Tolkien has inspired a countless number of people from writers and artists to musicians. Rather unknown is a small metal band from Austria called Summoning. Summoning consists of two guys, heavy metal guitars, keyboards, a drum machine and an obsession with J.R.R. Tolkien.. Epic might be the best word to describe this band - black metal guitars buried beneath layers of keyboards in a simplistic yet refined style that gives them a sound all their own. The vocals are a rough, a typical black metal rasp although a bit subdued and distant giving way for a more pleasent feel (especially for those not into extreme metal.) The clean vocals, like in massive encore "Farewell" are in a operatic style and carry the song in what can only dub the most horoic piece of music I've ever heard. Guitar is present here but pushed to the back letting the keyboards with their beautiful melodies shine through. The Drums are programmed which might throw some people off, but it's a staple in their music as it gives their compositions unique militant feel. The key to Summoning's magic lies not just with their Tolkien lyrics or their amazing songwriting but with their repetition, the ability to hypnotize and transfer the listener into a fantasy world. Many people might find this element very tedious to sit through - but the point of Summoning is not to simply make songs but paint fantastic pictures, create epic images - like the ones you imagine while reading Tolkien's works. In my opinion Summoning is the only band that perfectly capture the magic of Lord of the Rings, especially the darker side of the man's works.
Check out this video for Farewell (maybe the best song ever!), off you go to Middle Earth!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFbBKiSC2MY
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