For Philip Anselmo, Halloween isn’t just a holiday — it’s a full-blown ritual. This year, the legendary Pantera frontman and Housecore Records founder has once again brought his love of horror to life, inviting fans inside his personal haunted house for an exclusive video tour now streaming on the Housecore Records YouTube channel.
Joined by his loyal tortoise, Harry, Anselmo walks viewers through a maze of dim corridors, eerie lighting, and spine-chilling props — all assembled within the walls of his home. What started as a small Halloween gathering for close friends and family has, over the past five years, evolved into a meticulously crafted horror showcase that could rival any professional haunt.
But Anselmo’s fascination with the macabre isn’t confined to October. Horror has been a lifelong passion for him — one he’s woven into his music, art, and even festival ventures. In 2013, he co-founded the Housecore Horror Film & Music Festival with the late Corey Mitchell, blending the worlds of underground metal and cult cinema. The three-day event became a sanctuary for horror fans and metalheads alike, featuring live performances, rare screenings, and guest appearances from filmmakers who thrive in the shadows.
Anselmo has often credited his childhood for sparking his obsession. Speaking to ARTISTdirect.com back in 2010, he recalled how late-night TV introduced him to a world of eerie imagination: “As a matter of fact, I was home alone and I saw Mario Bava‘s Black Sabbath, but that’s a later memory. There was the afternoon show, and then the Saturday night show had a horror host, ‘The Guru.’ Honestly, the most impactful one was the Sunday Morning Movie — films like Fiend Without A Face and How Awful About Allan. Believe it or not, those were on TV! S**t like that flipped me out. I would sneak up and beg my mother every night, ‘Can I stay up and watch Night Gallery?’ [Laughs] I was sneaking out of bed, too, though.”
From those early scares to his annual haunted house tradition, Anselmo continues to prove that horror isn’t just something he watches — it’s something he lives. Fans can now step into his world of terror by watching the full 2025 haunted house tour on Housecore Records’ YouTube channel.
Writer and extreme metal devotee, Ialdagorth has spent over a decade covering the darkest corners of heavy music. A black metal lifer, he spends his free time wandering the Carpathian Mountains, likely humming blast beats to the trees.
