Happy Spooky Season! Every October, I try to watch as many horror movies as possible, and this month I'll throw a lesser-known horror movie I recommend at the bottom of this column, because I'm just generous like that. The Music Gods are also generous, and have gifted us with some more great tunes this Friday. Into the pit with you!

Wolves in the Throne Room's new album Estuary is out later this month, and you can listen to the title track now, or watch the video above. This new one is a concept album about life 1,000 years after the end of civilization and the survivors that remain. It's a world of mutated animals, interdimensional portals, and other deadly challenges. I'm currently re-reading Stephen King's magnum opus, "The Dark Tower" series, and this song is a perfect soundtrack. 

Agriculture is an amazing live band, and The Spiritual Sound is an amazing album. The band's new live recording capture's their recent European tour and does a good job capturing their electrifying live show. I'll probably continue picking the studio album over the live album, but the version of "Hallelujah" on this record gave me chills. 

There's also a new Swans live album out today, Newly Sentient Being. Unfortunately, I didn't have three hours free to squeeze that one in this morning. 

Wasteland is the new album by Portugal's Travo, who bill themselves as a heavy psych rock band. That's a pretty expansive tag, but I still don't feel that it does this album justice. There's a lot happening on Wasteland - I hear elements of krautrock, industrial, and experimental noise mixed in with the interstellar jamming. Some tracks sound like Elder, while others are more like the barely-controlled chaos of Deafkids. Read my full review here. 

The Blacklight Sessions is pure, uncut stoner rock from Ohio's Valley of the Sun. It's a fun album that unironically uses cowbell, what more do you need to know? Read my full review here.  

Despite the pretty metal name, Spike Fuck isn't metal. His debut album is more of a singer/songwriter affair. His PR materials cite Scott Walker, Nick Cave, and the New York Dolls, although I am mostly reminded of British avant-garde performer ANOHNI. Spike started performing in 2015 but saw personal loss and addiction derail his career, only to return to performing in the last couple years. Spike's debut album Evidence may not be heavy, but it's catchy, dark, and engaging. Think "Goth David Bowie" and you won't be too far off the mark.

The collaborative album The Pulse of Atoms by Lustmord Lombardo is exactly what you'd expect if you're at all familiar with the dark ambient musician and the legendary drummer. It's ominous soundscapes over intricate percussion, which sounds almost like a drum machine at some points. It's atmospheric, creepy, and engrossing. Many years ago, I had a CD that I'd put on regularly that was a compilation of experimental percussion-based performers. This reminds me a lot of that - which I should try to dig out of storage. 

The Keening are back with another single off their upcoming album, Devotion. "Devotion III - The King" is part of a four-song movement that makes up the bulk of the album and is string-heavy and dreamy. The full album is really strong, and the two singles released so far give you a good taste of what to expect. 

I Hope This Hurts by Teardrinker started as a commissioned piece at the last Roadburn festival, and according to a friend who was there, it was incredible. The first song, "Blessed is the Flame," is very politically pointed, heavy and enraged. This blackened post-hardcore track made me incredibly excited to hear the full album. 

Finally, it looks like we've got a new Djunah album on the way. Here's the first single, "Rotting Age." It's a chaotic slice of doom with soaring females vocals. Djunah are a band I've seen a couple times but have yet to full fall in love with. Maybe this new album will do the trick. 

When I said above I was going to share lesser-known horror movies, I had something more obscure than Green Room in mind. But, as I went through my Letterboxd account, it jumped out to me as the perfect place to start. While no means an unknown movie, it definitely hasn't been seen by as many people as it should. And although it's fully grounded in the real world, it is definitely one of the scariest movies I've ever seen. On top of that, it is a movie about heavy music, and one of the single best films about punk rock ever made. I would love to hear more suggestions about scary movies to watch this month that have a metal or fitness element. 

Have a good weekend, all!