Materia Collective, the Seattle-based videogame music publisher and label have released their newest album, Helmarock: Zelda Metal Vol. II. Which if you can’t guess from the title, is a heavy metal tribute to The Legend of Zelda franchise. This is a follow up to 2017’s Octorock which was also a heavy metal Tribute Album. Both albums were put together by guitarist and producer Joel Kent. Helmarock is twice as long as Octorock, with selections from Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, Wind Waker, and Twilight Princess. These are some of the most popular titles in the franchise, and tracks like Hyrule Field and Kokiri Forest are fan favorites.
The full track list for Helmarock: Zelda Metal Vol. II:
- 01. Title Theme (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)
- 02. Hyrule Field (The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess)
- 03. Kokiri Forest (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)
- 04. Song of Healing (The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask)
- 05. Ganondorf Battle (The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker)
“Transitioning Koji Kondo’s music to rock and roll feels like a very natural process – as I am a huge fan of both. Working with some amazing faculty during my last couple of semesters at Berklee has really pushed my playing and arranging style, and I believe my progress as a musician is evident in this project. Taking a break from my original music and jamming some of my favorite Zelda tracks during the process of recording this EP was just what I needed to concede the things I love about rock guitar, along with videogame music in general.”
You can find Helmarock: Zelda Metal Vol. II on Bandcamp and Spotify, as well as Materia Collective’s website. It retails for around $5. If you like to see more of Joel Kent’s work, you can check out his YouTube channel or his Facebook page.