Mind of Metal

Last year we heard quite a bit from various Wicker Men, but not directly from the OG Wicker Man firestarter, Christopher Lee. With his rich operatic voice, he did what any such gifted person should do when they are approaching their 90s: begin a career as a heavy metal singer. He started out providing vocals for Rhapsody of Fire and Manowar, but moved on to fronting his own project with the release of 2010's Charlemagne: By the Sword and the Cross. The album delivers Christopher Lee's own brand of symphonic metal that tells the story of Charlemagne, from whom he was (of course) descended. 

Hail Dracula! May you shred in peace.

Proving himself a legend in any art form he attempted, Christopher Lee's first metal album won high praise, including a Spirit of Metal award from Metal Hammer. It also engendered an even metal-er follow-up album: 2013's Charlemagne: The Omens of Death, with arrangements by Richie Faulkner of Judas Priest. An EP of metal Don Quixote songs came after that, as well as annual metal Christmas singles. If you seethe at the encroachment of Christmas decorations onto the Halloween aisle earlier and earlier every year (get out of our month, Santa!!!), then do yourself a favor and download Christopher Lee's "Jingle Hell" and "Darkest Carols, Faithful Sing" to blast from your home, car, and clip-on blue tooth speaker each Christmas season.

It seems Christopher Lee only made one video for any of his metal albums, so that's what we're going to see/hear today. "The Bloody Verdict of Verden" is from his first Charlemagne album, and features an old and young Charlemagne dueting from across the ages. The production is fairly lo-fi, but who cares, Christopher Lee is in it! And after a minute or so of symphonic build-up, this song truly rocks. Raise those devil horns and hail the king!

 

Before Christopher Lee found metal, he experienced a short but fun disco phase. Check out his back-up work on Kathy Joe Daylor's "Little Witch"!