Now we’re getting into December, as well as the wintry treats of the most wonderful time of year. Christmas has always been my favorite holiday, and my love for it has only heightened in recent years. With the threat of a plague being able to take a life away at a moment’s notice, you can understand why. Regardless, it’s the holiday season, and I have some goodies for you! To start things off, I got a hell of an album to talk about! As you can already tell by the title of this post, I’m of course going to be talking about the iconic Trans-Siberian Orchestra! Since the late 90s, these holiday metallic warriors have spread their message of joy & wonder across this entire country & beyond. However, they don’t rely on Heavy Metal alone, as they bring along a few genre compatriots for the ride to help spread their wintry message! So, put on your ugly Christmas sweater, get a cup of hot cocoa, and take a look at my review for The Ghosts Of Christmas Eve. Let’s begin!
Background ***
After the first inaugural tours & records, Trans-Siberian Orchestra producer Paul O’ Neil got a call from Fox before their 1999 tour (They always start in November, btw) & asked if TSO could record Beethoven’s Last Night for a special. Paul said he could do one better, and make a mini-movie, & was also able to write a script for said movie in about an hour. After the filming for the short feature, it would premier on Fox Family on December 14, 1999 as part of their seasonal 25 Days of Christmas programming block. On November the 13th, 2001, it was released on DVD with the Timeless Version of "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24" included as a bonus song.
Basic Description
A Timeless Christmas Tale.
That might sound cliche, but what I just said is completely true. Trans-Siberian Orchestra have become ingrained into the Christmas season as much as Candy Canes & the Christmas Truce of WW1, and they show no signs of ever letting go of that fact! Paul O’ Neil always had a way of weaving stories into the music, regardless of whether or not it was with Savatage or TSO. However, it wasn’t just storytelling he was good at, as he & the rest of group worked with many musical styles. The Ghosts Of Christmas Eve doesn’t just use Heavy Metal, but there’s also Blues, Hard Rock, Gospel, Orchestra, and I think even a hint of Jazz somewhere. While I do think this does cause a problem or two (More on that in a bit), it’s still incredible that so many music genres come together to make something incredible, and all under the guise of the Holiday season no less!
Best Track
You could pick any song on here, and it’ll be a hit. There is absolutely no bad choice for the best track of the album, as virtually all of them are! If I was to pick my favorite song however, I’d gotta say Music Box Blues oddly enough. Normally, I’m not a Blues or Jazz kind of guy, but this is one of the few times where it hits me in just the right way. It is incredibly obvious that it’s a Blues tune, but what caught me off guard was the gospel-like vocal work from both the main singer & the choir, as well as the gospel-like instrumentation in some places. It’s an incredibly emotional song as well, with equal moments of positivity & melancholy that are just potent. It’s a great song you shouldn’t skip, so don’t!
Music Box Blues
Worst Track
The Ghosts Of Christmas Eve’s only fault lives with it’s organization. Not with it’s production or quality, because those points are practically flawless, nor in a story sense because it flows smoothly in that regard. I’m referring to the musical styles being used across this whole album. One song may be a Hard Rock tune, and the next you’re immediately listening to the Blues, or perhaps Gospel. Because it goes from genre to genre in a semi-random manner, it’s kind of hard to determine if the record has a solid musical identity or not.
Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below:
The Ghosts Of Christmas Eve
Overall Impression & Rating
The Ghosts Of Christmas Eve is simply magical. Organization issues aside, Trans-Siberian Orchestra really hit it out of the park with what they were going for on this album. You could argue that there a hint of cheese spread over everything, and I wouldn’t completely disagree. However, sometimes we all need to hear an upbeat and emotional message. Sometimes, we all need a Slice of Heaven in this unrelenting Sea of Hell that has only become more torrential & destructive in recent years. However, sometimes if we believe in things that may be unrealistic, we can make them real, and this band manages to do that with each and every single musical note. If there’s a CD that must be in your life around this time of year, it’s definitely The Ghosts Of Christmas Eve!
The Ghosts Of Christmas Eve gets a 9.5 out of 10.
And that was my review of The Ghosts Of Christmas Eve. Even though it’s most definitely metal, the numerous other musical styles give it quite the personality, and show that it’s not a one-trick pony. Metalheads love these guys, and even some non-metalheads like the orchestra too! So, join me in a few days when I’ll put up that surprise list I talked about earlier in the month. See you soon!
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If you have a little over 2 minutes to spare, then check out this quick story about not just the album, but the TV special as well.
Translating 'The Ghosts Of Christmas Eve' TV Special to the stage
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