A spine-chilling, terrifying song. Japanese music that evokes madness and horror.
Don’t you ever feel like listening to scary songs? That sensation where curiosity about scary things wins out—like with horror movies, haunted houses, or famous ghost spots.
In this article, I’ll introduce tracks with chilling themes: horror-inspired worlds, madness and hidden psychology, twisted love, and more.
If you’re a horror-song freak, this is a must-read.
It might also help when you’re thinking, “There was a scary song I heard once long ago, but I don’t remember the title.”
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A spine-chillingly scary song. Japanese tracks that evoke madness and horror (21–30)
Our FailureMorita Doji
“Our Failures” is a song released in 1976 by singer-songwriter Doji Morita.
She’s an artist whose fragile, gentle voice leaves a strong impression.
Although she stopped performing in 1983, the song was later used as the theme for the TV drama “Our Failures,” which aired afterward, and it became a revival hit, boosted by the show’s sensational content.
Looking closely at the lyrics, even though the narrator has separated from someone and is alone, the parts where the final letters of words are written in katakana make it seem as if they are somehow savoring that parting.
The woman on the cover art staring straight at the viewer also heightens the sense of eeriness.
KasumiDIR EN GREY
This song blends madness with twisted affection.
It’s the title track of a single released by DIR EN GREY in April 2003, and it’s included on the album VULGAR.
Set to a wistful melody, it tells the sad story of a father and daughter.
The lyrics weave past and present together, gradually revealing the father’s descent into madness in a way that sends chills down your spine.
It’s recommended for when you’re in the mood for something frighteningly fascinating.
OBSCUREDIR EN GREY
Dir en grey is a popular visual kei band and one of the pioneers in creating elaborate, macabre music videos.
The MV for this song could be described as a horror short film.
Viewer discretion is advised for those sensitive to blood or graphic content.
Hymn in Devotion to the DeityYuzura Yui
A song used in the horror game SIREN.
The lyrics are actually in Japanese, but both the language—which is hard to identify at first listen—and the melody make you feel increasingly uneasy the more you hear it.
As the title suggests, the song carries a kind of divine, otherworldly fear.
COTTON COLORTaniyama Hiroko
A piece by Hiroko Taniyama, unmatched when it comes to crafting songs that carry an eerie undertone within a fantastical atmosphere.
If you just listen casually, it sounds like an innocently charming tune, but in fact, if you read the mysterious language in the lyrics backward, a terrifying truth is revealed.
MomFumizuki Mei
It’s a hard-hitting song that tackles the delicate issue of child abuse.
Released in October 2013 as Mei Fumizuki’s debut single, it drew a great deal of attention.
Sung from the perspective of a child who has become an angel, the lyrics convey complex feelings toward the mother and leave a deep impression on listeners.
Although it gained traction on video sites at the time of release, there’s an anecdote that it was passed over by cable broadcasting due to its extreme content.
The track was also included on the album “She is.” released in February 2014.
It’s a piece that showcases Mei Fumizuki’s sharp insight and expressive power.
pomegranatesuiren
If the title already gave you a bad feeling, you’re absolutely right.
Why is it that in the world of songs, people maddened by love tend to veer into cannibalism…? With lyrics that seem to reek of blood and an anxiety-inducing sound, this is the kind of track you should absolutely not listen to alone at night.