Ice Nine Kills put their spin on Child's Play with 'Assault & Batteries'

Ice Nine Kills proving that evil does indeed come in every size with 'Assault & Batteries.'

The original Child's Play from 1988 - and its many shitty, tacky sequels - are films that I just don't care for. Like many horror classics and cult-favourites, if you don't see them at a certain time or when you were a wee child, then they likely won't have the same effect on you. Having personally watched Child's Play when I was a teenager long after first discovering horror films, it didn't do anything for me whatsoever. (I was more of a John Carpenter's The Thing shill growing up; I really should not have seen that film when I but ten years old.) So my interest in an Ice Nine Kills styled song about the film that spawned Chucky, coming in the small but violent package of 'Assault & Batteries,' doesn't have the same charm or impact for me as previous American Psycho-inspired single, 'Hip To Be Scared,' did.

Nonetheless, INK still produces an enjoyable, hooky horror-metalcore romp that's full of pop sheen, a bonkers instrumental, hectic tapping and shredding guitars, demented theatrics, creepy children choirs, and loads of visual bloodshed spilt within the Jensen Noen filmed video. (Which even cameos actor Bill Moseley of The Devil's Rejects, House of 1000 Corpses, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 fame.) This is all a real credit to the band's songwriting prowess. That they can take someone like me who doesn't give two shits about the source material in question for this newest song but still really impress me with their musical offerings.

The lyrical blow-by-blow of 'Assault & Batteries' is the possessed two-foot-tall evil doll tormenting poor young Andy, throwing in fun little references to the film's events and scares. It's goofy but entertaining stuff, the band and their team once again going all out on costumes and the like. Moreso, the meta-narrative of 2018's 'The Silver Scream' and its upcoming sequel 'The Silver Scream 2: Welcome To Horrorwood' - out October 15th - is that vocalist Spencer Charnas is a frontman by day, serial killer by night. So the police are hot on his trail, following his tours and music videos (in-universe theatrical recreations of his crimes), trying to pin him to the wall and have him locked up for good. It's all forms of silly but plays out like a gory B-grade slasher flick. Which is, of course, the whole fucking point of INK's current horror-movie aesthetic and what they're aiming to accomplish. And they're doing it well!