By WILLIAM J. WRIGHT

Windy City shock rockers Sinister Fate once again live up to their ethos of keeping the dead awake and the living in fear with their new video single, “Meet Mr. Scratch.” And vocalist David Bates, guitarists Noel Divad and Leo Garcia, bassist The Omen and drummer DK have found it in their (black) hearts to share the creepy clip exclusively with RUE MORGUE. Released in conjunction with the 95th anniversary of U.S. premiere of the devilish 1922 horror doc Häxan, “Meet Mr. Scratch,” produced by Vito Marchese of RHQ Productions, pays homage to the silent classic by placing the band amid the film’s diabolical happenings to create an all-new narrative of lust, violence and witchcraft.

“I’ve always dug old black and white silent movies like Häxan, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari [and] Nosferatu,” says Sinister Fate frontman David Bates. “Initially, I had the idea to splice us in with the movie – a sort of hodgepodge of a video – whereas Vito suggested using his green screen and actually putting us in the movie and editing it to create our own story. It was fun and easy to film. I feel it’s our best video to date.”

However, Sinister Fate’s affection for creepy tales and classic horror runs deeper than mere visuals. “Lyrically, I always dug the legend about Robert Johnson going to the crossroads – very Faust-like stories. Attaining your dreams, but at what price?” Bates explains, adding, “The name ‘Mister Scratch’ I got from a character played by Vincent Price in the movie The Story of Mankind. Obviously, Mister Scratch is ‘The Gentleman Downstairs,’ so to speak.”

Founded in 2006, Sinister Fate has been haunting the darkest corners of the Midwest for nearly two decades, blending their devotion to the macabre and freakshow aesthetics with a hard-driving shock rock/classic metal sound. The ghastly group has toured extensively throughout the United States and shared the stage with such metal, rock and industrial music heavy hitters as Ministry, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, Combichrist, Hanzel Und Gretyl and Psyclon Nine.

The band’s discography includes two full-length studio albums, 2013’s Hellbound and Broken Minds, Damaged Hearts, released in 2020; the live mini-album, Live Ruin (2022), recorded at Hollywood’s Whiskey-a-Go Go; the EPs Grave New World (2008) and Blood Pact (2016) and the rarities collection, Remnants from the Crypt (2019). Sinister Fate’s music also appears on the soundtracks of Ron Fitzgerald’s Dark Realm and the indie horror shorts Bacon and Balloon Feast. 

Follow Sinister Fate at sinisterfate.com, allmylinks.com/sinisterfate, Bandcamp, Spotify,  YouTube,  Instagram and Facebook.