Horror’s favorite house band has officially checked into the fog. Ice Nine Kills today unleash “Play Dead,” a brand-new single and accompanying music video built in collaboration with Dead by Daylight, the world’s leading multiplayer horror game. Written for the game’s 10th Anniversary celebrations and announced on Behaviour Interactive’s anniversary livestream, “Play Dead” is a full-blown collision of two universes obsessed with suspense, survival, mythology, and the sweet thrill of the kill.

The track was crafted with longtime Dead by Daylight composer Michel F. April and lands alongside an in-game Ice Nine Kills Collection, letting players rep the band inside the game’s ever-expanding horror sandbox via unique DLC. In other words: your favorite theatrical metalcore villains are now canon in the Entity’s realm.

Stream “Play Dead” on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6IqnFIqi9GEDsc9UgqrqCP

The drop 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 absurd run that has seen Ice Nine Kills soundtracking modern horror’s biggest moments across film, gaming, and beyond. A forthcoming part two of the music video will keep expanding the INKverse — the same cinematic lore that has previously drafted genre royalty like Matthew Lillard, David Arquette, Terry Kiser, Catherine Corcoran, and Bill Moseley. This time, “Play Dead” welcomes skateboard legend Tony Hawk, Devon Sawa (Idle Hands, Final Destination), modern scream queen Krsy Fox (Terrifier 3), and the Dead by Daylight team into the fold.

“Ice Nine Kills has always lived somewhere between menace and mischief,” says frontman Spencer Charnas. “‘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.”

Charnas adds that the collaboration was far from surface level. The band worked hand-in-hand with April and spent time on set with Dead by Daylight creatives Mathieu Cote and Eric Pope, plus player experts like SpookyLoopz, to make sure the song didn’t just borrow the game’s atmosphere — it actually belonged inside it. And yes, Dingbar Tarbani reportedly slithered in to make things weirder. Naturally.

With more than 70 million players worldwide, Dead by Daylight has become the definitive playground for horror crossovers, uniting original Killers and Survivors with icons from film, TV, and games. “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. “Their creativity and deep connection to horror culture made this collab feel incredibly natural.”

“Play Dead” is the latest in a truly unhinged streak of horror partnerships. “A Work of Art” served as the official song from Terrifier 3, the highest-grossing unrated film ever. “Twisting The Knife” closed out Scream 7, which posted the biggest domestic opening weekend in franchise history. “Hell or High Slaughter (Grave Diggler: Pt. 2)” tore into Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, introducing INK’s “fathers'” band into the mythos. And it was recently revealed that Charnas will voice a character in Halloween: The Game, available in the Digital Deluxe Edition dropping September 4, 2026.

Twenty years on from their debut, Ice Nine Kills 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. Push play, keep the lights on, and try not to get hooked.