Drew's Famous Haunted House Horrors (1999)
There's a common saying that still possesses some merit to this day regarding horror - I'll paraphrase it:
"What's not shown is more effective than what is".
Now, I would argue that this is not always the case, but in my particular experiences, I have found it to be mostly true. During my childhood in the 2000s and early 2010s, I wasn't allowed to watch horror movies (and understandably so). I could really only imagine what they were about or what happened in them by observing the DVD cases I encountered in stores.
However, I was allowed to listen to the scary sounds CDs my parents would bring home around the Halloween season. Over a decade later, I still fondly look back at the experience of inserting the CD into the stereo system and, with dread, embarking on some very horrifying adventure in my head. And indeed, it was my imagination that conjured forth pulse-pounding moments that no horror movie could ever recapture.
Halloween Sounds (2003)
The first scary sounds CD I got a hold of was one entitled "Halloween Sounds". This CD contained a continuous flow of sound effects and ambient noises. By the time I finished listening to it (depending on how far I got), I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep by myself or with the lights off. I always had particular scenes play through my mind, as my young mind was trying to find some interpretation of the perceived events. Yet I never actually saw anything; the images were all imagined! And this shows the power and impact the imagination can have on a young mind.
Some time passed, and another scary sounds CD was purchased and brought back to my home. This one was entitled "Drew's Famous Haunted House Horrors". Unlike the previous one, I could never get too far in it, as this CD was genuinely disturbing. Of course, I would always go back for more. Yet the sounds of nightmarish environments, witches casting spells on victims, a chainsaw massacre, beasts roaming the earth and crying out, as well as other harrowing sounds, created a very real fright that no visual medium of horror could ever bring back.
By the time I was old enough to start watching actual horror movies, I often times found myself disappointed, as my expectations would always be let down. Somehow, whatever imaginary scenes my brain created those years ago could not be surpassed, even if I saw something terrifying.
Scary Sounds (1998)
Back in 2018, I rediscovered the scary sound CDs that I specifically recalled listening to. And to my pleasant surprise, I also rediscovered their magic. Of course, they don't make me want to sleep with the lights on like they used to, but while listening to these CDs, I could easily see why they horrified me as a child. In fact, since I have more worldly knowledge, "Drew's Famous Haunted House Horrors" is actually even more disturbing to me than it was when I was a kid.
Now, I am by no means saying there aren't any horror films that are morbid, gruesome, and frightful. But what I am saying is that sometimes the imagination is more powerful than anything the film industry can produce.
If you don't believe me, I suggest either ordering a copy of one of these off eBay or downloading a free copy from http://scarysounds.blogspot.com/
If you listen to the ones I've mentioned, you might be able to better understand what I'm trying to articulate.
It's also worth noting that when I bought the Drew's Famous CD, the seller included this Biblical quote:
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou [art] with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."
