A group of monks in Vienna are praising God, and Halo’s Master Chief, for rocket launching their latest chant album into the Top 10 list on the UK’s music charts, according to a report in The Sun newspaper.
The group of Cistercian monks were recruited by Universal Records after Halo: Combat Evolved zoomed into video game history with millions and millions of sales — the game’s theme song features eerie Gregorian Chanting. Obviously, some savvy minds at the label smelled a profit, so they put ads into religious newspapers looking for some chanters.
Apparently, the monks — who are not allowed access to TV, but can use the Internet — sent a YouTube video to Universal, and the label liked it. Thus, Chant: Music For Paradise was born.
“It appeals to all different people. I’ve had Amy Winehouse fans come to me and tell me how much they like the music. I know who Madonna and Amy Winehouse are as I listen to the radio in the monastery,” the monks’ spokesman Father Karl told The Sun.
Ironically, the monks’ album beat Winehouse’s record Back to Black, which came in at No. 13, on this week’s charts.
“Our success is nothing short of a miracle,” said Karl.
