Christopher Lee - Charlemagne: By The Sword And The Cross

This is rather bad, you don't even laugh. Guess you'll have to wait for the music videos. In my opinion, this is more like a rock musical on cd than a concept album by a symphonic metal band

Fucking awsome album!!!!! one word....WICKED!!!! LEE RULES!!!!!

Hahaha, this is more like an audio-book with the odd bit of music every now and then, hahaha.

Act V is definitely my favourite, and Act III is good too. I probably won't spend much time listening to the whole thing again though.

I've just registered in the web (which i've been reading for a long time) to give a big WTF! to this album. Saying it is 'symphonic metal' is more than generous. Those intro themes before every song makes the listening really boring.
I would only recomend this album to someone who's studing old french history and likes heavy metal, or to an enemy...

Hehe, just noticed that 5 of the votes rating it as a 10 was probably done by the same person.

Written by Zhao on 07.04.2010 at 13:03

Hehe, just noticed that 5 of the votes rating it as a 10 was probably done by the same person.

Yeh, thanks. I've just sorted that out.

I think i would give it a solid 6...it is not that bad how many people say and there are moments...on the other hand it is nothing to cheer about too much

It's like an audio book with the "shymphonical part" of a Rhapsody album. But, at least, Christopher Lee's voice it's amazing.

And I think he's now the oldest man who has released a metal album ever! 87 years... He must have 6 points for the effort :

"Starlight" is a great track.

I just got the album , but its a big disapointmet, they are a few good songs

This really is horrible! I almost never give this rating, but I just can't help it. Although it deserves a 10 when it comes to lighten up the mood and give everyone some laughs.

Written by metalicharly on 06.04.2010 at 17:44

I would only recomend this album to someone who's studing old french history and likes heavy metal, or to an enemy...

I'm going to force my friends to listen to this while I drive, they always force their terrible shit music on me.

Geez, I was really looking forward to this, and its a huge letdown! I dunno why its labelled as ''symphonic metal'' when there is virtually no metal on the album at all. Rhapsody albums are Cannibal Corpse compared to this! lol The woman's voice during the intros is annoying, and the music is mostly unmemorable. Only Christopher Lee's voice offers anything really worth listening to. I think this could have been sooo much better...ah well.

Written by Introspekrieg on 25.04.2010 at 00:15

Written by metalicharly on 06.04.2010 at 17:44

I would only recomend this album to someone who's studing old french history and likes heavy metal, or to an enemy...

I'm going to force my friends to listen to this while I drive, they always force their terrible shit music on me.

In that case I could see your plan failing miserbly with them appreciating the album

The female narrator gets more annoying as the album goes on and it made me feel as if I was sitting through a long history lesson. Nothing wrong with learning about history but there's a time and a place and the time is not when I'm expecting some quality music. I don't even think I listened to half of the album.

Its a worthy album, people here are just too used to listening to Iron Maiden to appreciate anything new

Well, I wouldn't call it metal. If you listen to it with a "metal-approach", you're not gonna like it obviously. It's more like music to chill out or something.

Written by spiritofvengence on 30.04.2010 at 01:07

Its a worthy album, people here are just too used to listening to Iron Maiden to appreciate anything new

Yes, you're spot on. That's exactly why I dislike this album, because I'm a Maiden fanboy who haven't heard anything else besides them. :

Christopher Lee is awesome...but this album needs a little more....it just sounds like a audio book with some music in the background

Written by spiritofvengence on 30.04.2010 at 01:07

Its a worthy album, people here are just too used to listening to Iron Maiden to appreciate anything new

I guess if you can't share your own reasons for liking an album, just call the people who don't like it closed-minded.

That's okay, King Lee crushes scum like us under his foot daily. As far as I'm concerned he can put out whatever he wants.

Listened to most of it right now, imo the problem with it is that it was being advertised as a symphonic metal work, when in fact the rock influences are just barely there. regardless, it's a really epic album, not for everyone's tastes, many people will not like the long historical narrations in the "intro" tracks.

by FAR the best song is Act III, especially the impossibly epic second chorus.. "i shed the blood of the saxon meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen". i won't deny though, 99% of metalheads will be extremely badly put off by the fact that even though it was advertised as an epic metal album, in fact almost all of it is classical opera-like music with no trace of metal whatsoever.

decent album, quite epic in the spine-chilling sense at times(especially the track "Iberia"), even though there's barely 10 minutes of metal instrumentation.

edit: HOLY SHIT Iberia's ending is epic as FUCK. "it is the Gascons.. THEY are attacking our flanks!!!"

Booooooorinnnnnnggggggg!!!!!!!!!!

Good... but the rythimic singing could be less broke!

Written by Introspekrieg on 06.05.2010 at 23:25

I guess if you can't share your own reasons for liking an album, just call the people who don't like it closed-minded.

That's precisely why the 'close-mindedness' argument holds less than zero value and I despise it so much. Because it's the lamest argument of all and no more than a rhetoric reply used by fanboys to put the blame on those who dislike something, while avoiding to mention the reasons why they believe it is so great.

The guy is in his late 80's, and tries to produce a metal album.. I think that is enough to give it a good review. With all the hype around it at the time I still have great feelings towards this album.

I can't find a place to listen to this... it sounds dorky as hell but awesome. I've listened to clips, and while nothing spectacular, it's awesome that an 80+ year old guy has gotten into metal and started making music.