QuoteReplyTopic: History Rocks..!!!!! Posted: 22-Apr-2008 at 12:57
Originally posted by King Kang of Mu
I remember this one album that was about this old Japanese soldier who was strained in an island in SW Pacific and still thought that the war was still going on. Kinda like Mr. Miyagi meets Robinson Carusoe.
...ha ha ha!!!...thats good....!!!!......seriously, sounds very interesting though, and a different kind of historic material.....thanks for the input KKoM.....
Camel has a series of history-based concept albums, mostly on early and mid-20th century...
Early King Crimson often dwelled in obscure lyrics about living in the Middle Ages. Their debut is quite a good rendition of 12th and 13th century Sicily, with their eccentric court and problems with the Papacy, with a special interest in the figure of Frederick II.
Symphony X have a concept album based on Homer's Odissey.
Just to name a few...
..What a great collection of examples, especially King Crimson, for got about them!!!..and how more historical can you get with these themes and topics, great stuff...
I didn't know these great posts were hiding in this forum. Thanx, AoO, for bringing this thread back up. I love Camel. I love [Mirage] and [Moon Madness]. I remember this one album that was about this old Japanese soldier who was strained in an island in SW Pacific and still thought that the war was still going on. Kinda like Mr. Miyagi meets Robinson Carusoe. There was this song about him expressing his devotion to his country and the Emperor. Usually such expressions would cringe me, especially if the character is supposed to be an Imperial Japanese soldier, but this one was done like a love song. What was the song?
Alright I just found it. The album name is [Nude], the song is called {Drafted}.
In reply to your request, Please find...... I hereby protest. To the ways and the means you use, You know...... I can not refuse. So I'll take this vow of Loyalty, Fight for the right, You have said, To be free.
When this time has run its course, I must..... Live without remorse. For the deeds I'm bound to do, I know...... it's all the same to you. But I won't forget the memory..... Taking a life, for a life To be free.
I guess it's little bit more protestsque(?) than I remembered. But it's a song of loyalty, devotion and accepting the destiny,too. I knew there was something haunting about this one. But I could easily interpret that into a love song with little or no tweaking. It just have to be a long distant, unconditional, tragic, one sided, possibly conspiring criminal or amoral activity kinda love. Cmon, that happens more than you know........
Anyway, I will come back with King Crimson tomorrow. That one's gonna take me all night.
They were one of 10- 12 bands that are thought of as "proto heavy m". Thin lizzie, Steppenwolf, Blue Cheer and Cream are part of that group. A band that I think should be part of that but is seldom mentioned, is Velvet Underground. Lou Reeds first band.
"Arguing with someone who hates you or your ideas, is like playing chess with a pigeon. No matter what move you make, your opponent will walk all over the board and scramble the pieces".
Unknown.
Showing your age? The first band I thought of was Iron Butterfly. They were kicking around before you were even thought of. As a matter of fact, so were most of the bands you mentioned. I don't know how historically based IB's stuff was, don't offhand remember much of it [not necessarily age related it was the 60's]
..Hi Red Clay...
....Butterfly were one of those bands i never really heard much of, i know some say they were the 'prototype' heavy metal band but i have not listened to viritually anything of theirs...except In-Gadda-Da-Vida which i think was once covered by Slayer, so IB might have been on the right track afterall!!!!....
..your correct about those bands being around a bit before my time, however, a friend of my fathers was a classic hippy and when visiting my home around 1968, early 1969, and the early 70's, he used to indulge in long nights of playing classic rock music, apparently this occurred while my mother was pregnant with little ol' me!!!...so i guess the influence can be partially blamed on the long haired and beaded guy!!!!.........he's still around now although nowadays and in his 60's, he tunes into techno and trance pirate radio stations .....he believes rock music died when John Bonham thumped his last tub........
..most of these bands i have not heard of!!! guess i am from the old 'Classic Rock' school....Zeppelin, Sabbath, Purple, Hendrix etc, although there are some newer/newish bands i like, for example Rammstein, but perhaps i am just showing my age a bit!!!!
Showing your age? The first band I thought of was Iron Butterfly. They were kicking around before you were even thought of. As a matter of fact, so were most of the bands you mentioned. I don't know how historically based IB's stuff was, don't offhand remember much of it [not necessarily age related it was the 60's]
"Arguing with someone who hates you or your ideas, is like playing chess with a pigeon. No matter what move you make, your opponent will walk all over the board and scramble the pieces".
Unknown.
....well, well, well....good evening rock and metal history heads!!!!......
..guess you thought this thread was consigned to the pits of forum hell eh????...
..but here we are again and with a freebie to boot as well.........as you may or may not know, the mighty brummie band Judas Priest have a new album out soon and will shortly be going out on tour again...and here's the the history rocks bit....the new album is about...........Nostradamus!!!!!....and here is a link to a free track from that album called..er...Nostradamus!!!!!....just click the free track link on the page that comes up....
........happy head-banging with yet another metal encrusted instalment of 'History Rocks!!!!!!!!!'........
Although nightwish was brought up before, let's not forgot creek mary's blood.It's about the struggles of native americans. There's also Leaves ' Eyes album titled Vinland Saga about lief ericson's journey to newfoundland. My two favorites for getting a feeling for ancient battles are Turisas and Finntroll. Although I havn't listened to much of them, Chthonic sings about the original inhabitants of taiwan. Gettysburg was the best from that album.A trilogy of songs connecting together.On Horror Show they have a song about a child who loses his father during the revolutionary war.
...thanks for the post Glitch, i am now on my way to building a much expanded (metal) library!!!....what started out as a rather light-hearted look at history and rock music has turned into a whole new education!!!
Although nightwish was brought up before, let's not forgot creek mary's blood.It's about the struggles of native americans.
There's also Leaves ' Eyes album titled Vinland Saga about lief ericson's journey to newfoundland.
My two favorites for getting a feeling for ancient battles are Turisas and Finntroll.
Although I havn't listened to much of them, Chthonic sings about the original inhabitants of taiwan.
Originally posted by King John
Iced Earth has a whole album devoted to historical
subjects from Attila the Hun to the Battle of Gettysburg. This album is
called The Glorious Burden.
Gettysburg was the best from that album.A trilogy of songs connecting
together.On Horror Show they have a song about a child who loses his
father during the revolutionary war.
I have heard of Grave Digger as well, but I don't think I've heard their music.
I too am finding this thread intriguing in terms of finding new music, as I'm always trying to do...even though I know most of these bands, there are still quite a few I don't know!
Grave Digger has quite some nice Albums which all cover historical themes:Tunes of War: a concept album about the history of Scotland, and mainly its struggle for independence with EnglandKnights of the Cross: A concept album about the CrusadesExcalibur: A concept album about the Arthurian legendsThe Last Supper: A concept album about the last days of Jesus
..i have heard of Gravedigger before, might even have listened to a few of their songs, although i cannot remember the details...i am assuming they are a German band?...
Hello! NikeBG told me about these Forums in MSN and thought I would be a good addition - and here I shall make my first contribution [which I already made in our MSN conversation, and he thought I should post this here, so I do :D]
Grave Digger has quite some nice Albums which all cover historical themes:
Tunes of War: a concept album about the history of Scotland, and mainly its struggle for independence with England
Knights of the Cross: A concept album about the Crusades
Excalibur: A concept album about the Arthurian legends
The Last Supper: A concept album about the last days of Jesus
Iced Earth has a whole album devoted to historical subjects from Attila the Hun to the Battle of Gettysburg. This album is called The Glorious Burden.
..thanks King John for your choice....
...most of the selections made by people on this thread are new to me, and has helped to expand my knowledge of such music....at some point i will try to track some of these suggestions down!!..
..i recall Iron Maiden having a song called 'Flight of Icarus' also telling the story of the ambitious but doomed winged man...
..i mentioned Slayer's 'Angel of Death' earlier in the thread and later realised that i did not own the album,so i fought my way through the mass of Xmas shoppers today and grabbed myself a copy of 'Reign in Blood'...great album, ferocious and full-on metal heavy!!!....
..yes, the fantasy connection does appear to be common, i am also a big fan of Tolkien, and 'The Hobbit' remains one of my favourite books having first read it when i was at school...my introduction to all things fantastical came when i got involved in 'Dungeons and Dragons' role playing games...i was taken with the imagery and the subject matter, not long after a friend lent me a cassette of Black Sabbath's 'Sabotage' album and it just blew me away, the music seemed to fit my fantasy interests perfectly...the sounds conjured up all kinds of pictures and ideas in my head, and from that moment, i was addicted to this kind of music...still am!!!!...i did not really get into the 'goth' kind of fashion, but i certainly was a victim of the 'denim, leather, and studs' look, complete with a self-painted Black Sabbath picture on the back of my cut-off denim jacket....sigh...those were the days!!!
Hello, Act of Oblivion...
Hmm, I haven't got "Angel of Death" either...I guess I've got to pick it up sometime too!
I got completely obsessed with all things medieval a number of years ago, and with that came a love of fantasy...I actually found all of the bands I like through a random search on the internet, when I decided I wanted to find a new band that no one at my school had heard of, and found Sonata Arctica...from there I found Stratovarius, Nightwish, Hammerfall, etc., which has fit my fantasy interests as well! Music is truly a great thing...
That's right, Flight of Icarus...guess Icarus was a popular guy! And Therion has a song by the name of Quetzalcoatl...
..i recall Iron Maiden having a song called 'Flight of Icarus' also telling the story of the ambitious but doomed winged man...
..i mentioned Slayer's 'Angel of Death' earlier in the thread and later realised that i did not own the album,so i fought my way through the mass of Xmas shoppers today and grabbed myself a copy of 'Reign in Blood'...great album, ferocious and full-on metal heavy!!!....
..yes, the fantasy connection does appear to be common, i am also a big fan of Tolkien, and 'The Hobbit' remains one of my favourite books having first read it when i was at school...my introduction to all things fantastical came when i got involved in 'Dungeons and Dragons' role playing games...i was taken with the imagery and the subject matter, not long after a friend lent me a cassette of Black Sabbath's 'Sabotage' album and it just blew me away, the music seemed to fit my fantasy interests perfectly...the sounds conjured up all kinds of pictures and ideas in my head, and from that moment, i was addicted to this kind of music...still am!!!!...i did not really get into the 'goth' kind of fashion, but i certainly was a victim of the 'denim, leather, and studs' look, complete with a self-painted Black Sabbath picture on the back of my cut-off denim jacket....sigh...those were the days!!!
...my favorite band is Sonata Arctica, who have a song about a soldier returning from a war, but I'm not sure what war it is, if it is indeed one that really happened.
"Replica" - my absolute favourite song of Sonata Arctica! It seems we share the same taste of music, gremlinlord, since my Top 5 are: 1. Nightwish 2. Sonata Arctica 3. Blind Guardian 4. Rammstein 5. BTR (three power metals, one alternative industrial and one Bulgarian classic rock). Blind Guardian is indeed centred mostly around Tolkien's works and its no wonder why it's the favourite band of all Tolkien fans (including me).
Yes, "Replica"...very good song! I admit, I haven't got a favorite Sonata Arctica song; but I consider myself lucky to have actually found a band who has yet to release a song I don't like. We definately share the same taste in music...my top, well, 6 are:
1. Sonata Arctica
2. Nightwish
3. Hammerfall
4. Stratovarius
5. Blind Guardian
6. Rammstein
And a definate Tolkien fan here too!
I've found some more songs as well that are somewhat historical (or not); Freak Kitchen has a song called Mussolini Mind, although it's not really about Mussolini...Iced Earth has an instrumental by the name of 1776...Kamelot has the Fall of Icarus, and Nocturnal Rites mentions Egypt (again!) in Temple of the Dead.
Originally posted by Act of Oblivion
.i do wonder why the metal fraternity find so much interest in history and the creation of their music, and as we have seen from members posts, from people all over the globe..?....maybe it is just like-minded indivuduals? ....
....generally speaking, most of the people i know who enjoy listening to and making rock music seem to share a liking for historical episodes, military stories, fanstasy and mythological associations....(although this does not always apply in reverse) ..despite the often unconventional image of such bands and people, i do find that many sentiments they express contain a deep and profound level of thought that belies the nature of the music...Rush are an excellant example of this....sure, i know there are many genres of rock and metal music that do not (Van Halen, Poison,!!?) but on the whole, a lot of metal bands do approach their themes and topics with an admirable sense of foresight and insight....and all good to them...
Good food for thought, Act of Oblivion...that is an interesting observation. I for one don't really know that many people who listen to the same kind of music as I do, but now that I see the connection through the forum, etc., it's quite intriguing...I wonder...certainly gothic/fantasy themes are also prevelant as well, but those tend to spring out of history.
Another one, which came to my mind - a nice Spanish band called Saurom with their album "Juglar Metal".
....thanks for the selection of links NikeBG...
..although i will have to get my girlfriend to translate the site for Saurom!!!...as she knows some Spanish...my language abilities are appalling, although that does not spoil my immense enjoyment of Rammstein's music!!!..
.i do wonder why the metal fraternity find so much interest in history and the creation of their music, and as we have seen from members posts, from people all over the globe..?....maybe it is just like-minded indivuduals? ....
....generally speaking, most of the people i know who enjoy listening to and making rock music seem to share a liking for historical episodes, military stories, fanstasy and mythological associations....(although this does not always apply in reverse) ..despite the often unconventional image of such bands and people, i do find that many sentiments they express contain a deep and profound level of thought that belies the nature of the music...Rush are an excellant example of this....sure, i know there are many genres of rock and metal music that do not (Van Halen, Poison,!!?) but on the whole, a lot of metal bands do approach their themes and topics with an admirable sense of foresight and insight....and all good to them...
Another one, which came to my mind - a nice Spanish band called Saurom with their album "Juglar Metal". I don't really know Spanish, but with track names like "Marcha Inca" I'm pretty sure they're at least somewhat history-related too.
ActOfOblivion, I highly suggest you do find Virgin Steele's "House of Atreus" - I'm not sure how to classify them, but I'd say they're more like the old and classic heavy metal style and they're not a new band either.Btw, can we count Corvus Corax as a rock group? Because they do have a main theme aimed at history, with tracks like "Saltarello" (medieval dance) or f.e. "Bacchus" and others...
..thanks NikeBG, i will try aand make an effort to track them down, maybe i can drop a few hints to family with regards to Xmas prezzies!!!...the old 'classic' metal sound is what i like..lots of bands today seem to have the heaviness in the guitars, but the 'woooorrrggghhh''ggrrrrr' vocal style is not really my cup of tea, some of it is ok, Machine Head and Trivium for example, but i do like the newer bands like Hammerfall and Dragonforce who retain that old sound and dynamic..
..as for the other bands you mentioned, why not include them...to hell with it...lets expand the thread!!!!
..thanks for your choices Reginmund, this is where i get to learn about music from other countries, all recommendations are most welcome...i have noted that there are quite a few decent rock and metal bands coming from Italy, i must get round to exploring the metal scene with more effort.... what with jobs, life and family, my musical exploits have tended to take a seat at the back, although i do still enjoy playing around with my guitar..purely as an amateur mind you!!!..lots of noise and its heavy riffs i like playing, its fun and its louder than my sons wailing and screaming!!!...
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