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Music

Lars Ulrich Isn't Metal's First Knight, Christopher Lee Is

You can't beat the guy who was Saruman.

Given heavy metal's general fascination with old European shit and that it's played by musicians who sometimes give themselves elaborate, made-up titles like "Bestial Saviour of the Undead Legions" you'd think there'd be a fair amount of lords and knights lurking around in there. Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich just got knighted by his home country of Denmark; specifically, by the very metal-sounding Order of Dannebrog. Congrats, Sir Lars. However, while he may seem to be the first metalhead to be given the honour of knighthood, he's not. That likely goes to the late, great English actor Sir Christopher Lee.

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"Wait, hold the fuck up," I hear you saying, "You mean Saruman? Count Dooku? Dracula? He was metal?" Firstly, watch The Wicker Man. Second, you bet your ass that Chris Lee was metal. He recorded not one but two power metal concept albums about Charlemagne. Dude was 90 when he did the second one! He also did guest vocals on four different Rhapsody of Fire albums. He also has a solo EP that's straight up called Metal Knight. Metal. Fucking. Knight. Thusly, while it's cool that Ulrich is now a "Sir," Christopher Lee is alway going to be heavy metal's first knight.

Phil was gonna shout out Lee's role in Kingdom Hearts II as well, but this was enough. He's on Twitter.