VARIOUS ARTISTS

We Wish You A Metal Christmass And Headbanging New Year

Armoury Records/ CD

Well. What we've got here is rather a curiosity then a serious work of art. However the idea of recording of rock versions of Christmas carols and other Christmas songs is nothing new. So many tried before and many will do it in the future. But when the project involves the former and present members of such acts like: AC / DC, WHITESNAKE, KISS, MEGADETH, TESTAMENT, ANTXRAX, KING'S X, JUDAS PRIEST, FOO FOGHTERS THE CULT, QUEENSRYCHE, DIO, BLACK SABBATH, MOTORHEAD and many others, it's hard to put the whole thing off only with a shrug.

The result of the collaboration of so many famous and honoured musicians comes out in the perfect time - just before Christmas holidays. So if you have a tolerant parents it may be possible that this time you won’t be forced to listen to some boring and crappy albums which are played only once a year.

The album starts with the most classic of classic Christmas songs. "We Wish You A Merry Xmas" It immediately reminds me of the pine's and cakes' fragrances. Vocal duties are carried out by Jeff Scott Soto - known among others form his work with Yngwie Malmsteen. Guitar show's hero is Bruce Kulick (ex-KISS) who performs a nice solo. It's quite pleasurable introduction. But nothing more. Without any doubts the real sleigh ride begins with the track number two. Pure, energetic rock'n'roll "Run Rudolph Run" taken from Chuck Berry's closet is performed by awesome trio consisting of: Dave Grohl, Lemmy and Billy Gibons. When we have such a names it's quite obvious that the result must be a killer. When I listen to this song I can imagine the snow princesses in mini skirts waving with their pompons. The ride continues during the energetic "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town". Rhythm section - Billy Sheenan and Vinny Appice - need no recommendation. The same with Mr. ALICE COOPER. It's funny but when I first listened to that song not knowing who is singing I thought that we have Jeff Walker (CARCASS) here. If you've heard his solo album with country-western hits, for sure you know what I mean.

Coming up next is a gloomy SABBATH riff that greets us in a traditional carol "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen". When I listen to Ronnie James Dio who is a master of ceremony here I must admit that it's the most doomy carol I've heard in my life. But could it be different if we have Mr. Tony Iommi himself playing guitar here? Next two tracks - Bing Crosby's "Silver Bells" with QEENRYCHE's Geoff Tate on the vocals and Richard Nixon's favourite carol "Little Drummer Boy" with George Lynch and Doug Pinnick - are pretty average. There's nothing special about them. Unfortuntealy the same is with Elvis Presley's "Santa Claus Is Back In Town" preformed by Tim "Ripper"Owens known from ICED EARTH and JUDAS PRIEST. If the "Run Rudolph Run" was a real snow storm, then we have only a mild blizzard here.
The most weird track is "Silent Night" with Chuick Billy's growling interpretation. together with Scott Ian's thrashy guitar background it may cause some riots at the Chritams Eve’s table if you'd decide to force other family members to listen to that version.

Frankly speaking I'm not sure if it was a good idea. I'm as far from catholic orthodoxy as it's possible, but this one of the most beautiful Christmas carols sounds here like a parody. Perhaps it was their goal. But disgust remained Old Welsh carol "Deck the Halls" surprises with a riff almost riped-off from the OZZY's "No More Tears" title track. "Rockin 'Around The Xmas tree" and "Grandma Got Ran Over By A Reindeer" are another rock'n'rollish, lightly metalized songs. As a final song, we have a classic of classics John Lennon's "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" with Marco Mendoza (THIN LIZZY) singing and Tommy Shaw's (ex-DAMN YANKEES) beautiful solo is a real brilliant here.

It's rather useless to analyse the artistic value of those songs. They're all christmas classics. However the quality of arrangements and performance differs slightly with every song, Unfortunately - with the exception of „Run Rudolph Run” and „God Rest Ye...” - there's no single track that may be considered as something more then only occasional curiosity.