Metal music reinterprets European legend

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Actor Christopher Lee is re-telling the story of Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman Emperor, with the help of a little heavy metal. Anchor Marco Werman has details.

• Charlemagne: By the Sword and the Cross

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MARCO WERMAN: British actor Christopher Lee is best known for playing imposing movie characters. They include Dracula and also Saruman, the evil creature at the heart of The Lord of the Rings.  Now, he’s got a new project, which he revealed in an announcement to fans online.

CHRISTOPHER LEE: And this does not apply to a performance on the screen or in the theater but it is music, music.

WERMAN: Well, nice to hear that the dramatic pause is still in fashion. Christopher Lee’s new project is indeed musical.  Here’s a taste.

LEE: [Singing]  Einhart gather near. Come hither to my bedside. The hour that I must retire is drawing ever near. From the existence of …

WERMAN: This is Act One of “Charlemagne: By the Sword and the Cross.”  It’s a musical retelling of the story of Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman Emperor.  The album will be released in March.  It turns out that Christopher Lee is actually a distant descendant of Charlemagne. And so the 87-year-old actor was happy to lend his talents to the project, even if the style might be a little surprising.

LEE: We call it symphonic metal.

WERMAN: Symphonic metal?  Okay.

LEE: [Singing "I shed the blood of the Saxon men … "].  It’s fascinating for me that I suddenly find that people are beginning to look upon me as a metal singer.  [Singing … I shed the blood of the Saxon men."]

WERMAN: That’s British actor Christopher Lee shedding the blood of the Saxon men. There’s more online, at the world dot org.

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