Who knew?

Too many people only know actor Christopher Lee as Saruman from the Lord of the Rings movies.  Many also know him as Dracula, as Count Dookoo from the "prequel" Star Wars movies, or Saramanga from the James Bond film Man With The Golden Gun, while some also remember him as Lord Summerisle from the Edward Woodward film The Wicker Man.

Some also know he was a fighter pilot and later an SOE agent in WWII, which led to the anecdote in which he corrected Peter Jackson on the set of one of the LOTR movies as to how man who has been stabbed in the back really reacts...

Who knew he was also into death metal?

(Seen at LibertyNEWS.com)

This piece is from Charlemagne: By the Sword and the Cross, described on Wikipedia as "symphonic metal concept album released in 2010 by actor and singer Christopher Lee." (The music was arranged by a guy from the group Judas Priest.)

I admit that the subject matter doesn't exactly thrill me, what with my Saxon  ancestry and all...

Wikipedia also says " The album won the 'Spirit of Metal' award from the 2010 Metal Hammer Golden God awards ceremony."

A week ago --on his 91st birthday! -- Lee followed up with the sequel, Charlemagne: The Omens of Death, "a heavy metal concept album."

I guess it's not really necessary to mention that Christopher Lee is the oldest heavy metal rocker around...

Edited to add:  Holy shit!  Christopher Lee also recorded heavy metal versions of The Little Drummer Boy and Silent Night!!!!