"I'm trying to think if I've read five books in my life," joked Every Time I Die's Keith Buckley during our most recent interview with the singer. As a lyrical wizard and avid reader, Buckley has succeeded in creating a unique identity as a hardcore / metal frontman, delivering volumes of depth amongst the chaos of Every Time I Die's music. We decided to get scholarly with Buckley during the 2013 New England Metal and Hardcore Festival, asking the Every Time I Die vocalist to suggest five books to read before YOU die.

1. 'The Brothers Karamazov' by Fyodor Dostoyevsky:

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"Last year I read 'The Brothers Karamazov' by Dostoyevsky, which I think is really good. It's a long read and it gets a little tedious at times, but it's a really good commentary on religion, so I think that's kind of important. I know Dostoyevsky puts people off because his books are like bricks. I just finished 'The Idiot' too -- that one was not as good. I understand it was important because he was like a Christ figure, but I don't think it was as thorough or as full of imagery as 'The Brothers Karamazov.'"

 

2. 'Demian' by Hermann Hesse:

Hermann Hesse, ‘Damian’
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"Hesse is one of my favorite writers and 'Demian' is a great story about someone achieving spiritual enlightenment, which I don't think a lot of people appreciate anymore."

 

 

 

3. 'Fingerprints of the Gods' by Graham Hancock:

Graham Hancock, 'Fingerprints of the Gods'
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"I think everyone should read 'Fingerprints of the Gods.' It's kind of a factual tale about how the pyramids may have been built by aliens. It's really, really f---ing interesting."

 

 

 

4. 'If on a Winter's Night a Traveler' by Italo Calvino:

Italo Calvino, 'If on a Winter's Night a Traveler'
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"I would definitely recommend 'If on a Winter's Night a Traveler' by Italo Calvino. It's kind of surreal and I think his writing style is pretty fantastic."

 

 

 

 

5. 'Labyrinths' by Jorge Luis Borges:

Jorge Luis Borges, 'Labyrinths'
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"For my last one, I'm thinking of a classic that I love. I love 'Labyrinths' by Borges; an Argentinian writer. It's a bunch of short stories. I don't think any of my favorite fiction writers are American, so just avoid all American fiction, as far as I'm concerned. [Laughs]"

 

 

 

"So those are the five! They'll give you a good idea of where I'm coming from with a lot of stuff, if you're into that sort of thing."

Stay tuned for our full interview with Every Time I Die's Keith Buckley from the 2013 New England Metal and Hardcore Festival!

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