Randy Blythe is an acclaimed metal vocalist with Lamb of God, but now he is following in the footsteps of Owen Pallet, Pet Shop Boys and Paul McCartney by scoring a ballet.
The piece is called Inventory and it was choreographed by Blythe's friend Matt Frain. It will be staged at Richmond Ballet's New Works Festival, which runs from March 17 to 22 in Richmond, VA.
Blythe posted a trailer on his blog Randonesia. The two-minute-long clip shows dancers performing dramatic moves to an atonal soundscape of chilling swirls, hair-raising tones and ominous percussion. It's a far cry from Lamb of God's punishing metal, but it's not exactly The Nutcracker either, so don't go in expecting an old-school ballet.
In an interview with Richmond Magazine, Blythe explained that he composed the music with lots of input from Frain, and that his music was written specifically for the piece, with Frain giving him detailed directions regarding mood and choreography to ensure that the music lined up correctly.
"Working with Matt was very natural — we speak the same 'creative language,' albeit in two different disciplines. He and I have been close friends for a few years now, which usually (but not always) makes a collaborative effort happen a bit smoother," Blythe said. "Both pieces I have composed for the ballet have had Matt involved every step of the way. I don't think I could work on a piece for dance with any confidence at all if the choreographer wasn't giving me input from the start."
The ballet is apparently very personal and deals with experiences in Frain's life. Watch the trailer below. There's no indication if Blythe plans to share this music in any other form.
Meanwhile, the vocalist's memoir Dark Days: My Tribulation and Trials is due out on July 14 through Da Capo Press/Random House.
The piece is called Inventory and it was choreographed by Blythe's friend Matt Frain. It will be staged at Richmond Ballet's New Works Festival, which runs from March 17 to 22 in Richmond, VA.
Blythe posted a trailer on his blog Randonesia. The two-minute-long clip shows dancers performing dramatic moves to an atonal soundscape of chilling swirls, hair-raising tones and ominous percussion. It's a far cry from Lamb of God's punishing metal, but it's not exactly The Nutcracker either, so don't go in expecting an old-school ballet.
In an interview with Richmond Magazine, Blythe explained that he composed the music with lots of input from Frain, and that his music was written specifically for the piece, with Frain giving him detailed directions regarding mood and choreography to ensure that the music lined up correctly.
"Working with Matt was very natural — we speak the same 'creative language,' albeit in two different disciplines. He and I have been close friends for a few years now, which usually (but not always) makes a collaborative effort happen a bit smoother," Blythe said. "Both pieces I have composed for the ballet have had Matt involved every step of the way. I don't think I could work on a piece for dance with any confidence at all if the choreographer wasn't giving me input from the start."
The ballet is apparently very personal and deals with experiences in Frain's life. Watch the trailer below. There's no indication if Blythe plans to share this music in any other form.
Meanwhile, the vocalist's memoir Dark Days: My Tribulation and Trials is due out on July 14 through Da Capo Press/Random House.
