There has long been a common thread between heavy metal fans and the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. The Lord of the Rings They were a direct inspiration to many bands, including Black Sabbath, Rush, and Led Zeppelin. Prime Video series The Lord of the Rings: The Ring of Power has gone all in on this connection, and in a new video, they’ve unveiled a deafeningly awesome track from the upcoming second season.
Watch as composer Bear McCreary talks excitedly about “The Ballad of Dammrod,” a Hill Troll “anthem” (it doesn’t get more metal than this) featuring legendary drummer Gene Hoglan. During the recording process, Hoglan incorporated cymbals from the late Rush drummer great Neil Peart into his own kit.
“The Ballad of Damröd” also features the vocal stylings of Meshuggah’s Jens Kidman, who is Swedish but clearly of Middle-earth descent.
You can hear the whole thing on Spotify, so turn up the volume and listen, just like the Hill Trolls would want you to.
The Lord of the Rings: The Ring of Power Season 2 will be available on Prime Video on August 29th.
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