(by Daniella Kiss)

Spencer Charnas, the lead singer of Ice Nine Kills, came to Budapest with his band as the opening act for Five Finger Death Punch and gave the only interview of the tour to Hungarian fans before their concert. In this exclusive conversation, the frontman spoke about his passion for the horror genre, the band’s creative processes, and their future plans in various media forms.

The band was formed over 20 years ago and went through many changes in musical style. What inspired you to transition from pop punk to metalcore?

„I think it’s just the result of the band existing for such a long time and my styles and the kinds of music that I love have just changed over time. But I still love all that stuff, the kind of punk and ska music that we were inspired by originally. We just released a cover song of „Walking on Sunshine,” and we had one of my favorite punk ska bands, Reel Big Fish, on it. So, we still embrace our roots from that sound, but just as time evolved, so did the sound.”

Your music heavily incorporates horror themes. What sparked your love for horror, and how did you decide to integrate it into your music?

„Ever since I was a little kid, I loved horror movies. They scared me, but there was something exciting about them. I think it’s the same sort of excitement that comes with heavy and scary music. It’s just been something that I’ve always been interested in since I was a little kid. I loved going to the video store – back when they used to have video stores – and renting all the Halloween and Friday the 13th movies. It became a lifelong obsession. So, almost six years ago, I decided that I wanted to take my love of horror films and really put it at the forefront of the band. That’s really where our sound and style came together, when we took everything we loved about music and everything we loved about movies and put them together.”

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As the primary songwriter, what’s the creative process of writing a new song is like?

„I usually start with a concept, then move on to chord progressions and melodies. After that, I bring in some of the other guys, who are fantastic musicians, and we build on it from there. The last step is writing the lyrics.”

How do you decide which horror films or books to base your songs on?

„Well, it has to be a movie I’m very familiar with and love. Whenever we do an album, I want to make sure we’re not covering too many movies that are too similar. For instance, we wouldn’t want to do all slashers, as that would get a bit repetitive. So, it’s really about having a mix of different kinds of horror films with diverse plot twists. Another prerequisite is that the movies need to be personal favorites of mine.”

Are there any horror films or pieces of literature you haven’t yet explored in your music but would like to in the future?

„Well, I can’t tell you that — otherwise I might have to kill everyone. (laughs) It’s a secret. Okay, I’ll name one movie: maybe Terrifier.”

You not only incorporate horror themes in your music, but also in your live shows. How do you design your stage performances to align with your music’s horror themes?

„We spend a lot of time designing the lighting, stage props, backdrops, and video content, so it’s definitely a long process. Then we usually have a few days before each tour to rehearse and make sure everything is locked in. We work with a lot of talented people to create all that, so I’m not the only one designing the whole show. I can’t take credit for everything – I wish I could (laughs) – but we do have a few geniuses on the team.”

Have you ever faced any challenges or controversies regarding the graphic nature of your lyrics and themes? I heard you had some issues with Disney.

„Yeah, Mickey Mouse doesn’t really like us very much. We were at a club in Orlando once, and Mickey was there, and we ended up in a bit of a screaming match because Minnie was interested in me. (laughs) Seriously though, I think Disney doesn’t appreciate the really scary, violent lyrics, so they’ve banned a few bands from playing at venues they own. Bands like Cannibal Corpse, Behemoth, and Every Time I Die are all banned, so we’re honored to be on that list. It even gave us the chance to create a merchandise line poking fun at the situation. We’ve got a shirt with Mickey as Freddy, Minnie as Carrie, and Goofy as Leatherface.”

Has Disney reached out about the merchandise?

No, I think they’re scared that we’re going to kill them. (laughs)

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Your music videos are known for their cinematic quality. How involved are you in the video production process?

„I’m very involved in the process. Usually, the general idea or concept comes from me, and then I work with various writers and our directing team. So yeah, I’m deeply involved in both the writing and production. We’re getting ready to shoot a new music video soon, so fans should keep an eye out for that. It’s going to be scary, but we like to mix in some humor as well. It’s really a blend of comedy and horror, which are two of my favorite film genres.”

Your band recently published a book, which has been well-received by fans. Do you have any plans to publish more books in the future, or perhaps branch out into other forms of media such as films, podcasts, or graphic novels?

„We have Inked in Blood 2 coming up very soon, and we’re also working on a second novel to follow up Silver Screen by the acclaimed Roy Merkin. It’s pretty exciting. The novel is still being written but Inked in Blood 2 is available for pre-order now and should be arriving at people’s houses soon.”

Do you have any dream projects in other media that you hope to bring to life someday?

„I think the goal eventually is to definitely create more film-like content. Our last two albums do work together as a sort of film, but I’d like to do a full-blown movie. It might not be directly related to the band, but I’d want it to be something that fans of Ice Nine Kills and horror enthusiasts in general could appreciate.”

How do you see the band evolving in the next few years, both musically and thematically?

„I think we’ll just keep going on the track we’re on, but we’re never afraid to try different genres and mix in new elements. Our mantra has always been to not to be concerned with what other bands are doing or which bands are cool to collaborate with. We usually try to go in the opposite direction of what everyone else is doing.”

What can fans expect from Ice Nine Kills in the near future?

„We’re working on new music right now. We just released a cover of “Walking on Sunshine”, which is part of the American Psycho official comic series that’s coming out. After that, we’ll be touring with Metallica for the rest of the year.”

How has touring with Metallica been for you?

„It’s been incredible. Metallica has always been one of my favorite bands since I was a kid, so sharing the stage with a band that’s had such a big influence on me as a musician is amazing. Besides, they’re one of the biggest bands of all time, so it’s truly an honor.”

To finish off, what has been the most rewarding aspect of your career with Ice Nine Kills so far?

„Oh, there’s so much to talk about, but just seeing how the fans react to our music live is the best way to see our impact. Feeding off their energy, meeting them at Meet & Greets, and traveling all over the world to see their reactions has been incredible. Every band says this, but we really do have awesome fans. I see other bands with fans who can be pretty toxic and always trash-talking each other, but our fans have a really good sense of humor and keep things lighthearted. So, it’s just great to tour the world and experience that firsthand.”