Boo! It’s Halloween! Throughout October, HollywoodLife is running The Sound Of Halloween, where some of your favorite fiends of music, movies, television, and pop culture pick songs that should be on your Halloween 2022 playlist. Today, the haunting duo HOAXED offers a preview of their upcoming album, Two Shadows (out Oct. 28 on Relapse records), while also giving some bloody-hearted love to two Halloween icons.
“For us, Halloween is a sacred event we look forward to all year round,” Hoaxed tells HollywoodLife. The group, made up of Kat Keo (vocals/guitar) and Kim Coffell (drums), says that this year’s All Hallow’s Eve will bring about “a new tradition of reliving our youth at When We Were Young Fest in Las Vegas. The true horror will be looking into the mirror at what once was ourselves. We can’t wait.”
Formed in 2020 in Portland, Oregon, Hoaxed drew inspiration from a wide range of sources, resulting in a dynamic and captivating multi-faceted sound. A red wedding of goth, metal, electronic, rock, and alternative, Hoaxed’s sound glows with the intensity of a lightning-illuminated gravestone. The two-person outfit follows in the thunderous footsteps of groups like The White Stripes, Tears For Fears, The Long Losts, and other pairs hailing from the October Country — proving that you don’t need many to make a larger-than-life sound.
Now, a year after releasing their eponymous EP, Hoaxed will share their debut LP – just in time for Halloween. The group picks a pair of classic tracks for The Sound of Halloween ahead of the holiday, along with two samples of what we can expect when Two Shadows darkens our doorways.
HOAXED Halloween Playlist Picks
Hoaxed, “Guilty Ones”
Hoaxed: Sometimes what haunts us most aren’t tales of fantastical creatures, but the real-life monsters that surround us every day. Who is truly guilty in this world of wandering evil and silent bystanders?
Hoaxed, “The Call”
This song is about voices from the shadows calling to you in the dead of night, and although you try your best to stay in the light of the flames, you cannot resist the call. Very spooky indeed.
Type O Negative, “Wolf Moon”
The intro to this song transports you back to the glory gory years of 80’s horror cinema, and nothing spells Halloween horror like blood, sex, and werewolves.
Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, “I Put a Spell on You”
Such a classic song filled with Halloween chills. The delivery is so spooky and confident, Screamin’ Jay was a true master of performance and this song perfectly captures his brilliance.
HollywoodLife: What is your most prominent Halloween memory?
In a previous band, we once did a Halloweekend tour, and Kim played her drums on stage dressed as No Face from Spirited Away. It was hilarious to see her enthusiastic drumming in such a cold and expressionless mask. That was a great tour!
What do you think will be the most popular Halloween costume this year? What SHOULD be, in your mind?
Our favorite costumes are the ones that are unexpected and creative. With all the ’90s nostalgia floating around, we’re expecting to see some of our favorite icons reappear. We recommend your favorite Brendan Fraser character, Street Sharks, or if you’re feeling crafty, a Bop-It!
Do you have any particular October/Halloween traditions?
For us, Halloween is a sacred event we look forward to all year round. This year brings a new tradition of reliving our youth at When We Were Young Fest in Las Vegas. The true horror will be looking into the mirror at what once was ourselves. We can’t wait.
What horror movie would you star in if given a budget and free range to do whatever? You can remake any film of the past, or you could create your own.
We’re fascinated by the classic horror films of the 80s and would love to star in any gratuitous death scene with unbelievable amounts of blood, fantastical prosthetics, and unreasonable decision making.
What’s on tap for October for you — and the rest of the year?
Our debut full-length album, Two Shadows, drops on Oct. 28th, 2022. We’re extremely excited and proud to release our spooky songs during the haunting hours of Halloweekend. With such themes as stalkers, witches, and the undead, this album fits the season perfectly.