Ice Nine Kills frontman Spencer Charnas has opened up about the band’s latest creative venture, the high-octane single ‘Play Dead’. Created in collaboration with the survival horror juggernaut Dead By Daylight, the track marks another milestone in the band’s mission to bridge the gap between heavy music and iconic horror cinema.
A Cinematic Collaboration
Dead By Daylight has cemented its status as the most-played horror game in history, boasting a decade-long legacy of integrating legendary franchises like Stranger Things, Saw, and Resident Evil. For Charnas, working with the game’s creative team and composer Michel F. April was a natural evolution of the band’s aesthetic. “Getting to collaborate with Dead By Daylight felt like entering a universe that already shared a lot of our creative DNA,” Charnas explained. “The goal was to make the track feel less like something merely influenced by that world and more like something that could naturally exist inside it.”
The Intersection of Horror and Music
The ‘Play Dead’ music video features a star-studded cast, including skateboarding legend Tony Hawk and Terrifier 3 star Krsy Fox. Charnas noted that his appreciation for pop culture extends beyond horror, citing the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series as a formative influence on his musical taste. “Those games were immersive pathways to musical discoveries,” he said. “Having Tony Hawk appear with us in the video was a full-circle moment.”
Reflecting on the band’s recent contributions to soundtracks for Scream 7 and Terrifier 3, Charnas emphasized the importance of reconnecting rock music with horror. “There was a time when those two worlds felt deeply intertwined,” he noted. “We’re proud to contribute in some small way to bringing that energy back.”
The Future of Horror
When asked why horror remains so vital in uncertain times, Charnas pointed to the genre’s unique ability to provide catharsis. “Horror as an art form offers a unique kind of escapism that lets us set aside real-world terrors in favour of fantasy thrills and chills,” he said. “It is a way to engage with those fears and questions in safe, smart, and often wonderfully silly ways.”
As Ice Nine Kills looks toward their 2027 UK arena tour, including a headline show at London’s O2 Arena, it is clear that their cinematic approach to metal is resonating with a growing global audience. Whether through their albums or their high-profile collaborations, the band continues to prove that for them, horror will never die.
