Music is one of the most amazing things we as humans have created. It brightens dark days, powers a workout, and makes people dance like maniacs. It can start revolutions and spread ideas around the world thanks to the power of the interwebs. You might just be listening to music as you read this.
I listen to music while I’m working as a way to focus and keep my mind going. But after a while, the mix boils down to the last 20 songs I’ve listened to for months. So to mix it up I’ll search for bands I’ve heard in passing or browse Youtube to see what the algorithm churns out. And every once in awhile, there’s a gem that catches my attention. Here are a few notable geek bands I’ve been enjoying recently.
The Protomen
I first found this group through the webcomic Johnny Wander and have been listening to it on and off for a while. This group gained some notice for their high-energy music inspired by Megaman. Seriously. Going off themes from the first several games, the band tells stories of a world ruled by robots. Their albums are musical retellings and reimaginings of the series, and I gotta say they’re catchy. Electronic synth and guitars with a backing choir and anthemic vocals? Sign me up!
I’m not the biggest Megaman fan, I’ll admit. But the music is still energetic enough to have me doing little dances and humming along quietly. Can’t get caught dancing at work — that’d be silly. If you like Megaman, give ’em a listen and try to find the references. If you’re not, you still might enjoy what The Protomen have to offer.
Gygax
Many thanks to Loudwire for this one, I found this D&D power metal group through them. Reforged from two members of Gypsyhawk, Gygax pays tribute to the late Gary Gygax. In honor of his hand in the tabletop world, the group belts out tracks meant for high-tension encounters. The lyrics are laced with game terminology, spells, even a song dedicated to WotC’s beloved necromancer, Liliana Vess!
Enjoyable power metal for the workplace or the tavern, Gygax is a worthwhile listen. A couple of tracks are eerily reminiscent of generic fantasy music, but that may just be me. Give the first album a listen, it might just liven up your next dungeon crawl.
Wind Rose/Yogscast
This is the strangest piece of music I’ve found in some time, and that’s not a bad thing. Born from a Yogscast short, this cover by Wind Rose showed up in my feed over the summer and impressed me on a few levels.
First, let’s take the time to appreciate the journey this song took. It went from Youtube video joke to a fan-made remix to a full song with an animated music video. At that point, Wind Rose and Napalm Records said “hold my mead” and dropped this version. With nearly 6 million video views since its release, it’s safe to say this oddball song is a hit. I can almost hear dwarves singing this now.
What are some geek bands you enjoy? I’m always looking for new music and the weird is just my style. Until then, cheers!
