Christopher Lee Turns 91, Releases Heavy Metal Album Just Because

You might recognize prolific actor Christopher Lee from his roles in the Star Wars prequels and the Lord of the Rings series of films, but you probably didn’t know that the 90-year-old is also a budding heavy metal star.

Lee turns 91-years-old next week, and is celebrating with a new heavy metal album called “The Omens of Death.” His freshman effort was called “Charlemagne,” but Lee considers that album a little too soft for his tastes now.

“The first ‘Charlemagne’ album is metal, of course, but what I sang was more symphonic,” the actor said. “Now on the second one, ‘The Omens Of Death’, it is one hundred 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 heavy metal.”

Tracks have pretty metal-sounding titles like “Massacre of The Saxons,” “The Ultimate Sacrifice,” and “Let Legend Mark Me As the King.”

The album will drop May 27, and features a total of 10 tracks arranged by Judas Priestguitarist Richie Faulkner.

Of working with Lee on the album, Faulkner said:

“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.

“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!”

They probably thought it was totally metal.

Check out a preview of Christopher Lee’s heavy metal album below:

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[Image via: LaCameraChiara / Shutterstock]