The 30 SICKEST Uses Of Classical Music In METAL Ever

[@BradleyHallGuitar]

Which is your favorite? Did I miss any obvious ones??

[@wylumnn]

jason becker

[@viciousrich]

the first one

[@isaactl]

Damnation and a Day by Cradle of Filth.

[@dawson1787]

Helloween’s use of In The Hall Of The Mountain King in the dual guitar solo of Keeper of the Seven Keys

[@Beast_Hub]

Any post-Flesh Coffin song by Lorna Shore

[@briandugas1648]

My late grandfather wondered why I loved metal so much. He got me into all of the classical music. I never noticed it in all of my music but when pointed out I do hahaha. Between him showing me classical and my mother with the 80's hair it is no surprise.

[@BradleyHallGuitar]

What a legend!

[@MozartAmadeus-fm5dd]

2 amazing genres

[@Jackobo6]

CoB was such an excellent band, especially the first half of their career. The combination of classical music, extreme metal and that raw punk attitude created something magical and special (or Something Wild? hehe). Such an unique band with a signature, unmistakable sound, and style that could be basically classified as their own genre. One of my all time favourites, genius music.

[@JLchevz]

Alexi was so creative and energetic, a one of a kind genius

[@GrimTheFox]

early cob my beloved

[@unid3ntifiedz]

Rip Alexi

[@mallorn4195]

Yeah, it's really a pity that they abandoned that course after the first three albums.

[@scifiordie]

Vocals tho...

[@dyingserenade]

Rest in Peace Alexi Laiho...the way he played all those solos sounded original...

[@vildmod4661]

Children of Bodom hands down, their first three albums is insanely good. How can someone so young write such masterpieces? Alexi Laiho's work in Sinergy is equally impressive. I'm happy I got to follow his career for so long. Rest in peace.

[@spinacker16]

Mozart did😅 obviously

[@falsemajesty2316]

I will miss alexi till i live

[@nonbisco]

Vivaldi's four seasons but it's just the original song because you KNOW if Vivaldi had an electric guitar he would have been the sickest shredder of all time

[@Divig]

Imagine Paganini.

[@cobrasys]

Mozart and Beethoven as well, especially the latter. Dude was a metalhead 200 years before the invention of the genre. Talk about being the OG.

[@HenritheHorse]

Have you seen Alexi and Roope playing Vivaldi?

[@nergalshagrath6667]

Bach is the whole reason we love classical and metal

[@19bo84maryshore]

Children Of Bodom just nailed it. Still getting goosebumps everytime i hear this well composed songs.

[@weisswurschtliebhaber12]

The list could be complete with just Cob Songs. They‘ re just so good.

[@BradleyHallGuitar]

True!

[@xxswamplordxx2079]

Alexi mixed classical music with metal in such a great way. Those old-school Children of Bodom songs never get old.

[@zdf14]

Alexi Laiho will always be my go to example for a neoclassical metal guitarist. It made the band stand out so well.

[@MatthewGClarke]

I always liked Helloween's use of Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain King" on "Gorgar" (from "Walls of Jericho")

[@Brian_Vallejo]

One of the best debut albums in all of metal 🤘

[@SuicidalGrind]

Children Of Bodom is one of my alltime favorite bands, and "Red Light In My Eyes" both part 1 and part 2 are super great, I love it so much. I own their Stockholm Knockout Live DVD and I watch it regularly \m/

[@HenritheHorse]

That Dvd was the first thing my friend showed me about Bodom back in 2007.

[@SuicidalGrind]

@@HenritheHorse It was my older sister who gave me the DVD because she I guess got it from someone and didn't really like it that much, so when I was but a wee lad I got one of the best gifts one could ever receive from an older sister.

[@HenritheHorse]

@@SuicidalGrind Nice! My friend knew I played guitar so he showed me that he wanted to play Lake Bodom. Not exactly the easiest thing to start with. Obviously took him years.

[@ShaneT5S]

This is why we always say Classical music is the most metal non-metal genre

[@takoistasty]

Symphony X's V is my all-time favorite album, so I'm glad you've included so many examples from it!

[@johnnysacredofficial]

You could use almost every early Symphony X song and pinpoint lots of classical elements! I love that so much about the band!

[@kennedyinghi5744]

Cob's Something wild and Hatebreeder are pure masterpieces.

[@The_Lord_Of_Confusion]

as a new listener to classical music I thank you mr. Hall for this educating guide, I had no idea how much COB used classical pieces. Yngwie talks about that all the time, of course.

[@jackflynn-oakley1937]

There’s a couple other classical head-nods/samples in Necrophagist. The solo in Advanced Corpse Tumour is massively inspired by Paganini’s Caprice No. 5 in D Minor, and interpretations of Beethovens Fur Elise can be heard throughout The Stillborn One. Apparently Muhammed was brought up playing classical/baroque music on the piano, you can hear Bachs use of pedal tone on nearly every Necrophagist track

[@henrywalton5967]

Pretty much every Necrophagist solo is mind-blowing to me, love how classical they sound

[@nickantonacci8280]

I’m always torn between Classic Bodom and Modern Bodom. The band really hit their own stride and found their identity in “Are You Dead yet?” and “Blooddrunk” but Alexi was at peak guitar virtuosity in early albums like “Hatebreeder” and “Follow the Reaper”. They are such a fun band to listen to musically. Rest in power sweet prince

[@henrikhyrup3995]

For me, one of the most obvious examples: Belphegor - "In blood: Devour this sanctity" where they use a part from Brahms' "Hungarian Dance No.1" And it is mindblowingly good.

[@rolquebl4598]

The first music in the list (Mars, The Bringer of War) also was used on "The Divine Wings of Tragedy", by Symphony X (precisely on 1:41 of the music). And they also mention "The bringer of war" on the lyrics. Very cool!

[@AgainstTheeWickedlyMusic]

Nile also has a song called "Ramses, Bringer of War" that heavily borrows (maybe steals is more appropriate) from "Mars"

[@Anglostar]

​@@AgainstTheeWickedlyMusicRainbow did too in Eyes of the World

[@Flolfywolfy]

Loving the amount of Children of Bodom in here. ❤️

[@lennyknoxville]

I love Galneryus, found them about 4 years ago. Also Children of Bodom will for ever be in my heart! RIP Alexi

[@capivara8231]

"Evil Warning" is one of Angra's songs that use classical pieces. Their album "Angels Cry" is amazing!

[@SkylerFallow]

Some favourites of mine that you didn't include would be Dark Moor - The Moon (uses several different classical pieces) and Dragonland - Beethoven's Nightmare (uses a couple of Beethoven pieces, not surprisingly, but most obviously Moonlight Sonata 1st and 3rd movements). There are also bands like At Vance who have done full rearrangements of classical pieces (at least 3 of the 4 seasons by Vivaldi, Beethoven's 5th symphony, etc), though that doesn't quite fit the remit of this video! I enjoyed this list a lot! I did like that you used the Evanescence version of Lacrimosa, even though Symphony X has used the same piece... can't have the whole video being just Symphony X and Children of Bodom, after all! Also, Angel of Salvation is incredible, everybody should go and listen to it immediately if they haven't heard it before! (or if they have tbh)

[@deyicon1983]

Great to see Symphony X and Kamelot getting shout outs, but it’s a sin to not include ANY Dark Moor. They literally did a cover of Vivaldi’s Winter

[@Arianwubbe]

Great call. Dark Moor has some of the most awesome and fun neoclassical playing of all bands.

[@nvrmltice]

For real, was expecting Swan Lake too. Dark Moor gets no recognition 😢

[@bobandiara]

So nice to see Angra mentioned in this video, one of the greatest brazilian metal bands!

[@Rain593]

Upon discovering neoclassic metal, my entire concept of playing guitar shifted. Everyone I knew in school that played guitar were all blues-based players, I was the nerd listening to Yngwie, Racer X and Symphony X. Thank god my music teacher in high school encouraged me... I'd be a completely different player if she didn't.

[@campbells0ups]

i also like bands who use classical songwriting structures in their extreme metal, such as Gorguts. Luc Lemay is a big fan of classical music

[@kevinsnrt666]

Listen to Deicide's - Scars of the Crucifix album, Hoffmann brothers use neoclassical on solo, and Vital Remains - Dechristianized and Icons Of Evil album, Dave Suzuki use classical lick too

[@drwood-hi3gn]

Fleshgod Apocalypse?

[@KrowwJaeger]

Or Ne Obliviscaris

[@BrofUJu]

Hell yeah, seen him shout out Shostakovich many times

[@incitatus953]

Ad Nauseam too! Imperative Impercetible Impulse is the best Avant-Garde Death Metal album of all time in my opinion. And if you listen to Shostakovichs String Quartet no. 8 you understand where they got the inspiration.

[@thejonathandoan]

3:43 Verdi's "Dies Irae/Tuba Mirum" is, for me, the most bombastic and badass piece of Classical Music to ever exist. Hearing that played live in a cathedral or concert hall is on my bucket list!!

[@Wolit51]

I heard it played live several years ago by the Colorado Symphony and chorus conducted by Maris Alsop. It was one of the most incredible performances I've ever heard. I was shaking and people were in tears when it was over. I hope you get to hear live yourself.

[@akechijubeimitsuhide]

Verdi goes hard. The Storm Trio from Rigoletto is another amazing piece, and then there is the curse in Simon Boccanegra, which has to be one of the most "why do I hear boss music" moments in opera.

[@LloydFreakingIrving]

Well it looks like I need to listen to more Children of Bodom!

[@HeroSword_P]

Never too late to do so.

[@Pablo.2001]

and Sinergy, dont forgett

[@liamg9334]

I have never anticipated anything in my entire life more than the next Symphony X album

[@fennisdembo34]

yes you have! their previous one. EVERY SINGLE TIME. 😂 sorry mate. fellow frustrared sym x fan here!

[@liamg9334]

@@fennisdembo34 actually no! I'm a new fan. Discovered them through Spotify autoplay after an Yngwie Malmsteens trilogy album ended. Out of the ashes started playing and from there they've been my favorite band for about 5 months. I got to experience every album all at once and i love every single one. SX and Galneryus (another band in the video) are just about the most criminally underrated metal bands in history imo

[@fennisdembo34]

@@liamg9334 welcome to our ranks then :) out of the ashes was one of my very first songs too ahah

[@Tom_-]

I dunno, man. The next Wintersun album has left us waiting a hell of a long time.

[@jamierobinson777]

I remember hearing Children Of Bodom reference Mozart’s Queen Of The Night Aria for the first time and I laughed out loud 😂 amazing song and amazing use of the melody 🤘🎸

[@garzi93it]

6:12 so bloody fucking good. Wow! The whole album is gold. I love Something Wild too (actually my favourite COB's song is "In the Shadows")

[@Jester_Kang]

Happy to see early Children of Bodom on here. Great Band and Alexi was incredible. First 3 to 4 albums were incredible with tons of classical influence.

[@BearGainsXL]

Young Alexi did some sick arrangements on couple first COB albums!

[@codycronin4246]

That Icarus dream suite is such a beautiful piece of music. My favorite song by Malmsteen

[@mallorn4195]

Man, this is one of the best and most insightful videos on classical music in metal I've ever seen!

[@Fallub]

I really love the synergy between metal and classic. It fits perfect. Thank you for the video.

[@Pablo.2001]

Try Sinergy - Return to the fourth world

[@nicolashrv]

The whole "DIVINE WINGS OF TRAGEDY" has a classical cue between its tracks. The intro choir for the above song is based on Bach's Mass in B Minor : Confiteor (the second part) Divine Wings tracks also has Holt's Mars as the intro for the band section. The Witching Hour is Mozart's Piano Sonata n 1 k279 Damnation Game intro is by C.P.E. Bach's Solfeggietto Also, Bach's prelude in Cm is present in Dressed to Kill Prelude in V: The New Mythology is literally Verdi's Requiem Dies Irae Also Lacrymosa's 2nd part is by Mozart.

[@RC32Smiths01]

You start off so strong with the use of Diamond Head! Absolutely love those guys, very unique for their time! Classical and Metal go so cool together!

[@harrisontownsend910]

Ah yes Diamond Head the inventors of thrash metal.

[@alex_albyne]

Neoclassical is the best! You could have made this top with just Symphony X Also I reccomend listening to Dark Moor, they used to be fully into neoclassical metal, having Vivaldi's Winter and Summer, Dies Irae, Swan Lake, Moonlight Sonata and Danza Ritual de Fuego (Manuel de Falla, a famous Spanish composer)

[@broncoxy]

classical music in metal fills my heart with joy every single time

[@jorgenerikson2559]

No hip hop in my yard

[@ZacharyBorrelli]

Man... Symphony X (Michael Romeo and Russell Allen especially) need their flowers, what an insane talent they are. The Odyssey and Paradise Lost are cheesy in places but goodness me do they sound bigger than anything else out there

[@neilkennethofficial]

Paradise Lost is my most favorite album of SyX.

[@ZacharyBorrelli]

@@neilkennethofficial that song makes me want to jump on the back of a winged-horse and siege a castle somewhere

[@magentahorizon]

Paganini Caprice №24 Ария - Игра с Огнем (Aria - Playing with Fire) Wicked Sick Classical-Metal Symbiosis

[@twls153]

A honorous mention to Dark Moor's Dies Irae, which covers both Confutatis and Dies Irae from Mozart.

[@Elmothefuzzle]

that whole album is insanely good

[@gkezele]

Symphony X is so amazing, Im hoping for a new album in 2024!

[@TheCyberMantis]

Symphony X was my favorite band for more than 20 years. I recommend you check out LOVEBITES. Miyako is following in the footsteps of Romeo.

[@jonathanpatze87]

I just love what Wolf Hoffman did to Für Elise. The Metal Heart solo is to me one of the greatest solos of all time. One addition to the list: Bathory - Hammerheart, Holst - Jupiter, Bringer of Jollity

[@theabyssaldevil]

You are a legend for putting this together man, this is one of the reasons why metal rules. And thanks for reminding me again why I love CoB and Symphony X so much. what unique, incredible bands. The first 4 albums of CoB are among the greatest ever released. RIP Alexi.

[@iai.khongdup]

I'm surprised why i happen to like classical music, but then i came to understand that Children of Bodom, Symphony X, Rhapsody of Fire have been my top fav bands.

[@Miilien]

Solid list Brad, I dont think you missed any of the big ones, but here are a few suggetions, some of them being more of a full blow metal cover of a classical piece though : - Overture 1622 by Yngwie Malmsteen (Mozart's Symphonie N.25 in G minor) - Rise From The Sea of Flames by Rhapsody (Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata - 3rd Movement) - Sting Of the Bumblebee by Manowar (Rimski Korsakov's Flight of the Bumblebee) - Hall of The Mountain King by Apocalyptica (Grieg's In the Hall Of The Mountain King) - Vivaldi Tribute by Patrick Rondat (Vivaldi's 4 seasons - Summer 3rd Movement) - Chopin Fantaisie by Ron Thal

[@barbabodom]

And that´s why Children of Bodom is one of the best band ever

[@brickshotted]

💯💯💯

[@Atlas65]

Do they write anything original?

[@barbabodom]

@@Atlas65 not anymore

[@Rouven41]

Forever by Kamelot is just sooooo good.

[@leandroP2323]

Angra is an incredible band. I highly recommend checking out their new album, Cycles of Pain, their best work in years.

[@BradleyHallGuitar]

Come to _____

[@gabrielmagalhaes2997]

​@@BradleyHallGuitarBRAZIL

[@djEEEnt]

I was expecting "Evil Warning" in this video!

[@iPivo]

I think “Carolina IV” has some piece of Villa Lobos music in it, around the bass solo

[@ment4lize870]

​@@djEEEnt which part was it in Evil Warning??

[@Luindir22]

lol I knew Bodom was gonna be all over this list. Absolutely love them

[@Jimmy.Williams]

Wow, I know "most" of the popular metal and classical songs, but you found a number that I had NO idea were there....FANFUCKINGTASTICKLY DONE, BRAVO!!!

[@TaxEvader420]

I like that Yngwie used some deep cuts, and using Bach on the vocal line is pretty clever

[@TheBfutgreg]

Never expected to see Galneryus in a mainstream metal context here...one of the best Japanese bands if you're into the power metal side of things Syu is one of the best metal guitarists today imo

[@GATHUGHDxD]

galneryus is probably one of the most well known metal bands from japan probably, atleast for more extreme metal

[@mitch5944]

Syu is my favorite guitarist lol

[@nvrmltice]

For some reason japanese metal bands don't exist for the rest of the world. No Unlucky Morpheus? 😢

[@metal_marcus]

They are such an underrated band, nice to see them mentioned here @@nvrmltice

[@erikrevier4053]

Really hope Symphony X bring these back in their new album. Wish they would give us an update on it as well. Kinda hate how disconnected they are with their fans. I would guess a single in spring of 2024 but who knows...

[@gkezele]

Im frustrated as well but at least we got two sick albums from Michael R in the interim.

[@erikrevier4053]

@@gkezele This is true. War of the Worlds Pt. 2 was especially killer in my opinion. Dino on that album was such a great choice and I've heard in an Dino interview that Mike has been talking to Dino about the possibility of a Pt. 3 which would be awesome!

[@ivoryrick7734]

Afaik, they took a hiatus, which is why michael started working on solo albums and they recently got back to touring

[@robertbogomolec8763]

My wife is an educated pianist and singer. Her all-time favorite metal band is CoB. Kinda makes sense now. 😆

[@JohnSmith-ef2sx]

I wish classical music was more popular and way more of an influence over todays music rather than jazz and blues.

[@iandaughdrill5889]

As someone who plays both classical and metal, the only difference is instrumentation in most cases.

[@Ryu_Ake]

Angra has a lot of classical music usage on their materials, amazing band

[@facepalmjesus1608]

Metallica's The Thing That Should Not Be bridge/ending riff = Stravinski's Rite of Spring second act ''Auguries of Spring'' at first 3 mins According to James Hetfield he was digging a lot that section of Rite of Spring that he took it as an inspiration to write The Thing

[@navneetsinghr4290]

I believe Js Bach to be the greatest musician to ever live. I hope i am not alone in this

[@timshred1255]

Belphegor used Hungarian dance no 1 in "in blood" chorus Michael Romeo also used the Prelude in C on Dressed to kill Any At Vance Song Yngwie malmsteen used also on his live Performance with the Orchestra pieces de clavencin in e minor by jean philippe rameau Or any dark moor song Marcin jakubek Wolf hoffmann And son of a bach also very underated neoclassic musicians/bands Yngwie also used the caprice 24 of paganini in "wolves at the door" i could name so much more, but i think u get my point. I also do some sort of neoclassic black metal used the Sarabande of Händel, dorian toccata of bach, lacrimos of Mozart, moonshine first movement etc, its just perfect

[@rockydempsey94]

This is really cool. Hopefully there will be a part two. Dark Moor has a lot of passages borrowed from classical music, Grave Digger's Rhinegold album borrows a lot of motifs from Wagner, Exmortus has some classical covers, and Blind Guardians has a few songs with parts taken from classical music.

[@JoeStuffzAlt]

I heard a live version of Metal Heart, and the crowd was singing along. It was impressive-sounding

[@PatchworkAndNuance]

I grew up on Classical so I recognized those elements when I started listening to Metal as a teen… I like seeing someone put a list of examples like this 😎 ✨🔥🖤🎸🖤🔥✨

[@seelenwaechter]

Well, you could easily do a full video just with Symphony X... Never mind, it was pretty much half the video already. I really should listen more to Children of Bodom though.

[@da10cent41]

Metal and classical music fuse so goed together. It completes each other.

[@wavo7]

I love this so much, thank you for doing it! Galneryus is so great! Extreme Play with me will never get old.

[@willgamez6786]

Man I love Children of Bodom!

[@themedallostoryteller1105]

I had a metalhead friend that learnt a few scales and he immediately started using the word 'piece' instead of 'song', and called his pieces something like "Overture in D minor Op. 13 No.6" He represents 90% of the power metal, symphonic metal and neoclassical guys

[@BUTCHER709]

Children Of Bodom has best uses classical music in metal IMO.

[@BradleyHallGuitar]

100%, suited their style sooo well

[@BUTCHER709]

@@BradleyHallGuitar i agree with you

[@Pablo.2001]

Sinergy too

[@jeremyrasemas7989]

1:12 I know no one will probably see this, but as the resident Nuno fanatic I have to say it: theres some live footage from 1988 of Nuno playing the entire Rondo Alla Turka, you can see it about 30 minutes in on the video "Extreme, the early years"

[@elBanananas]

Queen of The Night Opera by Mozart, which was also covered by Children of Bodom is my fav probably. It's like my favorite part of Hatebreeder.

[@jorrchomicz8984]

The aria from the opera "Magic Flute" to be precise... 😊

[@wea69420]

gotta love how about 80% of the list is just Symphony X and CoB

[@siddharthaneupane1005]

I have always found Fur Elise as spooky and creepy and I don't know why. Is there any backstory that I'm missing? Chills run down my spine every time I hear it. I love it tho.

[@brenjmorris]

Beethoven wrote it for one of his students, Elise, who he loved. She fell in love with and married someone else so Beethoven made the rest of the song really hard so she couldn't play it.

[@BradleyHallGuitar]

Beethoven was a massive emo that's why

[@npanic628]

I like necrophagist' use of für Elise in the Stillborn One, just thrown in there for a split second but so badass

[@ClassifiedUnit-135]

Bro. In my country Fur Elise's tune is used as a tuk tuk jingle for portable bakeries. basically like ice-cream trucks but not a truck but an upgraded threewheeler converted to a heavy duty bakery lol

[@64siskat96]

Für Elise is the smoke on the water of piano

[@Mr.Goldbar]

Prisoner Of Your Love was my least favorite Yngwie song for a while, didn't know it had a classical reference to it aswell! Now I understand its genius :)

[@TheCyberMantis]

You could do an entire video on SYMPHONY X all by themselves! Please include the band LOVEBITES in part-2! Miyako's background is classical piano.

[@awesomereviews1561]

The best version the Solvieg’s Song is in the game Vandal Hearts 2. The song name is called “The Powerless People” and it’s a medieval version of Solvieg’s Song with some modified notes and added parts. Look it up if you like Karma or Solvieg’s Song. Great game story wise also, it was Game of Thrones before Game of Thrones.

[@spiraliastatica]

Great video 👍 So many rock and metal musicians are inspired by classical music.

[@dudarino666]

CoB has several parts that are taken from classical pieces, Archspire actually uses one of the same parts in one of their newest songs.

[@RFPatosPB]

Excellent! Angra has a lot more references. Visions Prelude is a big example. I was expecting RUSH, in the last part of 2112's Overture... I forgot the name of the classical piece

[@thejonathandoan]

00:47 F&CK YEAH!!! One of my favorite Symphony X songs and one of the most badass passages ever played in Neoclassical Metal!! The whole intro to that song is pure gold.

[@calamovie]

I'm a huge fan of COBHC. about metal heart of accept, i discovered this song with Dimmu Borgir and she's so powerfull.

[@troyfrink]

I saw the title and and said to myself, "Extreme HAS to be on this." They are. Party on!

[@Annon667]

This was epic ! Need a pt.2 ❤

[@LocrianDorian]

No coincidence that I absolutely love most of these bands.

[@ConfydeMusic]

Hahaha I figured this list would mostly be Symphony X and Children of Bodom \m/ Love it!

[@leonardogarza6766]

the transition from fools paradise to Dies Irae to Lacrymosa was just spectacular (3:50)

[@eversosleight]

Enjoyed this very much sir Bradley! I think i gotta stick with Last Rites by Mustaine & friends. Really cool watching through and learning the actual classical references 🖤

[@DaveGardoni]

A small correction: it's Albinoni adagio, not Albioni. Interesting story: Giazotto was a musicologist. He literaly invented the story that he found some fragments of Albinoni's work. But it was instead an original composition by himself. He invented this story to give visibility to his composition.

[@jim3541]

You have some good taste man. More necrophagist and galneryus please

[@AlessandroMarinoPianist]

I always love to watch these videos and the comments of so much passionate people. I’m a “classical pianist” and piano professor in conservatory, and my Chamber Metal Project wants to build up this bridge between classical and metal through my piano solo transcriptions (or piano and electric guitar duet) of metal songs in the classical language, like Liszt and most romantic composers did starting from the orchestral works and opera. Metal bands are my orchestras, in this case 😅

[@ztmusic2789]

4:10 I KNEW EVANESCENCE WAS GONNA BE INCLUDED!!!

[@markaurelius8068]

Please also consider listening to the 2nd movement of the Shostakovich 10th symphony with its metal cover

[@gavinsnyder5627]

You could probably make this list all Yngwie Malmsteen songs. That being said, CoB and SymphonyX both have a decent amount too.