Bear McCreary Talks Heavy Metal Anthems For 'The Rings Of Power'

TV & Film

Sep 6

Bear McCreary is no stranger to the world of Middle-earth, having composed the score for the first season of The Rings of Power. Now, he’s returned to score the second season, and it’s clear how much thought he puts into the music. McCreary shared a featurette on Facebook talking about the theme behind the troll Damrod. McCreary mentioned “mighty entrances” from the character and turned to the heavy metal genre to match the scenes. Taking further inspiration, McCreary expanded the theme into an anthem for the troll creating “The Last Ballad of Dimrod.”

To achieve the perfect sound, McCreary invited heavy metal drummer Gene Hoglan and heavy metal vocalist Jens Kidman. McCreary said, “ [Kidman] screams the way an expert violinist plays.” Hoglan pointed out that they’re using Niel Peart’s cymbals, saying “He’s here in spirit.” Kidman explained the process behind his unique sound. He said, “I don’t think so much about the lyrics. Just focus on putting down the sound and the vocals like the character and the vibe and the feel.” Viewers will have a chance to experience “The Last Ballad of Dimrod” in full when it airs during Rings of Power or on the show’s soundtrack, which is currently available. The first four episodes of The Rings of Power are available to stream now with new episodes released every Thursday until the season finale on October 3.