Demons & Wizards: Which Books Are the Most Metal?

[@gavinmaple4696]

Good to see Jon and Hansi getting the exposure they deserve

[@lttledandelion]

This conversation should have been longer because Hansi made tons of songs out of fantasy books like Wheel of Time, Dune, Song of Ice and Fire, and many more...

[@Cormyre]

Agreed, was surprised to realize that "Final Warning" off their new album was related to Brandon Sanderson's "Stormlight" series, now I'm going back to see if I can link anything else XD. Makes complete sense he'd continue on with Sanderson after he helped finish the Wheel of Time series, and Blind Guardian hits that series a lot.

[@thrasher3224]

I always wanted another song about the wheel of time from blind guardian now that the series is finished. Or even an entire album dedicated to it.

[@lttledandelion]

Thrash_ Gaming_ That would be great!

[@yippeethreeeight]

And yet, no mention of Glen Cook (Jon likes the dark stuff), or the Malazan Books of the Fallen.

[@Musemaster124]

I was just waiting for Hansi to mention Tolkien. ☺️

[@magdachlebicka3895]

he's such a nerd

[@lordmumur8838]

That's why I love Blind Guardian, Hansi Kürsch is awesome.

[@MrJordwalk]

They also wrote some music for the game Sacred II.

[@arwenitaofdoom9041]

The Silmarillion is the most metal book for sure.

[@moisesfreire6408]

I'm a big big fan of Blind Guardian for years and never actually see a interview with Hansi and all his awesomeness. Thanks man!

[@thenomad4123]

I love watching their interviews because they are very respectful and easy going people.

[@mainHERO88]

Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson. It's one of the most epic and deep fantasy stories I've ever read or heard of and there's even a couple of bands that have made albums based on it.

[@jeffaites2362]

Malazan is by far my favorite set of books , but I did not know that some bands has written albums about that world. Would you be able to tell who they are

[@mainHERO88]

​@@jeffaites2362 The most popular one is Caladan Brood. I'm pretty sure it's made up of some of the members of Visigoth. I know they're both from Salt Lake City. I'm pretty sure there are other bands but I don't remember their names off the top of my head.

[@jltroxell278]

Samfia Drangus The series for the first 7 are amazing then it rally goes down hill.

[@praetorxyn]

I think I got through the third book and I was just feeling like I needed a break from it. Still haven't read the rest of them. It annoys me that it gets me to start caring about a character (like the younger sister sold into slavery in book 2) and then just when their arc starts getting good it switches to somewhere else and forgets a about them.

[@yippeethreeeight]

The Malazan Books of the Fallen is my favorite series of books, but it kinda sucked too. It sucked because since reading it, everything else has seemed simple and a bit boring. Nothing is as epic or complex as that series is. So everything I've read since has been a bit of a let down, even though I've read some phenominal books since then.

[@TH3F4LC0Nx]

Ah, heavy metal and literature, the two things I love most in this world! With this video, today is officially a good day!

[@c-eproductions3963]

I'm glad Loudwire is covering power metal. I've been watching for a while and I'm glad they're finally getting around to it.

[@IsraelQuezada999]

Being a Christian myself, I think the most metal book is the Bible, with the book of Revelation and the prophetic books of the Old Testament we could make a magnificent heavy metal album. Just read Zechariah 14:12 - ¨This is the plague with which the Lord will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. ¨

[@undericesinger]

Jon used that in a blasphemous way in Iced Earth as well. Lol I LOVED Hansi and Jon growing up, but the occult love is bullshit.

[@nurglenuggets]

That was used in Iced Earth’s Plagues of Babylon

[@IsraelQuezada999]

@@nurglenuggets Yes, I was going to say that, I heard Plagues Of Babylon and was pleased that they included that passage of the Scriptures.

[@Back2VinylLP]

@@undericesinger I don't see anything balsphemous in Plagues Of Babylon.

[@undericesinger]

@@Back2VinylLP maybe you are right. I know Damien is pretty blasphemous towards Christ.

[@jthomashair]

Love seeing Hansi on the channel! Blind Guardian and D&W forever!

[@dmtbass]

Talking with Hansi about books... How many hours of conversation have you left out, Loudwire?

[@MrEgofreak]

I know! I feel like he could entertain me over two four-hour coffee sessions.

[@nothingislogical]

Dune (pretty much the entire series) I Am Legend Pretty much anything written by H.P. Lovecraft A Clockwork Orange American Psycho House of Leaves That's just rattling stuff I've read off of the top of my head. And I'm pretty sure at least half of that list as been the subject of at least a song (Blind Guardian and Iron Maiden each did a song about Dune), if not an entire album (Sepultura's "A-Lex" is based on A Clockwork Orange)

[@TH3F4LC0Nx]

Except Dune is a total piece of shit and not worth the time it takes to read.

[@byaustingragg]

Great reading list here. Can't go wrong with any of those suggestions!

[@DiamorphineDeath]

American psycho doesn’t fit, and I feel like a clockwork orange has more to do with the punk genre, as a lot of bands took gnarly influence from it. Lower class brats, the adicts, the exploited...

[@justin2597]

For novels, Cormac McCarthy is one of the darkest authors you’ll come across (i.e. No Country For Old Men, Blood Meridian) and the short story “I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream” is the bleakest piece of fiction I’ve ever read. For manga, Berserk is one of the darkest and most badass stories out there (to put it in perspective, the main character, Guts, got his name from a mercenary band that found him hanging by an umbilical chord from a lynched, disemboweled woman). Also, I recommend all of Junji Ito’s horror manga, some of the most twisted imagery you’ll come across.

[@sagew540]

Berserk and Uzumaki are some top notch reads

[@justin2597]

Sage W I couldn’t agree more

[@TH3F4LC0Nx]

I was literally gonna suggest Blood Meridian myself! If that book ain't metal, I don't know what is!

[@justin2597]

TH3 F4LC0N I’ve never read that one (I plan on it) but every McCarthy fan says that’s his most depressing

[@TH3F4LC0Nx]

@@justin2597 You better prepare yourself for 350 pages of the most stomach-churning violence you've ever read, described in the most breathtaking language you've ever read. It's definitely in my top 10 favorite books ever, but man, it'll kinda make you hate the fact that you even belong to the human race.

[@lawmaker22]

Bible... The most inspirational book (compilation of books) in metal, in music, in arts in general

[@jfs5873]

Warhammer 40k Do I need to say more?

[@michaelmayr1990]

Absolutely. The Grimdark is the most Metal thing ever.

[@jesk743]

I second this

[@trialbystone2532]

Ever listen to Bolt Thrower?

[@MichaelHolmgaard]

These two are such an odd couple, and yet they compliment each other so well. Perfect bromance

[@Dehumanizer3000]

A metal album that needs a book? Operation: Mindcrime

[@noahproulx2050]

I could very much get down for that love Queensrÿche

[@emorris0204]

Damian Perry in fact I always thought Operation:mind crime should be adapted in a graphic novel .

[@fullmetalguy8357]

No mention of The Divine Comedy, specifically Inferno? I recall a certain 16 minute Iced Earth song exploring that quite extensively.

[@the_core41]

Ohhhhh!!! Fact or Fiction with Jon or/and Hansi coming up?!?!?🤘😍

[@ThunderRiffs87]

Corey Thauvette hell yeah!

[@penzotoko6619]

I can't believe Hansi didn't bring up Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time. At The Edge of Time has two entire songs directly about that series (along with an Elric reference in my favorite BG song of all time ).

[@lttledandelion]

Bleak Solipsism I agree with you! Do you mean Tanelorn with the Elric reference?

[@penzotoko6619]

@@lttledandelion Yep exactly that. I love that song!

[@lttledandelion]

Bleak Solipsism I love it too. Great song.

[@AkosKovacs.Author.Musician]

Elric stories is probably the most metal fantasy. Moorcock literally wrote lyrics for Hawkwind, when Lemmy was still in there. How goddamn metal is that?

[@ironhide8491]

Plus, Cirith Ungol uses Michael Whelans Elric artwork as their album covers, and Tygers of Pan Tang take their name from Elric stories. And of course Blue Oyster Cult collaborated with Moorcock to write songs about Elric (and other Moorcock characters)

[@Xeo7]

Man, I could watch this video continuing with this topic for a few hours. I need more of this discussion. For my personal answer to the question, in the realms of fantasy (dark fantasy, as it were) I believe the absolute best out there to lend itself to metal is The Black Company by Glen Cook. And of course also The Witcher series. That said I'm primarily a horror reader, and it should go without saying that a lot of horror in general lends itself well to metal music. But if I could pick a few personally that I'd love to see some metal take concepts from it would probably be Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill, The Fisherman by John Langan, and the entire Books of Blood series by Clive Barker. There you have a story already centered around an aging and mostly washed up blackened death metal vocalist, a historical cosmic horror story of mind-bending scope, and a series of varying grisly horror short stories that are just metal in general, respectively.

[@MrJordwalk]

"The Malazan Book Of The Fallen" by Steven Erikson also lends itself to Metal really well, and there is a Black Metal band called Caladan Brood whose only album so far is a loose adaptation. Also, have you ever read "The Boats Of The Glen Carrig" by W.H. Hodgson? The band Ahab adapted it into album form, their 4th album (which shares the name of the book) and this is a very good Horror novel.

[@constantin5509]

*No mention of Robert E. Howard* Crom laughs at your inspirations. Laughs from his Mountain.

[@aliceinmansonland448]

Brian Lumley's Necroscope series, Clive Barker's the Scarlet Gospels, Tokyo Ghoul, DCs Lobo, and F. Paul Wilson's Repair Man Jack series. And that's just a few Metal Books. The beginning of Steven King's Cell could have used a metal soundtrack as well.

[@TheSlappicus]

I read most of the necroscope series. Thought I was the only one!

[@aliceinmansonland448]

@@TheSlappicus nope ! Best vampire series ever made, and no sparkles in sight ! Too bad the movies were never made.

[@thrashpuppy2010]

I've read the first 3 Necroscope books and I agree they are metal. How does the rest of the series compare?

[@aliceinmansonland448]

@@thrashpuppy2010 I've read them all, and they are all good. The only ones I found sub-par were in the short story collections. Even though the main character dies in the beginning of the series, it's worth finding out what happens to the rest of his lineage. There's lots of books, so enjoy! I know I did!

[@ardaonursezgin5152]

johnny got his gun is pretty metal isnt it

[@TH3F4LC0Nx]

Well, considering Metallica used it in the video for One, (and own the movie now), I'd say it definitely is!

[@magdachlebicka3895]

darkness! Imprisioning me! All that I see! Absolute horror!

[@UmidHasanov]

TH3 F4LC0N metallica actually composed One based on the book.

[@edupiqueras1518]

Thanks for subtitles

[@Jophelerx]

"The Stand was the ultimate King...my favorite thing..." Jon is rhyming too!

[@islandofmisfityoutubers6734]

Clive Barker's Hellraiser

[@kosuke_sudo]

Clive barker's the nightbreed is better. I think Cradle of filth's midian is inspired by that book.

[@jamesegner3389]

SHOCKER

[@SaironBusatto]

Marvel's Dr. Doom, Ghost Rider, Punisher. DC's Lobo, Wolverine, Todd McFarlane's Spawn, Myura's Berserk, Clive Barker's Gospels, Neil Gaiman's American Gods, Salvatore's Drizzt, Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Marion Zimmerman's Mists of Avalon...there are so many books out there, I could list a couple of dozen.

[@wolf11]

I tell you for somebody who's from Germany hasi is really great with his English I mean he is got an amazing English Vive to him he can really speak English extremely well but when he speaks German holyshit it's on a roll I mean I'm going to say this and probably maybe a little slack who knows but I think he's got one of the best voices ever next to Matt Barlow you know I mean him in that Barlow together on stage when I saw them on the video on KZbin man that was just epic you know that was just so awesome you know that he was on there for that one song you know it was just so cool to see them both on the stage together with John and the band and just having fun and John was smiling all the time during the event which was great

[@rm2kking]

Book of the New Sun. Just look at the titles of the individual volumes- The Shadow of the Torturer The Claw of the Conciliator The Sword of the Lictor The Citadel of the Autarch _”The Book of the New Sun is a science fiction novel by Gene Wolfe. Taking place in a feudal society a million years in the future, it tells the story of Severian, an apprentice of the Torturer's Guild. After falling in love with one of his charges, Severian is exiled from the guild and sent to a distant city as its appointed executioner. Along the way he meets many strange people and experiences many life-altering events.”_

[@capngeeoff]

Gotta give HP Lovecraft a shout. How many metal songs are there just about Cthulhu?

[@doguyucel4688]

wow how can hansi not like seventh son, that's absurd and honest in a way.

[@WALDENSOFTWARE]

It's not that great an album.

[@AcidWords1]

@@WALDENSOFTWARE You're wrong. It's in the discussion for the best Maiden album.

[@icedtaerow]

When he said that... I reacted same like Jon... and I said at the same time... "How dare you!"... Anyway... I love their music and their respectives bands... but Iced Earth is the most... 👊😠

[@christopherdunn8767]

Seventh Son is definitely a good album, but imo it's kinda overrated. Personally I'd give the crown for best Maiden album to one of Piece of Mind, Number of the Beast, or A Matter of Life and Death.

[@JohnFromAccounting]

Fear of the Dark is the best album.

[@yippeethreeeight]

At the end they talked about metal making people read books. The only time that happened to me was after listening to Iced Earth's Glorious Burden (Gettysburg specifically). I went out and bought a book on Civil War history and read it.

[@Akukog]

The Album is awesome...

[@NYMetsNo1]

Iced Earth's Spawn album.

[@SefniAsheforr]

The Dark Saga

[@wkr64691]

I picked up a book on the thirty years war because of legacy of dark lands....think that’s pretty metal

[@TheDuduzinhobr]

Dracula by Bram Stoker is really metal

[@the_core41]

Jon should write a book about Set Abominae and the Something Wicked saga! I would buy it fir sure!!

[@redneckmetalhead]

Stay tuned friend. Something cool is definitely coming

[@ElizondoAbelardo]

Or a movie about Night of the Stormrider haha

[@siszi6]

the video i've been looking for

[@Krustoffalone]

The talisman and black house are underrated imo

[@shaynewest8757]

Clive Barker's Books Of Blood series

[@SaironBusatto]

Gotta love all of em

[@rodrigo3732]

Do we have the entire video?

[@TheGireon]

No word about the previous Projekt of blind guardian together with Markus Heiz? I mean OK, it's mostly, about books and authors inspiring metal. But the dark lands was written as a prologue to latest blind guardian album

[@marcuscorvin9998]

The Necronomicon...... Groovy.

[@TheSlappicus]

Didst thow sayegh the words

[@joepalladino9257]

Necronomicon. Nothing screams metal more than this book

[@dirkwillemdikland6180]

KLAATU VERAATU NIKTU

[@deadliestassassin3092]

Nindinugga Nimshimshargal Enlillara

[@shaynewest8757]

That's some heavy going reading

[@joepalladino9257]

@@ValtarProductions I actually have a copy of the Necronomicon. It exists and I have read it cover to cover

[@joepalladino9257]

@@ValtarProductions Barnes & Nobles had it in their new age section. Lol

[@PopeDraximus]

IM IN FLAMES CAUSE I HAVE TOUCHED THE LIGHT, IT PULLS ME SO.

[@selfdiscardedkingofruin7291]

Anything by Chuck Palahniuk

[@alexandersmagin4769]

Looooool no

[@Wok_Agenda]

Speaking of Lord Of The Rings, Peter Jackson owes a big portion of his success to metalheads and metal bands ESPECIALLY Blind Guardian and was a shame he didn't use their music

[@intuendaecivilization9365]

Star Ship Troopers by Robert E. Heinlein. In the book, the Humans are not fascist, but the coolest Democracy ever! Kicking a communist like alien species ass with mighty spaceships and power armored infantry (the first sci-fi story to have power armor).

[@somelucifrostguy9208]

They better make a slick-ass music video for Somewhere Far Beyond.

[@brianwhitmore3985]

I hope these two rekindle the friendship and collaboration

[@magicwin6647]

I doubt this will happen. Schaffer entered witness protection

[@TheAutistWhisperer]

The comic, Requiem Chevalier Vampire, is pretty metal.

[@lockonnow4259]

the Seven son is about Supernatural it is one of the best from a long time in to the future and past many albums the energy the technical the lyrics and most of all it is the only Concept album

[@CesarIsaacPerez]

Hell yeah! Spawn!!!

[@ThunderRiffs87]

Jon forgot the Divine Comedy...DANTES INFERNO anyone?!

[@ElizondoAbelardo]

Some songs on the Dystopia album are based on movies though, like Equilibrium, V, and Soylent Green.

[@ElizondoAbelardo]

And of course, the Horror Show album is based on many horror movies which have their books too.

[@TH3F4LC0Nx]

Books that are "metal"? I'd definitely say that anything by Brian Keene would probably qualify. Dude loves his metal, you can tell. Read Ghoul and there's a reference to an 80's metal band on practically every page.

[@arnieslab]

Books aren’t metal they’re paper. They would be pretty heavy if they were metal.

[@WALDENSOFTWARE]

So which books are the most paper? Don Quixote?

[@waderoberts3701]

William W. Johnstone's Devil and Ashes novels.

[@lockonnow4259]

There are stil time to be touch by the seven son Hansi Kürsch

[@Kurooni164]

I like the cap of Kiss

[@blakewilliams4019]

Kind of weird seeing no one mention Brave New World

[@jamesegner3389]

bill bob Or Stranger In A Strange World

[@WindKun]

The Witcher

[@bryanbaker6040]

Lovecraft is metal as fuck.

[@intuendaecivilization9365]

7:03 *HERESY*

[@Imaginathor-1k0]

The book of heavyMetal is the most metal

[@icedtaerow]

When Hansi said "I Don't like the album..." referring to the Iron Maiden album Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son... I reacted same like Jon... and I said at the same time... "How dare you!"... Anyway... I love their music and their respectives bands... but Iced Earth is the most... 👊😠

[@JohnFromAccounting]

The Divine Comedy is the most metal. Dante literally travels to hell and escapes on the Devil's back.

[@pavolridrich3434]

The worst most horrific horror story is my payslip Jokes aside, can't wait for this album. I am huge fan of Iced and Blind for many years

[@Tommy-5684]

im suprised Hani dent mention the Epics given how he him self has based songs on the Epics as have other artists

[@tondenooij6774]

The 'Magna Carta' in the US Capitol building. Ask Jon ;-)

[@larrykeelin7844]

Gotta be the Old Testament

[@slavex7]

Why does Jon look like an old wizard now?

[@rodrigo3732]

I wonder if king would enjoy that.

[@austinboucher5286]

Literally anything by Robert E. Howard

[@thenomad4123]

Most of the fantasy books are pretty metal. Lovecraft stuff and Bible too. Quran would make an awesome Death metal album because it is aggressive as hell and full of threats lol.

[@DiamorphineDeath]

Robert E. Howard...Conan the barbarian...everything he wrote.

[@SebastianSkadisson]

Spawn fans represent \m/

[@TheRealGuywithoutaMustache]

The most metal book has to be an Iron Man comic book

[@Podcastsportscape]

HANSIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

[@AcidWords1]

How does Hansi not love Seventh Son? I feel like someone punched me in the face...

[@ironguardian2632]

Im glad he didnt say that he hates iron maiden. Thet would be too much

[@cameronthomas918]

The first law trilogy

[@SaintMartins]

Films that are Metal ! 1. The Exorcist (1973) 2. The Omen (1976) 3. This Is Spinal Tap (1984) 4. River's Edge (1986) Films that are Punk ! 1. A Clockwork Orange (1971) 2. Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) 3. Repo Man (1984) 4. Fight Club (1999)

[@shaynewest8757]

Suburbia Class of 1984 Demons Return Of The Living Dead Dogs In Space

[@WALDENSOFTWARE]

Films that are Power Metal: LOTR Legend Willow The Never Ending Story

[@Evil-Never-Dies]

Lovecraft anyone? Dante maybe?

[@trevorwarner1322]

Care Bears vs. My Little Pony would be hella metal.

[@satanamogila9251]

Joe Abercrombie is fucking metal!

[@Gandalfs_Grundle]

Pride and Prejudice

[@Lamasis2]

Berserk

[@TerradeGigantes]

Hansi doesn't like 7th son... intersting

[@ahmedronaldokahn2352]

I just realised I'm listening to a German speaking British.

[@GG.Herald]

Invite Jonathan Davis please

[@rustyrelicsfarm2406]

Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King. Very Metal Name

[@kainshannarra2451]

Written for his kid, and original name was going to be 'The Napkins' LOL Good book though

[@jamesegner3389]

Atlas Shrugged

[@Stevenirons]

I have to agree with Hansi, Seventh son of a Seventh son is not that good. Not compared to thier other 80s albums.

[@wolf11]

It's too bad though that the movie suck that they did you know the twin towers the movie was absolutely awful and it wasn't even come close to what the fans want it so that kind of sucks I am curious about the new Stephen King stand TV miniseries coming out later this year and hopefully it'll be good I don't know if she's going to beat the original but we'll see I know Stephen King's pet sematary sucked the new one which is absolutely I can't even go into that and I really can't really mention anything about it because I've never seen it

[@smallville316619]

Imagine Metal without The Torah & The Holy Bible.

[@WALDENSOFTWARE]

Bingo!

[@JohnSmith-gf3vz]

Everyone knows that metal is for nerds. Anything nerdy has a shit load of metal fans. Also warhammer 40k lore is my bet

[@TH3F4LC0Nx]

"Stephen King is a genius..." Yeah, that's debatable.

[@chasm9557]

Even though he might not write using the most intricate language, I think you should acknowledge that he's had an immense impact on literature. And some of the stuff he writes in a way that reminds me of Marilyn Manson. You're made to look at/read it because it's too shocking, disturbing, etc. to look away.

[@TH3F4LC0Nx]

@@chasm9557 King isn't a bad writer, and I do acknowledge that he's had a certain impact on literature, but he's certainly no "genius". He's great at coming up with interesting premises and character building, but the plotting is often piss poor. Plus he just keeps going and going long after the story should have ended. Not to mention that his books are usually thematically shallow. I'll always be a little pissed at him for shitting all over me with the lazy, copout ending of The Stand after all the time I dedicated to finishing it.

[@alexandersmagin4769]

Books cannot be metal. They are paper