W/Morgan Sorne
September 9th, 2026
Crocodile, Seattle, WA
Known for his orchestral compositions, Bear McCreary, the Emmy-winning composer of soundtracks from franchises like Battlestar Galactica and God of War, explores rock with his new album: The Singularity: Ekleipsis.
Those familiar with Bear's previous project Singularity will be pleased to know that Ekleipsis once again embraces a diverse cast of guest performers. From clean melodic passages to crushing growls and heavy riffs, each contributor brings their own character to the music, creating songs with distinct personalities while preserving the album's overall cohesion.
Ekleipsis starts with an overture reminiscent of a video game soundtrack, an omen of the journey ahead. The songs that follow embrace the same cinematic scale, pairing massive arrangements with memorable choruses like the one delivered by Joe Duplantier (Gojira), who growls the haunting question: "Is it true that the only cure is bleeding out?"
As a longtime fan of both Howard Shore's score for The Lord of the Rings and Bear McCreary's work on The Rings of Power, I was thrilled to learn that he would be bringing The Singularity to the stage on tour.
On September 9th, I had the opportunity to photograph Bear McCreary's show at The Crocodile in Seattle.
The evening began when Morgan Sörne, an American singer and multi-instrumentalist, took the stage. He stood at the center of a 180-degree workstation equipped with microphones, MIDI triggers, and controllers, from which he layered vocalizations, percussion, and harmonies into intricate compositions in real time. As he assembled each piece, his ritualistic and expressive movements mirrored the rhythmic pulse of the music. The stage lights, sometimes blue, others red, deepened the somber atmosphere of the performance.
After Morgan's set, the intimate workstation at the center of the stage gave way to a full drum kit and multiple microphone stands, signaling the shift from a solitary performance to the larger-scale production that would follow.
Bear began his set with Incinerator, an upbeat and energetic song from his original Singularity project. What followed was a musical and visual journey through space, Middle-earth, and beyond, as Bear drew from the many worlds he has helped bring to life through his music.
Many of the songs performed that night were originally written with full orchestral arrangements, yet they translated remarkably well to a rock-band setting without losing their identity. Bear's willingness to move between guitar, accordion, and even the hurdy-gurdy helped preserve much of the texture and character that define his compositions.
A key moment of the night saw Johanna Kurkela take center stage to perform "Where the Shadow Lies," a song from The Rings of Power. As a longtime fan of Bear's work on the series, this was one of the songs I was most excited to hear, and Johanna's performance did not disappoint.
Alongside Bear, his brother Brendan McCreary handled the male vocal parts throughout the evening. Tasked with honoring performances originally sung by a variety of vocalists, Brendan showcased impressive range while bringing his own energy to each song. His presence loomed large on stage, constantly moving, jumping, and looking for ways to connect with the crowd. His diamond-covered sneakers were impossible to miss, and one of my favorite photographs from the night captured them suspended in mid-air during one of his many jumps.
Bear McCreary cannot be boxed into a single style of music, and that versatility was on full display throughout the night. From the cinematic worlds of his soundtracks to the rock-driven energy of The Singularity, Bear and his band delivered a memorable performance from start to finish. If the opportunity presents itself, I highly recommend experiencing this show live and supporting the artists through tickets and merchandise. Keep live music alive.
