Charlemagne: By the Sword and the Cross is a symphonic metal

Symphonic metal

Symphonic metal is a term used to describe heavy metal music that has symphonic elements; that is, elements that are either borrowed from classical music or, as with progressive rock music, create a style reminiscent of it, e.g...

 concept album

Concept album

In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...

 released in 2010 by actor Christopher Lee

Christopher Lee

Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee, CBE, CStJ is an English actor and musician. Lee initially portrayed villains and became famous for his role as Count Dracula in a string of Hammer Horror films...

. It is Christoper Lee's first full-length album released when Lee was 88 years old. The album won the 'Spirit of Hammer' award from the 2010 Metal Hammer

Metal Hammer

Metal Hammer is a monthly heavy metal music magazine published in the United Kingdom by Future Publishing, and in several other countries by different publishers. Metal Hammer articles feature both mainstream bands and more unusual acts from the whole spectrum of heavy metal music...

 Golden God awards ceremony. The award was presented to him by Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...

's Tony Iommi

Tony Iommi

Anthony Frank "Tony" Iommi is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as the founding member of pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and its sole continual member through multiple personnel changes.Iommi is widely recognised as one of the most important and influential guitarists in...

.

It tells the story of the First Holy Emperor of Rome, King Charlemagne

Charlemagne

Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...

. The album's promotional MySpace

MySpace

Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....

 page garnered over 20 million hits from around the world. The album features 2 metal bands, a 100 piece orchestra and a number of guest vocalists playing the different roles in the story. Music was composed by Marco Sabiu

Marco Sabiu

Marco Sabiu is an Italian born musician and composer most notable for his work with Take That, Kylie Minogue, Christopher Lee and television.- Biography:...

.

A follow-up album entitled Charlemagne: The Omens of Death will be released in 2011 and a musical based on the album is set to début in 2013.

Track listing

1. "Overture" - 2:53
2. Act I:
   1. "Intro" - 1:34
   2. "King of the Franks" - 7:14
3. Act II:
   1. "Intro" - 1:46
   2. "The Iron Crown of Lombardy" - 8:12
4. Act III:
   1. "Intro" - 3:26
   2. "The Bloody Verdict of Verden" - 6:16
5. Act IV:
   1. "Intro" - 2:31
   2. "The Age of Oneness Out of Diversity" - 6:07
6. Act V:
   1. "Intro" - 2:09
   2. Starlight - 4:40
7. "Finale" - 3:57
8. "Iberia" - 5:10
9. "The Bloody Verdict of Verden" (Instrumental) - 6:20

External links

• Charlemagne: By the Sword and the Cross
• Christopher Lee - Charlemagne musical at Myspace