Metal Songs And Albums That Inspired The Names Of Other Bands
Metal Songs And Albums That Inspired The Names Of Other Bands
This is an alphabetical list of metal songs and albums that inspired the names of other artists.
While comparable lists often focus on the band name and explain its origin, this list turns the point of view and presents the influential albums and songs that were the basis for the inspiration of other artists and therefore highlights their general impact.
Please feel free to suggest more (MS listed) metal/hard rock examples.
SUMMARY
BANDS THAT INFLUENCED SEVERAL OTHER ARTIST NAMES WITH THEIR ALBUM/SONG TITLES
1st Place (14 bands):
Black Sabbath
2nd Place (9 bands):
Judas Priest
3rd Place (7 bands):
Venom
4th Place (5 bands):
Morbid Angel
5th Place (4 bands):
Iron Maiden
6th Place (3 bands):
Celtic Frost, Metallica, Motörhead, Slayer
7th Place (2 bands):
Anathema, Cynic, Darkthrone, Deep Purple, Deftones, Deicide, Dio, Godflesh, Helloween, Kamelot, Killing Joke, Kreator, Rotting Christ, Rush, Trouble
SUMMARY
ALBUMS THAT INFLUENCED THE NAMES OF SEVERAL OTHER ARTISTS
1st Place (5 bands):
Welcome To Hell (Venom)
2nd Place (3 bands):
Black Sabbath (Black Sabbath),
Ride The Lightning (Metallica), Altars Of Madness (Morbid Angel)
3rd Place (2 bands):
Paranoid (Black Sabbath), Master Of Reality (Black Sabbath), Mob Rules (Black Sabbath), To Mega Therion (Celtic Frost), Focus (Cynic), Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden), Killing Machine (Judas Priest), Sin After Sin (Judas Priest), Stained Class (Judas Priest), Pleasure To Kill (Kreator)
[Updated: 27.04.2026]
While comparable lists often focus on the band name and explain its origin, this list turns the point of view and presents the influential albums and songs that were the basis for the inspiration of other artists and therefore highlights their general impact.
Please feel free to suggest more (MS listed) metal/hard rock examples.
SUMMARY
BANDS THAT INFLUENCED SEVERAL OTHER ARTIST NAMES WITH THEIR ALBUM/SONG TITLES
1st Place (14 bands):
Black Sabbath
2nd Place (9 bands):
Judas Priest
3rd Place (7 bands):
Venom
4th Place (5 bands):
Morbid Angel
5th Place (4 bands):
Iron Maiden
6th Place (3 bands):
Celtic Frost, Metallica, Motörhead, Slayer
7th Place (2 bands):
Anathema, Cynic, Darkthrone, Deep Purple, Deftones, Deicide, Dio, Godflesh, Helloween, Kamelot, Killing Joke, Kreator, Rotting Christ, Rush, Trouble
SUMMARY
ALBUMS THAT INFLUENCED THE NAMES OF SEVERAL OTHER ARTISTS
1st Place (5 bands):
Welcome To Hell (Venom)
2nd Place (3 bands):
Black Sabbath (Black Sabbath),
Ride The Lightning (Metallica), Altars Of Madness (Morbid Angel)
3rd Place (2 bands):
Paranoid (Black Sabbath), Master Of Reality (Black Sabbath), Mob Rules (Black Sabbath), To Mega Therion (Celtic Frost), Focus (Cynic), Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden), Killing Machine (Judas Priest), Sin After Sin (Judas Priest), Stained Class (Judas Priest), Pleasure To Kill (Kreator)
[Updated: 27.04.2026]
1.
Abruptum
- De Profundis Mors Vas Cousumet
The EP/song title inspired by the name of the band DE PROFUNDIS.
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2.
Amebix
- No Sanctuary: The Spiderleg Recordings
The song WINTER (released as single in 1983 and re-released on compilations) inspired the name of the group WINTER
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3.
Anathema
- Alternative 4
The album title ALTERNATIVE 4 inspired the name of the group ALTERNATIVE 4 (Please note the partial lineup overlap between these groups)
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4.
Anathema
- Weather Systems
The album title WEATHER SYSTEMS inspired the name of the group WEATHER SYSTEMS (Please note the partial lineup overlap between these groups)
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5.
Arch Enemy
- Black Earth
The album title BLACK EARTH inspired the name of the group BLACK EARTH (Please note the partial lineup overlap between these groups)
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8.
Ayreon
- The Final Experiment
The name of the group AMBEON is a combination of the words 'ambient' and Ayreon, which is the name of another project and several songs (e.g. "AYREON'S FATE") by Arjen Anthony Lucassen (Please note the partial lineup overlap between these groups)
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9.
Bathory
- Under The Sign Of The Black Mark
The song EQUIMANTHORN inspired the name of the group EQUIMANTHORN
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10.
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11.
Black Sabbath
- Black Sabbath
The song A BIT OF FINGER / SLEEPING VILLAGE inspired the name of the group SLEEPING VILLAGE
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12.
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13.
Black Sabbath
- Black Sabbath
The song THE WIZARD inspired one part of the name of the group ELECTRIC WIZARD (the other part is taken from Electric Funeral of the Paranoid Album, see below)
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14.
Black Sabbath
- Paranoid
The song ELECTRIC FUNERAL inspired one part of the name of the group ELECTRIC WIZARD (the other part is taken from The Wizard of the Black Sabbath Album, see above)
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16.
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17.
Black Sabbath
- Master Of Reality
The song AFTER FOREVER inspired the name of the group AFTER FOREVER
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18.
Black Sabbath
- Black Sabbath Vol. 4
The song ST. VITUS`S DANCE inspired the name of the group SAINT VITUS
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19.
Black Sabbath
- Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
The song SPIRAL ARCHITECT inspired the name of the group SPIRAL ARCHITECT (Note: conflicting statements by band members)
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20.
Black Sabbath
- Sabotage
The album title SABOTAGE inspired the name of the group SABOTAGE (from Sweden)
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21.
Black Sabbath
- Heaven And Hell
The album/song title HEAVEN AND HELL inspired the name of the group HEAVEN AND HELL (Please note the partial lineup overlap between these groups)
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22.
Black Sabbath
- Mob Rules
The album/song title THE MOB RULES inspired the name of the group MOB RULES
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23.
Black Sabbath
- Mob Rules
The song title THE SIGN OF THE SOUTHERN CROSS inspired the name of the group THE SIGN OF THE SOUTHERN CROSS
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24.
Black Sabbath
- Tyr
According to Heri Joesen, the album cover influenced the rune logo style of the band TYR.
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26.
Bolt Thrower
- Realm Of Chaos
The song ALL THAT REMAINS inspired the name of the group ALL THAT REMAINS
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28.
Cannibal Corpse
- The Bleeding
The song STARING THROUGH THE EYES OF THE DEAD inspired the name of the group THROUGH THE EYES OF THE DEAD
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31.
Celtic Frost
- To Mega Therion
The title and lyrics of the song JEWEL THRONE, together with the title of the underground metal magazine Blackthorn, inspired the name of the group DARKTHRONE
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32.
Celtic Frost
- Into The Pandemonium
The song SORROWS OF THE MOON inspired the name of the band MOONSORROW
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33.
Children Of Bodom
- Follow The Reaper
The song BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT inspired the name of the group BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT (Please note the partial lineup overlap between these groups)
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34.
Cirith Ungol
- Frost And Fire
The album/song title FROST AND FIRE inspired the name of the group CELTIC FROST
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35.
Corvus Corax
- Tanzwut
The album/song title TANZWUT inspired the name of the group TANZWUT (Please note the partial lineup overlap between these groups)
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36.
Current 93
- Sleep Has His House
The song IMMORTAL BIRD inspired the name of the group IMMORTAL BIRD.
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39.
Dark Angel
- We Have Arrived
The song MERCILESS DEATH inspired the name of the group MERCILESS DEATH
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40.
Darkthrone
- Thulcandra
The demo/song title [which itself is based on the 1938 science fiction novel Out Of The Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis, where Thulcandra is another name for the Earth] inspired the name of the group THULCANDRA
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41.
Darkthrone
- A Blaze In The Northern Sky
The lines "United by hate/The final superjoint ritual ...." of the song THE PAGAN WINTER inspired the name of the group SUPERJOINT RITUAL
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42.
David Coverdale
- White Snake
The song WHITESNAKE inspired the name of the group WHITESNAKE (Please note the partial lineup overlap between these groups)
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43.
Death
- Death By Metal
The demo title inspired the name of the group DEATH BY METAL (Please note the partial lineup overlap between these groups)
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45.
Deep Purple
- Purpendicular
The album title inspired the name of the group PURPENDICULAR (Please note the partial lineup overlap between these groups)
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47.
Deftones
- Around The Fur
The lines "Soulfly/Fly high/Soulfly/Fly free" from the song HEADUP inspired the name of the group SOULFLY
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50.
Dio
- The Last In Line
The album title inspired the name of the group LAST IN LINE (Please note the partial lineup overlap between these groups)
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54.
Earth
- The Bees Made Honey In The Lion's Skull
The album title inspired the name of the group BEES MADE HONEY IN THE VEIN TREE
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55.
Ebonylake
- On The Eve Of The Grimly Inventive
The song AN AUTUMN TO CRIPPLE CHILDREN inspired the name of the group AN AUTUMN FOR CRIPPLED CHILDREN
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56.
Eighteen Visions
- The Best Of
The new song MOTIONLESS AND WHITE inspired the name of the group MOTIONLESS IN WHITE
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58.
Erben Der Schöpfung
- Twilight
The song ELIS inspired the name of the group ELIS (Please note the lineup overlap between these groups)
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60.
Fates Warning
- Awaken The Guardian
The album title inspired the name of the group BLIND GUARDIAN (who were called Lucifer's Heritage before)
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61.
Fields Of The Nephilim
- Elizium
The song AT THE GATES OF SILENT MEMORY inspired the name of the group AT THE GATES
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62.
Gloryhammer
- Tales From The Kingdom Of Fife
The song ANGUS McFIVE inspired the name ANGUS McSIX (Please note the partial lineup overlap between these groups)
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67.
Grotesque
- Incantation
The song SPAWN OF AZATHOTH in combination with the movies "Possession" (1981) and "Amityville II: The Possession" (1982) inspired the name of the group SPAWN OF POSSESSION
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68.
Halestorm
- The Strange Case Of...
The song LOVE BITES (SO DO I) inspired the name of the group LOVEBITES
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69.
Hate Eternal
- Conquering The Throne
The song NAILED TO OBSCURITY inspired the name of the group NAILED TO OBSCURITY.
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76.
Iron Maiden
- Killers
The song and album title inspired the name of the group KILLERS (UK) (Please note the lineup overlap between these groups).
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77.
Iron Maiden
- No Prayer For The Dying
The song TAIL GUNNER inspired the name of the group TAILGUNNER
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78.
Iron Monkey
- Iron Monkey
The lyrics of the song BIG LOADER ("Coughin′ up a load / And your father / Crippled black Phoenix / Never fed") inspired the name of the group CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX
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79.
Judas Priest
- Sad Wings Of Destiny
The song THE RIPPER inspired the stage name TIM "RIPPER" OWENS, as well of his corresponding solo project (Please note the lineup overlap between these groups)
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81.
Judas Priest
- Killing Machine (Hell Bent For Leather)
The album title inspired the name of the group KILLING MACHINE
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82.
Judas Priest
- Killing Machine (Hell Bent For Leather)
The song RUNNING WILD inspired the name of the group RUNNING WILD
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89.
Kamelot
- The Black Halo
The lyrics of the Latin spoken intro at the beginning of the song MARCH OF MEPHISTO inspired the name of the group AD INFINITUM
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90.
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91.
Killing Joke
- What's THIS For...!
The song THE FALL OF BECAUSE inspired the name of the group FALL OF BECAUSE
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92.
King Crimson
- Beat
The album title inspired the name of the group BEAT (Please note the lineup overlap between these groups)
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94.
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95.
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96.
Marduk
- Heaven Shall Burn... When We Are Gathered
The album title inspired the name of the group HEAVEN SHALL BURN
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98.
Massacre
- From Beyond
The song CORPSEGRINDER (which is a cover of a Death song from their Reign Of Terror demo) inspired the name of the group CORPSE GRINDER (Brazil)
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99.
Mastodon
- Crack The Skye
The title of the song THE LAST BARON inspired one part of the group name MOLYBARON [The part "Molly" comes from the lyrics from "Whiskey In The Jar" by Thin Lizzy]
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101.
Megadeth
- Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good!
The song RATTLEHEAD (and the eponymous band mascot) inspired the name of the group RATTLEHEAD
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103.
Metallica
- Ride The Lightning
The song CREEPING DEATH inspired the name of the group CREEPING DEATH
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104.
Metallica
- Ride The Lightning
The line "Growing darkness taking dawn.." of the song FADE TO BLACK inspired the name of the group TAKING DAWN
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105.
Metallica
- Ride The Lightning
The song TRAPPED UNDER ICE inspired the name of the group TRAPPED UNDER ICE
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108.
Moahni Moahna
- Why
The song title ANGTORIA inspired the name of the group ANGTORIA (Please note the partial lineup overlap between these groups)
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109.
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111.
Morbid Angel
- Altars Of Madness
The song CHAPEL OF GHOULS inspired the one part of the name of the group CHAPEL OF DISEASE
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112.
Morbid Angel
- Covenant
The song ANGEL OF DISEASE inspired the one part of the name of the group CHAPEL OF DISEASE
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113.
Morbid Angel
- Formulas Fatal To The Flesh
The song HEAVING EARTH inspired the name of the group HEAVING EARTH.
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114.
Motörhead
- Another Perfect Day
The song DANCING ON YOUR GRAVE inspired the name of the group SEPULTURA (which is Portuguese for grave)
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118.
Napalm Death
- Time Waits For No Slave
The song AD NAUSEUM inspired the name of the group AD NAUSEAM
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119.
Nuclear Assault
- Game Over
The band name and probably songs like "After The Holocaust" inspired the name of the group TOXIC HOLOCAUST.
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120.
Paradise Lost
- Host
The album/song title HOST inspired the name of the group HOST (Please note the partial lineup overlap between these groups)
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121.
Poison
- Look What The Cat Dragged In
The lines "`Cause Baby We`ll Be / At The Drive-in / In The Old Man´s Ford" from the song TALK DIRTY TO ME inspired the name of the group AT THE DRIVE-IN
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123.
Queensrÿche
- Operation: Mindcrime
The album title inspired the name of the group OPERATION: MINDCRIME (Please note the partial lineup overlap between these groups)
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124.
Rainbow
- Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow
The song MAN ON THE SILVER MOUNTAIN inspired the name of the group SILVER MOUNTAIN
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125.
Rotting Christ
- Passage To Arcturo
The title of the song "The Old Coffin Spirit" inspired the name of the band SARGEIST. The band used a fusion of the German words "Sarg" (coffin) and "Geist" (spirit).
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126.
Rotting Christ
- Thy Mighty Contract
The lyrics of the song THE FOURTH KNIGHT OF REVELATION ("Yoth Iria - unholy master / Yoth Iria - prince of fire") inspired the name of the group YOTH IRIA [Note: partial lineup overlap].
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130.
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131.
Sepultura
- Morbid Visions
The song TROOPS OF DOOM inspired the name of the group THE TROOPS OF DOOM
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132.
Slayer
- Hell Awaits
The lyrics of the song AT DAWN THEY SLEEP ("Nocturnal spectre hiding from the light") inspired the name of the group NOCTURNUS AD.
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134.
Slayer
- Divine Intervention
The song SERENITY IN MURDER inspired the name of the group SERENITY IN MURDER
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135.
Sleep
- Sleep's Holy Mountain
The song THE DRUID, combined with the Dungeons & Dragons (role playing tabletop game) druid character and the green colour of weed, inspired the name of the group GREEN DRUID
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138.
Terrorizer
- World Downfall
The song RIPPED TO SHREDS inspired the name of the group RIPPED TO SHREDS
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140.
The Damned
- Machine Gun Etiquette
The album title inspired the name of the group THEE MICHELLE GUN ELEPHANT
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141.
The Haunted
- The Haunted Made Me Do It
The song BURY YOUR DEAD inspired the name of the group BURY YOUR DEAD
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142.
Thin Lizzy
- Vagabonds Of The Western World
The lyrics of the song WHISKEY IN THE JAR inspired one part of the group name MOLYBARON [The part "Baron" comes from the title of "The Last Baron" by Mastodon].
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143.
Thy Serpent
- Forest Of Witchery
The song WINE FROM TEARS inspired the name of the group WINE FROM TEARS
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148.
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150.
Unearth
- The Oncoming Storm
The lines "Growing wings of sorrow/Have brought you to the winds of plague" from the song ENDLESS inspired the name of the group WINDS OF PLAGUE
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151.
Uriah Heep
- Demons And Wizards
It has been reported that the friends Jon Schaffer and Hansi Kürsch were nicknamed "Demons and Angels" by Schaffer`s wife. Kürsch changed this to DEMONS & WIZARDS in reference to the Uriah Heep album.
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155.
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158.
Venom
- Prime Evil
The album title inspired the name of the group PRIME EVIL that was renamed to MPIRE OF EVIL and later became VENOM INC. (Please note the partial lineup overlap between these groups)
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159.
Voivod
- Rrröööaaarrr
The song KORGÜL THE EXTERMINATOR inspired the name of the group KORGÜL THE EXTERMINATOR
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161.
Warlord
- And The Cannons Of Destruction Have Begun...
The lines "The Hammer Will Fall On You... " from the song LUCIFER'S HAMMER inspired the name of the group HAMMERFALL
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162.
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Disclaimer: All top lists are unofficial and do not represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
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Comments
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Posts: 1274  |
Posts: 1274
The complementary list “Metal Band Names Inspired By Other Bands” has the focus on the groups with band names that were inspired by the work of other artists. Moreover, this list can also include groups that took their inspiration from a band outside of metal or from other band-related aspects than songs or albums. However, if a suggestion is made that could qualify for both lists, I would update both lists with the corresponding focus on the suggested example. [Edit: 17.10.2024]
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 Posts: 3433 |
Posts: 3433
Slayer's song "Necrophobic" inspired Necrophobic
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Posts: 1274 |
Posts: 1274 Written by F3ynman on 10.03.2023 at 23:41 Thank you very much, F3ynman2000.
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Posts: 1274 |
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Posts: 1695  |
Posts: 1695
I don't wanna be a grinch here but Watain was formed in 1998 and VON's Satanic Blood was released in 2012 so that's not possible. Unless you're referring to the 1992 demo of course.
---- Liebe ist für alle da.
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Posts: 1274 |
Posts: 1274 Written by Nejde on 22.05.2023 at 23:20 Thank you for pointing this out. I will check the reference. I did not just guess this VON-Watain connection, because I really did read it in an article. I will review this.
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Posts: 1274 |
Posts: 1274 Written by Nejde on 22.05.2023 at 23:20 Thank you again. Indeed, the demo should have been linked to the list. Somehow the album was linked to the list, as it has the same title. I will try to figure out how to change this
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Posts: 1274 |
Posts: 1274 Written by Nejde on 22.05.2023 at 23:20 The 1992 demo with the song Watain that inspired the name of the corresponding group is linked to the list now. Thank you, Nejde (Thank you Starvynth for the technical help.)
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 Posts: 3585 |
Posts: 3585 Written by Plattner on 22.05.2023 at 23:08 Fuck The Facts have their name from Naked City's track "Fuck The Facts" (from Naked City, 1990), whereas Naked City got inspired by KISS and their song "Naked City", to be found on the 1980 album Unmasked. Love Like Blood -> Killing Joke's "Love Like Blood" (Night Time, 1985) Merciless Death -> Dark Angel's "Merciless Death" (We Have Arrived, 1985) Sanctuary -> Iron Maiden's "Sanctuary" (Iron Maiden, 1980) Savage -> Judas Priest's "Savage" (Stained Class, 1978) Starbreaker -> Judas Priest again: "Starbreaker" (Sin After Sin, 1977)
---- signatures = SPAM
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 Posts: 1278 |
Posts: 1278
How do you keep coming up with those cool list ideas, I'm impressed
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Posts: 1274 |
Posts: 1274 Written by Starvynth on 23.05.2023 at 14:52 Thank you very much for your great contribution, Starvynth.
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Posts: 1274 |
Posts: 1274 Written by Roman Doez on 23.05.2023 at 17:36 Thank you very much for your nice comment, doez. I am glad that you find something of interest in these lists.
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Posts: 3649  |
Posts: 3649
I was exptecting a lot of Black Sabbath and I am not disappointed.
---- I hate bonus tracks
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Posts: 1274 |
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Posts: 1274 |
Posts: 1274
The Assück - Misery Index - connection was found by Redel (List: Metal Band Names Inspired By Other Bands, Comment 05.11.2024).
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Posts: 5653  |
Posts: 5653
I've just discovered a heavy/power band named Killing Machine. I would not be surprised the band mane was inspired by the Judas priest album title. https://metalstorm.net/bands/band.php?band_id=15955
---- I thought the two primary purposes for the internet were cat memes and overreactions.
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Posts: 1274 |
Posts: 1274 Written by John_Doe on 08.12.2024 at 17:29 Thank you very much for your suggestion, John doe. I have found an interview with the band that confirms this link. I have added the example to this list as well as to the "Metal Band Names Inspired By Other Bands" list.
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Posts: 5653 |
Posts: 5653 Written by Plattner on 09.12.2024 at 12:24 
---- I thought the two primary purposes for the internet were cat memes and overreactions.
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