Looking for unusual covers of metal songs

August 17, 2004 8:35 AM

I just discovered Sabbatum, an album of Black Sabbath covers-- in latin. I've been an Apocalyptica fan for years as well. Anyone know of other albums of metal songs covered in an unusual fashion?

(Death Metal parakeets need not apply)

posted by gwint to Media & Arts (21 answers total)

Pat Boone - In A Metal Mood
Metalica feat. The San Francisco Symphony - S&M
posted by ChasFile at 8:51 AM on August 17, 2004

Well, there's Pat Boone's In a Metal Mood...
posted by kenko at 8:52 AM on August 17, 2004

Oh, and the Finnish band Hoyry-Kone covered "Starship Trooper"; it's not as odd as what's above but they do have violin, cello, and I think some brass.
posted by kenko at 8:53 AM on August 17, 2004

I once saw a Jazz quartet playing Slayer covers, but it was in a hostel in Amsterdam, so I don't remember the name.
posted by signal at 9:04 AM on August 17, 2004

Hayseed Dixie. Bluegrass covers of AC/DC, Ted Nugent & Kiss among others.
posted by jonmc at 9:08 AM on August 17, 2004

Maybe you wouldn't consider the original metal (close, though, I'd argue), but King Crimson's "Red" has been covered by the Either/Orchestra.
posted by kenko at 9:09 AM on August 17, 2004

The Alex Skolnick Trio (alex being a former member of testament) has some pretty jazzy covers of "Detroit Rock City" (ok, not really metal), and "War Pigs". It's a favorite in my office.
posted by fishfucker at 9:44 AM on August 17, 2004

Beatallica. Beatles/Metallica mix. Song titles include "And Justice For All My Loving", "Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except For Me And My Lightning", and "The Thing That Should Not Let It Be."
posted by Vidiot at 9:44 AM on August 17, 2004

also, I know there's string quartet "tributes" to both Radiohead and Nirvana and a poopload of other bands.
posted by fishfucker at 9:46 AM on August 17, 2004

Powerslaves
posted by cmonkey at 9:52 AM on August 17, 2004

Not knowing anything much about metal/rock, I might be remiss on my recommendation, but this might be worth your interest: René Pape, a young German opera singer (who I’ve heard at the Metropolitan Opera a few years ago) recently released a recording closely based on the text and music of Rammstein.

More info can be found poking around Mr. Pape's website.

Mein herz brennt is the website for the actual recording.

And of course, Rammstein's site can be accessed for information.

Here is a quote from Mr. Pape's website: "René Pape is featured on a new recording issued by the prestigious yellow label, Deutsche Grammophon, in November 2003. The album presents a new song cycle written by Torsten Rasch, an East German composer known principally for his film music. Mein Herz brennt is based on texts and music of the German rock band Rammstein, providing a unique and provocative new vision of songs by the cult industrial band that has sold more than six million recordings worldwide.”
posted by naxosaxur at 10:10 AM on August 17, 2004

gah, cmonkey beat me to the powerslaves recommendation.
of course, the cardigans have covered sabbath bloody sabbath and iron man.

and don't forget merzbow's hard lovin' man - a brutal noise album made entirely from samples of deep purple's song of the same name.
posted by nylon at 10:33 AM on August 17, 2004

(My cell's ringtone is a niced-up version of Slayer's "Raining Blood"!)
posted by dhoyt at 10:54 AM on August 17, 2004

DOKAKA!
posted by emelenjr at 11:25 AM on August 17, 2004

From naxosaxur's "Mein herz brennt" link:

"1998 erhielt er den ersten Kompositionsauftrag der Dresdner Sinfoniker für die Vertonung von "Völuspa" nach einem Gedicht aus der isländischen Heldensaga "Edda", bei der er erstmalig mit Katharina Thalbach zusammenarbeitete."

A black metal symphony, maybe?
posted by kenko at 11:38 AM on August 17, 2004

Bah. No sprechen die deutsche.
posted by naxosaxur at 12:24 PM on August 17, 2004

It's not exactly an album, but Celine Dion covered AC/DC's "You Shook Me All Night Long" a while back. Yes, really.
posted by deborah at 2:30 PM on August 17, 2004

For better AC/DC covers, try Arab Strap's cover of "You Shook Me... (on "The Cunted Circus" live album, also including a wicked "Why Can't This Be Love?"), or Mark Kozelek's entire album of lo-fi acoustic "What's Next To the Moon", an entire album of Bon Scott-era tracks.
posted by Gortuk at 3:02 PM on August 17, 2004

Another vote for Hayseed Dixie.
posted by seanyboy at 4:42 PM on August 17, 2004

Dread Zeppelin. Led Zep covers in reggae style fronted by an Elvis Impersonator.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 4:56 PM on August 17, 2004

Bah. No sprechen die deutsche.

In 1998 he received a commission from the Dresden Sinfonia to score "Voluspa", a poem from the Icelandic heroic sagas ("Edda"), for which he collaborated with Katharina Thalback for the first time.

(Yes, the German really is in that very convoluted style).

No word on whether it's in a metal style, I'm afraid.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 5:04 PM on August 17, 2004