Stylistic origins Punk rock
gothic rock | ||
 | ||
Cultural origins Late 1970s, United States Typical instruments Vocals
electric guitar
bass
drums | ||
Horror punk (sometimes called horror rock or hardcore death or psychedelic hardcore punk ) is a music genre that mixes Gothic and punk rock sounds with morbid or violent imagery and lyrics, which are often influenced by horror films or science fiction B-movies. The genre is similar to and sometimes overlaps with deathrock, although deathrock leans more towards an atmospheric Gothic rock sound while horror punk leans towards a 1950s-influenced doo-wop and rockabilly sound. Horrorpunk music is typically more aggressive and melodic than deathrock.
The Damned, The Cramps, Sid Terror's Undead are recognized as the progenitors of horror punk, releasing a series of singles and EPs beginning in 1976-1977, with The Misfits eventually joining their ranks in mid-1977.
Horror punk is generally apolitical in comparison to other punk rock subgenres, although some songs do refer to political events (e.g. the Misfits' "Bullet", which discusses the assassination of John F. Kennedy), and some artists like Jack Grisham (on the left) and Michale Graves (on the right) have espoused their own political views.
Horror hardcore, refers to a hybrid of horror punk and hardcore punk. The Misfits' 1983 album Earth A.D. inaugurated this style and the bands Septic Death, The Banner, and Integrity have also been categorized into this subgenre.