Listening to Fantasy Metal as I Write

Jeff Brooks
Sep 5, 2014
2 min read

Updated: Feb 4, 2022

This is an interesting topic, one very close to my heart--err, ears, I suppose. Now, this is assuming I'm actually in a place where I can listen to some music. My office at work, for example, doesn't have any speakers hooked up at the computer.

Blegh.

But when I'm at home, settled into my desk, fingers eager to tap away at my keyboard . . . that's where the music magic happens.

I have a bunch of specific bands I listen to when I'm writing, and they're all fantasy metal. Sure, sometimes Queen or Bowie or The Police are great to listen to, but when I'm writing fantasy, I want a sound track that'll fit the mood I'm in. That involved going a bit off the beaten path. Sonata Arctica, Rhapsody of Fire, Dark Moor, Kamelot, Fairyland, Nightwish . . . each of these bands offers me something that I can't get from the music on the radio. They all offer that fantasy edge, without the annoying screaming vocals prevalent in the heavy metal genre. I've included a list of some of my favorite songs. Each of them gives me flashes of heroes running through woods, epic battles being waged across war-torn plains, magic, and mayhem. Sometimes these songs don't quite fit the scene I'm writing, sure. But most of the time, they work. And they work well They get my mind churning with ideas. They get my fingers typing.

They get me writing, and there's not much better than that.

So if you've got some time, want to write a bit of fantasy, go ahead and have a listen. You might end up finding some music you didn't realize you liked!

Bye Bye Beautiful by Nightwish