250pxi The House of Shock float during Mardi Gras in Metairie NOLA.
Founded by Pantera's Frontman Phil Anselmo and friends Ross Karpelman, and Jay Gracinette the House Of Shock is a seasonal haunted house attraction located in New Orleans, Louisiana. Every year, the House of Shock is open on weekends in October. The House of Shock is known for its satanic themes and intensity by New Orleans residents and tourists.
History[]
The House of Shock started in 1992 in Jay's backyard. In 1993 it moved to Jay's grandmothers backyard to allow for more room. During that year local officals informed the group that if they wanted to continue they would need to move to a commercial location. In 1993 the owners rented a warehouse on Barone St. and brought in Steven Joseph to help manage the attraction. This is when public officials tried to shut down the attraction due to one of the rooms being a representation of the Church of Satan. The City Council thought the House of Shock was not appropriate for public viewing. In the end, the House Of Shock was not shut down. The House of Shock still operates in a different location, close to the old location, and is considered one of the best haunted houses in the United States by many people.
Anselmo's Involvement in House of Shock, was about 14 years (1992-2005). In a news article, posted in March 2006, it is revealed that Anselmo, is no longer involved with the attraction. Anselmo, was quoted stating about his involvement:
"It's still here and is as big as ever, but I am not a part of it," Anselmo told Noisecreep. "I started it with three friends, and I guess there was a difference of direction and where we wanted to go with the haunted house. I did my time."
In 2012, he said that he doesn't go back and visit or take a walk through the attraction -- which is meant to terrify, as it features zombies, a morgue and a butchery -- anymore, either. "Nah, I don't go back to it. It has changed," Anselmo admitted. "My vision is no longer there, so the skeletal remains are holding it together. It's $25 a person to get inside the mother f---er, something I would never allow. Nah! On Halloween, I find other things to do. I will be opening my own haunted attraction soon...." By 2013, he is the founder of Housecore Horror Festival, the new haunted attraction that he told, which is held in Texas, each year in November. The festival, is filled with heavy metal bands and tons of horror movies and attractions.
House of Shock, was permanently closed, in 2017, after 25 years of service (1992-2016), and was replaced with New Orleans Nightmare.
The Attraction[]
The horror show starts off with a pyrotechnic stage show complete with actors. After the show, you walk through a zombie infested graveyard and funeral parlor. Once past the parlor, it is on to the goriest parts of the house: the morgue and butcher's house. After being stained with blood, it's on to what makes the House of Shock the most controversial haunted house ever, the Church of Satan. Once out of the the church, you are immediately pursued by demented psychos armed with chainsaws.
Scenes[]
- Graveyard
- Funeral Parlor
- Morgue
- Voodoo Shop
- French Quarter
- Butcher Shop
- Cattle Run
- Taxidermy
- Swamp
- Sewer
- Over Sensory
- Spinning Tunnel
- Moving Floor
- Catacombs
- Satanic Church
- Hell (2010)
- Chainlink Maze
- Barrel Hallway
A Real-Life Death[]
According to Karpelman, there was a woman who died of a heart attack, but shortly after was revived by paramedics.
The Church of Satan[]
The room itself is in no way based on an actual satanic church, but is mainly a depiction of what a church dedicated to Satan might look like.