Ice Nine Kills & Mckenna Grace Credit F Scott Schafer
Horror-inspired metal outfit reaches a major radio milestone while preparing to debut its upcoming Dead By Daylight collaboration, “Play Dead.”
Ice Nine Kills has reached a new career milestone as the band secures its first-ever No. 1 position on Active Rock Radio with “Twisting The Knife (feat. McKenna Grace),” the official song associated with Scream 7.
The achievement adds another chapter to what has already been a significant run for the track since its release alongside the latest installment of the long-running horror franchise. According to information released by the band, “Twisting The Knife” accumulated more than 10 million streams across platforms during its first week, climbed to the top of Billboard’s Hot Hard Rock Songs and Hard Rock Digital Song Sales charts, and became a prominent part of the promotional campaign surrounding Scream 7, which reportedly delivered the strongest box office opening in the franchise’s history.
The song has continued to build momentum in the months since its debut. Ice Nine Kills reports that “Twisting The Knife” has now surpassed 32 million streams across platforms, while also becoming the first song created specifically for the Scream franchise to reach No. 1 at Active Rock Radio.
For frontman Spencer Charnas, the accomplishment carries personal significance due to the influence the Scream series and its music had on him growing up.
“Scream has been and will always be a monumental influence on us, and the music has been every bit as important as the films themselves, starting with Marco Beltrami’s brilliant score.
The soundtrack to the original Scream was especially life-changing for me, from Birdbrain’s ‘Youth of America’ and Soho’s ‘Whisper to a Scream’ to, of course, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds’ iconic ‘Red Right Hand.’ Hearing those songs still takes me right back to that moment in time.
To now be included among the songs that make up the legacy of this franchise is one of the greatest honors of our career.
Equally meaningful is the opportunity to help bridge the worlds of rock music and horror cinema once again. That connection once felt central to both communities, but it has faded somewhat over the past couple of decades. We’re proud to play even a small role in bringing those worlds back together.”
The radio milestone continues a period of extensive crossover activity between Ice Nine Kills and major horror properties. In recent years, the band has expanded beyond traditional album cycles by creating music connected to some of horror’s most recognizable franchises. Recent projects have included “A Work of Art” tied to Terrifier 3 and “Hell or High Slaughter (Grave Diggler: Pt. 2)” from Ready or Not 2: Here I Come.
The band’s presence within the horror world is also extending beyond music. Earlier this year, it was announced that Charnas will voice a playable character in the upcoming official Halloween video game, further strengthening the connection between the Ice Nine Kills brand and horror entertainment.
That momentum is set to continue almost immediately.
During Behaviour Interactive’s 10th Anniversary Broadcast for the multiplayer horror game Dead By Daylight, a new collaboration with Ice Nine Kills was revealed. The partnership will produce a new track titled “Play Dead,” inspired by the popular horror title. The song is scheduled for release on June 26.
The announcement brings Ice Nine Kills into another major corner of horror culture, following collaborations spanning film, gaming, and live entertainment. It also reflects the band’s broader strategy of building a multimedia presence that extends well beyond the boundaries of traditional heavy music.
Few modern hard rock or metal acts have achieved a comparable level of crossover visibility. Ice Nine Kills has amassed more than two billion global streams and over 500 million YouTube views while maintaining a strong touring presence around the world. The band also completed a two-and-a-half-year stretch supporting Metallica on stadium dates across multiple continents, exposing the group to some of the largest audiences of its career.
Against that backdrop, the success of “Twisting The Knife” represents more than a single-song victory. The Active Rock Radio No. 1 demonstrates how effectively Ice Nine Kills has translated its horror-driven creative identity into mainstream rock success while continuing to expand into film, gaming, and other entertainment spaces.
With “Play Dead” arriving this week and additional projects already in motion, the band’s latest chart achievement appears to be another step in a period of sustained growth rather than a final destination.
Release Information
“Play Dead”
Release Date: June 26, 2026
“Twisting The Knife (feat. McKenna Grace)”
Official song associated with Scream 7
Active Rock Radio No. 1
More than 32.2 million cross-platform streams reported by the band
Additional Information
Ice Nine Kills earned its first No. 1 at Active Rock Radio with “Twisting The Knife (feat. McKenna Grace).”
The song was created in connection with Scream 7.
The band’s next horror-themed collaboration, “Play Dead,” was announced during Dead By Daylight’s 10th Anniversary Broadcast.
Spencer Charnas is also set to voice a playable character in the upcoming official Halloween video game.
Ice Nine Kills reports more than 2 billion global streams and over 500 million YouTube views worldwide.
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