The world is disgusted & fascinated with serial killers & their crimes. Here are 17 more songs capturing the horror of serial killers.
How can some people be so cold-hearted and evil? That is the question that is often asked about serial killers. Serial killers both disgust the world as well as fascinate the world. The reason for the fascination is because it’s tough to believe anyone could be so disturbed and go to such measures to end innocent lives. The perversions of these killers have inspired numerous books, films, and music. Today, we’ll explore just a small sliver of songs about serial killers. Here are 17 MORE Chilling Songs About Serial Killers (Take 3). Without further ado, Chilling Songs About Serial Killers, Take 3.
1. Judas Priest, “The Ripper”
Album: Sad Wings of Destiny, 1976 | Killer Referenced: Jack the Ripper
Well, this seems fitting. A legendary English heavy metal band, Judas Priest, performs a song about an English serial killer, Jack the Ripper. Well, we assume Jack the Ripper was English, but he was never captured, so we don’t know. There’s been plenty of speculation that another serial killer, H.H. Holmes was Jack the Ripper – from Chicago, Illinois. Regardless, Judas Priest superbly capture the frightening, mysterious nature of the nameless terror of London.
“You’ll soon shake with fear Never knowing if I’m near I’m sly and I’m shameless Nocturnal and nameless Except for ‘The Ripper’ Or if you like, ‘Jack the Knife.’
2. Devourment, “Abomination Unseen”
Album: Unleash the Carnivore, 2017 | Killer Referenced: Edmund Kemper
Some serial killers were quite smart. Additionally, some serial killers where quite big – imposing. Both statements accurate characterize Edmund Kemper, who was intelligent and huge. Not many victims could escape a 6’9” necrophiliac. Notably, Kemper brutally murdered his mother and physically and sexually abused her corpse. Gross! The indecipherable Texas death metal band Devourment are perfect suitors to cover this disturbed bastard.
“Axe again the torso, gushing murderous, infectious, homicide Thirst for the blood spray, spilling, coloring the walls red Dead in seconds, mutilate extremities, chop off their head To fornicate the lifeless object until I feel release.”
3. Pearl Jam, “Dirty Frank”
Album: Lost Dogs, 2003 | Killer Referenced: Jeffrey Dahmer
Previous Appearance: An Eerie Soundtrack to Jeffrey Dahmer | Playlist
Eddie Vedder and company certainly pushed the envelope on “Dirty Frank,” a song written about the band’s bus driver. “Dirty Frank” wasn’t released in the United States until later. Originally, however, it was released on some editions of the 1991 album, Ten in other countries. So, how exactly did they push the envelope? Well, “Dirty Frank” is no tribute to Frank, considering he’s given the last name Dahmer, as in Jeffrey Dahmer the serial killer. Naturally, poor Frank takes on the persona of a serial killer. To make things even more twisted, “Dirty Frank” is funky AF.
Here are some notable lyrics that appear throughout “Dirty Frank” in reference to Dahmer:
“Dirty Frank Dahmer he’s a gourmet cook, yeah I got a recipe for Anglo-Saxon soup, yeah.” “I got a cupboard full of fleshy fresh ingredients.” “Eats meat. A release Bus driving’s harder on your head than on your feet.” “Just a little strange when he gets hungry” “There goes another turned into crust” “Cook them just to see the look on their face. I cook em just to see the look on their face.”
4. Slayer, “Dead Skin Mask”
Album: Seasons in the Abyss, 1990 | Killer Referenced: Ed Gein
Previous Appearance: A Twisted Soundtrack for Ed Gein: Butcher of Plainfield
Slayer is a veteran metal band, forming in the early 80s. Who better to tackle Gein? They’ve graced our previous serial killer playlists. They describes the mindset of Ed Gein and any number of serial killers best on “Dead Skin Mask.”
“In the depths of a mind insane Fantasy and reality are the same!”
The aforementioned quote fittingly served as an introduction to this most twisted soundtrack for a most twisted individual. At times, Slayer poetically captures the sickness of Gein on “Dead Skin Mask.” At other times, poetic certainly isn’t the right word.
“Dance with the dead in my dreams Listen to their hallowed screams The dead have taken my soul Temptation’s lost all control.”
5. Countess, “The Wrath of Satan’s Whore”
Album: Ad Maiorem Sathanae Gloriam, 1995 | Killer Referenced: Elizabeth Báthory
Previous Appearance: A Bloody Soundtrack to Countess Elizabeth Báthory
On “The Wrath of Satan’s Whore,” Countess is in no rush. Who is Countess? A Dutch black metal band that was formed in 1992. “The Wrath of Satan’s Whore” appeared on their 1995 album, Ad Maiorem Sathanae Gloriam, which translates in English as To the Greater Glory of Satan. How Mephistophelean and Satanic of them.
An extended instrumental intro, establishes mysteriousness; it’s foreboding to say the least. Then, the true “Wrath of Satan’s Whore” is unveiled, thanks to the coarse, harsh vocals of frontman Orlok. If the introduction had a radiance despite its enigmatic nature, in Orlok’s hands, things become morbid to say the least. There’s certainly a lack of melody…
“More than six times a hundred maidens fair Lured into the countess’ castle unaware Dark lady of Hungary obsessed by blood The virgins trapped in Hell cries in vain to God.”
6. Fear Factory, “Suffer Age”
Album: Soul of a New Machine, 1992 | Killer Referenced: John Wayne Gacy
Previous Appearance: A Most Gruesome Soundtrack to John Wayne Gacy | Playlist
“Suffer Age” commences with the element of mysteriousness – what’s new? Ultimately, Fear Factory set up quite an unsettled vibe to say the least. A sense of stability eventually develops, but it’s temporary, never feeling surefire. It’s fitting given the horrific actions of Gacy.
The band characterizes J.W.G. perfectly: “Unbelievable atrocity / Hateful monstrosity…”
Yep, that’s about the size of it. Prior to that description of the sinister clown, the death metal band “sings”:
“Compressed youthful voices Suffer age Below John’s floors Spoilage Lingering death Gagging your fears Dead in horror Grizzly facial stare.”
Fear Factory certainly lives up to its name. That’s some hella scary stuff indeed.
7. Porcupine Tree, “Blackest Eyes”
Album: In Absentia, 2002 | Killer Referenced: Ted Bundy
Previous Appearance: 12 Songs Written About or Inspired by Ted Bundy
“Blackest Eyes” serves as the opener for In Absentia, the 2002 album by alternative rock band Porcupine Tree. “Blackest Eyes” is written about serial killers and their horrific actions. Even with some general characteristics, the song keys in on Ted Bundy.
“A walk in the woods and I will try Something under the trees that made you cry It’s so erotic when your makeup runs.”
Steven Wilson and company don’t stop there. He moves on from the woods to the van.
“A few minutes with me inside my van Should be so beautiful if we can I’m feeling something taking over me.”
8. Macabre, “Apartment 213”
Album: Dahmer, 2000 | Killer Referenced: Jeffrey Dahmer
Previous Appearance: An Eerie Soundtrack to Jeffrey Dahmer | Playlist
Born in the 80s, death metal band Macabre tackles the residence of one Jeffrey Dahmer. Not only do sing about the site of the perversions, they released an entire about centered around the notorious serial killer. Dahmer, released in 2000, is comprised of 26 tracks. The effort begins with “Dog Guts” and concludes with “The Brain.” Interestingly, Dahmer includes a charmingly title song called “Jeffrey Dahmer and the Chocolate Factory,” which uses the “Oompa Loompa” song as its inspiration. Another charming number on this list also incorporates the film. Hmm, not certain Roald Dahl would be happy. Also, “Christopher Scarver,” Dahmer’s murderer gets a nod.
Here, we’ll focus on a second song about the serial killer’s residence in “Apartment 213.” The lyrics are cut and dry, explicitly detailing the hellishness.
“At the Oxford Apartments Jeffrey lived at 213 But his neighbors didn’t know That Jeffrey was a fiend He said the fridge was broken The smell was rotten meat But nobody knew it was the men that Jeff would eat.”
Accurately, Dahmer managed to keep secrets – awful, terrible, no-good, murderous, necrophilia-driven secrets. The song goes on to say:
“Jeff strangled and dismembered them And saved some parts to eat The smell of rotting men Got worse in summer heat.”
9. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, “Jack the Ripper”
Album: Henry’s Dream, 1992 | Serial Killer Referenced: Jack the Ripper
“Jack the Ripper” concludes the 1992 studio album by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Henry’s Dream. It’s one hellish joint to say the least. There are two characters in this particular tale – a woman and a man. From the perspective of the narrator, the man, the woman is horrible to the nth degree. This is apparent from the jump:
“I got a woman She rules my house with an iron fist.”
The problem is, “Jack the Ripper” also opens the door to considering the narrator to be suspect.
“She screams out Jack the Ripper Every time I try to give that girl a kiss.”
“Jack the Ripper” can be interpreted a number of different ways. It’s clear there’s an awful, dysfunction relationship, but is it merely the woman’s fault, or is the narrator actually Jack the Ripper? We’d never know because we never found out who Jack the Ripper was!
10. Siouxie and the Banshees, “Skin”
Album: Kaleidoscope, 1980 | Killer Referenced: Ed Gein
Previous Appearance: A Twisted Soundtrack for Ed Gein: Butcher of Plainfield | Playlist
“Cover me with skin and accuse me of sin / But you know what I mean, there’s just too many of them / Give me your skin for dancing in / Oh, give me your skin for dancing in.” Siouxsie and the Banshees nail Ed Gein – understatement. Who exactly is Siouxsie and the Banshees exactly? A British rock band formed in 1976 that included Sid Vicious as a former member. On a number of these playlists, metal bands provide the soundtrack to these serial killers. In this case, it’s an alternative rock band. Despite not having the same jagged quality metal bands possess, Siouxsie achieves an intense, unsettling on “Skin.” This also extends into the lyrics, as aforementioned.
“Hairless and streamline, fits like my own skin Tattooed and sun-dyed, it’s warm and it’s human There was too many of them, the animals like them Shame about the smell but they’re fine, steeped in perfume.”
Gross.
11. Necro, “Human Consumption”
Album: The Pre-Fix for Death, 2004 | Killers Referenced: Albert Fish, Jeffrey Dahmer, Ed Gein & Armin Meiwes
Previous Appearance: 10 Dark, Twisted Songs About Albert Fish | Playlist
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.”
12. Blitzkid, “Mr. Gore”
Album: Apparitional, 2007 | Killer Referenced: Ted Bundy
Previous Appearance: 12 Songs Written About or Inspired by Ted Bundy
On “Mr. Gore,” West Virginia punk band Blitzkid does something different than most songs that are inspired by serial killers – it’s set in a major key. Besides being in the “happy” key, the song itself sounds happy, only amplified by its quick tempo and punk energy. Nonetheless, the lyrics are dark, yet the vocals are bursting with exuberance. The oxymoronic nature of this punk joint is part of its charm. Among the best lyrics:
“They call me Mr. Gore Mr. Gore The Most handsome man to date Strapped to the electric chair Nothing left to do but smile and wave They shaved off all my perfect hair For all my charms I can’t disarm that, fella pullin’ on the switch 2,000 volts and now I’m toast Dead at best, a brokenhearted wreck So sick.”
13. Exodus “The Ballad of Leonard and Charles”
Album: Exhibit B: The Human Condition, 2010 | Killer Referenced: Leonard Lake & Charles Ng
Phew! Thrash metal band Exodus had some twisted inspiration on “The Ballad of Leonard and Charles.”
“Lecherous inhuman monsters Piteous crimes carried out Patriarchs to the lunatic fringe They venerate what has been done.”
Seems like a perfect way to describe two terrible individuals. Rapists. Torturers. Murderers. Charles Ng is still alive, but on death row for his crimes. As for Leonard Lake, supposedly the mastermind in the partnership, he committed suicide before ever being convicted. Coward. Exodus provide specifics on their murder ballad, accurately characterizing the demons.
“Dragging their victims into lunacy And putting it all on film Wretched dregs of society Killers of children Rapist of women Sado-sexual violence.”“Malevolent and rancid perversions The outcome is always death Bodies thrown down into a hole Maggots consuming the flesh.” “Fear – a macabre madness Fiendish carnage with rabid butchery Rejoicing in their victims’ slavery...”
14. Aiden, “Elizabeth”
Album: Knives, 2009 | Killer Referenced: Elizabeth Báthory
Previous Appearance: A Bloody Soundtrack to Countess Elizabeth Báthory
Short but sweet, Aiden, like the other bands on this playlist, make sure that they highlight the bloodlust of the Countess.
“She bathed in blood how apropos Became a witness to the suffering Skinned alive, she even took their soul.”
What makes Aiden slightly different from the other bands is they aren’t a metal group but rather, a goth, punk rock collective. No matter – the Blood Countess is still dramatized exceptionally well with ample angst. Towards the end of the song, they specifically name Elizabeth Báthory as the subject.
“She bathed in the blood that much you know Of the demon countess Báthory Through these cemetery gates we go With my eyes closed Elizabeth! She will not bathe alone...”
15. Gorerotted, “To Catch a Killer”
Album: Only Tools and Corpses, 2003 | Killers Referenced: Jack the Ripper, John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, Fred West & John George Haigh
Previous Appearance: A Most Gruesome Soundtrack to John Wayne Gacy
British death metal band Gorerotted were something else. To say the least, the song titles from their 2003 album, Only Tools and Corpses, are hellish. Some examples include “Zombie Graveyard Rap Bonanza,” “Fuck Your Arse with Broken Glass” (ouch!), and “Can’t Fit Her Limbs in the Fridge.” These song titles make “To Catch a Killer,” our highlighted record, sound tame. It’s not.
First of all, “To Catch a Killer” doesn’t just focus on John Wayne Gacy. There are sections dedicated to Jack the Ripper, Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, Fred West, and John George Haigh. For our purposes, however, we’ll focus on Gacy, who appears first on this crazy song. The lyrics are as follows:
“My name is John and I dress as a clown Thirty-one bodies I’ve buried underground A construction worker I like building flats and pulling rabbits out of hats But under my make-up I’m a mischievous man Killing as many boys as I can.”
Gorerotted may be insane themselves, but they paint an accurate picture of J.W.G. Employing a dual-lead vocalist line up – Ben McCrow and Jason Merle. Sigh, it’s double the darkness.
16. Stellar Ash, “One Fit Man (The Lament of Armin Meiwes)”
Album: Growing into Everything, 2006 | Killer Referenced: Armin Meiwes
Previous Appearance: 5 Songs About the Infamous Armin Meiwes
Dave Rose (aka Stellar Ash) tackled dark subject matter on the penultimate track of his 2006 album, Growing into Everything. On “One Fit Man (The Lament of Armin Meiwes),” he discusses the arrangement between Meiwes and Brandes. What was that arrangement? Meiwes desired a “young, well-built man, who wanted to be eaten.” The well-built part, hence, goes along with the “one fit man” title of the Stellar Ash record. While the subject matter is dark, the music itself is quite beautiful. Rose uses electronic, synthetic sounds, as well as traditional instruments (guitars).
17. Church of Misery, “I, Motherfucker (Ted Bundy)”
Album: The Second Coming, 2011 | Killer Referenced: Ted Bundy
Previous Appearance: 12 Songs Written About or Inspired by Ted Bundy
Japanese metal band Church of Misery have appeared on a couple of The Musical Hype serial killer-related playlists, including An Eerie Soundtrack to Jeffrey Dahmer | Playlist and 18 Chilling Songs About Serial Killers | Playlist, where the subject was infamous cult leader Jim Jones. Here, they turn their attention to Mr. Bundy, in all his hellishness. Fittingly, the explicitly titled cut commences in unsettling fashion, featuring a news clip and a distorted wall of guitar. Once the song picks up, the lyrics are pretty much indecipherable, but it doesn’t matter. This fits the monstrous Ted Bundy ‘to a T.’
Make sure you check out our twisted serial killer playlists at The Musical Hype!
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