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Tolkien and Heavy Metal
May 20, 2021
(edited)
2021/5/20 14:47:55 (GMT) Greenwich Mean Time, London, Dublin, Lisbon, Casablanca, Monrovia
2021/5/20 14:47:55 (GMT) Greenwich Mean Time, London, Dublin, Lisbon, Casablanca, Monrovia
Any other heavy metal fans in here? I wanted to share two of my favorite metal bands with Tolkien-related lyrics. A full list of music devoted to Tolkien can be found in this wonderful website: The Tolkien Music List
- Blind Guardian
The Bards of Metal! My favorite album of all-time is Nightfall in Middle-earth, which is completely based in The Silmarillion. A full lyrics analysis can be found here. Every detail from this album is great: the music, the lyrics, and the cover, one of the sublime moments of The Silmarillion. Blind Guardian also has Middle-earth songs outside this album, such as The Lord of the Rings.
- Battlelore
This Finnish band sing exclusively about Middle-earth themes! They have six full albums, the most recent one called Doombound, based on Túrin's tale. More info on their website. Some example songs are Enchanted and Sons of Riddermark.
I wrote a detailed entry about Battlelore in a blog many years ago!
Finally, not metal but
- Peregrino Gris
is a Costa Rican instrumental Celtic music band. Their name means Grey Pilgrim, inspired by Mithrandir. They have some songs with Middle-earth themes, such as The dragon that emerged from the shadows.
- Blind Guardian
The Bards of Metal! My favorite album of all-time is Nightfall in Middle-earth, which is completely based in The Silmarillion. A full lyrics analysis can be found here. Every detail from this album is great: the music, the lyrics, and the cover, one of the sublime moments of The Silmarillion. Blind Guardian also has Middle-earth songs outside this album, such as The Lord of the Rings.
- Battlelore
This Finnish band sing exclusively about Middle-earth themes! They have six full albums, the most recent one called Doombound, based on Túrin's tale. More info on their website. Some example songs are Enchanted and Sons of Riddermark.
I wrote a detailed entry about Battlelore in a blog many years ago!
Finally, not metal but
- Peregrino Gris
is a Costa Rican instrumental Celtic music band. Their name means Grey Pilgrim, inspired by Mithrandir. They have some songs with Middle-earth themes, such as The dragon that emerged from the shadows.
I’m a metal afficionado as well, but rather like the slower subgenres such as doom. My picks:
Reverend Bizarre (Finland) - Cirith Ungol
Cirith Ungol (US) - King of the Dead
Aragorn (UK) - Black Ice
Burzum (Norway) - Hvis Lyset Tar Oss
Orange Goblin (UK) - Saruman’s Wish
Reverend Bizarre (Finland) - Cirith Ungol
Cirith Ungol (US) - King of the Dead
Aragorn (UK) - Black Ice
Burzum (Norway) - Hvis Lyset Tar Oss
Orange Goblin (UK) - Saruman’s Wish
Éarendel wrote:
I’m a metal afficionado as well, but rather like the slower subgenres such as doom. My picks:
Reverend Bizarre (Finland) - Cirith Ungol
Cirith Ungol (US) - King of the Dead
Aragorn (UK) - Black Ice
Burzum (Norway) - Hvis Lyset Tar Oss
Orange Goblin (UK) - Saruman’s Wish
Battlelore is actually doom metal! I’ll check out your suggestions, thanks!
Big Blind Guardian fan here, Nightfall in Middle-Earth album is gorgeous.
The song Nightfall is a perfect music representation of the Darkening of Valinor.
Mirror Mirror is great as well.
I'll check out other albums you mentioned.
Thanks!
The song Nightfall is a perfect music representation of the Darkening of Valinor.
Mirror Mirror is great as well.
I'll check out other albums you mentioned.
Thanks!
Darker than what has already been mentioned but just as great when you appreciate black metal : Minas Morgul by Summoning.
- Max: Nightfall in Middle-earth it's such a great album! I always wear the shirt with the cover art proudly.
- Bergelmir: I'm not really into black metal, but I'll check out your suggestion, thanks!
However, I do like this song: Nirnaeth Arnoediad, by Forodwaith!
- Bergelmir: I'm not really into black metal, but I'll check out your suggestion, thanks!
However, I do like this song: Nirnaeth Arnoediad, by Forodwaith!
I love Nightfall in Middle-earth! It is, in my opinion, one of the best metal albums of all time. Blind Guardian are, of course, a great band in general. I've seen them live a couple of times.
I also used to listen to Battlelore, but they haven't released anything since Doombound. They took a long creative break shortly after the release and still only play very few concerts these days.
I also used to listen to Battlelore, but they haven't released anything since Doombound. They took a long creative break shortly after the release and still only play very few concerts these days.
Worthy of note: check out the song 'Elvenpath' by Nightwish (I'm not sure how many of their other songs are Tolkien-esque, I think that may be the most "obvious" one)
I am not going to pretend I like much of what has been posted here musically, but that is music and art in general, we all like different things. But I am a big music fan, more into artists and bands like Bowie, Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, lots of grunge and so on but I do admire what many of the examples in this thread have done with Tolkien and the themes they have brought into musical form. I think some of these artists could have very easily sat in a writers room and come up with a damned incredible Tolkien adaptation.
NoUse wrote:
I love Nightfall in Middle-earth! It is, in my opinion, one of the best metal albums of all time. Blind Guardian are, of course, a great band in general. I've seen them live a couple of times.
I couldn't agree more with this statement! I've also seen them thrice, in three different countries. Hopefully they tour the US next year!
Battlelore have been slowly becoming active once again in social media. It would be very nice if they released some new material after ten years.
insurrbution wrote:
Worthy of note: check out the song 'Elvenpath' by Nightwish (I'm not sure how many of their other songs are Tolkien-esque, I think that may be the most "obvious" one)
Absolutely! Nightwish is such a wonderful band, one of my favorite. I do miss Tarja, but Floor is great as well. Tolkien-music also quotes Wishmaster, likely because of the mention of Elbereth, Lorien and the Gray Havens.
Just checked, and the Tolkien-Music website lists 780 metal bands that have Tolkien lyrics/influence, someway or another
