10 Dark, Twisted Songs About Albert Fish | Playlist 🎧

10 DARK, TWISTED SONGS ABOUT ALBERT FISH captures the horrors of the serial killer, courtesy of Exhumed, Tyler, the Creator, Macabre and others.

Albert Fish (1870 – 1936) was NOT a good guy.  Sometimes, he’s referred to as “The Gray Man” or “The Werewolf of Wysteria,” among other names. Clearly, Fish represents everything that’s wrong with the world.  EVERYTHING! He was a pedophile, a murderer, and a cannibal. Murderpedia adds other characteristics to the mix, namely coprophilia and urophilia, both sexual paraphilias. His most famous, rather infamous victim, was a 10-year old girl named Grace Budd.  He has only three known victims – three too many – but more are estimated.  He was executed in 1936, ate the age of 65.

Like so many serial killers, their crimes and psychological mindsets have made their way into a number of songs. Most of the time, it is rock bands, particularly death metal bands, that tackle such heavy subject matter. Death metal bands as well as a couple of rappers get in on the action to capture Fish musically.  Expectedly, the results are diabolical and infernal.

1. Exhumed, “Instruments of Hell”

Platters of Splatter • Relapse • 2004

“My instruments of hell will rend your mortal shell On human viscera and meat I dine tonight With my cleaver, knife, and blades your rear quarters are flayed I’ll take it out of your hide.”

Death metal band Exhumed tackle the disgusting human being on the boisterous, indecipherable “Instruments of Hell.” The lyrics certainly aren’t decipherable without them in front of you.  Nonetheless, even without access to them, the vibe is certainly hellish like Fish was.  This is a frightening listen, that ends with the lyrics, “Your fucking ass is mine.”

2. Tyler, the Creator, “Fish”

Goblin • XL • 2011

Tyler, the Creator captures some of the horrors of the pedophile and cannibal in his song, fittingly titled, “Fish.”

“Now I get daughters and tie them and clink
Got my dick harder than iron and zinc
Now they just rot up, arms caught in the sink
Where they get cut up to fit my physique…”

3. Macabre, “Mr. Albert Fish (Was Children Your Favorite Dish?)” 

Gloom • Decomposed • 1989

“Mr. Albert Fish, (was children your favorite dish?).” Ah, Macabre, a band we love at The Musical Hype.  Macabre has rewarded us with a number of songs about these deranged beasts known as serial killers. It’s kind of their thing. Fittingly, the doom metal band appears thrice on this list, showcasing a lovable hatred for Albert Fish.

“He loved to hear the little kids scream
His instruments of hell did gleam
A box with a cleaver, saw, and a knife
He used them to cut up their innocent lives.”

Naturally, the most famous victim of Fish, Grace Budd, is highlighted.

“He took 12-year old Grace Budd home
And then he sawed right through her bones
With carrots and onions he made a stew
Her body parts was also used.”

A remix appeared on the band’s 2009 album, Grim Reality.

4. Macabre, “Albert Was Worse Than Any Fish in the Sea”  

Sinister Slaughter / Behind the Walls of Sleep • Nuclear Blast • 2000

The second Macabre song about Albert Fish, “Albert Was Worse Than Any Fish in the Sea,” plays out like a devilish, twisted childhood nursery rhyme.

“Albert was worse than any fish in the sea
He killed and ate young children and enjoyed it immensely
Albert a child eating Fish was he
Who devoured the flesh of kids because he thought it was tasty.”

That’s a hell of way to describe a sick pedophile.  Most would like to think that’s where Mr. Fish ended up at least.  Sadly, the forthcoming line rings true about what could’ve happened had he not been caught.

“The land was Albert’s ocean; 
Fish consumed his helpless prey
He would have ate more kids but they caught him and made Fish fillet.”

5. Macabre, “Fishtales”

Sinister Slaughter / Behind the Walls of Sleep • Nuclear Blast • 2000

The third and final Macabre tune about Albert Fish, “Fishtales,” is as rotten as the other two. Pirate lingo enters into the mix, describing the old pedophilic cannibal.

“Shiver me timbers terrible old man
Went fishing for kids in a sea made of land
Ahoy there mateys believe if you can
Albert Fish was a kid cannibal old man.”

6. Church of Misery, “The Gray Man (Albert Fish)”

Houses of the Unholy • Metal Blade • 2009

Japanese death metal band Church of Misery is another collective that has fueled the fire for the serial killer playlists at The Musical Hype. Like Macabre, serial killers are part of what makes them distinct as a band.  While the lyrics are unavailable for “The Gray Man (Albert Fish),” deep analysis isn’t necessary. Take one listen to the hellish music, and it’s clear that Church of Misery exceptionally captures the degenerate mind of Mr. Fish.

7. Necro, “Human Consumption” 

The Pre-Fix for Death • Psycho+Logical • 2004

Necro certainly is no heavenly name.  Fittingly, rapper Necro is perfect to tackle hellish things, such as necrophilia, cannibalism, and Albert Fish. 

“Albert Fish’s fetish for individual mastication
Was his equivalent to masturbation.”

Disgusting. Necro also references other cannibals beside Fish.  Jeffrey Dahmer, Ed Gein, and Armin Meiwes all receive nods.  Arguably, Meiwes’ treatment is the crème de la crème:

“They’re looking for people to kill consensually for thrills
Advertising for victims on cannibal URL 
One victim ate himself with the killer
Then agreed to be slain.”

Hmm, how did this miss inclusion on 5 Songs About the Infamous Armin Meiwes | Playlist 🎧?

8. Cannibal Grandpa, “Albert Fish”

Ft. Alfon from Fear My Intentions

Feed Your Food • Cannibal Granpa • 2015

“It was midnight / When a pale face came to light / A shy voice asked for me / And I opened the door to my death, to my fucking death.” Cannibal Grandpa is a deathcore / metal band from Tres Cantos, Spain.  Their name itself is a reference to the infamous serial killer.  Fittingly, the band’s first album devotes time, rather music, to the horrific beast.  On their Band Camp page, they even provide some info about the despicable human being.  Frontman Fernando del Villar does an exceptional job fueling the utmost angst into his vocals.  Naturally, the performance is loud and profane, accurately painting an ugly portrait of a most ugly individual.

“A shudder through my throat
A cock broke my hope.”

“Remember me
Because I’m your worst nightmare
Ask yourself why
You will be my dinner.”

9. The Number Twelve Looks Like You, “Document: Grace Budd”

Put on Your Rosy Red Glasses • Silent Pendulum • 2003

We’ll keep this one short as “Document: Grace Budd” is.  The one-minute interlude features spoken word vocals about the murder of Grace Budd from the perspective of Albert Fish. Sick!

“First, I stripped her naked
How she did kick, bite, and scratch
I choked her to death
Then I cut her into small pieces so I could take my meat to my
Room, cook and eat it
It took me nine days to eat her entire body
I did not fuck her
Though I could have as I wished
She died a virgin…”

Disgusting! 

10. Sparzanza, “Mr. Fish”

Folie á Cinq • Spin Farm Oy • 2011

“Mr. Fish” opens with a news intro about the horrific person Fish was.  This excerpt recurs throughout the song. Aggressive vocals occur throughout the course of the record, depicting Fish’s sheer evilness expressively.  The scream-o vocals have the most chilling, frightening effect, matching the perverted profile of the serial killer at hand.

“He could be harmless, but he is craving for blood
Prey on the young, he’s playing God
Cutting in bodies, perversion of hi
Please Mr. Fish, please Mr. Fish.”

Photo Credits: Relapse, XL, Decomposed, Metal Blade, Psycho+Logical, Cannibal Grandpa, Silent Pendulum, Spin-Farm Oy