I recently got a copy of ‘Wishmaster’ by the band Nightwish. It’s fun in a cheezy, playing D&D while you listen to heavy-metal kinda-way. I’m looking for more music of this type to put together a nice mix CD that I can smirk to whilst decimating hordes of orcs. Anyone have any suggestions?
Blind Guardian might be right up your alley. A friend of mine has dubbed them “nerd rock.” They have plenty of fantasy-themed songs based on Arthurian legend, the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, and other sources. They’re one of my favorite bands, as you might have guessed by my user name. Their album Nightfall in Middle Earth is based on the Silmarillion, and is probably their best album. Very much worth a listen. Imaginations from the Other Side, A Night at the Opera, and Somewhere Far Beyond are also great albums.
Rhapsody is another band to check out, though I’ve only heard a handful of their songs and can’t provide recommendations for specific albums. They have a bombastic sound that’s perfect for the getting in the mood to slay heaps of orcs. At the risk of hijacking the thread, I could use a recommendation or two on Rhapsody albums to check out first if some other metalhead dopers check in, since I’m planning to buy some new music when I get my tax refund.
If you want cheesy, you can’t go wrong with Manowar. They have a bunch of fantasy-themed songs, though they do branch out into other testosterone-laden subjects more than either of my first two examples. Kings of Metal, Fighting the World, The Triumph of Steel, and Louder Than Hell all have good tracks that would fit what you’re looking for.
Also check out Hammerfall. All sorts of good fantasy-type songs. I’ve really enjoyed the couple of albums I’ve picked up from them.
And if you want really cheesy, look up a band called Dragonforce. They’re fun, but you’ll want crackers for all of the cheese.
There are lots of bands out there like that, I don’t listen to a whole lot of it, but you might want some Virgin Steele, lots of swords and stuff like that, one of my favorites too. You might want to check out some early Savatage, and of course there’s always Dio.
There’s plenty more but my mind is a bit screwy right now from being sick.
Second vote for Manowar. They’re terrible, but in a good way. I regularly use Fighting the World to torment friends.
You might also want to try Cirith Ungol, if you can find them.
Blind Guardian and Helloween are both pretty good for that sort of thing.
God, I feel old. I saw the title of the OP, and thought fictional metals, from science fiction and fantasy literature, were what was being referenced.
Thank you to the OP and everyone who has replied! I don’t listen to metal at all (and in fact, I hate most of it), but I was recently turned on to Nightwish too. Now I’ve been wanting to seek out more overwrought, melodramatic, minor-keyed, fantasy-inspired metal, and I will be seeking some of these out.
Me, too.
How about a song from another kind of source?
Instruments Of Destruction
and
Nothing’s Gonna Stand In Our Way.
From the soundtrack from Transformers: The Motion Picture.
Oh Bosda! That is a great '80s melodramatic hair metal soundtrack! So much fun to blast in the car, or when playing with action figures.
My personal favorites are Dare and The Touch . 
Check out Jag Panzers’ Thane to the Throne. I prefer Rotting Christ myself, however.
“Captain Gutgore Blooddrink” — :dubious:
…nice name…you get that at your local Cub Scout Troop meeting?
The genre is power metal, and although not all of it features fantasy lyrics, a lot of it does. AMG does have a power metal entry, so you might check that out as well.
Rhapsody and Blind Guardian are both most excellent. Dragonforce have got the cheez factor going on, but they’re also one of the fastest bands I’ve ever heard. For other standouts that haven’t been mentioned yet, check out Iced Earth, Vision Divine, Sonata Arctica, Nevermore, Dream Evil, Angra, Adagio, Symphony X and Royal Hunt. Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Rage were big in the history of power metal, but they may not be fantastic enough for you.
Amon Amarth had the fantasy theme going on on their first album (Once Sent from the Golden Hall), but their sound’s a bit different from what you’d be used to. Still, check it out.
I was going to suggest Slashinium, myself.
I was thinking of Harbenite, from Edgar Rice Burroughs, or arenak, from E.E. Smith
A few others: After Forever, Andromeda, Angel Dust, Battlelore, Brainstorm, Demons & Wizards (made up of members of Iced Earth and Blind Guardian), Edenbridge, Epica, Falconer, Kamelot, Labyrinth, Onward (one of my personal favorites), Pagan’s Mind, Power Symphony, Secret Sphere, Stratovarius (who pretty much defined modern power metal, as far as I can tell), Tad Morose and Therion (at least on Deggial).
Hawkwind has a live double album based on the Elric saga. I believe it’s called Chronicles of the Black Sword. (Michael Moorcock has a long history with Hawkwind.)