I get a ton of emails about exciting upcoming horror projects and, while I’m unable to showcase them all individually, I’m absolutely thrilled to share them ROUND-UP STYLE! So, without further ado, here are the new & upcoming horror creations from the HorrorFam.com inbox!
None of the creators below have paid to be featured here — because we believe that lacking a marketing budget shouldn’t equate to a lack of eyes on your project. That said, I haven’t I had the chance to experience every creation personally. I do my best to make sure each entry is horror-related and take it in good faith that each creator has represented themselves and their projects honestly.
If you love indie horror and want to support our continued ability to showcase small creators free-of-charge, please consider becoming a Patron, streaming a horror film using our JustWatch affiliate buttons, and/or turning off your ad blocker to see if any of three ads on this page catch your interest. Thank you! ♥
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Early 2026 Feature Length Indie Horror Films
Demon Squad: Tooth and Claw
Demon Squad (2019) was featured on episode 223 (or, episode 6 of season 13, if you want to be extra specific) of Mystery Science Theater 3000 back in 2022. If you were 14 when the original film came out, you’re now old enough to legally drink or smoke in the USA. If you were in your freshman year at a four-year high school when you watched the MST3K episode, you’re going to be graduating in about three months! You may also be wondering, “Will there be a sequel to Demon Squad in my lifetime…?”
Well, director Thomas Smith/Fighting Owl Films sent me an email to let me – and, more importantly, YOU – know that the long-awaited sequel is officially complete! Demon Squad: Tooth and Claw has been making the rounds at horror film festivals and will be available for streaming SOON! (Their IMDb page says February 13th, but keep an eye on their Instagram page for updates – they’re still working out the details with distributors and streaming services so that release date is subject to change).
In the meantime, they’re having a screening of Demon Squad: Tooth and Claw February 27, 2026 at 7:00pm at the Crescent Theater (208 Dauphin St, Mobile, Alabama 36602). And Blu-ray editions of the film have already been mailed to their Kickstarter backers for this fully crowdfunded indie horror sequel. AND, you can watch the official Demon Squad: Tooth and Claw trailer over on their YouTube channel.
I went down a bit of a rabbit hole following-up on Demon Squad: Tooth and Claw after Thomas Smith emailed me and I became fascinated with its journey! From the first inkling of making a sequel in 2022, to the 2023 crowdfunding campaign, to the 2024 filming, to the nightmares of post-production (including the entire film getting destroyed during a hard drive backup – ACK!!), to their eventual success. The behind-the-scenes “making of” for their film – showcasing the positivity and pure perseverance it takes to get something like this DONE – was awesome to see.
As for the film itself, Thomas Smith described the plot as: “A rash of violent killings grips a Southern city, pointing to a terrifying culprit — a werewolf on the loose. As fear spreads, Nick Moon is pulled back into the shadows to confront supernatural threats, uncover a deadly conspiracy, and stop the monster before it strikes again.”
Update (2/10/2026): Got an update today to let me know that Demon Squad: Tooth and Claw is now available for folks to watch on Amazon and will be hitting other streaming services soon!
Where to watch Demon Squad: Tooth and Claw (2026):
Blood Barn
Directed by Gabriel Bernini and written by Alexandra Jade & Gabriel Bernini, Blood Barn is a 76-minute indie horror-comedy that will be streaming exclusively on SCREAMBOX as of February 17, 2026!
The plot for Blood Barn was described to me as: “Set during the summer of 1985, Blood Barn follows Josie, a camp counselor who reunites her closest friends for one last weekend together at her family’s secluded barn before they head off to college. What begins as a nostalgic getaway quickly feels off when the group realizes the property has been neglected for years – carrying with it a history Josie would rather forget.
As the weekend unfolds, restless energy, bad decisions, and curiosity about the barn’s past begin to stir something unnatural. Strange and violent events erupt without warning, turning the peaceful escape into chaos when a malevolent force awakens and begins to tear the group apart.
As the night spirals out of control, Josie is forced to confront the legacy surrounding the barn before it consumes everyone inside. A high-energy, 1980’s-inspired horror-comedy, Blood Barn leans into camp, practical effects, and gleeful excess, delivering a throwback genre ride built for big reactions, dark laughs, and shared chaos.”
Before heading to streaming on the 17th, Blood Barn is having its official premiere at the Lumiere Cinema (9036 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, California 9021) at 7:30pm on February 13, 2026!
Lenskeeper
LENSKEEPER is directed by Luca Canale B. and made it’s debut at Rome’s Fantafestival. Now, it’s in the process of making its way out of Italy to be seen by audiences world-wide! EuroObscura hoping to release LENSEKEEPER as one of their early 2026 indie horror films.
In the meantime, you can watch the official trailer for LENSKEEPER (released January 28, 2026) to see what you have to look forward to!
LENSKEEPER is 100 minutes long and was described to me as being “inspired by the transgressive cinema of Lucio Fulci and Clive Barker.” With the plot’s summary being: “A brutal descent into ocular horror and cosmic madness! A reclusive oculist becomes entangled with a secret satanic cult after discovering that the human eye can be used as a gateway to an ancient entity. As experimental surgeries turn into ritualistic mutilations, vision itself becomes a curse—opening reality to unspeakable horrors.
Blending graphic practical effects, metaphysical terror, and Lovecraftian dread, LENSKEEPER delivers an uncompromising experience where flesh, sight, and sanity are pushed beyond the point of no return.”
His Monster
Directed by Erich Cannon, His Monster is currently on its indie film festival run! It had a screenings at FantaFestival in Rome, Cine De Terror in Chile, and took home the Best Feature award at the Old Towne Film Festival in California.
Up next, His Monster will be playing at the Ely Film Festival (238 E Sheridan Street, Ely, Minnesota 55731) March 11-15, 2026!
Here’s the plot summary I was given for His Monster: “James Streeter loses everything—his family, his stability, and his place in the world—when his young daughter is mysteriously swept out to sea. Convinced she was taken by something inhuman, a monster from Japanese folklore, James isolates himself, wandering the surrounding woods in a desperate search for answers, finding solace only at the bottom of an empty bottle. As unexplained deaths begin to plague the community, James becomes the sole voice insisting that a monster is responsible. Whether he is an alcoholic madman, or a real monster really haunts the woods, becomes the terrifying question at the heart of the film.”
Erich Cannon said, “His Monster explores the idea that the true horror is the grips of addiction and grief. I wanted to highlight the horror of addiction, numbing pain with substance and abuse in a fantastical way, and show how these addictions can bring harm to those closest to us.”
While you’re waiting for His Monster to show up in YOUR town’s early 2026 indie horror film festival, check out the first international trailer!
My Sister’s Bones
Based on the best-selling novel by Nuala Ellwood, My Sister’s Bones is the second feature from director Heidi Greensmith! It’s a psychological thriller “about trauma, grief, and the terror that lurks disturbingly close to home.”
My Sister’s Bones is currently available to stream in the USA as of January 30, 2026 and it’ll be hitting United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland streaming services as of February 23, 2026!
Plot Synopsis per the email I got: “The film opens in a bleak police station where celebrated war correspondent Kate Rafter faces questions from a psychiatrist, Dr. Shaw, as they work through the painful events of Rafter’s life. A horrific incident in war-torn Iraq and the death of her mother have brought a haunted Rafter home to Herne Bay, a place she believed she had escaped forever. Her resentful sister has not made her feel welcome and her forbearing husband Paul fails to broker peace. Whilst packing up her mother’s belongings from her childhood home, Rafter comes to believe there is something strange and terrifying happening in the house next door.”
Personally, I got a big grin when I saw that they managed to snag Anna Friel (I absolutely loved her as “Chuck” in Pushing Daisies!) and David Bradley (Mr. Filch in the Harry Potter films) for major roles!
Where to watch My Sister’s Bones (2026):
The Shadows of Trust
Wirra Distribution, “Australia’s First Aboriginal-Owned Feature Film Distribution Company,” wrote to let me know that they’ve acquired the rights to Thibul Nettle’s psychological thriller The Shadows of Trust!
Thibul Nettle wrote, directed, and stars in The Shadows of Trust and I was told that “the film follows a tense, psychologically-charged narrative… Think Gone Girl meets Swim Fan!”
This early 2026 indie horror thriller is currenting doing “festival screenings and a strategic rollout across Australian cinemas, streaming platforms, and international markets to follow.”
BIGHT
Bight is the directing debut of Maiara Walsh (The Vampire Diaries, Desperate Housewives) and stars Walsh, Mark Hapka (who also co-produced it and provided much of Bight’s music), Cameron Cowperthwaite (Fallout, Dahmer), and Maya Stojan as two couples testing out an “open relationship” kinda scenario and…it doesn’t go well. They’re forced to “confront the dark side of desire and the illusion of freedom” and they have to learn a hard lesson about why personal boundaries are important.
The trailer for Bight is currently up on YouTube and the creators would love for you to give it a watch, but be aware that it’s a bit spicy. Bight is an erotic horror-thriller and the trailer reflects that with some *blush* NSFW stuff. Well… It’s posted on YouTube, so it’s not craaazy explicit or anything (if it was, I wouldn’t share it here lol), but be aware that you’ll see some bare calves/legs rubbing on each other, “O” faces, blood, a lotta ropes, and some sounds/suggestive dialogue that would be difficult to explain if you’re at work.
Per the email I got from their rep: “Bight is arriving on VOD and digital on February 10 – just in time for Valentine’s Day!” And Mark Hapka added, “For indie films, early pre-orders are essential for us to get seen – they nudge the algorithms so more people know we exist. If you’re up for supporting, now’s the moment!”
Where to watch BIGHT (2026):
Marriage Bites
Per the email I received: “Marriage Bites delivers a captivating blend of horror and comedy, weaving contemporary themes of social media into its narrative. The film centers on the tumultuous relationship of Martin, played by Joe Komara, and his wife Linda, portrayed by Ashley Hargrove. Their already-strained marriage takes a shocking turn when Martin is bitten by a vampire, forcing them to confront unsettling truths and navigate the complexities of this revelation.”
As of this week, Marriage Bites is now streaming on RELAY, but it’ll be on other streaming platforms soon! Follow along with the Marriage Bites Instagram to keep up with where/when it’s playing. Also, if you enjoy it, you’ll be happy to know that their team has already started working on a sequel!
The Plantation
Quiver Distribution would like you to know that The Plantation, a 2025 indie horror-thriller written/directed by Myles Wyatt Clohessy and starring Liz Lafontant, is now available on streaming platforms!
Plot synopsis: “An interracial couple takes a backpacking trip deep into the remote Louisiana swamps where they encounter sinister forces at an old plantation hell bent on turning the past into the present.”
Where to watch The Plantation (2025):
Blood Star
Directed & written by Lawrence Jacomelli, Blood Star is a horror-thriller starring John Schwab as a corrupt sheriff who “views his badge as a license to prey on vulnerable women” and Britni Comacho is a petty thief who becomes his next hunt. “Stripped of her phone, car and voice, she must rely on raw instinct and street-smarts to survive a brutal game of cat and mouse.”
To my understanding, Blood Star was showing up at film festivals and various theaters laaaaaaate last year, and is now available to watch via streaming!
Where to watch Blood Star (2025):
Axes and Os
I got this one as an extremely last-second entry! Here’s what the director, Trent Duncan, had to say in his email:
“We’re excited to announce AXES AND OS (2025), our Valentine’s Day themed slasher with a sharp genre twist is now streaming!
The film is headlined by Jamie Bernadette (I Spit on Your Grave: Déjà Vu), joined by Cass Huckabay, Madison M. Bowman, Sara Wimmer, and Axeman Brandon Krum
What starts as a Galentine’s weekend getaway quickly turns into a bloody nightmare when the women are hunted by the legendary Valentine’s ax murderer, Luther Dremel — until the slasher formula flips in a wild, unexpected way.
Thanks so much for your time and for supporting indie horror.”
Where to watch Axes and Os (2025):
Early 2026 Indie Horror Books
See You In Hell #2 (Comic Book)
Normally, the rules for my HorrorFam.com Indie Inbox Roundup are pretty simple: Write to me (Lauren Spear) via email about your project and so long as it’s genuinely horror-relevant and not, um, explicit XXX material – I’ll include it! Everyone featured here today followed that process… except this one! I actually reached out to the creator and asked him to please, please let me help get the word out about his project.
You see, I met See You in Hell‘s creator/writer, Erik Warfield, waaaaaaaay back in the early 1990s. He worked at the local comic book store, right next to my karate dojo. He was also a waiter at a local restaurant. And a few other jobs around this town and the next. He was kind of everywhere doing everything! He was always working multiple jobs (looking back through my now-adult eyes, he must have been so exhausted…) but he was always so humble, kind, filled with humor, and he always had a spare moment to chat about comic books. Comic books have been Erik’s passion for even longer than I’ve known him! He’s gone from a childhood collector, to a retailer, to a publisher. Yet he continues to be the same humble Erik he was over 30 years ago – which is why, when I saw he’d made a Kickstarter to fund the publication of the latest issue of his horror comic, I reached out and asked him if I could share it. Lord knows he’s helped me enough times (and if you were living in Los Angeles in the 1990s-2000s, he probably helped you too – even if he was “just” refilling your water glass!).
From Erik’s Kickstarter: “Thanks to the enthusiasm and patronage of everyone who pledged during our first campaign, our E.C. comics-inspired buddy dramedy continues! We present to you another shining silver salver of super-heroes, not-so-super-villains, dimwitted demons, depraved devils, some forgotten Popes, and of course, Lucifer himself. It’s been paired with a fondue of gooey Silver Age war and romance simmered over the fires of Dante’s Inferno. See You in Hell #2 is a 24-page, full color comic book for Mature Readers that is part two of a five issue mini-series. This issue is entirely complete, and ready to go to print!“
See You in Hell is about a disgraced WWII spy-turned-reluctant-detective and his succubus girlfriend solving a Missing Persons case that takes them straight into the horrors of the Underworld…literally! It’s written by Erik Warfield with art by Steven De Waele and lettering & design work by Andriy Lukin. And the cute cover artwork for issue #2 (featured above) is by Greg & Fake, the creators of The Santos Sisters!
If you’d like to support the Kickstarter for See You in Hell #2, you can do so by going to kck.st/4adzJHI The campaign ends MARCH 5, 2026! With Kickstarter, it’s “all or nothing” so if they don’t meet their campaign goal – even though they’re currently 60% funded – they get zip! As in zero. So, spread the word, even if you’re unable to contribute. It helps!
Within (Comic Book)
Up next: Within, a Kickstarter-funded early 2026 indie horror comic book that will be available for you to read SOON! It reached 280% of its funding goal within two days, so publication is a GO. It’ll be available for you to buy and read by June at the latest (they’re aiming to have it available much sooner) with pre-orders starting on Ethereal Comics’ website followed by Walmart and other stores.
Within‘s writer, Brian Cochran emailed me. He said, “Imagine the occult elegance of Rosemary’s Baby colliding with the raw, transformative nightmares of Clive Barker. Within is a tribute to the shadows of yesteryear — Argento, Phantasm, and occult classics from the ’80s — built to ask the question that haunts us all: What would YOU do?”
On a more personal note, Brian said, “I was born with a form of cerebral palsy known as hypotonia. Resulting in doctors telling my parents I would never be able to walk or talk.” Well, not only is Brian walking and talking – he’s a published author and, now, a soon-to-be-published comic book writer! He also expressed that working on Within, a story that was years in the making, kept him going through the darkest of times and that he’s very grateful to Ethereal Comics (“a brand known for adult content but rather than excessive nudity, they are allowing me to retain the original mode of this story and lean heavy into the horror!“) and he was absolutely over the moon that so many folks supported his indie horror comic!
Brian Cochran also said, “The interior art [for Within] is done by Orta Ska who has done quite a bit of prolific comic book work over his career. Mainly on the independent side of things. The variant covers were completed by artists who have done work for Marvel, DC, and Image comics to name a few.” KEEP AN EYE OUT!! In the meantime, you can check out the Kickstarter to read more about this fully-funded project and keep track of updates as they share them.
A Dash of Demon (Novel)
Noah from Inkshares wrote to me to let me know that JF Dubeau‘s new novel, A Dash of Demon, is now available for pre-orders! A Dash of Demon is the first book in the Achewillow series and was co-written by Amy Frost. Also, please note that Noah gave me a photo of the actual/final cover art for this upcoming indie horror novel (with artwork by Lynne Hansen!), but the pre-order page still has the mockup of what the cover might look like from before they had the final draft. Personally, I love the new/final cover!! I’m sure you do too. But don’t be scared/confused if you go to pre-order the book and see the cover art that’s just a photo of a coffee mug and cookies – they just got so busy actually publishing the book that they haven’t updated the website image yet lol.
Plot Summary: “Kicked out of cooking school, Miriam DuFour finds herself the inheritor of an odd little cafe in the Quebec/Vermont border town of Achewillow. There’s a cloud worshipping cult, a widow with a ghost husband, immortal raccoons, and a serial killer in the alleys. Plus coffee. What could go wrong?“
Noah also wanted everyone to know that, “JF has been on the horror block for a while, best known for penning A God in the Shed, which was a Barnes & Noble Best Horror Book pick back in 2017, as well as a runner-up for the American Library Association’s Horror Book of the Year. In the time since, JF has worked with Amy on the popular Achewillow fiction podcast, which is now in its eighth season and boasts more than one million episode downloads. This new novel brings that podcast to the page.”
A Dash of Demon publishes on June 16, 2026.
I Will Kill Your Imaginary Friend for $200 (Novel)
This entry is a little unusual. Do you remember when I got a mini book review submission from JXR Reads back in May of 2024? Well, they did it again! Their submission still wasn’t long enough to qualify as a HorrorFam.com Guest Post; however, after chatting with JXR Reads for quite awhile, they made it clear that they were just extremely passionate about this particular book, as well as striving to be a professional book reviewer, and really wanted to help get the news out about Robert Brockway’s I Will Kill Your Imaginary Friend for $200 (released January 27th) any way they could.
So, this entry is going to be a little bit longer than the others because it’s promoting TWO indie horror creators: Robert Brockway, the author of the aforementioned new horror novel, and JXR Reads! “I’m a passionate reader of ARCs and am currently the #9 Reviewer on Goodreads worldwide and the #6 Reviewer on Goodreads in the United States. I send out a book list every week of the absolute best new novels coming out!” said JXR Reads. They also said they were very interested in receiving more Advance Reader Copies of novels from indie horror authors and, if that describes you, to please contact them.
Now, I’m going to let JXR Reads share their thoughts on Robert Brockway’s I Will Kill Your Imaginary Friend for $200 in their own words in the blue box below and then I’ll meet up with you again in the next entry:
Robert Brockway’s I Will Kill Your Imaginary Friend for $200 is a shockingly dark work about imaginary friends. Imaginary friends are certainly a underused horror concept: rarely have I seen a horror movie or horror book focusing on it. Thrillers, certainly. But in terms of horror, the only one I can think of is Imaginary (2024). So, when I saw this one, I was very excited, and got even more so as I noticed how far this one was willing to go, drawing on vibes that seem a lot like works such as My Friendly Neighborhood, Guby and Friends, and Welcome Home. Interested? Well, I certainly was, and I’m even more excited to share this work with you!
The Plot:
The idea of the setting is definitely one you’ve heard before: imaginary friends are real, or at least semi-real things, that sometimes struggle to let go of their friends, something like the 2024 IF movie. But you rapidly learn that this isn’t that kind of tale, as our protagonist is asked to remove a particularly troublesome imaginary friend who can’t let go of his friend and is causing them harm.
Just pages later, the friend is DEAD! Our protagonist, it turns out, does this for a living, due to a childhood imaginary friend which I don’t want to spoil too much about. But he has some principles! For one, he only kills the imaginary friends of adults who couldn’t let go.
Unfortunately, something goes wrong. Kay Washington, a little girl, has an imaginary friend named Eddie Video, after a children’s show she loves. But Eddie is causing massive amounts of trouble, and our protagonist is ultimately willing to help remove Eddie for good. Of course, as this is a horror book, you can probably already guess Eddie isn’t quite what he seems to be.
The Characters and Emotions:
The heart wrenching feels throughout Robert Brockway’s I Will Kill Your Imaginary Friend for $200 just would not land without GREAT characters, and I’m pleased to note we do in fact have great characters, especially our protagonist. Kay is a hair generic but also works really well, especially as she grows. Even characters we don’t get to see much of have enough of an emotional tie or backstory that scenes land really well, tugging at your heartstrings. In particular, two scenes near the end pull hard at those strings, using characters you previously hadn’t really been sympathetic to or learned that much about and making them incredibly compelling.
The Writing:
Robert Brockway’s writing style is fantastic! Glib and charming, it falls with the flow of our disillusioned, disaffected main character even as the story starts to spin off of the rails, and provides a nice counterweight to some of the more intimidating aspects of the story as it goes on.
In total, I think I Will Kill Your Imaginary Friend for $200 is a very fun read, and would award it 5 stars! Anyone interested in horror books should check it out, in my opinion
Yurei: Legend of the Shadow Blade
Mike Bidwell wrote to me about his new 400-page(!) horror novel, Yurei: Legend of the Shadow Blade which just released on January 2nd!
“Yurei: Legend of the Shadow Blade is a dark, mythic horror novel that blends Japanese history, samurai lore, vampiric mythology, and cosmic horror. Born from a series of vivid, fully formed visions [I had], the story follows a warrior bound to a cursed blade that feeds on souls and memory, pulling him through layered realms of reality where violence, love, and identity echo across lifetimes. It’s a story about what survives us… and what we leave behind.” said Mike.
You can buy Yurei: Legend of the Shadow Blade on Amazon for Kindle/digital or as a paperback! You can also follow along with Mike Bidwell’s official Instagram account for Yurei to see what other stores it shows up in and any book tour stuff he does. He also mentioned that the cover artwork (which I thought was super cool) was a painting by Chris J’tot. Also, on a side note, it’s not horror-related, but I was also very interested in Mike Bidwell’s Jui-Jitsu background! If you’re my age and into martial arts as well as horror, like I am, then you might be interested in his other Instagram account too. He and his wife share techniques for continuing to grapple safely if you’re over 40!
Man VS. Bear (Novella)
Well, color me starstruck! I got a message from THE John Davies – screenwriter for Hobo with a Shotgun and the “Slumber Party Alien Abduction” segment of V/H/S/2 – about his first horror novella, Man vs Bear! It just released on January 22nd, and he’d love for more folks to read it.
John Davies described Man vs Bear‘s story being “about a spiraling rockstar who runs away to the woods to escape his band. He ends up getting trashed on the drive and hits a baby bear cub. Thus the battle becomes Man vs Bear as the mother seeks her revenge.”
You can buy Man vs Bear by John Davies on Amazon! Also, give John Davies a follow on Instagram. He just set up a new account, focusing on his work as an indie horror fiction author. He has 52 followers right now – let’s double that, Fam!
Tales from the Chair (Short Story Anthology)
J.P. Linde, who described himself as “an author, screenwriter, and recovering stand-up comedian,” wrote to let me know about his latest horror anthology book, Tales from the Chair.
He described Tales from the Chair as “a darkly funny anthology that mixes Twilight Zone chills with a comedian’s eye for the absurd.” Adding, “The collection features five twisted tales — from a small-town prank gone wrong in ‘Telfer’ to a pulp resurrection of the undead hero in ‘Operation: Purple Zombie.’ It’s creepy, comic, and (hopefully) unforgettable — the kind of horror you read with the lights on and a grin on your face.”
You can buy Tales from the Chair by J.P. Linde on Amazon for your Kindle/tablet or as a paperback!
Early 2026 Indie Horror Video Games
The 18th Attic
I own The 18th Attic and I was planning to play and review it! It looks like so much fun – I absolutely love the idea of taking photos of ghosts and petting an adorable cat to maintain your sanity! And I still intend to play when I’m able, but I don’t know when that’ll be. No time soon. (Full disclosure, the reason that this addition of my tri-annual Indie Horror Inbox Roundup is a bit late is because our 13-year-old baby, Tina Spear – the gorgeous cat who announces bloopers on HorrorFam.com Podcast interviews – was given a terminal diagnosis by her vet on January 26th and her end-of-life care has kept me very busy/sleepless and very…emotional… I’m currently spending as much time as I can struggling to maintain my real-life sanity and petting my IRL baby while I can. When the time comes, and it will, I will THEN invest hours into petting the cute kitty in The 18th Attic).
Anyway, I did end up getting a lovely email from the creator, so what better excuse to include his game in my Indie Horror Inbox Roundup!
The 18th Attic is a one-man production by Steelkrill Studio (AKA a fella named Ryan) who was also responsible for The Backrooms 1998, Trenches, Customers from Hell, and more!
Ryan said, “The 18th Attic is a psychological horror game where you play as a man trapped in a loop, armed only with an instant picture camera. Hunt down paranormal anomalies lurking around by taking their pictures and detecting their presence to unravel the haunting secrets of your past. Each photo will unlock a new memory. But beware – they will try to trick you and some anomalies are not as friendly as the others. Whenever you get attacked, you have to pet your cat companion in order to restore back your sanity!”
When I mentioned that I intended to play his game, he said that he always loves getting feedback and suggestions from players because that’s how he improves. So, if YOU play The 18th Attic, be sure to let him know your thoughts!
The 18th Attic is out NOW and can purchased by PC gamers over on Steam!
Early2026 Indie Horror Audio
Red Asphalt – EXHUMED (Album)
My husband was really excited about this one, though he questioned if EXHUMED still qualified as an “indie” horror band and voiced concern over whether I’d receive any flak for including them. Well, I think they qualify! According to every definition I could find, “indie” creators (filmmakers, musicians, authors, game developers, etc.) are defined by their “relatively” smaller budgets and, more importantly, their level of personal control. Even if creators have representation/management, if they still have artistic control over their work, then they’re still indie. Even if they’ve “made it” in the eyes of their fans and the general public! And, honestly, isn’t that kinda what we’re hoping for our favorite artists…? I’ve never understood why some fans turn their backs on their favorite indie creators once they finally get popular. In fact, I want to help indie creators become popular! I think folks who strive to maintain the integrity of their work at all costs, even when it’s so much harder to do so, are the very people we should be rooting for. Heck – let’s bump EXHUMED’s subscribers from 6.7K to a full 7K! MORE SUBSCRIBERS FOR EVERYONE ON HERE!! Let’s make ALL of these precious indie horror creators as popular as possible. If there’s anything I’ve learned from all the emails I’ve received over the years, it’s that they all try really hard at whatever it is they’re doing.
Anyway, my husband, Frank Spear, saw EXHUMED a few times in concert back in the early 2000s and he was stoked that I got an email from them, looking to get eyes on their upcoming album, Red Asphalt. And their music video for their latest single, “Shovelhead,” which I’ve embedded above. I couldn’t understand what they were saying due to my auditory processing issues, but I absolutely love the retro Flash cartoon look of the video. And Frank could understand them and he said that “it felt very 2005/2006 – in a GOOD way! It’s very old-school death metal. It’s new, but it brought back old memories. Again, in a good way. And I think the music video reflects that early 2000’s feel extremely well.”
The full-length Red Asphalt album by EXHUMED is set for release on February 20, 2026 via Relapse Records. Keep an eye out on Spotify and other music streaming services!
“Fear the Boogie” – Courtney Gains (Single)
This was such a surprise!! Do you remember Malachai from Children of the Corn (1984)? Well, the 19-year-old actor who inhabited that role, Courtney Gains, is now a fully-grown adult and he’s also fully rocking out!
I think his new single, “Fear the Boogie,” was a lot of fun! I appreciate that Courtney enunciates his words when he sings, so I was able to enjoy/process the spooky lyrics as well as enjoy the hard rock instrumentals. Speaking of which, that’s Wal on guitar and Toni Mateos provided the drums.
Check out Courtney Gains new song! It’s going to be used in the upcoming crowdfunded indie horror film, The Barn Part III. That’s in post-production right now and doesn’t have an official release date, but it’s being directed by Justin M. Seaman and stars Courtney Gains, Kelli Maroney (Night of the Comet, Chopping Mall), Felissa Rose (Sleepaway Camp), William Ragsdale (Fright Night), John Kassir (voice of the Crypt Keeper), Kansas Bowling (Murdercise), and more!
“Old Man Abaddon” – PRECIOUS BLOOD (Single)
False Prophets, the newest album by PRECIOUS BLOOD, is available now on Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp, and anywhere else you can stream music! They would also love it if you watched the music video for ‘Old Man Abaddon,’ the third single from False Prophets.
The email I received: “The video ‘Old Man Abaddon’ was written, directed, and edited by drummer Grace Perez, and produced by Eye N Eye Productions.
Fully formed in 2024, PRECIOUS BLOOD brings together three veterans of the NYC scene – AJ – guitar, vocals (Jesus Knevil, Snake Canyon), Dave Kramer – bass, back-up vocals (Blood Feast, Suaka, Stanley), and Grace Perez – drums, back-up vocals (The Wickedexorcist). The band’s shared love of doom and underground metal is expressed in an unholy concoction of rum-soaked riffs, brutal lyrics, and mystical tribal sounds.
With a signature sound best described as Blackened Caribbean Doom, PRECIOUS BLOOD delivers a unique blend of doom and thrash metal influenced tone, mixed with lyrical themes that draw profound inspiration from the enduring spirit of the Caribbean, shaped by brutal history of colonization, unwavering resilience of its people, and exploration of the darker aspects of human existence, including death, contemplation of mortality and the complexities of human suffering. For fans of monstrous riffs, horror-inspired visuals, and genre-bending metal!“
Embrace the Abandon – THE MON (Album)
Looking for some eerie ambient music to unwind with? I thought this was a neat entry because I didn’t need to worry about whether or not the lyrics would be inappropriate (it’s an instrumental!) and yet it still, clearly, conveyed horror vibes. In fact, I was told that the overall style was inspired by Tangerine Dream (they did musical scores for Near Dark, Legend, Firestarter, etc.) and John Carpenter (he does the scores for nearly all of his own films such as Halloween, They Live, The Fog, etc.).
The music video above, for “Incantation,” was released last week. It’s the last song on Urlo/THE MON‘s Songs of Abandon album and it’s intended to form the connection/bridge into his upcoming album, Songs of Embrace.
Songs of Abandon was released at the tail end of 2025 and Songs of Embrace is set to release on March 6, 2026! You can get both of those through Supernatural Cat Records.
Following the release of Songs of Embrace, Urlo will perform as THE MON across parts of Europe on tour with Kariti from March 18th through May 5th!
Want YOUR New/Upcoming Horror Project Featured Next Time?
Those are all of the new & upcoming horror projects that ended up in my inbox recently!
If you’d like to have YOUR horror creation show up in the next roundup post, be sure to send me an email and/or send me a message on “X”/Twitter or Instagram (@LoveHorrorFam on both platforms) by no later than May 22, 2026.
Come back on June 5, 2026 for next tri-annual HorrorFam.com indie horror inbox roundup! Or, come back next Friday for our usual HorrorFam.com fun ♥ Thank you again to everyone who shared their 2025 indie horror projects with us!!
Images used were provided by their respective owners and used with their permission. As always, any vertical images that were submitted were placed over a blurred background to be made horizontal.
