In 1995, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization declared every April 23 to be World Book Day, and encouraged us to celebrate by reading. The date was chosen as the anniversary of the deaths of both Miguel de Cervantes and William Shakespeare. However, in actuality neither man actually died on that date -- they only appeared to thanks to calendar discrepancies.

Nonetheless, we love books here at Rocks Off, and so do many of the great bands in the world. Sometimes they love them enough to name a whole album after their favorite.

The Book: In Brave New World, Aldous Huxley takes a reader through a terrifying future where an all-seeing government controls every aspect of our lives and freedom is forbidden. It's a classic struggle between stability and liberty that you probably were forced to read in school and which a Libertarian has almost certainly cited as coming true in your Facebook newsfeed today.

The Album: Iron Maiden is one of the best bands in the world for dropping literary references throughout their albums. Interestingly enough, little of Brave New World has anything to do with Huxley's novel, though they do cite works by C.S. Lewis.

Rewind:

Essential Rock and Roll Literature for Budding Music Writers

The Book: One of Richard Laymon's best books, The Traveling Vampire Show, is about a trio of teenagers coming of age in the '60s as they try to get a glimpse at a captive and beautiful vampire in a traveling freak show. It's a wonderful and gripping narrative of sexual tension and dark seduction that makes for good beach fodder.

The Album: Calabrese makes great horror-rock. Their 2005 album was named in a fan contest by Illinois' Regina Gottlieb. It's a step up from the purely punk sound of their previous work, but maintains that DIY energy that makes them so damned fun to listen to.