Happy birthday to Romantic composer Modest Mussorgsky (1839–1881), an inspiration to ACCEPT's Wolf Hofmann, and MEKONG DELTA, and more!

Wikipedia shows that the Romantic composer Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky (Russia) (21 March [O.S. 9 March] 1839 – 28 March [O.S. 16 March] 1881), one of the group known as "The Five," was a visionary that, unlike many of his peers following strict European rules, drew inspiration from Russian folklore, village songs, and the unique rhythm of the Russian language. Critics say that his music is famous for its dark energy, and that it paints vivid pictures in the listener's mind. They say that it evokes images of the haunting atmosphere of a midnight graveyard or something on a grand scale like a royal coronation.

I am not knowledgeable enough to write seriously about his music, but I know it through some metal bands that have taken inspiration from him. Unless there is some other band that I do not know about—which is totally possible given my limited knowledge—the German thrash-prog pioneers Mekong Delta have got to be the most devoted of Mussorgsky aficionados, doing tributes to him on at least two separate albums: Mekong Delta - Dances of Death (And Other Walking Shadows) (1990) and Mekong Delta - Pictures at an Exhibition (1997).

Modest Mussorgsky - Night on Bald Mountain (Original 1867 version)

Mekong Delta - Night on a Bare Mountain

In addition, you may already know from the 1985 album Metal Heart that there is a clearly awesome, great and fun tribute to master Beethoven, of course, but guitarist Wolf Hofmann later on has gone on to come out of the classical closet even more grandly by going out full blast in homage to Mussorgsky.

Wolf Hoffmann (ACCEPT) Night On Bald Mountain Official Music Video