The Daily Swarm

The Toxic Avenger “Toxic Is Dead”

Here’s a lovely little video to kick start your Halloween. It’s a simple little story of a masked man and his woman – oh yes and it starts with a suicide. It’s a beautifully shot somewhat bizarre update of the story of Bonnie & Clyde. Sadly there’s no torture porn.

Girls “Lust for Life (Director’s Cut)”

Apparently nudity is still not allowed on TV, who knew! You know what does really scare the shit out of me though? 1960’s hippie culture, which is the sort of nudity on full display in this video. That childlike, communal, free love shit that is one of the many, many things that makes Boomers absolutely unbearable. Hippies are all trick, no treat. By that measuring stick, this may be the scariest video all week.

Sea Wolf “Wicked Blood”

Special guest star alert! That’s Shannyn Sossamon playing the very worried looking “girl.” The whole video is a very Hollywood nod to the silliness of old horror movies that grow less and less scary the more editions of the “Saw” franchise you watch.

Fan Death “Reunite”

It’s a “Where’s Waldo” video, except every Waldo is a representation of MTV‘s golden years of rock stars pre-1996. It turns out having a mystical experience with the ghosts of pop-stars past on the side of the road when your car breaks down is just as scary as the Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Zola Jesus “Clay Bodies”

They say the eyes are the windows to your soul. There’s something oddly perverse about covering your eyes for an extended amount of time while you sing. It’s made doubly so if your video aesthetic is akin to “The Blair Witch Project” starring the Virgin Mary. Basically this is a Joy Division video mixed with an episode of Ghost Hunters, minus any annoying reality TV commentary.

Follow columnist Courtney E. Smith on Twitter or read her blog.