Descriptions:
A look at three concept albums that each try to adapt one of the twentieth century’s greatest fantasy authors…
Album links
The Chronicle of the Black Sword (studio version): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3E790C973D81AFE7
The Chronicle of the Black Sword (live show): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZXZwed9AsQ
Live Chronicles (full audio): https://hawkwindofficial.bandcamp.com/album/live-chronicles
Nightfall in Middle-earth: https://blindguardian.bandcamp.com/album/nightfall-in-middle-earth
Cacophony: https://sealedrecords2.bandcamp.com/album/cacophony
Sources
Aitch, Iain. (2021). ‘Nobody else could make this music’: the return of underground punks Rudimentary Peni. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/apr/20/nobody-else-could-make-this-music-the-return-of-underground-punks-rudimentary-peni
Aptis, Orestes. (1998). Journey to Middle-earth. https://blindguardian.fisek.com.tr/interviews/iv7.html
Banks, Joe. (2026). Nudity on stage, handing out drugs at shows, police searches, stabbings and a fatal crash: The roots of Hawkwind, the “barbarians with electronics” accused of stealing Paul McCartney’s bass. https://www.loudersound.com/music/albums/hawkwind-early-years-in-search-of-space
Blinko, Nick. (1995). The Primal Screamer. https://archive.org/details/Primal_Screamer_9781604866636
Glasper, Ian. (2014). Day the Country Died: A History of Anarcho Punk 1980-1984. https://archive.org/details/Day_Country_Died_9781604869880
Nuclear Blast Records. (2018). BLIND GUARDIAN – ‘Nightfall In Middle-Earth’ Revisited – Pt. I. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVV97JoRQnQ
Nuclear Blast Records. (2018). BLIND GUARDIAN – ‘Nightfall In Middle-Earth’ Revisited – Pt. II. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GirG9urVpS8
Thornton, Rob. (2025). Michael Moorcock and His Music (Part 1). https://freakflag.substack.com/p/michael-moorcock-and-his-music-part
Thornton, Rob. (2025). Michael Moorcock and His Music (Part 2). https://freakflag.substack.com/p/michael-moorcock-and-his-music-part-cc2
Timecodes
0:00 Introduction
3:00 The Chronicle of the Black Sword
15:35 Nightfall in Middle-earth
31:48 Cacophony
43:57 Conclusion