Album Reviews : We Wish You A Metal Xmas… And A Headbanging New Year

Alongside national anthems, traditional Christmas carols are as bland and uninspiring as music gets. For such a hugely celebrated holiday around the world, the soundtrack really is terrible. There are, of course, countless different takes on the carols being released each year but with the exception of Twisted Sister’s recent Christmas album, and a hilarious ‘Aussie Xmas’ cassette I got from Safeway many years ago, none of them have entertained me in the slightest. Thankfully, this year, unwrapping gifts will have a very different soundtrack at my house.

As you have probably already figured out ‘We Wish You A Metal Xmas’ is a collection of well known Christmas songs, coated in metal. As with most compilations of the sort, the album is very hit and miss. There are a few songs that are really well done, a few that are painful to listen to, and a handful that you’ll instantly forget.

Seeing as it’s supposed to be a happy season, I’ll start on a good note; the legendary Lemmy croaking along to ‘Run Rudolph Run’ is hilariously awesome. It sounds surprisingly good, and has the classic Motorhead sound all over it, but the simple fact that it’s Lemmy singing a Christmas song makes me laugh every time.  Chuck Billy’s brutal rendition of ‘Silent Night’ and Ripper Owen rocking ‘Santa Claus is Back in Town’ are my other picks, for very different reasons. The former is thrashier and heavier than I ever thought a Christmas song could become and is certainly an interesting listen, while the latter doesn’t actually sound like a Christmas carol but rather just a great, catchy rock song.

Amongst those great songs, which I’m positive I will be playing for years to come, there is a stocking full of songs which may be better than their traditional counterparts but are quickly forgotten. It’s hard to pull of covers like these with an authentic sound which is where these other tracks fail. Rather than sounding like a group of musicians having fun, they actually sound like they’re desperately trying to make the songs sound metal.

There is only one track however, that I skip completely. Geoff Tate’s voice really isn’t what it used to be, and despite a very solid performance from the other musicians on the track, his version of ‘Silver Bells’ is almost painful to listen to. It sounds like he has lost control of his voice and is just far too high pitched for the most part.

Musically, the songs aren’t overly interesting apart from a few catchy riffs and great guitar solos here and there. It’s all well played, as expected from such prominent musicians, but it’s not exactly mind-blowing writing.

Despite its flaws and general hit-and-miss nature, I highly recommended purchasing this album, particularly if you are holding some sort of Christmas party. It’s a fun album to listen to, and any metalheads listening are sure to get a few laughs out of it. If you want Christmas carols with balls (and not the sparkly, artificial type) then get this album.

Album: We Wish You A Merry Xmas (And A Headbanging New Year)
Year: 2008
Genre: Heavy Metal/Rock
Label: Armoury Records
www.myspace.com/metalchristmas

Tracklisting:
1. We Wish You A Merry Xmas
Jeff Scott Soto (Talisman, Yngwie Malmsteen, Journey)
Bruce Kulick (KISS, Union)
Bob Kulick
Chris Wyse (The Cult)
Ray Luzier (Korn, David Lee Roth, Army of Anyone)

2. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Alice Cooper
John 5 (Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson)
Billy Sheehan (David Lee Roth, Talas, Mr. Big)
Vinny Appice (Dio, Black Sabbath, Heaven and Hell)

3. Run Rudolph Run
Lemmy Kilmister (Motorhead)
Billy F. Gibbons (ZZ Top)
Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters)

4. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Ronnie James Dio (Dio, Black Sabbath, Heaven and Hell)
Tony Iommi (Heaven and Hell, Black Sabbath)
Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot, Whitesnake, Dio)
Simon Wright (AC/DC, Dio)

5. Little Drummer Boy
Doug Pinnick (King’s X)
George Lynch (Dokken)
Billy Sheehan (David Lee Roth, Talas, Mr. Big)
Simon Phillips (The Who, Toto)

6. Santa Claus Is Back In Town
Tim “Ripper” Owens (Yngwie Malmsteen, Judas Priest, Iced Earth)
Steve Morse (Deep Purple)
Juan Garcia (Agent Steel)
Marco Mendoza (Whitesnake, Ted Nugent)
Vinny Appice (Dio, Black Sabbath, Heaven and Hell)

7. Silent Night
Chuck Billy (Testament)
Scott Ian (Anthrax)
Jon Donais (Shadows Fall)
Chris Wyse (The Cult)
John Tempesta (Rob Zombie, The Cult)

8. Silver Bells
Geoff Tate (Queensryche)
Carlos Cavazo (Quiet Riot, Ratt)
James Lomenzo (Megadeth, White Lion)
Ray Luzier (Korn, David Lee Roth)

9. Deck the Halls
Oni Logan (Lynch Mob)
Craig Goldy (Dio)
Tony Franklin (The Firm)
John Tempesta (Rob Zombie, The Cult)

10. Grandma Got Ran Over By a Reindeer
Stephen Pearcy (Ratt)
Tracii Guns (L.A. Guns, Brides of Destruction)
Bob Kulick
Billy Sheehan (David Lee Roth, Talas, Mr. Big)
Greg Bissonette (David Lee Roth)

11. Rockin’ Around the Xmas Tree
Joe Lynn Turner (Rainbow, Deep Purple)
Bruce Kulick (KISS, Union)
Bob Kulick
Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot, Whitesnake, Dio)
Simon Wright AC/DC, Dio)

12. Happy Xmas (War Is Over)