Ice Nine Kills are back with another cinematic metal spectacle, unveiling their latest single “The Laugh Track”—a gleefully dark tribute to Gotham’s infamous villain, the Joker. The track, described by the band as a “riotous homage to Gotham City’s Clown Prince of Crime,” takes heavy inspiration from Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of the character in Tim Burton’s 1989 gothic classic Batman.
The accompanying video expands the ever-growing “INKverse,” bringing in new faces and familiar ones alike. It features Matthew Lillard (Scream, Five Nights at Freddy’s, SLC Punk) and Phil Morris (Seinfeld, Smallville, Doom Patrol), alongside returning collaborator Terry Kiser (Weekend at Bernie’s, Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood, Weekend at Bernie’s II).
Frontman Spencer Charnas explained the inspiration behind the track with his trademark dark wit:
“Why be a brooding bat when you can have the last laugh? After all, Jack Nicholson got top billing in Batman ’89. While Michael Keaton’s haunted Bruce Wayne is outstanding, young Spencer was drawn more to the Clown Prince of Crime. “The Laugh Track” is our homage to Tim Burton’s dark and gorgeous gothic Gotham. Batman ’89 took its comic book material seriously, but it was far from grounded, and never forgot to have fun. It’s the same tightrope we walk in Ice Nine Kills, with broad, maniacal smiles. Terry Kiser returns in the video (although the rumors of Miles’s demise are exaggerated). And it brings a warm human smile to my face to introduce Matthew Lillard and Phil Morris to the INKverse. Like Prince before us, “The Laugh Track” will have you dancing with the devil in the pale moonlight.”
The song encapsulates the eerie theatricality, macabre humor, and cinematic flair that define both Burton’s Batman and Ice Nine Kills’ sound. It follows The Great Unknown—inspired by The Matrix and a Billboard Hot Hard Rock Songs chart hit—and A Work of Art, a track tied to the box-office smash Terrifier 3, the highest-grossing unrated film of all time.
![Ice Nine Kills - The Laugh Track (Official Music Video) [Part 1]](https://i0.wp.com/i.ytimg.com/vi/2fbVUmH6mY0/hqdefault.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
Earlier this year, Matthew Lillard made a surprise appearance at the Ice Nine Kills panel during Silver Scream Con to announce his official induction into the INKverse. Alongside Charnas, he also introduced Horrorwood Reserve, a blood-red bourbon created in partnership with Lillard’s Macabre Spirits, housed in collector-grade bottles.
The fourth Silver Scream Con drew nearly 13,000 horror and metal fans to the DCU Center in Worcester. The event concluded with Ice Nine Kills’ headlining performance, which featured guest cameos from WWE’s Rhea Ripley and The Walking Dead filmmaker Greg Nicotero.
The newly launched Horrorwood Reserve bourbon pays tribute to the horror culture that unites both Macabre Spirits and Ice Nine Kills. Crafted from Bloody Butcher corn and aged five years in American white oak barrels, the whiskey offers a subtly dry and nutty flavor, accented with notes of cinnamon, leather, and spice. It comes in two collectible editions—Golden Age and Silver Scream—each packaged in a custom-designed box featuring artwork by Ice Nine Kills’ Michael Cortada. Every set includes a glass topper and celebrity cocktail recipes from Charnas and Lillard, alongside contributions from other horror icons.
“Horrorwood Reserve is the liquid soundtrack to your favorite slasher flick,” says Charnas. “It tastes like suspense, danger, and the satisfaction of surviving until the credits roll.”
As their multimedia empire continues to expand, Ice Nine Kills remains at the intersection of metal, horror, and pop culture. The band will headline a When We Were Young sideshow in Las Vegas on October 17 before performing at the main festival. Later, they’ll head to Europe for a headline tour that leads directly into the debut overseas edition of Silver Scream Con—Silver Scream London—set for December 13 and 14.
