Artist: CHRISTOPHER LEE/ CHARLEMAGNE
Album: THE OMENS OF DEATH (CD)

Year: 2013
Media type: CD

Legendary actor Christopher Lee, who has appeared in such cinematic milestones as Lord Of The Rings , Star Wars , The Man With The Golden Gun and Dracula amongst many others, is releasing the Heavy Metal album Charlemagne: The Omens Of Death on 25th May 2013. The singer-actor s first solo affair into the metal genre was the critically acclaimed album, Charlemagne: By the Sword and the Cross (2010), which was more symphonic than its successor. The Omens of Death, signifies his move into full on Heavy Metal. In an interview with Jamie Stangroom for BBC Radio 5 live Up All Night he said: I was first introduced to metal when I sang with a [band] called RHAPSODY, he said. But what I sang was not heavy metal; I sang with a tenor. Then I worked with MANOWAR as a narrator, I think it was in Germany, and again, that was not me singing metal. I became rather fascinated by this, cause in terms of history of music, it s fairly recent, really. And if it s properly done and you can understand the story and you can understand what the people are singing and you have the right bands and the right singers, I think it s rather exciting. When I was approached to do the first Charlemagne album, By The Sword And The Cross , it is heavy metal, of course, but what I sang was more symphonic. Now on the second one, The Omens Of Death , it is 100 percent heavy metal. I ve done my bits and pieces, and they are heavy metal. I m not screaming or anything like that, but it is definitely 100 percent heavy metal. Lee also spoke about being presented with the Spirit Of Hammer prize by BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi at Metal Hammer magazine s Golden Gods awards in London in June 2010, Lee said, It was a most amazing occasion for me very exciting and something I d never had happen to me my whole career, my whole life, in terms of awards, he said. I have received quite a few. But I was interviewed, actually in this room, by Tony Iommi, who founded BLACK SABBATH. And I hadn t heard them, but I made it a point [to do so]. [And] I thought it was extraordinary. And then I went to O2 [in London] in front of a fairly large crowd, I would say, all, of course, very young. And I got a greeting, which was really quite amazing. The decibel level was very high. Very high, very high. The music was arranged by Ritchie Faulkner, now the lead guitarist at Judas Priest. In an interview with Peter Hodgson at Guitar Talk, he said: Yeah, that was a really interesting project to work on. Sir Christopher s team sent me some songs that were very orchestral and symphony-based and asked me to arrange them into metal songs.Most of the songs were already there, but they needed riffs, drum parts and musical parts that reflected what the guys wanted which was a metal record with an aim to be played live by a band.The team and Sir Christopher were great and they gave me a free creative reign really for any ideas I felt the songs needed. Some of the tracks didn t have any music at all and were just Sir Christopher singing his melodies. I remember how surreal it was sitting in my place at the time with Saruman blasting out over the speakers! I ve no idea what the neighbors thought!. The album features Guitar Idol Champion Hedras Ramos Jr, who takes over the lead guitar duties from Richie Faulkner.

TRACKLIST:

1. The Portent  04:29   
2. Charles the Great  06:23   
3. The Siege  07:09   
4. Massacre of the Saxons  05:41  
5. Drawing of a New Age  04:40   
6. Let Legend Mark Me As the King  05:45   
7. The Betrayal  05:02   
8. The Devil's Advocate  04:54   
9. The Ultimate Sacrifice  05:10   
10. Judgement Day  03:41 
 
Total time:  52:54 

Singers:

Christopher Lee as Charlemagne (Ghost)
Vincent Richiardi as Young Charlemagne
Phil S.P as Pippin The Short
Mauro Conti as Pope Hadrian
Lydia Salnikova as Hildegrad
Gorgon Tittsworth as Roland
Aaron Cloutier as Duke Lop

Musicians:

Electric Guitar: Hedras Ramos Jr.
Bass Guitar: Hedras Ramos Sr.
Drums: Ollie Usiskin