For Spencer Charnas, every day might feel like Halloween, but when October rolls around, the Ice Nine Kills frontman turns his obsession into an art form. Known for weaving cinematic horror into metal anthems, Charnas transforms his home into a full-blown haunted attraction that blurs the line between fan and filmmaker.
“We go pretty crazy,” he says with a grin. “We take it very seriously. We’ve got animatronics all over the property.” This year’s centerpiece, he adds, was designed by his friend and frequent collaborator Christopher Nelson — the Academy Award–winning makeup artist behind Suicide Squad and American Horror Story. “He designed a three-dimensional display of what the original Creepshow VHS and one-sheet artwork looks like,” Charnas explains. “So in my dining room, I’ve got this big old-school movie ticket booth with the Creeper inside taking tickets, and it looks like it’s right off the VHS box.”
For Charnas, Halloween isn’t just a day — it’s the culmination of a lifelong fascination with the macabre that has defined both his identity and Ice Nine Kills’ sound. The band’s music videos play like mini horror films, complete with elaborate plots, practical effects, and cinematic ambition. “We’ve always tried to make our videos feel like visual pieces of art,” he says. “It’s not just about making a performance clip — it’s about telling a story that brings the song to life.”
That same sensibility bleeds into his real-world celebrations. Between touring with Metallica and curating his own horror convention — Silver Scream Con, which drew nearly ten thousand fans to Worcester, Massachusetts this year — Charnas has become one of metal’s most dedicated ambassadors for the horror lifestyle. “I’ve always loved the convention world,” he says. “To play the same venue I grew up going to conventions in and sell it out — it’s exhilarating. The horror community in New England has really embraced it.”
That devotion to horror isn’t just professional — it’s deeply personal. Charnas surrounds himself with the culture year-round, collecting movie one-sheets, collaborating with horror icons like Matthew Lillard on his Macabre Spirits liquor line, and now stepping into filmmaking himself with a project alongside effects legend Greg Nicotero.
Still, Halloween remains sacred. It’s the one night a year when the rest of the world joins him in celebrating all things creepy, campy, and cinematic. “Ice Nine Kills can be very gory, very violent,” Charnas says, “but there’s always a wink to the camera — we’re having fun here.”
For a guy who’s made a career out of fusing metal and mayhem, Halloween isn’t just a holiday — it’s a reminder that horror, at its core, is supposed to be fun. “That’s what Ice Nine Kills is about,” he says. “Having a good time with like-minded people who love good films and enjoy our music.”