News — Playlist

Heavy metal has always shared a close relationship with the horror genre. From metal grandaddy Black Sabbath’s very name (lifted from Mario Bava’s 1963 anthology film) to the occult aesthetics of black metal and the grisly imagery of death metal, this diverse sonic universe overlaps with horror in varying noteworthy ways. Indeed, I found my gateways into heavy music around the same time I discovered horror fiction and cinema, and it all seemed somehow connected. At twelve years old, I felt an indescribable link between the menacing vibes of AC/DC’s Highway to Hell (1979), the ominous cover art for Korn’s...

Introduction

Music plays an integral role in my creative process, almost as integral as the role it plays in my memories. Set in an environment modeled partially after the suburbs of my own youth, my debut novel Shelter for the Damned echoes feelings from the bands and artists who carried me through periods of adolescent angst (Alice Cooper, Korn, Rob Zombie, David Bowie, and The Cure, among others).  

I have curated two playlists that aim to capture the novel’s spirit, one with vocals and one without. The former playlist includes songs recorded...

I am a huge fan of audiobooks and I think when your life is as hectic as mine, it's nice to fit that extra story in any way you can. I love the atmosphere an audiobook creates in my mind. It's a very different experience than reading print. I can completely immerse myself in the story with the right narrator and it's extremely convenient. Who doesn't like the idea of letting their imagination take flight while finishing the laundry or preparing dinner. 

The books on this list will slither into your psyche and create an...