Pixies, an alternative rock band from Boston, Massachusetts, released their ninth studio album, “The Night the Zombies Came.” This album comes just in time for Halloween, reflecting the horror theme that it encompasses.

The band was formed in 1986 by Black Francis, Joey Santiago, Kim Deal and David Lovering. The band’s newest addition, bassist and vocalist Emma Richardson, just joined earlier this year after the departure of longtime member Paz Lenchantin. Pixies originally rose to fame in Europe, achieving more recognition there than in the United States, and are most associated with the alternative rock boom of the 1990s. Though the band has broken up in the past, they achieved great success on their reunion tour in 2004 and continue to make music together.

The album’s first single, “You’re So Impatient” was released back in June 2024, preceding the full release this October. The album is one of fluidity and a sense of strangeness that is cohesive with its title. Many of the tracks also contain an anxious pacing, contributing further to its spooky theme.

The album’s titular track, “Jane (The Night the Zombies Came),” is the perfect song to encompass the album’s vibe. The vocals throughout the chorus are very bass-oriented, which combined with the background drums that seem to resemble a heart beating and the singing that almost feels off-beat, creates a perfect landscape for an anxiety-inducing horror anthem.

As you listen to the album, you continue to hear more songs with these same types of elements of horror. Titles like “I Hear You Mary” contain lyrics such as “No, nevermore to roam / Sweet flesh is on the bone,” which when added on top of the instrumentation and pacing of the song, perfectly create an eerie feeling for the listener. There are also more upbeat, quintessential alternative rock-sounding songs such as “Oyster Beds” and “Johnny Good Man” featured on the album, further establishing Pixies’ place in alternative rock history.

One track, “Mercy Me,” takes on a completely different vibe from the rest of the album. It has a more slow and reserved sound. This provides a sonic break to the listener from the more rock-ish, spooky sounds heard throughout the album.

However, when listening to the album sequentially, it almost feels as though “Mercy Me” disrupts the album’s flow, forcing the listener to go from constantly upbeat at the beginning to one track that is more slow-natured, before going back to the upbeat sound for the rest of the album. While a very unique and subjectively good song, and also a much-appreciated break from the almost repetitive sounds of the rest of the album, “Mercy Me” just doesn’t seem to work in the landscape of the album as a whole.

Overall, “The Night the Zombies Came” is a very cool listen, even for those not typically into rock music. It represents the Pixies being able to still create music that is relevant even 38 years after their inception. This a perfect album for just around Halloween time, with its eerie sounds and lyrics situating it perfectly within this time of year.

Rating: 3/5