This alphabetical list presents bands that took the inspiration for their name from literature (novels, poems, plays, comics). The list shows the debut album cover along with the information of the corresponding source of inspiration.

Please feel free to suggest more examples of metal/hard rock band names that are inspired by literature.


AUTHORS

1st Place (53 bands):
J.R.R.Tolkien

2nd Place (21 bands):
H.P.Lovecraft

3rd Place (10 bands):
W.Shakespeare

4th Place (7 bands):
E.A.Poe

5th Place (3 bands):
F.Herbert, R.E.Howard, C.A.Smith

6th Place (2 bands):
A.Huxley, J.W.v.Goethe, B.Kane, S.King, C.S.Lewis, H.Melville, K.Miura, M.Moorcock, J.K.Rowling, H.Van Alkmer, O.Wilde

7th Place (1 band):
R.Adams, J.P.Ahonen, D.Alighieri, L.F.Baum, E.C.Bertin, R.Bloch, E.Bronte, L.Carroll, L.Carter, L.Chase, C.Dickens, A.Diggle, M.Ende, S.Erikson, W.Faulkner, J.&W.Grimm, Homer, A.Jodorowsky, Kakifly, U.KLeGuin, H.W.Longfellow, G.R.R.Martin, A.Miller, P.Mills, J.Milton, D.Quinn, S.Rohmer, P.Rothfuss, Y.Sadamato, M.Sandemo, W.Scott, H.Sienkiewicz, D.Simmons, W.Smith, J.Steinbeck, B.Stoker, Suetonius, L.Uris, L.Weisberger, H.G.Wells, Q.Yuan


CATEGORY

1.) Novels (94 bands)
2.) Short Stories/Novellas (34 bands)
3.) Drama (11 bands),
Poems (11 bands),
Comics/Mangas (11 bands)
4.) Religious Texts (4 bands)
5.) Author Names (3 bands)
6.) Magazines (2 bands)
7.) Biographies (1 band), Essays (1 band), Reports (1 band),

1.A Dream Of Poe - The Mirror Of Deliverance

2.Abhoth - Abhoth

3.Abigail Williams - In The Shadow Of A Thousand Suns

4.Ahab - The Call Of The Wretched Sea

5.Alice In Chains - Facelift

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My favourite black metal albums listed and ranked, all varieties within the black metal genre.

1.Summoning - Oath Bound

2.Immortal - At The Heart Of Winter

3.Primordial - To The Nameless Dead

4.Mayhem - De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas

5.Mgła - Exercises In Futility

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This list is meant to be an extensive, but by no means exhaustive, collection of the greatest (modern) metal albums and eps. Running the gamut from avant-garde to trve norweigan black metal. *As someone who is young in age, my tastes tend to revolve around the period of the 80s to the present.* Although certain metal albums from before will certainly be featured, the period of the 60s-70s will be under-represented. I refer you to this excellent list to gain a better appreciation for some of the best metal from that period: https://rateyourmusic.com/list/freis/martin_popoffs_the_top_500_heavy_metal_albums_of_all_time/

1.Ea - Ea Taesse

2.Earth - The Bees Made Honey In The Lion's Skull

3.Earth And Pillars - Earth I

4.Earth Crisis - Destroy The Machines

5.Earth Rot - Black Tides Of Obscurity

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No particular order

1.Graveworm - As The Angels Reach The Beauty

2.Graveworm - Scourge Of Malice

3.Dimmu Borgir - For All Tid

4.Dimmu Borgir - Stormblåst

5.Dimmu Borgir - Enthrone Darkness Triumphant

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Apologies for possible grammar error and for some repetitive leitmotiv.

Non Metalstrom Bands

Alastor (AUT): http://www.reverbnation.com/alastoraut
Anicon: https://gileadmedia.bandcamp.com/album/exegeses
Deviant Process: http://deviantprocess.bandcamp.com
Eldjudnir: http://eldjudnir.dk/
Eternal Delyria: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9VTolNq1DgBNT5mYGME4Iw

1.Vale Of Pnath - II

2.Saor - Guardians

3.Moonsorrow - Jumalten Aika

4.Deviant Process - Paroxysm

5.Vektor - Terminal Redux

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Here we go again. This time around though I probably won't end up listening to as many albums as previous years. Time will tell.

1.Trees Of Eternity - Hour Of The Nightingale

2.SubRosa - For This We Fought The Battle Of Ages

3.La Torture Des Ténèbres - Civilization Is The Tomb Of Our Noble Gods

4.Fvnerals - Wounds

5.Cult Of Luna - Mariner [Collaboration]

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My personal favorite studio albums of 2016

1.Devin Townsend - Transcendence

2.Trees Of Eternity - Hour Of The Nightingale

3.Avenged Sevenfold - The Stage

4.Metallica - Hardwired...To Self-Destruct

5.Epica - The Holographic Principle

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2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015

1.Be'lakor - Vessels

2.Rotting Christ - Rituals

3.If These Trees Could Talk - The Bones of a Dying World

4.Gojira - Magma

5.Russian Circles - Guidance

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A list of metal albums inspired and based with themes from the works/writings of J.R.R. Tolkien. Recommendations/suggestions are welcome. Only one album per band and album featured on MS.

1.Amon Din - Where The Dreams No Longer Exist

2.Argonath - Lost In Moria

3.Arwen - Illusions

4.Avathar - Where Light And Shadow Collide

5.Azagatel - Nautilus

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My favorite albums. Includes EPs and 1 compilation. Anything ouside the top 20 or so could be up or down several places. Constantly subject to change.

1.Saviour Machine - Saviour Machine II

2.Ayreon - The Human Equation

3.Stolen Babies - There Be Squabbles Ahead

4.Billy Idol - Cyberpunk

5.Within Temptation - The Unforgiving

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