Post Description

Hard rock. Christmas. 

These simply don't seem to go together. After all, Christmas music is usually fluffy, syrupy stuff about decking the halls, trimming the tree, and spending time with your family, et cetera. They play it in malls, and after a few hundred chirrupy renditions of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," you're ready to gnaw the tinsel off the walls. 

But Trans-Siberian Orchestra breaks all the rules of Christmas music. Producer Paul O'Neill and Jon Oliva teamed up to create this trilogy of hard-rock, orchestral Christmas albums, which bring back the splendour and beauty that every Christmas album should have, but few do. 

The three albums -- "Christmas Eve and Other Stories," "The Christmas Attic" and "The Lost Christmas Eve" -- are each a self-contained story, with a little booklet that tells the story that each song accompanies. These stories almost border on goop (mentally challenged children, sad angels, loneliness on Christmas) but never goes over the border. It sounds cliched, but occasionally it will wring a tear from your eye. 

If it were just about hard-rock carols, this would be interesting but not really worthwhile. But there is a surprising innocence and awe in this music. No, it probably WON'T change your life, but it is truly unique. O'Neill and Oliva don't shy away from religious stories, and the baroque flavour of their arrangements gives it the feel of something timeless that was only recently dug up. 

It also pushes some musical boundaries -- it's not truly prog, metal, classical, new age, or hard-rock. Instead, it mixes roiling guitars with sparkling bells, angelic vocals with bombastic fury, classical orchestra with languid basslines. It could use a bit less of the power-metal vibe, but once you get used to it, it shouldn't be a problem. 

Christmas music has become stale over the years, with singers recycling the same old bland tunes. But Trans-Siberian Orchestra's "Christmas Trilogy" brings vibrancy, energy, and a kind of rockin' sweetness back into holiday music. Enchanting. 

Poster: Kenny Dale

staat ook in ab.sounds.mp3.christmas

Track Listing:

Angel Came Down, An 
Ornament 
First Noel, The 
Old City Bar 
Promises To Keep 
This Christmas Day 
Angel Returned, An 
O Holy Night 
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 
O Come All Ye Faithful / O Holy Night 
Star To Follow, A 
First Snow 
Silent Nut***er, The 
Mad Russians Christmas, A 
Prince Of Peace, The 
Christmas Eve / Sarajevo 12/24 
Good King Joy 
Ghosts Of Christmas Eve, The 
Find Our Way Home - (TRUE instrumental) 
Appalachian Snowfall 
Music Box, The 
Snow Came Down, The 
Christmas In The Air 
Dream Child (A Christmas Dream) 
An Angel`s Share 
Music Box Blues 
Boughs Of Holly - (TRUE instrumental) 
World That She Sees, The 
World That He Sees, The - (TRUE instrumental) 
Midnight Christmas Eve: The March Of The Kings / Hark The Herald Angel 
The March Of The Kings / Hark The Hearld Angel 
Three Kings And I, The (What Really Happened) 
Christmas Canon: Joy / Angels We Have Heard On High 
Joy / Angels We Have Heard On High 
Faith Noel 
Christmas Jazz 
Christmas Jam 
Siberian Sleigh Ride 
What Is Christmas? 
For The Sake Of Our Brother 
Widom Of Snow, The 
Wish Liszt (Toy Shop Madness) 
Back To A Reason (Part ll) 
Christmas Bells, Carousels & Time 
What Child Is This? 
Lost Christmas Eve, The 
O`Come All Ye Faithful 
Christmas Canon Rock 
Different Wings 
Midnight Clear 
Christmas Dreams 
Wizards In Winter 
Remember 
Anno Domine 
Christmas Concerto 
Queen Of The Winter Night 
Christmas Nights In Blue