The 100 most overused metal band name words, revisited and revised
…
When we published the original version of this list, I promised that we’d run an updated version if you guys could come up with enough words that we missed the first time around. You did so, and we have done our bit in kind. Together, you found enough words that we missed that you pushed nearly 20 words off the original version — a most excellent effort. Scarily, several of the missed words you found actually have more entries now than they did two months ago when you called our attention to them. I thanked those who contributed to the update by name.
Not all of your labors were devoted to coming up with words we missed. At least two of you went above and beyond the call of duty. Pete Haughie, an artist whose work focuses on technology and machines, put together an excellent metal band name generator based on the original list that can accommodate as many as five overused words. I recommend selecting the “Sexify” option for some DME-style articles and prepositions. (My personal favorite band name result was “Hate Hate.”)
Meanwhile, Chris Grigg — whom many of you are familiar with via his work as the frontman and chief songwriter of the American black metal band Woe — used the contents of the original list for a purpose within his professional bailiwick. Chris is a web developer, which is neither the grimmest nor the most brutal of occupations, but he aims to metalify his job. He used the original list to populate the randomized portion of a metal URL generator, which does exactly what it says on the tin. The chill of rural Scandinavian solitude can now be felt even in the digital confines of cyberspace, where not even commenters can hear you scream.
When I compiled the original version of this post, I was repulsed by the lack of originality it displayed. I still wish that more young bands would stray further from the metal-imagery nest. After some time to reflect, though, I find all the repetitive word usage charming in a way. There’s a reason that the same set of imagery resonates with so many different people. We are not alone.
…
THE 100 MOST OVERUSED METAL BAND NAME WORDS (revised)
1. Death – 1,184 entries
2. Black – 1,157 entries
3. Dark – 1,094 entries
4. Blood – 924 entries
5. Dead – 741 entries
6. Hell – 704 entries
7. War – 731 entries
8. Necro – 632 entries
9. Soul – 538 entries
10. Night – 520 entries
11. Fall – 503 entries
12. Hate – 470 entries
13. God – 455 entries
14. Evil – 449 entries
15. Kill – 415 entries
16. Angel – 409 entries (thanks, Venger)
17. Fire – 392 entries
18. Storm – 389 entries
19. Rain – 388 entries
20. Lord – 385 entries
21. Head – 383 entries
22. Metal – 359 entries
23. Human – 347 entries
24. Light – 345 entries
25. Moon – 329 entries
26. Winter – 322 entries
27. Grave – 312 entries (thanks, David)
28. Dawn – 312 entries (thanks, DawnOwar)
29. Shadow – 304 entries
30. Demon – 300 entries
31. Satan – 298 entries
32. Pain – 297 entries
33. Eternal – 285 entries
34. Dream – 284 entries
35. Burn – 273 entries
36. Witch – 271 entries
37. Chaos – 266 entries
38. Flesh – 265 entries
39. Cult – 264 entries
40. Goat – 261 entries
41. Rage – 259 entries
42. Terror – 252 entries
43. Force – 249 entries
44. Fear – 249 entries
45. Throne – 245 entries
46.Wolf – 241 entries
47. Stone – 240 entries
48. Christ – 236 entries
49. Steel – 232 entries
50. Rot – 231 entries
51. Funeral – 230 entries
52. Hammer – 225 entries (thanks, BM)
53. Torment – 222 entries
54. Ritual – 216 entries
55. Cross – 214 entries
56. Gate – 213 entries
57. Frost – 208 entries
58. Gore – 202 entries
59. King – 200 entries (thanks, Venger)
60. Doom – 199 entries
61. Corpse – 198 entries
62. Beyond – 194 entries
63. Down – 194 entires (thanks, Nekrodjavol)
64. Machine – 190 entries (thanks, Nekrodjavol)
65. Crypt – 189 entries
66. Infernal – 189 entries
67. Wind – 189 entries
68. Brain – 185 entries
69. Lost – 178 entries
70. Grim – 175 entries
71. Ash – 175 entries
72. Legion – 174 entries (thanks, fdash)
73. Iron – 169 entries
74. Face – 167 entries
75. Raven – 166 entries
76. Spirit – 165 entries
77. Morbid – 164 entries
78. Star – 164 entries (less “bastard” and “Astaroth”; thanks, Nekrodjavol)
79. Silent – 161 entries (thanks, s8n666)
80. Tears – 162 entries (thanks, fdash)
81. Time – 160 entries (thanks, Matt M)
82. Forest – 155 entries
83. Sick – 154 entries
84. Earth – 153 entries (thanks, Venger)
85. Power – 152 entries (thanks, Frostgore)
86. Cold – 147 entries
87. Skull – 147 entries
88. Anger – 147 entries
89. Fuck – 146 entries
90. Fallen – 145 entries
91. Grind – 144 entries
92. Devil – 140 entries
93. Ruin – 140 entries
94. Plague – 138 entries (thanks, A.)
95. Thrash – 137 entries
96. Suffer – 135 entries
97. Dying – 134 entries (thanks, s8n666)
98. Murder – 133 entries
99. Divine – 133 entries
100. Slaughter – 133 entries
…