This film holds the distinction of being the initial combination of slasher horror and heavy metal music. Following a mental breakdown within the recording studio, a Los Angeles metal group experiences the loss of their vocalist. Two years pass, and the band finds success with a female singer (Donna Scoggins), but the presence of their former vocalist lingers—literally. The question arises: could he still be alive, and are they in danger? “Rocktober Blood” (1984) blends horror and heavy metal, drawing comparisons to films like “Trick or Treat” (1986), “Shock ’Em Dead” (1991), and "Black Roses" (1988), all of which are enjoyable. While not quite as impressive as those titles, it established a unique niche and is considerably better than Jon Mikl Thor’s “Rock 'n' Roll Nightmare” (1987) – though that film deserves some understanding given its extremely low production cost of only $53,000. The initial 25 minutes and the final 25 minutes are entertaining within the context of this type of movie, but the middle section—roughly 40 minutes—would have benefited from improved writing and suspense to maintain audience engagement. As it stands, these portions consist of uninteresting stalking scenes set in a forest or house, complete with a ringing phone, along with the expected scene of exhuming a grave. Tray Loren portrays the band’s singer; he bears a resemblance to Mike Reno of Loverboy. He lip-syncs songs composed by the real-life group Sorcery, whose members appear as the drummer, bassist, and two guitarists within the fictional band Headmistress. The group also appeared in the 1978 film "Stunt Rock," but I think their contributions to “Rocktober Blood,” especially the tracks "I'm Back" and "Killer on the Loose,” are better than their earlier work—they’re among the best examples of early 80s hard rock/metal. Donna Scoggins, who evokes Pat Benatar, serves not only as the main character but also as a focus for the camera regarding feminine appeal, with the exception of her two aerobics companions. She's fine (and appears nude on occasion), but in my opinion, she’s the least attractive of the three women featured. Although it doesn’t reach the quality level of “Trick or Treat,” “Shock ’Em Dead,” or even "Black Roses," it is perfectly acceptable if you’re looking for a colorful early 80s slasher film combined with 80s metal music. It's far better than “Rock ‘n’ Roll Nightmare” and deserves recognition as the first of its kind. Just be prepared to push through the slow middle section. The movie has a running time of approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes, and filming took place in Hollywood and Lake Tahoe. GRADE: B-

Source on TMDB