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Review: ICE NINE KILLS - "A Work of Art" | The Official Song for Terrifier 3

Ice Nine Kills is back, introducing an exciting crossover with horror franchise, Terrifier 3

by Chris Bryant

Updated October 15, 2024

Ice Nine Kills Release Song In Collaboration with Terrifier 3, "A Work of Art" | The Metalverse

You’d be hard-pressed to meet someone in present day who isn’t familiar with Art The Clown. This modern-day horror icon has been haunting our screens since 2008 with “The 9th Circle”, and has slowly terrified audiences across the world. Art The Clown is a character that encompasses the dark comedy of Freddy, the stalking prowess of Michael, and the overly violent sensibilities of Leatherface into one grease-painted, absolutely sinister clown. So, is there a band that could properly display the chaos and carnage that is Art The Clown in song form? There’s only one that comes to mind for this horror guy right here, and they have delivered exactly what the song title states–a work of art.

Ice Nine Kills announced at their 3rd annual Silver Scream Con that they would be releasing the official song for Terrifier 3. If you thought that crowd was loud and wild, that was only a portion of the excitement that came from my office upon seeing that announcement video. Fans of the band have been waiting patiently for the horror-themed metal outfit to write a song about Terrifier. Since the release of "The Silver Scream" in 2018 and the absolute opus that is the sequel "Welcome To Horrorwood: The Silver Scream 2" in 2021, we’ve gotten songs from all of horror’s most beloved and iconic characters. It was only a matter of time before Art was properly INKed in the catalog.

The song starts off with a sample of Terrifier's main theme, before frontman Spencer Charnas brings us into our first chorus, singing “The art of dying brings me to life”.

In true Ice Nine Kills fashion, we have an earworm of a chorus that will last with you long after the first listen and have you coming back for more. Musically, we are then presented with a crushing set of punk-fueled drum patterns and an over-the-top heavy riff. It’s Ice Nine Kills in its truest form, it's metal, it's.....wait a second–is that Shavo Odadjian? Why yes, it is. Fans of System of a Down will immediately catch Shavo’s vocal performance in the chorus and if you haven’t been sold based on source material fandom or just being a fan of the band previously, this first moment will definitely do the trick.

The bridge goes into a section of samples that document the legacy of Art The Clown, and we’re then presented with the absolutely incredible voice of Leah Voysey. She was featured in Terrifier 2, most notably in The Clown Cafe sequence, and this bridge pays homage to that same exact melody. Just when you thought it was safe to take a moment and breathe, in comes a clown horn and we’re given what could be the most chaotic, multi-genre breakdown ever. This breakdown takes us everywhere from guttural vocals, hard stops into film samples, a piano detuning and playing a haunting melody, guitars playing a circus jingle…to write it all out would be doing it a disservice. Just go listen and prepare to have your brain explode. They always say this is what it’s like to chew a certain number’s gum, it just took until 2024 to understand that feeling.

In conclusion, "A Work of Art" captures everything about the Terrifier series and throws it into a metal song that will likely become a live staple and a fan favorite for years to come. If this is your first venture into Ice Nine Kills, buckle up and prepare for the ride. A YouTube video has also been released in conjunction with the single, viewers need to be prepared for a graphic gore-filled short film that beautifully couples with this track. "A Work of Art" by Ice Nine Kills is out today via Fearless Records.