Interview: Talking Horror with Holon
In this interview we talk horror with Holon, the solo diverse music project led by Ronny Pedersen.
1. What’s some of your earliest memories surrounding horror films and at what age do you think you experienced your first one?
My earliest real memory of horror films goes back to when I was around 10 or 11 years old. My stepfather was a big movie fan – he used to rent films on VHS and copy them, so we always had a collection of movies lying around the apartment.
I would often come home from school and be alone for a few hours, and I’d just pick something from the shelf and put it on. One day I came across John Carpenter’s Prince of Darkness and decided to watch it.
You might think that would be traumatising at that age, but I’ve never really been easily scared by horror films. What stuck with me more was the atmosphere and the ideas behind it rather than fear itself.
Looking back, it’s also interesting that John Carpenter composed the music for many of his own films. That idea of being able to work across disciplines – film, music, storytelling – is something I connect with a lot in my own creative work.
2. What effect do you think it had on you, either positive or negative?
Mostly positive. What I’ve always liked about horror is that it tries to surprise you – either through jump scares or, more interestingly, through something psychological underneath.
I like not knowing what’s coming next. It keeps you engaged. It’s actually very similar to how I experience music. If something is too predictable, I tend to lose interest quite quickly. That’s probably why I’m drawn to progressive music and artists like Frank Zappa, where things don’t always go where you expect them to.
So in a way, horror didn’t make me more fearful – it made me more aware of tension, pacing, and unpredictability.
3. Do you have a particular moment in horror that defined your childhood?
One that really stuck with me was the psychological horror in “Misery,” based on the Stephen King novel.
It wasn’t about monsters or spectacle – it was about human behaviour, control, and isolation, which made it feel much more real and unsettling. That kind of horror leaves a different kind of imprint.
It made enough of an impression that the first band I played in during secondary school was actually called Misery. Either that or it was because of how bad we sounded… <laughing>
4. What used to scare you?
Films didn’t really scare me that much. I’ve always found them more interesting than frightening.
In real life, though, it’s different. I’ve always been a bit anxious about health and the idea of mortality – you could say I’ve had a bit of a hypochondriac tendency.
So there’s a contrast there: horror films don’t really get to me, but real-world uncertainty definitely does.
5. How did your early experiences blossom into a love of all things horror?
I think it comes from appreciating how horror builds atmosphere and tension. It’s not just about what you see – it’s about what’s suggested.
That approach resonates with me creatively. It’s very similar to how I work with music – letting things build slowly, leaving space, allowing the listener to fill in some of the gaps.
6. Do you have a particular era or style of horror that you deem the best?
I’d probably point to the 80s and 90s Stephen King adaptations as my favourite period. That’s what I grew up with.
Films like Cujo, Christine, Pet Sematary, and Misery are all classics to me. They weren’t just about scares – they were about characters, atmosphere, and psychological tension.
That era felt a bit more raw and direct. Less polished, but often more memorable.
7. How about genres – are you a slasher fan, paranormal lover, gorefest enjoyer, etc?
I lean strongly toward psychological and atmospheric horror.
I’m not really into slasher or gore-heavy films, unless they’re done in a more ironic or comedic way, like Braindead or Army of Darkness. Those work because they don’t take themselves too seriously – they become more about energy and shared experience.
8. What’s the best horror film to watch alone and why?
I enjoy watching horror both alone and with others, but in different ways.
Watching with a group has a great dynamic – especially those moments where everyone is sitting in anticipation of a jump scare and you can feel the tension building in the room.
But if I’m watching alone, I prefer something more atmospheric and psychological. Sitting in the dark without distractions is probably the closest I get to feeling uneasy from a film.
9. Likewise, what’s the best horror film to watch with a group (beers and popcorn included) and why?
That has to be “Braindead”, “Army of Darkness.” or other films in that vein.
Those films are just pure fun. I have great memories from my youth watching them with friends – laughing, reacting, and just enjoying the chaos together.
Sometimes horror isn’t about being scared – it’s about shared energy, and those films deliver that perfectly.
10. What is an overrated film or franchise? Please explain.
I wouldn’t point to one specific film, but I think some horror leans too heavily on repetition and shock value.
If a film relies on the same tricks over and over again without building atmosphere or depth, it quickly loses its impact.
11. What is a modern horror film (the last ten years) that you just loved and why?
I have to admit I haven’t watched that many horror films recently, mostly because I tend to watch films with my girlfriend, and she gets easily scared.
The last one we watched was “Hereditary,” which I thought was really good. It has that psychological depth and unsettling atmosphere that I appreciate – something that stays with you after the film ends.
12. What scares you now?
These days, watching the news probably scares me more than any horror film.
There’s something about real-world unpredictability – things you can’t control – that feels far more unsettling than anything fictional.
A last note from me is that I have to mention that the theme from Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield – one of my favorite musical pieces – was used in the movie The Exorcist. Great movie and that’s a perfect case of where music and horror come together to create something powerful.
