Post by Admin on Oct 18, 2017 3:04:05 GMT
The Top 100 (A)D&D Songs of All Time
I would be very hard-pressed to name all 100, and, even if I could, things would lean too much to personal tastes in music (which tend to be very heavy).
So, here I present 10, with the hopes that other people out there add in their 10 best.
Heavy content alert!
Yeah, there are some really heavy tracks in my list. I am a big follower of metal and heavy rock (to the point of considering publishing a metal magazine, called either SHOCKWAVE or SOULSHAKER, something like that.)
Hell Awaits, by Slayer
The first track on this LP is a continuation of the last track (Hardening of the Arteries).
Yes, this song uses backmasking, too. (I found this out when me and one of my High School friends got the vinyl, and just played it backwards.)
With regards to this song, it is basically fantasy horror: from Reign in Blood, onwards... Slayer's lyrics focus more on the real world.
Anyway, for 1st. Ed. AD&D, see Dragon 75/76/91, for lore on the Hells. And, Yes, there are AD&D stats for Satan, as well: see Dragon 28.
Saints in Hell, by Judas Priest
Well, we've already covered Hell: now, onto Saints. Dragon 79 defines Saints in an AD&D context.
The concept of a mythical descent into Hell is an interesting, albeit very high level, one.
The Battle of Evermore, by Led Zeppelin
One of the greatest fantasy songs, of all time, hands down.
Here, we can hear the definite influence of JRR Tolkien.
Anyway, good song for those Battlesystem fans!
Achilles' Last Stand, by Led Zeppelin
Yes, Led Zep gets a double mention, here.
From a musical standpoint, here is John Bonham (the drummer), at the height of his power and glory.
Stats for Achilles are found in the Deities & Demigods book, if anyone is wondering.
Black Blade, by Blue Oyster Cult
Speaking of Deities & Demigods, the original printing contained the "Elric" mythos.
Great song, great fan-made video, too, for this one.
At Dawn They Sleep, by Slayer
Great song about vampires.
Now, though there are many different kinds of vampires, I think that this one just nailed it (if you can forgive the pun) with the base standard AD&D vampire. This one goes out to all the Ravenloft fans, out there, too.
It is interesting to note that the AD&D(1st) DMG does have a section on Lycanthropy. What was missing was a section on Vampirism. I did write a set of rules for this, once. Awaken at level 0...
Suspended in Dusk, by Type O Negative
Another one for the Ravenloft fans out there. Here, this one is rather introspective, at times.
Continuing from the last song... with regards to Vampires as PCs, sure: there is a great role-playing opportunity, there.
It is like a downward spiral... this descent... this blood addiction, that leads one towards Chaos and Evil.
Wolf Moon(Zooanthropic Paranoia), by Type O Negative
Continuing on the theme of Chaotic Evil, here is a song about werewolves. Now, in the real-world, wolves are very loving animals.
For some reason, the werewolf in AD&D gets the CE for alignment. It is an interesting counterpoint, in theory, how a CE monster could be loving.
A partial explanation might be found with regards to the concept of shades of alignment, giving each axis a number. In theory, werewolves are only two steps away from neutrality.
Enki: Divine Nature Awoken, by Melechesh
One of the great things about 1st Ed. AD&D is the inclusion of Mesopotamian myth. Sadly, this is not found in other editions.
Anyway, Enki (according to the DDG): he is the ruler of the Sumerian pantheon.
And, also, Yes: this song is very heavy!
Kalevala, by Unknown
Last and definitely not least, this is another song that relates to Myth, this time, the Finnish mythos (another pantheon specific to the 1st Ed. of AD&D).
In retrospect, I've noted that my Top 10, a lot of the songs, could be on the Top 100 Halloween Songs, of all time.
Now, with regards to (A)D&D, there is a lot of period-specific music out there, from folk music to Gregorian chants.
Anyway, sorry for the dark/heavy songs... but, it is October, after all.
In the final analysis, Myth && Folklore continues on. Myth is the 2nd influence on (A)D&D, with the 1st being the genre of fantasy (cf. Appendix N), and, the 3rd being History. Yep, in order: 1. Fantasy, 2. Myth, 3. History. These are the main influences on (A)D&D.
And... I am greatly looking forward to the articles by other authors, in this series!
I would be very hard-pressed to name all 100, and, even if I could, things would lean too much to personal tastes in music (which tend to be very heavy).
So, here I present 10, with the hopes that other people out there add in their 10 best.
Heavy content alert!
Yeah, there are some really heavy tracks in my list. I am a big follower of metal and heavy rock (to the point of considering publishing a metal magazine, called either SHOCKWAVE or SOULSHAKER, something like that.)
Hell Awaits, by Slayer
The first track on this LP is a continuation of the last track (Hardening of the Arteries).
Yes, this song uses backmasking, too. (I found this out when me and one of my High School friends got the vinyl, and just played it backwards.)
With regards to this song, it is basically fantasy horror: from Reign in Blood, onwards... Slayer's lyrics focus more on the real world.
Anyway, for 1st. Ed. AD&D, see Dragon 75/76/91, for lore on the Hells. And, Yes, there are AD&D stats for Satan, as well: see Dragon 28.
Saints in Hell, by Judas Priest
Well, we've already covered Hell: now, onto Saints. Dragon 79 defines Saints in an AD&D context.
The concept of a mythical descent into Hell is an interesting, albeit very high level, one.
The Battle of Evermore, by Led Zeppelin
One of the greatest fantasy songs, of all time, hands down.
Here, we can hear the definite influence of JRR Tolkien.
Anyway, good song for those Battlesystem fans!
Achilles' Last Stand, by Led Zeppelin
Yes, Led Zep gets a double mention, here.
From a musical standpoint, here is John Bonham (the drummer), at the height of his power and glory.
Stats for Achilles are found in the Deities & Demigods book, if anyone is wondering.
Black Blade, by Blue Oyster Cult
Speaking of Deities & Demigods, the original printing contained the "Elric" mythos.
Great song, great fan-made video, too, for this one.
At Dawn They Sleep, by Slayer
Great song about vampires.
Now, though there are many different kinds of vampires, I think that this one just nailed it (if you can forgive the pun) with the base standard AD&D vampire. This one goes out to all the Ravenloft fans, out there, too.
It is interesting to note that the AD&D(1st) DMG does have a section on Lycanthropy. What was missing was a section on Vampirism. I did write a set of rules for this, once. Awaken at level 0...
Suspended in Dusk, by Type O Negative
Another one for the Ravenloft fans out there. Here, this one is rather introspective, at times.
Continuing from the last song... with regards to Vampires as PCs, sure: there is a great role-playing opportunity, there.
It is like a downward spiral... this descent... this blood addiction, that leads one towards Chaos and Evil.
Wolf Moon(Zooanthropic Paranoia), by Type O Negative
Continuing on the theme of Chaotic Evil, here is a song about werewolves. Now, in the real-world, wolves are very loving animals.
For some reason, the werewolf in AD&D gets the CE for alignment. It is an interesting counterpoint, in theory, how a CE monster could be loving.
A partial explanation might be found with regards to the concept of shades of alignment, giving each axis a number. In theory, werewolves are only two steps away from neutrality.
Enki: Divine Nature Awoken, by Melechesh
One of the great things about 1st Ed. AD&D is the inclusion of Mesopotamian myth. Sadly, this is not found in other editions.
Anyway, Enki (according to the DDG): he is the ruler of the Sumerian pantheon.
And, also, Yes: this song is very heavy!
Kalevala, by Unknown
Last and definitely not least, this is another song that relates to Myth, this time, the Finnish mythos (another pantheon specific to the 1st Ed. of AD&D).
In retrospect, I've noted that my Top 10, a lot of the songs, could be on the Top 100 Halloween Songs, of all time.
Now, with regards to (A)D&D, there is a lot of period-specific music out there, from folk music to Gregorian chants.
Anyway, sorry for the dark/heavy songs... but, it is October, after all.
In the final analysis, Myth && Folklore continues on. Myth is the 2nd influence on (A)D&D, with the 1st being the genre of fantasy (cf. Appendix N), and, the 3rd being History. Yep, in order: 1. Fantasy, 2. Myth, 3. History. These are the main influences on (A)D&D.
And... I am greatly looking forward to the articles by other authors, in this series!
