![Iron Maiden, ‘Fear of the Dark’ vs. Rush, ‘Witch Hunt': Rock’s Scariest Song Battle](http://townsquare.media/site/295/files/2015/10/MaidenRush-630x420.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Iron Maiden, ‘Fear of the Dark’ vs. Rush, ‘Witch Hunt': Rock’s Scariest Song Battle
Rush's mob justice-themed "Witch Hunt" squares off against Iron Maiden's self-explanatory "Fear of the Dark" in round two of our Rock's Scariest Song battle.
In honor of Halloween, we've chosen 16 of rock's scariest songs. The field will be sliced, diced and chopped in half every week based on your votes, until only the scariest song in rock history remains alive.
"Fear of the Dark" got past "Captain Howdy" from Twisted Sister last week, after initially serving as the title track for a 1992 album release by Iron Maiden. Like the spooky presence featured therein, it's consistently crept into their concert set lists. Makes sense. After all, who hasn't taken a nighttime stroll only to convince yourself that there's something right behind you? There isn't, of course. But then again ...
"Witch Hunt," which topped "Mr. Crowley" by Ozzy Osbourne to advance, originally kicked off a four-song Rush series titled Fear that began on 1981's Moving Pictures and continued through Vapor Trails, more than two decades later. The songs weren't actually released in their proper narrative order, however. To hear the entire story, begin with 1984's "The Enemy Within," then cue up 1982's "The Weapon," this week's featured scary Rush song “Witch Hunt” and then 2002's “Freeze.”
If anything, that makes "Witch Hunt" even creepier. Still, is it creepier than "Fear of the Dark"? Listen to both of them below, so you can make an informed choice. You can vote once per hour in each of the eight first round Rock's Scariest Song battles until polls close on Oct. 19 at 11:59PM ET. Your choice for Rock's Scariest Song of all time will be revealed on Nov. 1, 2015.
Watch Iron Maiden Perform 'Fear of the Dark'
Listen to Rush's 'Witch Hunt'
Iron Maiden Albums Ranked Worst to Best
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