How great was it to have that song nominated for "Best Song In Game" at the Spike TV VGA's? It's great that games are now being recognized alongside film and TV. We were happy to receive the recognition, and appreciated the fact that the public are noticing how we are trying to make something a little different for a game. In this case, we took a song that was already written but renewed it in accordance with the game, and shifting its momentum and the idea of the song towards the story of the video game, which was a very interesting process. We were very happy that our approach was recognized. I've consciously incorporated songs in the scores to the Dragon Age series as opposed to other games. Dark fantasy is a great genre for telling an emotional tale, and songs capture the heroism, love and passion, betrayal and all the other human behavior and characteristics. The power of the vocal is very unique, and I feel that it adds a lot of emotion to the soundtracks, and with such a dark and violent game, this feature adds a touch of kindness, compassion and beauty.
You recently worked on The Lord of the Rings: War in the North, how fun was this whole process for you? I mean you got to work at the legendary Abbey Road Studios right? It was an extraordinary experience. Obviously I had heard all about Abbey Road before I recorded there but until you actually experience the recording you don't appreciate its uniqueness. The room and aura is totally different from any other recording studio. It was almost like opening the door to a new world for me in terms of the sound and the orchestra. In a way they made me revisit my own music from a new perspective, and it was recorded in the right way for this project. The whole score was being recreated because of this venue and the orchestra's performance of my music.
Also did you watch any of the Lord of the Ring films or read any of the books for influence as to what the game should sound like? I am very much familiar with Tolkien's works. I remember when I first read all of his books as a teenager I was heavily influenced by his work because it introduced me to a whole new world of adventure, fantasy, imagery, culture, and language. It was a great inspiration to tap into this immersive world. For me to be working on The Lord of the Rings, it is not so much that I've come full circle but it is certainly a wish come true. We stayed loyal to the sound of the movies however we have taken the music to a darker place. I created an entirely new array of themes and musical palettes for this game which are different than the movie scores. We do not use any quotes or direct references from the film soundtracks. The score is entirely original but the sound is reminiscent of the films so the audience is not going to feel detached from the franchise.
What was it like to perform these songs live at the 2011 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3)? It must of been great for other people to hear these fantastic songs? The whole concept behind this concert was actually two very different main ideas: of course, to promote the game The Lord of the Rings: War In The North, but also to introduce young people to classical orchestra. This score has a heavy classical influence featuring only orchestra and choir; there are no electronic sounds, it is 100 % acoustic. Most of those attending have never experienced a live orchestra in action. I felt like a missionary bringing the orchestral tradition to many people who never saw a trombone playing live before in this kind of setting. It was a great idea of Warner Bros. to showcase live orchestral music through the promotion of The Lord of the Rings: War In The North. In addition to the game, it demonstrated the interaction between the conductor and the orchestra, and the experience of live music. So I was really happy that I could help bring this art form to a larger audience.