epk | theblackpiper

EPK: KALADIN by The Black Piper

SHORT BIO

The Black Piper's debut album, Kaladin. is an epic fantasy, cinematic-style book soundtrack inspired by Brandon Sanderson's bestselling novel, The Way of Kings. Blending gritty styles that are heavily influenced by the epic music of Two Steps From Hell and Steve Jablonski (Transformers) with piercing beauty influenced by James Horner (Avatar) and Howard Shore (The Lord of the Rings), the album tells a tale of a harsh world where storms ravage the earth, spirits assist humanity, and hope, beauty, and honor exist as delicate wisps on the wind.

The album connects with the imaginations of fans in an exciting way. It enhances the listener's experience of the story without getting in the way of their imagination, enabling them to picture their favorite moments in vivid detail. For those who haven't read the book, the music deftly captures the sting of betrayal, the horror of fighting a war on the front lines, the whispers of a spiritual awakening, and the strength of friendship so that the listener may become familiar with the story on a human level. The music invites all listeners to to join the magic of a world that needs heroes to stand and accept the call to unite.

The Black Piper is a group of Hollywood cinematic and video game composers from around the world, originally formed by film composers Michael Bahnmiller (who has done music prep on such films as Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and La La Land) and Richard Williams (two-time Student Emmy winner) and literary consultant Sae Sae Norris. Officially started in 2015, on Christmas 2017, the group released Kaladin, a massive initiative featuring the talents of 11 Hollywood and video game composers, 11 orchestrators, several music prep assistants, and numerous soloists. The first half of the album was recorded by The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, the second half by the Hungarian Studio Orchestra. The album was crowdfunded through Kickstarter and BackerKit, raising over $140,000.

The Kaladin album is being paired on the Kickstarter with an art book that will celebrate a vibrant artistic community surrounding the world of The Way of Kings and the imagination of Brandon Sanderson.

THE KALADIN TEAM

Sae Sae Norris

Former Creative Director

Michael Bahnmiller

Producer / Lead Composer

Richard Williams

Founding Member / Composer

HI-RES PHOTOS

KALADIN Cover art - 4800 x 4800

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

- AJ Groth, Lionsgate Entertainment

- Julia Glausi, Endgame Entertainment

- Keryn Bell, Soapbox Entertainment

These songs are easily on par or better than anything you would hear in a big budget fantasy film. I can’t say enough about this project and the talent behind it... I personally know some of the artists involved in this and I can say that these are some extremely talented folks with a bright future ahead of them.

I was very pleasantly blown away. Being an avid fan of films and in particular the grand epics of the 80s and 90s (think Indiana Jones, Braveheart, Saving Private Ryan) I felt like I was being called back to these majestic and all-encompassing scores. I immediately felt transported... like I could begin to glimpse the emotional underpinning that is Kaladin’s story. Each track ebbs and flows with a perfect understanding of what it means to draw your listener to the brink of emotional exhaustion only to release them at the right moment for poignant comprehension. Not only did the tracks pay homage to the grand sagas of yesteryear, they had no problem ramping up the energy and modernizing the sound ... to evoke tense battle and fight sequences such as can be found in the Bourne series. After listening to this album I have a deep desire to learn more about Kaladin by reading The Way of Kings... heightening the experience with this score by my side.

A truly impressive and cohesive endeavor, the work as a whole paints a bold and unique picture,combining ethereal sounds, traditional instruments, and vocals, to depict a haunting story of courage.

This work is thoroughly cinematic and effectively allows listeners to re-live the heroic journey of Kaladin Stormblessed through music.