Touched By The Crimson King: Power Metal Part 2

Okay.

So if you’re following my blog you know that there are three different topics I’m focusing on: Writing, Watches, and Power Metal.  Duh.  However, things may get out of order at times, so that’s why I’m labeling them “Part Such And Such.”  (Example: Part 19 of Writing may come out before Part 3 of Watches.  Who knows?)

In Power Metal Part 1 I shared the first album that truly enticed me into Power Metal: Iced Earth’s The Glorious Burden.

Well, it was a good thing that the internet existed in 2004 because after I listened to The Glorious Burden over and over until the cd began skipping I was desperate for more.  Yes, I further explored Iced Earth’s catalog, but I still wanted more.

Searches on Amazon led me from Iced Earth to a band called Demons & Wizards.  Demons & Wizards was a supergroup, meaning that the band was made up of multiple bands.  The “Demons” aspect of the group was Jon Schaffer, the main dude from Iced Earth who wrote all the songs and played guitar.  The “Wizards” aspect of the band was Hansi Kursch, lead singer of the band Blind Guardian.  As of 2004 when I discovered Demons & Wizards they had only released one self-titled album in 1999.  So I immediately bought it and loved it and followed my self-made rabbit hole down into Blind Guardian’s music.  But that is another post for another day…

From 2004 to 2006 I was studying.  A lot.  In order to have a decent chance to get accepted into dental school, I had to take a whole bunch of science classes that I had not taken during undergrad at UNC.  I spent 2 full years studying biology, chemistry, physics, anatomy and physiology, and organic chemistry.  Then in the summer of 2005 I had the most wonderful experience of taking the DAT, the Dental Admission Test.  I spent weeks upon weeks studying and memorizing every possible question and answer that could possibly be on this 5+ hour test.  It was nuts, but I did it.  With help.  I had the help of my most awesome cd collection.  And, most importantly, I had the help of my new favorite music, Power Metal.

So, I’m studying and listening to blaring heavy metal for like 15+ hours a day in preparation for this test that I’m taking in July.  (Note: I was a high school English teacher at this time so I had the entire summer off work to devote all of my time to this test.  I was SUPPOSED to have been studying for months leading up to taking the DAT, but something happened that hindered my studying.  What was that?  Oh, this thing called World Of Warcraft came out and I became immediately addicted to it.  I would have to cancel my account in order to properly study for the DAT, but thankfully World Of Warcraft does not qualify as Writing, Watches, or Power Metal so I don’t have to go further into detail about that subject at this time.)

Why am I listening to very loud heavy metal music while studying you ask?  That’s because I’ve always had a difficult time concentrating on things in absolute silence.  You can call it ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) if you want because that’s what it is.  I used to take medicine to help me concentrate but I found in dental school that the meds made my hand shake.  That ain’t good in dentistry, I can tell you that.  For me, I’ve found if there is so much going on around me I often find it easier to concentrate as opposed to finding myself disturbed by each little peep of sound or movement.  So, heavy metal music helps me concentrate.  I still listen to it loudly (but in headphones) when I’m writing or sometimes reading while on an airplane or train.

Anyway, so when you’re studying 15+ hours a day and constantly listening to album after album after album, you start to desire new music that you haven’t heard yet.  Well, at least I do!  I’m always looking for new music to listen to for the first time.  The first time I hear something new I’m often shocked with surprise at how it sounds.  However, it’s the second and third and fourth time that I listen to something new that things start to come out.  I now notice such and such that I didn’t notice the first time around.

Obviously we also know that I’m a big reader.  This comes into play next.

Summer 2005.  The DAT test is coming up.  I’m studying my tail off and craving new music.  Then all of the sudden Demons & Wizards release Touched By The Crimson King! 

Demons & Wizards Touched By The Crimson King

My favorite supergroup rescue me when I need them to help while I’m super-studying.  Four songs based on Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series would lead me down the path to reading the epic series, still one of my favorites of all time!  There are songs based on The Lord Of The Rings, Moby Dick, and The Wizard Of Oz!  I’m in absolute heaven!  Demons & Wizards for the win!

I finish studying for the DAT, take the test, and pass.  Whew!  I would still have to wait for interviews and such and such to finish the dental school application process, but I had passed the most difficult aspect as far as I was concerned.  Except for dental school, of course…

ds

April 15, 2025