Comments on: Metal Songs Based on Fantasy Novels

By: Mike Allen

Mike Allen — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 15:40:43 +0000

I had to add Metallica’s “The Thing That Should Not Be,” which to my mind erased any doubts about what “The Call of Ktulu” referred to (not that I really had any doubts.)

Best ’80s metal/sftnal song that apparently isn’t based on a book but should be: Judas Priest’s “Blood Red Skies.”

By: Some Maidenhead

Some Maidenhead — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 21:08:14 +0000

Also there’s “Strangers in a Strange Land” by Iron Maiden, based on the book by Robert Heinlein.

By: Ed

Ed — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:36:04 +0000

Recently reformed English metal band Sabbat, active in the late 80s and featuring currently much in demand producer Andy Sneap, released their second album Dreamweaver based on a book called The Way of the Wyrd by Brian Bates. Might be difficult to track down both of those but the band’s first 2 CDs were reissued a few years back.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabbat_%28band%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreamweaver_%28Sabbat_album%29

And does Anthrax’s I Am The Law count?

By: Chris Willrich

Chris Willrich — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:29:17 +0000

Sort of in the ballpark — Blue Öyster Cult also had “Veteran of the Psychic Wars,” which Wikipedia credits to Eric Bloom and Michael Moorcock, and which has some Eternal Champion-like images. Moorcock quotes from the song in his later novel _The Dragon In the Sword._ (And Wikipedia says “Veteran” itself quotes a Hawkwind song, “Standing at the Edge.”)

Someone in comments mentioned Led Zeppelin and Tolkien, and Wikipedia’s rundown for Zeppelin songs with LOTR references is “The Battle of Evermore,” “Misty Mountain Hop,” “Ramble On,” and “Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp.” I remember getting a jolt when first hearing Robert Plant singing about Ringwraiths!