ICE NINE KILLS
Ice Nine Kills, The Ritz, Raleigh, NC 4/30/25.
The acclaimed kings of horror, Ice Nine Kills, brought their “Silver Scream-A-Thon” two-night event to the Ritz Raleigh this past week. Each night had its own supporting lineup, with night one having The Word Alive, The Funeral Portrait, and Melrose Avenue. Each evening focused on a different album and, for night one, we were brought back to the album that started it all, The Silver Scream.
Ice Nine Kills are known for their theatrical and cinematic music that effortlessly fuses metalcore and post-hardcore. They love to make concept albums inspired by books and horror movies, and have come to be known as “horror metal” or even “horrorcore.”
Fans came to The Ritz dressed to kill. Everyone was either in horror-themed attire, INK merch, or just their finest goth wear. As we were greeted by screens detailing a spree of killings in the area, it immediately felt more like a slasher film than a heavy rock show.
INK took the stage promptly following the short intro, and launched right into “The American Nightmare,” a hard-hitting, fast-paced track about Nightmare on Elm Street. It’s a perfect intro song and really got the audience going and set the pace for the evening.
Frontman Spencer Charnas appeared in various masks throughout the evening, representing each song’s theme, as they “slayed” each track from The Silver Scream in its entirety. Another fun element is that they have actors come out to portray characters from each film, including Friday the 13’s Jason with various campers, Pennywise, and many more!
After wrapping up the album, they returned for a “killer” encore of the fan favorites “The Fastest Way to a Girl’s Heart is Through Her Ribcage,” “The Greatest Story Ever Told,” and “Meat and Greet.”
Whether you’re a newcomer to their world or a diehard “Psycho,” The Silver Scream-A-Thon event promises two unforgettable nights of blood and theatrics, and is sure to leave you screaming for more!
Shot and Written by Melanie Williamson.
