this post was submitted on 15 May 2025
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A few weeks ago there was a post asking for suggestions for female fronted heavy music and I was really grateful to OP for starting the conversation and everyone in the comments for coming up with really great suggestions.

I'm wondering if we could have a similar discussion to share more mellow covers of heavier songs. Usually when I'm working I prefer listening to less intense songs and a chill cover of a heavy song I like is somehow very interesting to me.

The song that got me wanting more of this niche was a cover of Toxicity which I've had on repeat this week. I can also think of this cover of Seven Nation Army which is kind of similar as an example but I don't really know a lot more like this.

Does anyone have any similar recommendations they enjoy?

Edit: All great suggestions so far, still working my way through them! I remembered another song which is this cover of Firestarter by The Prodigy

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[–] dumblederp@aussie.zone 8 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)
[–] EK13@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago

Ah of course, that's a good one! I sometimes forget the Johnny Cash version is a cover...

[–] Sergio@slrpnk.net 4 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

"Fuck the World" by Richard Cheese - cover of the Insane Clown Posse song in a "lounge" style. I think Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine does a lot of covers of "heavy songs" in that style but I dunno much about them: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Cheese

[–] squirrel@discuss.tchncs.de 5 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Richard Cheese's version of Slipknot's People = Shit must be the funniest song I've ever heard.

[–] actionjbone@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 weeks ago

Pretty much anything by Richard Cheese, really.

[–] EK13@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago

That was a very funny cover, thanks! Turns out Richard Cheese has a whole back catalogue I haven't heard of and some very funny album names too. Currently listening to Chop Suey from Tuxicity which is just delightful!

[–] m_f@discuss.online 4 points 2 weeks ago

The Vitamin String Quartet does a lot of instrumental covers of heavy music.

You can also try searching streaming services for phrases like " and chill" or "lofi "

[–] zabadoh@ani.social 4 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (2 children)

Ramin Djwadi's arrangements of various rock standards for the Westworld TV

Including ~~Black Sabbath's~~ the Rolling Stones' Paint It Black, for example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iZ9JRVmJ5o

Playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBKadB95sF457xDQY3CItUfiEnTeNBONC

[–] ZDL@ttrpg.network 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Rolling Stones. Rolling Stones' Paint It Black.

[–] zabadoh@ani.social 2 points 2 weeks ago

You are correct. Thanks.

[–] EK13@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

That Paint It Black cover was very cinematic, maybe not so mellow but I really liked it anyway. I haven't seen Westworld at all but I can imagine a scene with a song like this in would be amazing! Is it worth watching?

[–] zabadoh@ani.social 2 points 2 weeks ago

The first 2 seasons are. I didn't care for the third.

[–] Sterile_Technique@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Not really covers, but if you're looking for a chill approach to metal/rock, you might like Pelican or Russian Circles. Both are kind of ambient rock/metal, but no lyrics, and the instrumentals are on the relaxed end of the spectrum... like you know how a normal metal song often has a more mellow intro, then all at once the tempo takes off, the volume skyrockets, and a howler monkey starts calling for a mate? ...they're like entire songs that have that intro energy.

Fantastic background music.

[–] EK13@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

This was a bit of a happy accident, not really what I was looking for but still ended up being very cool! I hopped around a bit between both artists' top songs and I think this could be great music to work to also when the howler monkeys would otherwise be a distraction!

[–] gedaliyah@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)
[–] wizardbeard@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 2 weeks ago

There's a few more from that album, Rock Swings, like Black Hole Sun

[–] EK13@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

That whole album seems great to be honest, the backing vocals echoing ^JUMP^ on the song Jump were a nice touch!

[–] Davel23@fedia.io 4 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

There's a singer who goes by the name of Richard Cheese who specializes in doing "lounge-ified" versions of heavier songs. He's probably best known for the cover of Down With the Sickness he did for the Dawn of the Dead remake from 2004, but he has several albums filled with similar covers.

[–] Zeppo@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

The names come up as dead images for me.

[–] Davel23@fedia.io 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

The first link is to Wikipedia, the second is a YouTube video.

[–] Zeppo@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 weeks ago

No idea why, but earlier the links looked like box outlines with a question mark in the middle.

[–] EK13@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago

For some reason the links don't load for me but based on an earlier comment I guessed this must be Richard Cheese's cover of Down With The Sickness? It's a good one if so!

[–] higgsboson@dubvee.org 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Rodrigo y Gabriela? They cover Battery and a few others, iirc. And their original stuff is pretty badass too.

[–] Barentsbsrnackle@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Hellsongs have quite a few good and mellow covers, like "The Trooper".

[–] EK13@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

I really like their energy! I also listened to a couple of tracks off their album from last year and it's impressive that they released what seems like a really solid album after such a long hiatus!

[–] Peruvian_Skies@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

It's not strictly a cover since it's oficially promoted by the band and even has Till Lindemann on vocals but Sven Helbig recorded a wonderful piano version of Mein Herz Brennt by Rammstein.

[–] EK13@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

I hadn't heard the original before so I listened to it afterwards, both are great for different moods!

[–] HarvesterOfEyes@piefed.social 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)
[–] EK13@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

That particular video wasn't loading so I had to watch it on YouTube but I'm happy there are still working Invidious instances, I didn't realise that was the case! Other videos loaded for me on there just fine. The cover was great too, I saw she also has a cover of Smells Like Teen Spirit which was also good!

[–] HarvesterOfEyes@piefed.social 1 points 2 weeks ago

You can switch backends if one isn't working for you.

As for Tori Amos, this cover is off her Strange Little Girls album, a cover-only album she released in 2001. I've read it's a bit inconsistent though.

[–] gedaliyah@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] EK13@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

That was fun! I almost didn't realise that I knew the original version because it's so different!

[–] squirrel@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

This album contains beautiful covers of Queens of the Stone Age songs. Go With The Flow sung by Emiliana Torrini is especially beautiful.

[–] EK13@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

This is a great album, thank you! Listened to Go With The Flow as you suggested and also No one Knows because I was especially curious about it. Looking forward to the rest of the album now!

[–] squirrel@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

This piano cover of NOFX's Lori Meyers is still great 11 years later.

[–] EK13@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

Another great suggestion, thank you! I liked this video but I was also really glad to see that they're still making music and covering songs all these years later, it's really nice to see!

[–] Krudler@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] EK13@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

I was not expecting that jazzy, big band shift right at the start, that was fun!

[–] wizardbeard@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Pat Boone's album In A Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy is entirely this.

Judas Priest's You've Got Another Thing Coming, Metallica's Enter Sandman. Fucking Smoke On The Water, Holy Diver, Crazy Train.

All in a kind of big band jazz style. Great great stuff.

[–] EK13@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

Someone linked Enter Sandman before, it's great there's a whole album of this though!

[–] InEnduringGrowStrong@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

It's not necessarily heavy songs to begin with, but the soundtrack for Bridgerton has a few instrumental covers with string instruments that are an interesting take.
One of the groups that does these covers is Vitamin String Quartet and off the top of my head I remember a few of the songs they've done like Zombie, Yellow, Wrecking Ball, Thunderstruck, Smooth Criminal and whatnot.

Might be something that interests you.

[–] EK13@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago

Thanks to both you and @m_f@discuss.online for reminding me that VSQ exists! I used to listen a lot to their covers over 10 years ago but haven't heard anything by them lately, seems they're even more popular than ever!

[–] statler_waldorf@sopuli.xyz 1 points 2 weeks ago

May not match exactly as the originals aren't heavy, but Seu Jorge did acoustic covers of David Bowie songs in Portuguese for the movie The Life Aquatic. The movie soundtrack has only a handful, but he released a full album of the covers called The Life Aquatic Studio Sessions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVeD-xwJh-k

[–] dukeofdummies@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4C58lmv1J4&list=RDEMWfLiM0l4i4Y026y85aO0nQ&index=5&ab_channel=MEUTE

Muete comes close? They'll do a lot of marching band covers of a lot of techno.

professional marching band, not like what you heard in 8th grade.

[–] Davel23@fedia.io 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

James Taylor sings DMX

Edit: I should probably point out it's not actually James Taylor, just an imitator singing in his style.

[–] EK13@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Not sure if it's a federation issue or something but this didn't load for me unfortunately! Does anyone know what the problem is?

[–] Davel23@fedia.io 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Can you at least follow the link?

[–] EK13@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Not at all, it just shows the broken image icon for me where I assume the link should be. I tried loading it in the browser and it was the same. Could be a federation or client quirk!

[–] Davel23@fedia.io 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

If you search for James Taylor DMX on Youtube it should come up.

[–] EK13@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

Found it now! That was a fun one, thanks for sharing!

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