Insane Clown Posse (ICP), a horrorcore duo from Detroit, Michigan, usually elicits a strong reaction from fans and detractors alike. Love them or hate them, it is hard to deny their impact, whether it is the rich “Dark Carnival” mythology in their music, controversies and rivalries with other artists, or their impressive work ethic. Until recently, their annual music festival, Gathering of the Juggalos, was held at Cave-in-Rock, Illinois, an area noted for its own myths and legends. While their songs focus on themes like revenge, poverty, drugs, insanity, and violence, a number of them contain overtly supernatural themes. Mysterious Heartland has sorted through their catalog to bring you ICP’s Top 10 Supernatural Songs. Which will prove to be number one?

10. “The Dead One”

Ringmaster (1994)

The second Joker’s Card, Ringmaster suffers from the same low production value of all ICP’s early efforts. Never-the-less, its raw sound appeals to some listeners and may contribute to the horror. “The Dead One” is the tale of a confused man who has died of a gunshot wound but is in denial. He stumbles through the neighbourhood asking people if he is dead, and they reply mockingly in the affirmative. Lyrical gem: “My soul is so heavy that it draws me to the floor; I can hear these demons knocking at my door; They’re laughing at the dead…”

9. “Hell’s Forecast”

The Wraith: Shangri-La (2002)

The Wraith: Shangri-La was one of ICP’s most controversial albums, because they finally revealed that the “Dark Carnival” was a metaphor for God and his divine retribution against sinners. “Hell’s Forecast” is the story of a man who wakes up and finds that all of his friends are dead. The world around him is drenched in blood and horrors abound. In the end, however, it is revealed that he is in fact the one who died, and he is experiencing eternal punishment in Hell. Lyrical gem: “I lay sleepless for days as the raining continued, the heat of the sun baking corpses like food; Then it finally stopped I walk knee deep in blood, over piles of bodies threw what was my hood; It was right at that moment the Wraith had appeared, and the message it left me might sound kind of weird; But take all that I’m seeing and opposite that, truth is I’m the one dead and this is my Hell’s Pit.”

8. “Dead Body Man”

The Terror Wheel (1994) and Riddle Box (1995)

Unusual for appearing on two albums, “Dead Body Man” was something of an early ICP anthem. In this song, an anonymous individual, simply known as the “Dead Body Man,” steals corpses from the local morgue and rides around his neighbourhood with the bodies hanging out all over his car. He becomes a minor local celebrity in the process. While not necessarily paranormal, it is creepy enough to land on this list. Lyrical gem: “I drive through my neighbourhood ringing my bell; Some people run cuz they don’t like the smell; Others line up just as quick as they can; To try and catch a glimpse of the dead body man.”

7. “Fonz Pond”

Bang! Pow! Boom! (2009)

Bang! Pow! Boom! was ICP’s eleventh studio album and was praised by some critics as their best to date. “Fonz Pond” is one of two songs on the album that tell a supernatural tale, and concerns a group of children who venture off to find a pond that is rumoured to claim the life of anyone who visits. Although other ICP songs have featured ghosts, the theme of legend tripping is somewhat unique and the element of storytelling is enjoyable. Lyrical gem: “The fog that rides along the top; Has been said to carry voices; Those of the dead who took the dare; And jumped in, they made bad choices.”

6. “Play with Me”

The Amazing Jeckel Brothers (1999)

The Amazing Jeckel Brothers, released by Island Records, was one of ICP’s most commercially successful albums and achieved platinum status, selling over 1 million copies. In the eerily catchy song “Play with Me,” a child’s favourite toy is abandoned and forgotten in a toy box. Over the years, it fantasises about exacting its revenge. Lyrical gem: “I can see you near the bed when I look through this tiny crack; You become much older now and I don’t see you turning back; Seven years in darkness I can only hope my wish comes true; That one day I’ll get you in my hands…AND I’LL PLAY WITH YOU!!”

5. “Southwest Voodoo”

The Great Milenko (1997)

The Great Milenko is the fourth Joker’s Card in ICP’s Dark Carnival mythology. The Great Milenko is an illusionist who tries to trick people into committing evil acts. This album is famously responsible for getting ICP dropped from Hollywood Records. In keeping with the theme of illusion and magic, “Southwest Voodoo” celebrates the exploits of a young, urban voodoo practitioner on Detroit’s southwest side. The song pokes fun at itself, lampooning the boy’s failures at creating his voodoo magic. Lyrical gem: “From Mookan House to Shangra La; Egyptian Pharaoh, coompata; Follow me, and join us as we pray; To the seventeen moons of Coonga Del Ray.”

4. “Vera Lee”

Bang! Pow! Boom! (2009)

Bang! Pow! Boom! was ICP’s eleventh studio album and was praised by some critics as their best to date. “Vera Lee” is one of two songs on the album that tell a supernatural tale, and concerns a young man who realises that a girl he went to school with had a crush on him because they were both outcasts. Unfortunately, the girl was terminally ill but never told anyone. After she died, she returned as a ghost to haunt the song’s protagonist. Lyrical gem: “Now it’s too late, and every night I hear her in my head; Begging me to join her with the dead, meh; To think about it’s so strange, I hear her singing my name; Vera Lee is haunting my brain! I hear her in the rain!”

3. “12”

Riddle Box (1995)

“12” is a revenge fantasy involving the reanimated corpse of an executed criminal who returns from the grave to punish the 12 jurors who sentenced him to death. The criminal has the ability to take on different forms and appear from the shadows undetected. He does not harm the “innocent,” however, seeking only to kill those who were directly responsible for his death. His powers have a time limit—he must kill all 12 jurors by dawn. At dawn, as his kills his last, his body crumbles to pieces. Lyrical gem: “Watch me juggle, watch me dance; In 3-D watch me enhance; Watch me crawl out from the screen; And squeeze your neck until you’re green.”

2. “In My Room”

Hell’s Pit (2004)

Following on the back of The Wraith: Shangri-La [Heaven], Hell’s Pit was meant to provide a glimpse into the torment that awaits sinners in the afterlife. Its content is necessarily some of the most grotesque and violent of all ICP’s albums. “In My Room” is not only one of their better supernaturally-themed songs, it may be one of the best songs on the album. It concerns a young man who shuns the daylight, because in the darkness of his room he is visited by a succubus who climbs in through the window. The succubus persuades him to murder his neighbours because they spotted her one night. After he eagerly complies, the female demon/ghost disappears, leaving him alone to deal with his crime. Lyrical gem: “But she comes to my room and we talk at night, she’s demonic and bloody, but she holds me tight; In my bedroom, with her I’m never alone, and I kiss her cold lips until morning comes; Then she gone, I can still hear her voice loom. But she only exists in the dark of my room.”

1. “Amy’s in the Attic”

The Terror Wheel (1994)

The Terror Wheel was an early LP featuring six tracks. With its raw, unprofessional feel, this album harkened back to the days of basement recordings and mixtapes. Despite releasing multiple albums of much better quality since the early ‘90s, the song “Amy’s in the Attic” is still one of ICP’s most haunting, lesser-known gems. It is the tale of a man who, as a young boy, accidentally killed his childhood friend and hid her body in the attic. Years later, he tries to convince himself that the incident was imaginary, but the constant torment inflicted by the girl’s ghost says otherwise. This song is genuinely scary. Lyrical gem: “Sitting in my living room, another strange feeling; I think I’m hearing tiny footsteps on the ceiling; Looking in my mirror, the image isn’t clear; I feel as if a little girl is standing at my rear; then I awake with the blink of an eye; voices from the attic yelling, ‘Why!?’”