship."

Best Used For: Creepy Sounds and Effects for your party.
Website: http://www.inaworldmusic.net/Home_Page.html


INKUBUS SUKKUBUS

Inkubus Sukkubus are the real deal. Halloween has its origins in the ancient Celtic
celebration of Samhain, and you will find the spirit of those ancient times alive in Inkubus
Sukkubus. Don't expect to hear a Riverdance type fairy dance party though. Inkubus Sukkubus
rocks. They sing about madness, loving nature and evil Christian oppression of Pagans.
Here's the video for their song "Church of Madness."

Best Used For: Kicking out the jams right before you go skyclad and howl at the moon.

Website: http://www.inkubussukkubus.com/

I hope these bands can expand your appreciation of the musical element of Halloween. Now get out there and scare somebody!