It has begun! The first out of eight singles for “Music Inspired by BIONICLE: Vol. II” is now complete, beginning our journey through the universe of BIONICLE. And what better place to start off this journey than the song Legends Never Die.
The song originally started off as an idea during the summer of 2021, and was meant to be released as a charity single, to coincide with the twentieth anniversary of BIONICLE. As it turns out, other things decided to get in the way and the song ended up being shelved, but I never gave up on it entirely. I knew that eventually, it was going to see the light of day.
Storywise, the song takes place at the very beginning of the BIONICLE-canon. Six canisters drift ashore on the island of Mata Nui, to reveal our heroes called the Toa. One of the Toa, Tahu, arrives to the village of Ta-Koro where he meets it’s elder, Turaga Vakama. The elder explains to him that the inhabitants of the island have been facing a dark and looming threat for many years and that they are essentially at the end of their rope. But with the arrival of Tahu and the other Toa, this threat can now be defeated once and for all. The verses are written from the perspective of the Turaga, while the chorus serves as the Toa’s grand declaration of defiance against the threats that await them.
Inspiration for the song is pretty obvious, if you’ve been following the media surrounding BIONICLE during it’s run. Acts like Cryoshell and All Insane Kids helped shape the mood of the franchise, and I wanted in my own way, pay tribute to their contributions.
Obviously, I couldn’t have done it without the fantastic contributions from all the musicians involved. From Chad Howell’s shredding power on both guitar and bass, to Jay Carros’ tribal yet forceful drumming, and last but not least, the excellent vocal abilities of Lee Lambeck. I’m thankful for all of their input, and very much look forward to working with each and everyone of them again in the future.
While this is the lead single to the upcoming album, the song’s original intent has not gone unnoticed. This will also be released as a charity single, on all digital streaming services. All of the money that is generated from “Legends Never Die” will go to an organization called the Palestine Children’s Relief Rund (PCRF), to provide healthcare and support for all the kids affected by the Israeli occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, on a daily basis. BIONICLE was an important part in giving alot of us a childhood to look back on fondly, and I’m hoping that from this single, I can help in giving Palestinian children a slightly brighter childhood to look back on.
Work on the next single from “Music Inspired by BIONICLE: Vol. II” will now start almost immediately, and I’m looking forward to sharing that one when the time comes. But until then, I’ll catch you all later!
Love and peace!