“I’ve always been both a metalhead and a total fantasy geek-possibly the two most powerful formative influences on my teen years were Metallica and J.R.R. Tolkien. There exists a deep and occult connection between heavy metal and fantasy fiction, one that surfaces both obliquely-Spiked wristbands! Album covers that could double as Wheel of Time book jackets! Fire!-and overtly, as in the legacy of metal songs explicitly inspired by fantastical literary sources.
After the jump, check out a few of my favorite heavy metal songs inspired by fantasy novels. And I know I’ve forgotten a few, so add them in the comments!
Iron Maiden – ‘To Tame a Land’
Pretty much the entire Iron Maiden catalogue of powerfully narrative songs could be considered part of the classic fantasy canon. But special mention has to be made of ‘To Tame a Land,’ off Piece of Mind, based on the Dune novels. And they’re really not kidding with these Dune references, which are serious and deep-this is Bruce Dickinson singing, as a fan, to other fans:
It is a land that’s rich in spice
The sandriders and the ‘mice’
That they call the Muad’Dib.
He is the Kwisatz Haderach.
He is born of Caladan
And will take the Gom Jabbar.”
August 6, 2008 at 8:05 am
Michael Moorcock has been a hugely influential writer in the world of heavy metal, especially his albino swordsman Elric. Hawkwind and Blue Oyster Cult have both written odes to him, and several others have used him on their album cover art.