Horror-themed Music Videos from Turkey and Around the World

To be completely honest, I’m not deeply involved with music. By “deeply involved,” I mean my interest has never extended beyond listening. I’ve never been one to spend hours discussing music theory or dissecting albums. But there’s one music-related topic I could talk about for hours: music videos.

I’ve always loved watching music videos. This naturally evolved alongside my passion for horror movies. While horror elements and frightening atmospheres are particularly prevalent in Heavy Metal and its various subgenres which I absolutely love, the use of horror in music videos isn’t limited to just this genre. You can feel the horror film vibe in videos across many different musical styles. In this article, I’ll discuss some of my favorite music videos where you can experience horror film aesthetics.

Michael Jackson – Thriller

I’d say the video’s script is quite good, even for a short horror film. At the beginning of the clip, we see Michael Jackson with his girlfriend or rather, the woman he’s proposing. After Michael tells her he’s “not like other guys,” he transforms into a werecat, not a. Then the scene changes and we realize Michael Jackson and his girlfriend are actually in a horror movie. The girlfriend gets scared and leaves the cinema, and Michael, still in werecat form, starts singing the song in the streets with a zombie army behind him. As the clip continues with horrific elements like zombies rising from their graves, we see that everything was a nightmare. But at the end of the video, we get another twist—the real girl smiles with werecat eyes. It’s no surprise that this video’s director is John Landis, who also directed “An American Werewolf in London,” one of the best werewolf films ever made.

Metallica – Until It Sleeps

Metallica, the first name that comes to mind when you say Thrash Metal, is one of the artists I’ve included twice in this list. The video was shot inspired by Hieronymus Bosch’s painting “The Garden of Earthly Delights,” which centers on themes like Adam’s fall to earth, sinfulness, and worldly pleasures. Many figures from the painting can be noticed in the video. Samuel Bayer appears as the director.

MGMT – Little Dark Age

One of the relatively newer videos on the list. In the clip, classic Gothic elements and modern horror components come together. The song’s melancholic atmosphere perfectly matches the Gothic vibe of the video. Wizards, satanic paintings, derelict and eerie spaces reminiscent of graveyards are the main elements used in the video to create the horror atmosphere. David MacNut and Nathaniel Axel co-directed the video.

Metallica – Enter Sandman

“Enter Sandman,” one of Metallica’s most well-known songs, has always stuck in my mind with its video. Nightmares are among the elements used in horror films that have the most real-life counterparts. Especially when we remember the impact that nightmares we had at a young age left on us, the truth of this can be understood more clearly. This video takes us into a young child’s nightmare, creating an unsettling atmosphere. The video, which has a magnificent harmony with the song’s lyrics, has always been among the most unforgettable in my eyes.

Ozzy Osbourne – Back on Earth

I couldn’t resist including my favorite metal vocalist on this list. I wish the song “Mr. Crowley” had a horrifying video and could be on this list, but it wasn’t possible. The video for this song from the “Prince of Darkness’s” solo work was shot in black and white. In the video, we see a group of people carrying a coffin. At one point, Ozzy Osbourne emerges from the coffin, rises into the sky, and starts singing.

Ozzy Osbourne – Bark at the Moon

Ozzy again, another successful horror-themed video. In the “Bark at the Moon” video, we see the metal music giant as a werewolf, a classic horror film character. Considering this video was shot in the early 1980s, we can say it successfully reflects the horror film aesthetic of that era. The video masterfully combines energetic music and horror film elements, offering viewers both a musical and visual feast. Osbourne’s performance as a werewolf leaves an unforgettable impact on the video.

Ramones – Pet Sematary

Now let’s move on to the Ramones, one of the groups I like from Punk—a genre I’ve never been able to love completely. The Ramones’ “Pet Sematary” video was inspired by Stephen King’s novel of the same name. The video is filled with scenes set in a terrifying cemetery. The Ramones’ energetic music perfectly complements the dark atmosphere of King’s novel. The video creates an exciting yet unsettling short film through the energetic fusion of horror and punk rock.

Umay Umay – Düşmedim Daha

We can’t skip mentioning a few music videos from Turkey. Umay Umay’s “Düşmedim Daha” (I Haven’t fallen yet) video is one of the most striking works from Turkey’s alternative music scene. The video is filled with gothic and surrealist visuals combined with Umay’s characteristically deep and emotional vocal performance. While the video creates a dark and mystical atmosphere, Umay Umay’s powerful stage presence and emotionally charged expression deeply affect the viewer.

Pentagram – Anatolia

I couldn’t make this list without including a video from Pentagram, the first group that comes to mind when you say metal music in Turkey and one I absolutely love. So it might seem a bit forced, but isn’t what scares us somewhat relative? Given that there are millions of people scared by various horror comedies made to mock horror film clichés, if they’re scared, they’d be scared of “Anatolia” too, my friend. The video takes the viewer on a mystical journey with impressive visual effects and a dark atmosphere. Right at the beginning of the video, the depiction of a blood-covered human figure emerging by splitting through Anatolia’s arid lands gives enough of a horror dose, in my opinion. Anatoliaaa Anatoliaaa…

Karnaval – Nezih Ünen

I want to close the list with a very personal choice that takes me back to my childhood. After watching it, you might say “okay buddy, fine, it’s relative, but you can’t be scared of this,” but when I was a child, when this video came on Kral TV (Turkish equivalent of MTV in 90’s), I was looking for a place to hide in fear. Nezih Ünen’s face painted half in red tones, all the dancers appearing with masks and strange makeup terrified me. While writing this article, I watched the video once more and realized there really wasn’t anything surprising about my fear. If we weren’t afraid of clown makeup and masks that make a person’s face invisible and their expressions incomprehensible, IT probably wouldn’t be such a successful film. Listening to it again, I noticed the song is actually really good. If you watch the video, I believe you’ll understand my fear.

As a final word, these examples I’ve selected from Turkey and around the world show how harmonious and powerful a duo horror and music can be. Each video tells its own story and invites viewers into a world rich in both visual and auditory terms. After all, music and horror are two powerful media that move our emotions, affect us, and challenge our imagination. That’s why each of these videos is a discovery not only for horror or music lovers but for anyone interested in various aspects of art.