# Looking for rock music that evokes fantasy **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 15, 2009, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-rock-music-that-evokes-fantasy/481423 "2009-01-15T14:21:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Autumn\_Almanac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d26b3c/32.png) [@Autumn\_Almanac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autumn_Almanac)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-rock-music-that-evokes-fantasy/481423/1 "2009-01-15T14:21:04Z")
Let’s see if I can explain this adequately… I’m looking for rock albums that evoke fantasy or fantasy settings. Not necessarily just lyrics that are about swords ‘n’ sorcery (though they can be), but more of the overall picture that it paints-- music that is pastoral, but also feels somehow exotic or otherworldly. Some albums I have in mind as examples are _English Settlement_ by XTC, _Fumbling Towards Ecstasy_ by Sarah McLachlan, _Bee Thousand_ by Guided by Voices, or _The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society_. Any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![Mithril](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mithril/32/3517_2.png) [@Mithril](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mithril)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-rock-music-that-evokes-fantasy/481423/2 "2009-01-15T14:41:31Z")
A band called Blind Guardian has an album called Nightfall on Middle Earth. There are a couple of songs in which you can almost hear elves prancing around. They are a metal-ish kind of band, generally. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-rock-music-that-evokes-fantasy/481423/3 "2009-01-15T14:46:14Z")
“I Kissed a Girl” evokes a fanta… Oh. Tolkienesque fantasy… Nevermind. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-rock-music-that-evokes-fantasy/481423/4 "2009-01-15T15:02:12Z")
Sylvan Song / Dream of the Archer by Heart. Crazy Man Michael by Fairport Convention. (Okay, that’s more straight up folk but they were a folk rock band.) ETA: Ohhh, albums, nevermind. Although by throwing in some other early Heart on a selective basis, you could get a qualifying album. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-rock-music-that-evokes-fantasy/481423/5 "2009-01-15T15:02:39Z")
Don’t a lot of Led Zepplin songs have Tolkien references: T’was in the darkest depths of Mordor I met a girl so fair, But Gollum, the evil one Crept up and slipped away with her" -Ramble on, Led Zepplin ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-rock-music-that-evokes-fantasy/481423/6 "2009-01-15T15:19:55Z")
The TVTropes page for [Power Metal](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HeavyMithril) may be a good place to get an idea of who sings this sort of music. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-rock-music-that-evokes-fantasy/481423/7 "2009-01-15T15:25:37Z")
_Song of Scheherazade_ - **Renaissance** , among others. A random listen of their catalog, especially the earlier stuff, will result in a number of things that fit. \*Through the Fire and Flames \*- **Dragonforce** Hardly “pastoral,” but fantasy-evoking nonetheless. ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-rock-music-that-evokes-fantasy/481423/8 "2009-01-15T15:26:45Z")
Kashmir, by Led Zeppelin. It does not have the explicit allusions like other Zeppelin songs, but it is tremendously evocative. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-rock-music-that-evokes-fantasy/481423/9 "2009-01-15T15:28:58Z")
Almost anything by the Moody Blues, Pink Floyd, and Todd Rundgren (especially Tubular Bells). ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-rock-music-that-evokes-fantasy/481423/10 "2009-01-15T15:31:21Z")
“Lords of the Ring” by Styx, on the _Pieces of Eight_ album. Even were it not for the title, it’s pretty clearly an homage to Tolkien. _Tales of Mystery and Imagination_ is an Alan Parsons Project concept album about Edgar Allen Poe. Some very otherwordly, evocative tunes on it. Haven’t heard it myself, but Amazon lists _A Night in Rivendell_ by Peter Hall and Caspar Reiff. Might be worth a listen. ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-rock-music-that-evokes-fantasy/481423/11 "2009-01-15T15:40:59Z")
The first band that leapt to mind is Sigur Ros (I particularly like [Hoppipolla](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EyI4p0yjDQ), because it has this wonderful hopeful epic feel to it… plus the video is warm-fuzzy all over) It’s not quite as “rock” as some of the suggestions so far, but since Sarah McLachlan got a mention in the OP, I’m assuming you’re working with a fairly loose definition of the word. If that fits the bill, you may also want to check out Mum, which has a similar sound on some of their tracks, though they’ve got a bit more of an ambient-electronic sort of vibe ([Green Grass of Tunnel](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHTFmJk7fH0) is nice) ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-rock-music-that-evokes-fantasy/481423/12 "2009-01-15T15:41:06Z")
There is a lot of older Rush like Hemispheres and 2112 and Farewell to Kings. Yes of course, especially Close to the Edge, Relayer and Topographic Ocean. Led Zeppelin has been mentioned and Zep IV especially does with Battle Evermore, Stairway to Heaven and Misty Mountain Hop. [Shadowfax](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadowfax_(band))and [David Arkenstone](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Arkenstone)are both successful at evoking fantasy imagery. Actually most New Age and Prog Rock bands will probably have an album or 5 that evoke fantasy. [Tangerine Dream](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tangerine_Dream) has at least a dozen I would think. Especially the soundtrack to [Legend](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089469/)with [Jon Anderson](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0026963/)of Yes. Hey **Liberal** , [Tubular Bells](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tubular_Bells)was Mike Oldfield. I have the CD at home. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-rock-music-that-evokes-fantasy/481423/13 "2009-01-15T15:43:28Z")
Check out Uriah Heep’s “Demons and Wizards”. Also some early albums by the band Camel, such as “Mirage” or “Moonmadness”. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-rock-music-that-evokes-fantasy/481423/14 "2009-01-15T15:51:22Z")
Well, of course you have your basic 60s, 70s, and 80s progressive or art rock bands for litteral fantasy. Pretty much anything by: Pink Floyd Jethro Tull Moody Blues Rush Yes etc, etc Along the lines of Sarah MacLachlan “pastoral and otherworldly” you might also try Tori Amos, Enya, Dido, 10,000 Maniacs/Natalie Merchant Frou Frou/Imogen Heap. I would also recommend: Coldplay (A Rush of Blood to the Head, X&Y, Viva la Vida) Radiohead (Kid A) Thievery Corporation Portishead You might also like the sountracks to Garden State and Vanilla Sky. “Altered states of reality” are common themes in both films and their soundtracks reflect that. > [@madmonk28](#): > > Don’t a lot of Led Zepplin songs have Tolkien references: > > T’was in the darkest depths of Mordor > I met a girl so fair, > But Gollum, the evil one > Crept up and slipped away with her" > -Ramble on, Led Zepplin Ha ha! Robert Plant got cock-blocked by Gollum. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-rock-music-that-evokes-fantasy/481423/15 "2009-01-15T15:54:23Z")
_Anything_ by Mike Oldfield will fit. Try _Five Miles Out_ or _Hergest Ridge_. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-rock-music-that-evokes-fantasy/481423/16 "2009-01-15T16:01:51Z")
Jethro Tull is good for this - Dun Ringill, The Whistler, Songs From The Woods, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Another\_Stranger\_Me](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@Another\_Stranger\_Me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Another_Stranger_Me)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-rock-music-that-evokes-fantasy/481423/17 "2009-01-15T16:33:14Z")
> [@Mithril](#): > > A band called Blind Guardian has an album called Nightfall on Middle Earth. There are a couple of songs in which you can almost hear elves prancing around. They are a metal-ish kind of band, generally. I came in here to say this. They have quite a few songs that fit your description sprinkled throughout their other albums. Specifically, the Bard’s Song(s) on the Somewhere Far Beyond album, and Skalds and Shadows on their latest album. I could go on, but I am biased since I’m a big fan (they’re the source of my doper-name). Another in the symphonic/progressive metal area is a band called Nightwish. I’m not as familiar with them, but a couple of the songs I heard qualify as fantasy. I thought it was Evanescence the first time I heard them (if that helps envision what they sound like). ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-rock-music-that-evokes-fantasy/481423/18 "2009-01-15T16:42:04Z")
Led Zeppelin’s [_Immigrant Song_.](http://users.wolfcrews.com/toys/vikings/) ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-rock-music-that-evokes-fantasy/481423/19 "2009-01-15T16:48:34Z")
You might like _Eldorado_ by the Electric Light Orchestra, or _Past Times With Good Company_ by Blackmore’s Night (it’s a live album, if you prefer studio recordings they have many). ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-rock-music-that-evokes-fantasy/481423/20 "2009-01-15T16:48:46Z")
Dang, missed the edit window. Anyway, the above to me always evokes Ar-Pharazôn’s assault on Aman from Tolkein’s _Silmarillion_. The music that is, not necessarily the video. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-rock-music-that-evokes-fantasy/481423.md?page=2)