By Jay Mitchell (CIVL Officer/Bowser) – Email
Print Edition: February 25, 2015
Professor of Heavy Metal at-Large Jay Mitchell brings us a lesson in heavy metal and literary classics.
Iron Maiden
“Rime of the Ancient Mariner”
A moving rendition of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” join singer Bruce Dickinson as he describes the unfortunate outcomes of killing seabirds. Pro tip: leave the albatross alone.
Blind Guardian
“And Then There Was Silence…”
Based on Homer’s Iliad and Virgil’s Aeneid, this song is a narrative of the fall of Troy, as told from the perspective of Cassandra, daughter of the Trojan king. This is also my personal favourite drum practice track.
Symphony X
“The Odyssey”
Based on another Greek classic, Symphony X uses this 24-minute behemoth of a song to present a six-part exploration of Homer’s Odyssey and its tale of hero Odysseus on his journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War.
Mastodon
“Blood and Thunder”
Mastodon takes a heavy approach to their interpretation of Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. With a refrain of “white whale — holy grail,” we are reminded of the importance of the single core goal running through the mind of Captain Ahab.
Iron Maiden
“Alexander the Great”
Most people have heard something about Alexander the Great, but I’m not sure most people know the level of detail contained in this very informative bio-narrative. Noteworthy points include the Gordian Knot, his military victories, and his death in Babylon.
