The Art of the Scream

There are some sounds that just cut through everything, through all the distractions and thoughts and hits your very core. A baby's crying is one of them. A crash is another. These are sounds that highlight our very existence.

As a disenchanted, morose and morbid high-schooler, I listened to a lot of metal, punk and watched what some might say "too many horror movies." Needless to say, I was well acquainted with yelling, grunts, screams and wails of every sort. Then I listened to "Another Body Murdered" by Faith No More and the Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E off the Judgement Night soundtrack. The Boo-Yaa Tribe's rhymes were alright and the music was haunting and dynamic. Faith No More frontman Mike Patton's quasi-chanting bolstered the overall feel of impending doom.

(Mike Patton in the middle wearing a red shirt.)

But it was Patton's screams that cut through everything and made me feel for my very life. I literally felt shivers and goosebumps as Patton unleashed his vocal fury into the microphone. Not an easy feat. Give it a listen and let me know what you think. (Ignore the sound bites from the movie.)

© Frank Reynoso, Jan. 13, 2010.