At first glance, heavy metal and classical music might seem worlds apart. A deeper listen, however, reveals some striking similarities. Both genres embrace soaring technical mastery, dramatic dynamic contrasts, and grand, larger-than-life compositions that captivate audiences. In this way, in fact, heavy metal shares with its spiritual cousin, prog rock, a deep debt to classical music.
Classical melodies and themes have long been a wellspring of inspiration for heavy metal artists, shaping the genre in profound ways. Here are 11 standout examples of heavy metal tracks that draw directly from the classical tradition.
Classical music in metal: 11 key tracks
1. Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath (1970)
The British pioneers of heavy metal forged the genre with an iconic riff inspired by 'Mars' from Gustav Holst’s cosmic masterpiece, The Planets. Holst’s use of the ominous tritone, Diabolus in Musica, laid the groundwork for heavy metal’s dark sound—decades before its time—proving that classical music, particularly Holst’s visionary work, directly influenced the birth and essence of heavy metal.
2. Am I Evil? by Diamond Head (1980)
Holst is again echoed in Diamond Head’s ‘Am I Evil?’, which opens with a pounding riff inspired once again by 'Mars, the Bringer of War'. Seeking something heavier and faster, the band drew from both Black Sabbath and Holst. The song’s near eight-minute length and dark orchestration helped shape thrash metal’s foundations, further cementing Holst’s unexpected but vital influence on the evolution of heavy metal.
3. Metal Heart by Accept (1985)
German heavy metal outfit Accept paid homage to their classical forefathers with the title track to their 1985 album Metal Heart, based around the melodies of Tchaikovsky’s Marche slave in B-flat minor and Beethoven’s ‘Für Elise’ (Bagatelle No. 25). And, in a nice acknowledgement to their classical brethren, the group proudly credit the two composers on the album’s credits: ‘Metal Heart is inspired by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Ludwig van Beethoven’.
4. Play With Me by Extreme (1989)
Extreme may be best known for their ballad ‘More Than Words’, but guitarist Nuno Bettencourt’s classical influences shine on ‘Play With Me’.
The track opens with a blistering five-second rendition of Mozart’s Rondo Alla Turca, capturing his freewheeling spirit—earning Mozart the title of “first rock star” among metal fans. Though brief, the quote makes a bold statement. The song also gained fame through its appearance in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure.
5. Will The Sun Rise by Stratovarius (1996)
Finnish power metal group Stratovarius are another band hugely influenced by classical music, particularly with composers from the Baroque era, as exemplified on ‘Will the Sun Rise?’
Sounding like a speeding train out of control, it shifts gear midway, and goes into full-blown, frenzied classical mode, as guitar and keyboard duel away on JS Bach’s Violin Concerto in A minor.
6. Red Light in My Eyes by Children of Bodom (1997)
Also hailing from Finland, Children of Bodom are more on the melodic death metal end of the musical scale. This epic two-parter from their 1997 debut album Something Wild owes something to both Bach and Mozart.
At the start of Part 1, it makes use of Bach’s Invention No. 13 in A minor, while Part 2 begins with a guitar intro taken from Mozart's Symphony No. 25, before arriving at the 0:27 minute mark, where the keyboard part elicits the 'Confutatis' sequence from his Requiem.
7. The Divine Wings of Tragedy by Symphony X (1996)
American prog-metal purveyors Symphony X have regularly incorporated classical pieces into their music. This is largely due to the group’s primary songsmith and guitarist Michael Romeo. Introduced to the works of the classical masters at a young age, these became his musical textbook while he was learning his instrument.
One track that particularly showcases this influence is the epic 20-minute title track to the group's 1996 album, The Divine Wings of Tragedy which plunders Holst’s ‘Mars, Bringer of War’ and Bach’s Mass in B minor throughout.
8. The Wizard's Last Rhymes by Rhapsody (2001)
Italian symphonic metal group Rhapsody (now renamed Rhapsody of Fire) is heavily influenced by the greats of classical music, running the gamut from Vivaldi to Paganini and beyond. They even had famed Hammer Horror actor Christopher Lee appear on their 2004 album, Symphony of Enchanted Lands II: The Dark Secret.
I’m choosing the track, ‘The Wizard's Last Rhymes’, the majestic closing number to their 2001 album Rain of a Thousand Flames, which quotes the melody from Antonín Dvořák's Symphony No. 9, 'From the New World'.
9. Forever by Kamelot (2001)
American symphonic power metal group Kamelot also dig deep into the classical music catalogue. Their song ‘Forever’ from their 2001 album Karma takes the inspiration for its main melody from ‘Solveig’s Song’, from Edvard Grieg's beautiful suite Peer Gynt.
10. Air by Yngwie Malmsteen (2002)
Hearing Paganini’s 24 Caprices in his teens inspired Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen to fuse classical music with heavy metal, birthing neo-classical metal. A devoted admirer of JS Bach, Malmsteen once said, “To me, Bach is like, the closest thing to God.”
He pays tribute on 2002’s ‘Air’—a blazing, metal-infused cover of Bach’s Air on the G String—showcasing his technical mastery and reverence for classical tradition within the framework of high-speed guitar virtuosity.
And... the track that brought Mozart to a new generation
11. Lacrymosa by Evanescence (2006)
Amy Lee, lead vocalist with Goth metal merchants Evanescence, first become smitten with Mozart’s music at the age of nine, after watching the 1984 film adaption of Mozart’s life, Amadeus. This led to Lee developing a lifelong appreciation of all that classical music had to offer.
This was highlighted on her group’s 2006 song ‘Lacrymosa’ where she pays homage to Mozart by assimilating the ‘Lacrimosa’ segment from Mozart's Requiem into the song – one of Lee’s personal favourite pieces. Lee and co. later reworked the song for their 2017 album, Synthesis, where it was given an orchestral makeover, with the parent album topping the US Billboard Classical Albums chart. And with Evanescence’s much younger demographic, it also helped introduce the name of Mozart to a whole new generation of music lovers.
Pics: Getty Images