The release is littered with such names as Alice Cooper, Lemmy Kilmister, Ronnie James Dio, Chuck Billy, Tim 'Ripper' Owens, Geoff Tate, and Dug Pinnick. And that is just the singers! Take a look at the instrument side and you will find the likes of Bob and Bruce Kulick, Billy F. Gibbons, Dave Grohl, Vinnie Appice, Tony Iommi, George Lynch, Billy Sheehan, Tracii Guns, and Greg Bissonette, among others. It is quite the awesome assemblage of talent and experience. How can you go wrong?
In all honesty, I only found one way to go wrong. That one blemish on an otherwise exquisite collection of metal Christmas songs is Geoff Tate (yes, he of Queensryche fame) singing "Silver Bells." He just sounds awful. I don't know what it is, but he just has not been sounding all that good of late, just listen to the last Queensryche album, Take Cover. His voice is not what it was, and he had an absolutely phenomenal voice. Aside from this one song, which features a strong instrument performance from Carlos Cavazo, James Lomenzo, and Ray Luzier, this is a definite keeper.
Yes, the songs are traditional, but they all have that distinctive stamp from the artists involved. Now, this is not for metal purists who will look down on artists lending their talents to common Christmas carols, nor is it for those who like their traditions to be, well, traditional. This is not Bing Crosby or Nat King Cole, this is metal style.
Aside from "Silver Bells," here are a few of my favorites:
"Santa Claws is Coming to Town" - That's right, "Claws" with a W. Alice Cooper lends a darkly dramatic turn for the coming of the bearded one. Alice has been doing this sort of thing for a long time, and he does a fine job here. Joining him are John 5 on guitar, Billy Sheehan on bass, and Vinnie Appice on drums.
"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" - Here is a Christmas classic turned on its ear. While it still has the seasonal content, it is presented in a way that makes it sound purely evil. I guess that is what happens when you let Ronnie James Dio and Tony Iommi loose on a holiday. Pure brilliance.
Article comments
1 - Nutty Swede Runholm
This is, buy far, the "best" Christmas album released. I almost laughed myself to death reading the lineups on the different songs.
Being a hibernated metal head I will certainly make sure to spread this around the office :-)