Last week, I published a mini mix-tape of tracks for Warhammer 40k fans who need a break from Sabaton - and the community response was incredible. Readers came back with dozens and dozens more bands and song recommendations, plus an overwhelming cry that Bolt Thrower should have been on the first list. So here are 15 more great 40k tracks and albums, this time picked by the community - including four separate songs called 'Blood for the Blood God'.
When picking tracks for the original article I wanted music that had Warhammer 40k vibes, but which wasn't explicitly referencing Warhammer 40k factions or lore (hence why Bolt Thrower didn't make it into that first article). This time, to narrow down the incredible range of music suggested by fans, I've picked only songs that are about the 40k universe.
Bolt Thrower - Realm of Chaos: Slaves to Darkness
Thrash metal with an occasional doomy edge, this is the late '80s in a very pure form. Published by Earache records, the original pressing of Realm of Chaos: Slaves to Darkness used John Sibbick's iconic cover art from the first edition of Warhammer 40k for the record sleeve. I suggest 'Through the Eye of Terror' as a recommended track, both for its exemplary machine-noise guitars, and the explicit lyrical references to Warhammer 40k lore - though you'll have to decode the metal growls to work them out.
D-Rok - Oblivion
For about three years in the early 90s, Games Workshop had a record label - Nottingham-based metal band D-Rok were among its few signings. The rights to their debut and only album Oblivion are lost to the warp, so the only way to listen to it now is via a YouTube recording of an original cassette. Notable tracks include 'Noise Marines', which - with its mix of heavy metal and glam rock - is a great fit for the subject matter, and 'Get Out of My Way' and 'Red Planet Blues', which both feature guitar by Queen's Bryan May.
Sabbat - Blood for the Blood God
'Blood for the Blood God' was released exclusively as a free flexidisc inside White Dwarf magazine 95 in 1987 (though it wasn't an actual Warhammer Records signing). Metal, unsurprisingly, and lots of fun, though it puts me more in mind of Night Lords camp than World Eaters' frenzy. Still a great time.
Debauchery - Blood for the Blood God
Now here's a song that sounds like it was written by a Khorne worshipper - 'Blood for the Blood God' has relentless rhythmic guitar and drums, and vocals like a meat grinder chewing on someone's arm. The official music video is a bit more Slaaneshi coded, though (it has boobs in it).
Death Valley Knights - Blood for the Blood God
'Blood for the Blood God' is an incredibly high energy take on the lore of Khorne, a shout-along power metal anthem that is pretty explicit about its connection to Warhammer 40k. It's a little bit too coherent to truly match the World Eaters' freak, but it's immense fun.
Gunship - Blood for the Blood God
Okay, this is getting silly. 'Blood for the Blood God' mixes Gunship's high energy synthwave EDM with industrial rock from LA's HEALTH. The psychedelic music video is framed by operatic narration by Doug Bradley, aka Pinhead from the Hellraiser movies. Of all the Blood for the Blood Gods this is the least World Eaters coded, but it's also one of the most genuinely chaotic.
Chainsword - Chapter XII
Polish death metal band Chainsword's debut album 'Chapter XII' is themed entirely around the World Eaters, and yet somehow there isn't a song called Blood for the Blood God on it. A missed opportunity - but still worth a listen.
Our Martyred Lady - Heresy
Vocalist Richard Pell and instrumentalist Jacob Lizotte have cut two Warhammer 40k themed EPs as 'Our Martyred Lady', both of them symphonic deathcore growlfests reminiscent of Lorna Shore. Machine gun drums and chainsaw guitar breakdowns with symphonic strings make this some of the most brutal and gothic 40k-themed music out there.
Evertale - the Great Brother War
German metal band Evertale's album 'The Great Brother War' reimagines the Horus Heresy as insanely hype, high energy power metal. I'll shout out 'All Hail the Crimson King' for being such a passionate retelling of the burning of Prospero that it almost made me think that Magnus did nothing wrong. He did though. He did so much wrong.
Da Gof Rockerz - Ork Rockstar
Da Gof Rockerz don't make music about Warhammer 40k, they make music from the Warhammer 40k universe, specifically from the perspective of the rambunctious Orks. Energetic and frequently silly metal, Da Gof Rockerz have been making 40k themed music for longer than most, and no-one else has such a relentless commitment to Orkiness - 'Ork Rockstar' is a good example of their energy.
Colm McGuinness - Sanguis Invictus
Irish singer-songwriter Colm McGuinness makes folk, shanties, and other music with refrains you can sing along to set in a variety of pop culture universes, including 40k. I'm a big sucker for 'Sanguis Invictus', a Blood Angels battle hymn sung fully in Latin.
Jonathan Young - Waaaagh!
Young has a whole cycle of Warhammer 40k themed metal songs: I picked 'Waaagh!' because it genuinely sounds like it was made by Orks. I mean that in the best possible way: bellowed war chants apparently recorded on top of someone letting rip with a belt-fed machinegun. Sheer class.
Miracle of Sound - Across the Burning Stars
Irish rocker Gavin Dunne made his name with songs inspired by videogame franchises, and it was good news for Warhammer 40k fans when Owlcat Games sponsored him to make a song about Rogue Trader. 'Across the Burning Stars' is industrial rock with a church organ, and it slaps.
Lorcan Ward
If it weren't for the greater lore accuracy in the lyrics, you could almost think Lorcan Ward's 40k-themed metal came straight out of the early '90s alongside Sabbat and D-Rok. I mean that as a compliment - this is earnest 40k themed thrash metal.
Rob Sigurd - Gains for the Imperium.
Siguard's 'Gains for the Imperium' playlist collects an album's worth of 40k metal songs that blend chugging guitar with highly produced synths. Though the title suggests this is gym music, it would fit right at home in a videogame soundtrack - like if Mick Gordon had recorded the Darktide soundtrack instead of Jesper Kyd.
Inevitably I've missed a whole bunch of other songs - so why not tell me and the rest of team Wargamer about them in the Wargamer Discord community? And to keep up to date with news, reviews, features, and (very occasional) interviews with folks making 40k-themed music, subscribe to the Wargamer newsletter.