Ice Nine Kills enter the fog today with “Play Dead,” a brand-new single and accompanying music video created in collaboration with Dead by Daylight, the world’s leading multiplayer horror game. Written for Dead by Daylight’s 10th Anniversary celebrations and announced on their anniversary live stream, “Play Dead” brings Ice Nine Killsinto one of horror gaming’s most iconic worlds, uniting two genre-obsessed universes built on suspense, survival, mythology, and the thrill of the kill.
The track was created in collaboration with longtime Dead by Daylight composer Michel F. April and arrives alongside an in-game Ice Nine Kills Collection, allowing players to represent the band inside the game’s ever-expanding horror universe with unique DLC.
Fans can stream “Play Dead” now HERE and watch the accompanying music video BELOW.
The release follows the band’s first-ever #1 at Active Rock Radio with “Twisting The Knife (feat. Mckenna Grace),” the official song from Scream 7, and continues an extraordinary run that has seen Ice Nine Kills soundtrack some of modern horror’s biggest moments across film, gaming, and beyond.
The forthcoming part two of the music video continues INK’s celebrated lore, which has featured genre stars including Matthew Lillard (Scream), David Arquette (Scream), Terry Kiser (Weekend at Bernie’s), Catherine Corcoran (Terrifier), and Bill Mosely (The Devil’s Rejects), among many others. “Play Dead” welcomes skateboard legend Tony Hawk, Devon Sawa (Idle Hands), Krsy Fox (Terrifier 3), and the Dead by Daylight team to the INKverse.
Ice Nine Kills mastermind Spencer Charnas shares:
“Ice Nine Kills has always lived somewhere between menace and mischief. ‘Play Dead,’ our take on Dead by Daylight, is a collision of hooks, horror, and total chaos. As lifelong horror fans, we find it surreal and an absolute honor to have Ice Nine Kills’ music officially tied to Terrifier, Scream, Ready or Not, and now, the iconic survival horror game Dead by Daylight.
Collaborating with Dead by Daylight gave us the chance to step into a world that feels deeply aligned with our creative instincts. The game has an incredible legacy, and that chaotic, eerie, immersive energy is something we respect and admire. We wanted the song to feel like a real extension of that universe, not just inspired by it, but genuinely part of it.
We worked closely with longtime composer Michel F. April to ensure every detail, from the atmosphere to the intensity, felt true to the game, and we spent time on set with Dead by Daylight creatives Mathieu Cote and Eric Pope, as well as player experts like SpookyLoopz.
The video also features iconic genre star Devon Sawa. He’s one of my favorite actors, from Idle Hands and Final Destination to literally playing “Stan” in the Eminem video. And we’ve got Krsy Fox, one of the new modern horror scream queens, who not only had a showstopping performance in Terrifier 3, but is a kickass indie horror film producer, too.
Having Tony Hawk appear with us felt essential because he isn’t just the Michael Jordan of skateboarding. He’s synonymous with the marriage of music, gaming, and subculture. We bonded over the same offbeat pop-culture touchstones, from punk rock to the irreverent ’80s comedies like The Naked Gun that shaped my brain just as much as horror did.
And of course, Dingbar Tarbani slithered in to make things even stranger.”
Dead by Daylight has become a definitive force in interactive horror, bringing together an ever-expanding roster of original and iconic Killers and Survivors from across film, television, gaming, and beyond. With more than 70 million players worldwide, the game has built a vast, collision-ready universe where horror’s most unforgettable characters can share the same blood-soaked playground.
“Dead by Daylight has always been about celebrating horror in all its forms, and Ice Nine Kills shares that same passion for the genre we have,” said Mat Côté, Head of Partnerships for Dead by Daylight. “We’ve always been big fans of their music, and their creativity and deep connection to horror culture made this collab feel incredibly natural. We’re excited for our players to represent the band in-game with the Collection we created together, and we can’t wait for everyone to experience the new Dead by Daylight crossover track the guys cooked up.”
“Play Dead” follows a succession of high-profile horror collaborations that have cemented Ice Nine Kills as one of the genre’s most natural musical counterparts. “A Work of Art” served as the official song from Terrifier 3, the highest-grossing unrated film ever. “Twisting The Knife (feat. Mckenna Grace)” played over the closing credits of Scream 7, the blockbuster sequel that delivered the biggest domestic opening weekend in the franchise’s history. Ice Nine Kills Presents “Hell or High Slaughter (Grave Diggler: Pt. 2)” then blazed into Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, deepening the band’s expanding lore with the introduction of their “fathers’” band. Most recently, it was revealed that Spencer will also be voicing a character in the highly anticipated Halloween: The Game exclusively available as part of the game's Digital Deluxe Edition releasing on September 4, 2026.
Now, with “Play Dead,” Ice Nine Kills step fully into horror gaming.
Twenty years on from their debut album, the band continue to build one of the most immersive worlds in modern heavy music, where songs become scenes, videos become lore, and every new release sharpens the blade for whatever comes next.
Ice Nine Kills Credit F Scott Schafer
