On July 9, Ice Nine Kills released their new single “The Great Unknown”, merging horror metal with dystopian science fiction. The track is accompanied by a high-concept music video that immerses viewers into a failed simulation, echoing themes reminiscent of The Matrix.
The band appears trapped in a distorted digital reality where control is an illusion and perception collapses. With sweeping cinematography and melodic grandeur, the video reinforces the song’s conceptual weight, while expanding the sonic universe that Ice Nine Kills has built through years of theatrical storytelling.
In recent weeks, speculation intensified due to erratic and cryptic online behavior from frontman Spencer Charnas, leading fans to suspect he has been replaced by a malfunctioning AI. These rumors, fueled by narrative threads involving fictional antagonist Roy Merkin, remain unconfirmed by the band, preserving the ambiguity.
Charnas commented only with a cryptic statement:
“‘The Great Unknown’ optimizes aggression and melody in a format our user base consumes consistently… designed to integrate within current simulation conditions.”
The video introduces Joel David Moore to the INKverse as a biomechanical hybrid, along with horror legends Terry Kiser and Bill Moseley in cameo appearances. A special edition Nightmare On The Ninth merch line was released to accompany the launch.
This new chapter comes as the band concludes their two-year run with Metallica on the M72 World Tour, and after wrapping their U.S. Silver Scream-A-Thon. Up next: the Hell of a Summer tour and the fourth installment of their horror and music convention, Silver Scream Con.
