If you were a fan of big hair, questionable life choices, and the smell of hairspray in the 1980s, then you might remember Grave Diggler. Or, more likely, you don’t, because they’ve seemingly been “unearthed” just in time for a massive movie tie-in. In a move that’s definitely-not-a-hoax-we-promise, Ice Nine Kills have “re-recorded” a classic track from their fathers’ legendary (and totally real) glam metal band.
The track in question is “Hell or High Slaughter (Grave Diggler: Pt. 2)”, and it’s featured in the new slasher sequel Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, which hits cinemas today. According to INK frontman Spencer Charnas, the band members actually met because all of their dads were in Grave Diggler together back in the day. It’s a lovely story of family reunions and legal battles over song rights, which is exactly what you want to hear at the pub on a Friday night.
The “original” Grave Diggler supposedly rubbed shoulders with the likes of Mötley Crüe and W.A.S.P. before their career went south due to a misunderstanding involving a record label called Dental Records (which turned out to be an actual dentist’s office). Their discography apparently includes gems like Fluoride with the Devil and Cavity Search. Honestly, you couldn’t make it up—though it sounds like Spencer and the lads certainly had a fun time trying.
The “re-recorded” version by Ice Nine Kills comes with a music video that’s allegedly a long-banned clip from 1987. It’s all a bit of tongue-in-cheek fun that fits the band’s horror-obsessed brand perfectly. There’s even a documentary on the way called Laid to Rest: The Grave Diggler Story, featuring interviews with everyone from Elijah Wood to Steel Panther’s Michael Starr. We’ve covered INK’s cinematic antics before, and you can check out our review of their massive Glasgow headline show from last year.
While the elder Charnas, Sonny, remains “unimpressed” by his son’s “shrieking,” the rest of us can enjoy the chaos. The song and its NSFW video are currently exclusive to YouTube, so head over there if you want to see what all the fuss is about.
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