Some people like a little Roll with their Rock while others like a lot of Geek with it. The Internet has given rise to the popularity of bands using all sorts of geek culture themes to tickle their fans’ nerdicles. Some of these bands do straight cover songs from video games or cartoons while others do full scale remixes of similar types of music, and yet others use bits of nerdy nostalgia as a starting point and build out their music from there. No matter how they do it, these bands rock out with their geek out!
Powerglove
Take a video game and/or cartoon theme song, inject it full of adrenaline, put it on a rocket-powered motorcycle and what do you get? A Powerglove song, of course! The Glove hot-rods songs with an intense metal flavor and adds some lightning fast drum and guitar work for good measure.
I Fight Dragons
I Fight Dragons is a Chicago-based nerd rock band which uses a combination of trendy pop and 8-bit sounds made with a Nintendo to create some of the most catchy and geektastic songs we’ve heard from the world of nerd music.
Minibosses
Absolute veterans of video game cover/remix scene, the Minibosses, take a traditional, rock band approach to their music. Using the instrumental route, they covers of songs from games appearing mostly on the NES.
Armcannon
Armcannon’s catalog covers quite a bit of territory. There are the remixes of video game songs done in their unique style which blends influences from metal, jazz, and synth rock just to name a few. There are also covers of movie themes, TV themes, and…..professional wrestler themes?! Indeed, there is nothing that Armcannon holds as taboo geekery!
The OneUps
If jazz, funk, a little rock, and even adult contemporary are your poisons but you want that flair applied to video games, then The OneUps is the band for you! Characterized by very high production values and excellent musicianship, The OneUps’ music definitely brings a sense of class and style to the nerd music scene.
The Protomen
Concept albums of rock opera based on the games from the Mega Man series played by nine members with awesome live performances to boot? Yep, that’s The Protomen for you. Using a dramatic presence and playing solid rock music has gained them a very loyal and active fanbase. They are currently making a documentary about their art. Look for it soon!
The Megas
The Megas take songs from the Mega Man series and cover them with a rock styling. They also add original lyrics that fit in with and convey the lore of the video game series. Painted with emotional vocals and solid arrangement, The Megas evoke a large feeling of nostalgia for fans of the Blue Bomber.
Daniel Tidwell
As a standout guitarist and all-around musician, Daniel Tidwell remixes songs from many popular video games and series such as Final Fantasy, Castlevania, Contra, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Super Mario Bros., just to name a few. His style is guitar-driven metal and shows a fine attention to detail with intricate harmonies and excellent production.
Year 200x
Here’s Year 200x in a nutshell: heavy, in-your-face metal covers of the most popular video songs around. Think fast drums, fast guitars, and a wall of sound relentlessly assaulting your ears…but in a good way. These guys are definitely for people who like their music loud and rocking!
Order of Týr
Pulling music from a vast pool of popular and some not so well-known games, dicing that up with a good portion of original bits, then garnishing with generous helpings of tropes from genres ranging from power metal to hardcore techno to film scores is exactly how Order of Týr makes their music. This straddling of remix, cover, and original combine for a potent combination that is arranged with a distinctive metal feel.
Rare Candy
Teetering between hard rock and metal with plenty of sweet synth action, Rare Candy plays video game covers with a raw and aggressive aesthetic. Their music isn’t over-produced and gives off an infectious “just played live” feel. Check them out if you’re into synth-driven rock or metal!