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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):
Black Sabbath

2nd Place (7):
Judas Priest

3rd Place (5):
Morbid Angel, Venom

4th Place (3):
Celtic Frost, Iron Maiden, Metallica

5th Place (2):
Cynic, Darkthrone, Deftones, Dio, Godflesh, Kamelot, Kreator, Motörhead, Rush, Slayer



SUMMARY
ALBUMS THAT INFLUENCED THE NAMES OF SEVERAL OTHER ARTISTS

1st Place (3):
Black Sabbath (Black Sabbath),
Ride The Lightning (Metallica), Altars Of Madness (Morbid Angel), Welcome To Hell (Venom)

2nd Place (2):
Paranoid (Black Sabbath), Master Of Reality (Black Sabbath), Mob Rules (Black Sabbath), To Mega Therion (Celtic Frost), Focus (Cynic), Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden), Sin After Sin (Judas Priest), Stained Class (Judas Priest), Pleasure To Kill (Kreator)


[Updated: 19.11.2024]

Created by: Plattner | 10.03.2023



1. 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
2. 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)
3. 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)
4. Architects - Ruin
The song NORTH LANE inspired the name of thr group NORTHLANE
5. Assück - Misery Index
The album title inspired the name of the group MISERY INDEX
6. 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)
7. Bathory - Under The Sign Of The Black Mark
The song EQUIMANTHORN inspired the name of the group EQUIMANTHORN
8. Be'lakor - Stone's Reach
The song COUNTLESS SKIES inspired the name of the group COUNTLESS SKIES.
9. Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
The song A BIT OF FINGER / SLEEPING VILLAGE inspired the name of the group SLEEPING VILLAGE
10. Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
The album inspired the name of Zakk Wylde's supergroup ZAKK SABBATH.
11. 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)
12. 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)
13. Black Sabbath - Paranoid
The song IRON MAN inspired the name of the group IRON MAN
14. Black Sabbath - Master Of Reality
The album title inspired the name of the group MASTERS OF REALITY
15. Black Sabbath - Master Of Reality
The song AFTER FOREVER inspired the name of the group AFTER FOREVER
16. Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath Vol. 4
The song ST. VITUS`S DANCE inspired the name of the group SAINT VITUS
17. Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
The song SPIRAL ARCHITECT inspired the name of the group SPIRAL ARCHITECT (Note: conflicting statements by band members)
18. Black Sabbath - Sabotage
The album title SABOTAGE inspired the name of the group SABOTAGE (from Sweden)
19. 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)
20. Black Sabbath - Mob Rules
The album/song title THE MOB RULES inspired the name of the group MOB RULES
21. 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
22. Black Sabbath - Tyr
According to Heri Joesen, the album cover influenced the rune logo style of the band TYR.
23. Blindead - Niewiosna
The group continued as BLINDEAD 23 after this album.
24. Bolt Thrower - Realm Of Chaos
The song ALL THAT REMAINS inspired the name of the group ALL THAT REMAINS
25. 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
26. Carcass - Heartwork
The song CARNAL FORGE inspired the name of the group CARNAL FORGE
27. Celtic Frost - To Mega Therion
The album title inspired the recent name of the group THERION
28. 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
29. Celtic Frost - Into The Pandemonium
The song SORROWS OF THE MOON inspired the name of the band MOONSORROW
30. 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)
31. Cirith Ungol - Frost And Fire
The album/song title FROST AND FIRE inspired the name of the group CELTIC FROST
32. Corvus Corax - Tanzwut
The album/song title TANZWUT inspired the name of the group TANZWUT (Please note the partial lineup overlap between these groups)
33. Current 93 - Sleep Has His House
The song IMMORTAL BIRD inspired the name of the group IMMORTAL BIRD.
34. Cynic - Focus
The song VEIL OF MAYA inspired the name of the group VEIL OF MAYA
35. Cynic - Focus
The song TEXTURES inspired the name of the group TEXTURES
36. Dark Angel - We Have Arrived
The song MERCILESS DEATH inspired the name of the group MERCILESS DEATH
37. 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
38. 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
39. David Coverdale - White Snake
The song WHITESNAKE inspired the name of the group WHITESNAKE (Please note the partial lineup overlap between these groups)
40. Deep Purple - Made In Europe
The album title inspired the name of the group EUROPE
41. Deftones - White Pony
The song KNIFE PARTY inspired the name of the group KNIFE PARTY
42. Deftones - Around The Fur
The lines "Soulfly/Fly high/Soulfly/Fly free" from the song HEADUP inspired the name of the group SOULFLY
43. Deicide - Insineratehymn
The album title inspired the name of the group INSINERATEHYMN
44. 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)
45. Dio - Dream Evil
The album title inspired the name of the group DREAM EVIL
46. Dominus - Vol.Beat
The album title inspired the name of the group VOLBEAT (Please note the partial lineup overlap between these groups)
47. 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
48. 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
49. Erben Der Schöpfung - Twilight
The song ELIS inspired the name of the group ELIS (Please note the lineup overlap between these groups)
50. Exodus - Bonded By Blood
The album title inspired the name of the group BONDED BY BLOOD
51. Fates Warning - Awaken The Guardian
The album title inspired the name of the group BLIND GUARDIAN (who were called Lucifer's Heritage before)
52. Fields Of The Nephilim - Elizium
The song AT THE GATES OF SILENT MEMORY inspired the name of the group AT THE GATES
53. 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)
54. Godflesh - Selfless
The song title BLACK BONED ANGEL inspired the name of the group BLACK BONED ANGEL
55. Godflesh - Hymns
The song title JESU inspired the name of the group JESU (Please note the partial lineup overlap between these groups)
56. Gorguts - Obscura
The album title inspired the name of the group OBSCURA
57. 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
58. Halestorm - The Strange Case Of...
The song LOVE BITES (SO DO I) inspired the name of the group LOVEBITES
59. Hate Eternal - Conquering The Throne
The song NAILED TO OBSCURITY inspired the name of the group NAILED TO OBSCURITY.
60. Helmet - Meantime
The lyrics of the song IN THE MEANTIME ("Earth tone suits you / So give it a smile") combined with the idea that the frequency that the Earth naturally vibrates at is 9hz, inspired the name of the group EARTHTONE9.
61. Immortal - Suffocate
The song ENSLAVED IN ROT inspired the name of the group ENSLAVED
62. Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden
The song SANCTUARY inspired the name of the group SANCTUARY
63. Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden
The group THE IRON MAIDENS started as an Iron Maiden tribute band.
64. Iron Maiden - No Prayer For The Dying
The song TAIL GUNNER inspired the name of the group TAILGUNNER
65. 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
66. Judas Priest - British Steel
The song THE RAGE inspired the name of the group RAGE
67. Judas Priest - Killing Machine (Hell Bent For Leather)
The song RUNNING WILD inspired the name of the group RUNNING WILD
68. Judas Priest - Sin After Sin
The song SINNER inspired the name of the group SINNER
69. Judas Priest - Sin After Sin
The song STARBREAKER inspired the name of the group STARBREAKER
70. Judas Priest - Stained Class
The song EXCITER inspired the name of the group EXCITER
71. Judas Priest - Stained Class
The song SAVAGE inspired the name of the group SAVAGE
72. Judas Priest - Turbo
The song TURBO LOVER inspired the name of the group THE TURBO LOVERS
73. Kamelot - Epica
The album title inspired the name of the group EPICA
74. 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.
75. Killing Joke - Night Time
The song LOVE LIKE BLOOD inspired the name of the group LOVE LIKE BLOOD
76. Kreator - Pleasure To Kill
The song THE PESTILENCE inspired the name of the group PESTILENCE
77. Kreator - Pleasure To Kill
The song RIPPING CORPSE inspired the name of the group RIPPING CORPSE
78. Kyuss - Blues For The Red Sun
The song GREEN MACHINE inspired the name of the group GREENMACHINE
79. Marduk - Heaven Shall Burn... When We Are Gathered
The album title inspired the name of the group HEAVEN SHALL BURN
80. Marillion - Fugazi
The lyrics of the song EMERALD LIE ("Through the silk-cut haze / To the smeared mascara / A forty-watt sun / On a courtroom drama" ) inspired the name of the band 40 WATT SUN.
81. 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)
82. Mayhem - Deathcrush
The EP title inspired the name of the group DEATHCRUSH
83. Melvins - Bullhead
The song BORIS inspired the name of the group BORIS
84. Metallica - Ride The Lightning
The song CREEPING DEATH inspired the name of the group CREEPING DEATH
85. Metallica - Ride The Lightning
The line "Growing darkness taking dawn.." of the song FADE TO BLACK inspired the name of the group TAKING DAWN
86. Metallica - Ride The Lightning
The song TRAPPED UNDER ICE inspired the name of the group TRAPPED UNDER ICE
87. Mgła - Groza
The album title inspired the name of the group GROZA.
88. Misfits - Walk Among Us
The song HATE BREEDERS inspired the name of the group HATEBREED
89. Moahni Moahna - Why
The song title ANGTORIA inspired the name of the group ANGTORIA (Please note the partial lineup overlap between these groups)
90. Morbid Angel - Altars Of Madness
The song SUFFOCATION inspired the name of the group SUFFOCATION
91. Morbid Angel - Altars Of Madness
The song BLASPHEMY inspired the name of the group BLASPHEMY
92. Morbid Angel - Altars Of Madness
The song CHAPEL OF GHOULS inspired the one part of the name of the group CHAPEL OF DISEASE
93. Morbid Angel - Covenant
The song ANGEL OF DISEASE inspired the one part of the name of the group CHAPEL OF DISEASE
94. Morbid Angel - Formulas Fatal To The Flesh
The song HEAVING EARTH inspired the name of the group HEAVING EARTH.
95. Motörhead - Another Perfect Day
The song DANCING ON YOUR GRAVE inspired the name of the group SEPULTURA (which is Portuguese for grave)
96. Motörhead - Overkill
The album title inspired the name of the group OVERKILL
97. Naked City - Naked City
The song FUCK THE FACTS inspired the name of the group FUCK THE FACTS
98. Napalm Death - Time Waits For No Slave
The song AD NAUSEUM inspired the name of the group AD NAUSEAM
99. Nuclear Assault - Game Over
The band name and probably songs like "After The Holocaust" inspired the name of the group TOXIC HOLOCAUST.
100. Paradise Lost - Host
The album/song title HOST inspired the name of the group HOST (Please note the partial lineup overlap between these groups)
101. 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
102. Queensrÿche - Operation: Mindcrime
The album title inspired the name of the group OPERATION: MINDCRIME (Please note the partial lineup overlap between these groups)
103. Rainbow - Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow
The song MAN ON THE SILVER MOUNTAIN inspired the name of the group SILVER MOUNTAIN
104. 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].
105. Running Wild - Blazon Stone
The album title inspired the name of the group BLAZON STONE
106. Rush - Fly By Night
The song ANTHEM inspired the name of the group ANTHEM
107. Rush - Clockwork Angels
The song HALO EFFECT inspired the name of the group THE HALO EFFECT
108. Sabbat (JPN) - Evoke
The song METALUCIFER AND EVILUCIFER inspired the name of the group METALUCIFER
109. Sepultura - Morbid Visions
The song TROOPS OF DOOM inspired the name of the group THE TROOPS OF DOOM
110. 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.
111. Slayer - Reign In Blood
The song NECROPHOBIC inspired the name of the group NECROPHOBIC
112. 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
113. Slipknot - Iowa
The album title inspired the name of the group IOWA
114. Swans - Filth
The song WEAKLING inspired the name of the group WEAKLING
115. The Damned - Machine Gun Etiquette
The album title inspired the name of the group THEE MICHELLE GUN ELEPHANT
116. The Haunted - The Haunted Made Me Do It
The song BURY YOUR DEAD inspired the name of the group BURY YOUR DEAD
117. Terrorizer - World Downfall
The song RIPPED TO SHREDS inspired the name of the group RIPPED TO SHREDS.
118. Thy Serpent - Forest Of Witchery
The song WINE FROM TEARS inspired the name of the group WINE FROM TEARS
119. Tristania - Widow's Weeds
The song ANGELLORE inspired the name of the group ANGELLORE
120. Trouble - Manic Frustration
The song MEMORY'S GARDEN inspired the name of the group MEMORY GARDEN
121. Type O Negative - World Coming Down
The song LUNG inspired the name of the group GREEN LUNG
122. 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
123. 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.
124. Venom - Welcome To Hell
The song ANGEL DUST inspired the name of the German group ANGEL DUST
125. Venom - Welcome To Hell
The song ONE THOUSAND DAYS IN SODOM inspired the name of the group SODOM
126. Venom - Welcome To Hell
The song MAYHEM WITH MERCY inspired the name of the group MAYHEM
127. Venom - Black Metal
The song COUNTESS BATHORY inspired the name of the group BATHORY
128. 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)
129. Voivod - Rrröööaaarrr
The song KORGÜL THE EXTERMINATOR inspired the name of the group KORGÜL THE EXTERMINATOR
130. VON - Satanic Blood
The song WATAIN inspired the name of the group WATAIN
131. 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
132. Watain - Casus Luciferi
The song DEVIL`S BLOOD inspired the name of the group THE DEVIL`S BLOOD
133. Wino - Adrift
The album/song title inspired the name of the group SPIRIT ADRIFT (together with Yob's song "Adrift In The Ocean", see below)
134. Windir - 1184
The song HEIDRA inspired the name of the group HEIDRA.
135. Yob - Atma
The song ADRIFT IN THE OCEAN inspired the name of the group SPIRIT ADRIFT (together with Wino's album "Adrift", see above)



Disclaimer: All top lists are unofficial and do not represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
[ More lists by Plattner ]



Comments

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Comments: 15   Visited by: 40 users
10.03.2023 - 20:43
Plattner
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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10.03.2023 - 23:41
F3ynman
Nocturnal Bro
Contributor
Slayer's song "Necrophobic" inspired Necrophobic
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11.03.2023 - 08:15
Plattner
Written by F3ynman on 10.03.2023 at 23:41

Slayer's song "Necrophobic" inspired Necrophobic

Thank you very much, F3ynman2000.
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22.05.2023 - 23:08
Plattner
Please feel free to suggest more examples.
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22.05.2023 - 23:20
Nejde
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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22.05.2023 - 23:26
Plattner
Written by Nejde on 22.05.2023 at 23:20

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.

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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22.05.2023 - 23:31
Plattner
Written by Nejde on 22.05.2023 at 23:20

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.

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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23.05.2023 - 06:21
Plattner
Written by Nejde on 22.05.2023 at 23:20

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.

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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23.05.2023 - 14:52
Starvynth
i c deaf people
Staff
Written by Plattner on 22.05.2023 at 23:08

Please feel free to suggest more examples.

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)
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signatures = SPAM
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23.05.2023 - 17:36
Roman Doez
Hallucigenia
How do you keep coming up with those cool list ideas, I'm impressed
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23.05.2023 - 20:19
Plattner
Written by Starvynth on 23.05.2023 at 14:52

Written by Plattner on 22.05.2023 at 23:08

Please feel free to suggest more examples.

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)

Thank you very much for your great contribution, Starvynth.
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23.05.2023 - 20:22
Plattner
Written by Roman Doez on 23.05.2023 at 17:36

How do you keep coming up with those cool list ideas, I'm impressed

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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24.05.2023 - 15:40
Zap
I was exptecting a lot of Black Sabbath and I am not disappointed.
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19.04.2024 - 22:50
Plattner
Summary added to the introduction section.
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05.11.2024 - 22:54
Plattner
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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