Horror-metal band Ice Nine Kills have released A Very Vicious Christmas, an eight-track EP of reimagined Christmas classics, out now digitally via Fearless Records with vinyl available for pre-order. The songs were created for the band’s collaboration with Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights.
Stream and pre-order A Very Vicious Christmas here.
At Universal Studios Hollywood, the songs soundtracked “Terror Tram starring Art the Clown,” where the Terrifier killer hijacked the historic backlot tram for his own holiday celebration. They were also featured in the downtown clown area of Universal’s Orlando park.
Christmas Classics, Freshly Butchered
The EP rewrites seasonal standards with the band’s trademark horror twist. “Jingle Bells” swaps winter scenery for “mistletoe-tags” and a “one hearse open slay,” “The Twelve Days of Christmas” delivers broken bones and a trip to the mortuary, and a children’s choir joins in on “O Christmas Tree.” Produced by Spencer Charnas, Joe Occhiuti and Steve Sopchak, the EP also includes full-band and orchestral versions of “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies,” both orchestrated by Francesco Ferrini. Charnas says:
“It’s a gift for us to present our beloved Psychos with exactly what they axed for this season. We’re proud to partner with Halloween Horror Nights on our latest work of ART.”
Spencer Charnas
Tracklist
- Carol of the Bells
- Jingle Bells
- We Wish You A Merry Christmas
- O Christmas Tree
- Joy to the World
- The Twelve Days of Christmas
- Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies (Full Band Version)
- Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies (Orchestral Version)
A Big Year for INK
2026 marks twenty years since Ice Nine Kills released their debut album, and it has been a busy one. “Twisting The Knife” featuring Mckenna Grace, from the closing credits of Scream 7, gave them their first No. 1 at Active Rock Radio and on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart. They also contributed “Hell or High Slaughter (Grave Diggler Pt. 2)” to Ready or Not 2: Here I Come and “Play Dead” to Dead by Daylight, while their 2024 Terrifier 3 song “A Work of Art” has passed 60 million streams. A new “Nightmare On The Ninth” merch drop accompanies the EP, and in December the band will appear on UNWRAPPED: An Acoustic Holiday, alongside Zakk Wylde, The Warning, Ayron Jones and others.
Our Take
A horror-metal Christmas record was always going to happen with this band, and tying it to Art the Clown makes perfect sense after “A Work of Art.” The joke could wear thin over eight tracks, but the orchestral touches and the sheer commitment to the bit make A Very Vicious Christmas a fun alternative for anyone tired of the usual holiday playlist.
