If you’re a fan of horror movies, you owe it to yourself to see Ice Nine Kills in concert. The horrorcore band has carved out a name for themselves by penning songs dedicated to the genre, which is fantastic to begin with. But the entire ordeal is enhanced when experienced in person as the band pays tribute to their favorite cinematic hits with a wink and a nod. And sometimes a bloody shovel.
On this night, frontman Spencer Charnas took to the stage and immediately assumed the role of Patrick Bateman, the investment banker-turned-serial killer portrayed by Christian Bale in the 2000 cult classic American Psycho. In an amusing nod to the movie titled “Hip to Be Scared,” Charnas used an axe to murder a colleague, tossed the decapitated head aside and even worked in a fitting Huey Lewis and the News reference for good measure.
Up next, the band put their creative spin on Cabin Fever and The Evil Dead with two of their more popular tracks, “A Rash Decision” and “Ex-Mørtis.” Before long, a giant inflatable shark (Jaws), bloodthirsty clown Pennywise (It Chapter One) and Freddy Krueger (A Nightmare on Elm Street) were all prominently involved in the evening’s festivities. When it was all said and done, INK’s 50-minute set featured a mix of tracks from their 2015 album, Every Trick In The Book, 2018’s The Silver Scream and 2021’s The Silver Scream 2: Welcome to Horrorwood. With so many tightly-constructed tracks accompanied by incredibly-enjoyable visuals, it’s apparent why Ice Nine Kills shows are a cut above the rest.
To that end, their musical offerings have become so popular that Ice Nine Kills’ unique brand of content is no longer limited to the stage. They’ve collaborated with Z2 Comics on a series of graphic novels (Inked in Blood and Inked in Blood II: Once Upon A Crime) and created a horror convention, Silver Scream Con, that debuted last August in the band’s home state of Massachusetts.
Because Ice Nine Kills is so spectacular live, this was actually my second time covering them in the last year. To see my images from the first show, click here.
