D&D Metal

[the Jester]

Hello, I would like to ask everyone to help me out with something.

It was with great shock and sorrow that I recently realized that "D&D Metal" is not actually recognized as a genre of music.

Seriously, come on now, this has to change.

You know the music I mean. Artists that focus largely on songs about d&d themes- fighting dragons, pirate mutinies, diabolical schemes... you know.

Dragonforce... Alestorm... Dark Moor... Iron Maiden... Dio... early Rainbow... Tenacious D... Dream Evil... there are quite a few of them out there. Enough that they make their own genre in my opinion. Even though not all of them are great bands, they deserve to be recognized.

So please, help D&D Metal earn its recognition! Mention it when discussing the breakdown of music genres; ask for it in music stores; say it when you have your fleeting 15 minutes of fame on TV.

Who else do you think belongs in this genre?

 

[Kishin]

As a huge metal fan, I can't say I support creating even more pretentious and confusing subgenres.

A lot of those bands also sing about the historical (often in greater quantity than the fantastical, i.e. Maiden or Dark Moor) or the literary (Maiden again).

But other bands with massive fantasy themes?

Blind Guardian (Perhaps one of the most overt, with songs about Middle Earth and Dragonlance in addition to historical topics like the siege of Troy)
Battlelore (All their music refers to Middle-Earth, again)
Cryonic Temple
Falconer (Again, more historical, really, but earlier albums contain more fantastical lyrics)
Turisas (Viking history again, but just so EPIC)
Domine (Elric-focused lyrics)

This could go on forever...

 

[On Puget Sound]

It's been going on since before most of you youn whippersnappers were born...

Blue Oyster Cult (veteran of the psychic wars)
Black Sabbath (the wizard)
Led Zeppelin (ramble on)

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

And its still going on today- check out The Sword- the lead singer/guitarist plays D&D, and it shows in his lyrics.

 

[Teflon Billy]

Manowar and Armored Saint both count.

 

[Protagonist]

It's been going on since before most of you youn whippersnappers were born...

Blue Oyster Cult (veteran of the psychic wars)
Black Sabbath (the wizard)
Led Zeppelin (ramble on)

not to forget Battle of Evermore and Immigrant Song

Sing as you raise your bow,
Shoot straighter than before.
No comfort has the fire at night
That lights the face so cold.

We come from the land of the ice and snow from the midnight sun where the hot springs blow.
The hammer of the gods
Will drive our ships to new lands,
To fight the horde, singing and crying:
Valhalla, I am coming!

 

[Protagonist]

And its still going on today- check out The Sword- the lead singer/guitarist plays D&D, and it shows in his lyrics.

Some other rpg/fantasy geeks in the music biz:


And Bolt Thrower (Extreme/Death Metal) are named after Warhammer Fantasy Battles. You can also see that on some of their album covers.

Kyuss (Desert Rock), originally Sons of Kyuss, should be pretty obvious.

Monster Magnet are more influenced by Marvel, cf. Ego The Living Planet or the Modak reference in Baby Götterdämmerung.

All 3 thankfully don't play the epic symphonic hollywood* ´"metal" most people associate with D&D

* (c) some cheesy Italians

 

[Chainsaw]

Lair of the Minotaur..

Wikipedia:
"LotM take a very aggressive, relentless form of thrash metal, labeled aggro thrash by some. The production values of LotM's recordings, particularly on the debut Carnage, are very raw, giving an even harsher sound to the band. Their influences include the pioneers of certain types of metal; Black Sabbath, Celtic Frost, Venom and Slayer being noted ones.Lyrically, each song of Lair Of The Minotaur tells a different story from Greek mythology."


I have the War Metal Battle Master album (tracks at the bottom). Honestly, this just isn't an easy listening album and I wouldn't play it in the background of a session or anything, but it does have a fairly overt fantasy, D&D-ish theme.

1. Horde of Undead Vengeance
2. War Metal Battle Master
3. When the Ice Giants Slayed All
4. Slaughter the Bestial Legion
5. Black Viper Barbarian Clan
6. Assassins of the Cursed Mist
7. Doomtrooper
8. Hades Unleashed

Edit: Added Wikipedia quote, track listing

 

[Calico_Jack73]

Gotta love Dream Evil... they originally wanted to name their band Dragonslayer but ended up using that name for an album (their first I believe). Specifically check out "Chosen Ones" which has been used for a lot of WH40K Space Marine tributes over at Youtube.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Slayer-Dream-Evil/dp/B000068R3L/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1231330800&sr=8-2"]Amazon.com: Dragon Slayer: Dream Evil: Music[/ame]​

 

[Darkwolf71]

Uriah Heep may not be classic 'metal' but it is certainly rock with a fantasy flavor.