WE WISH YOU A METAL XMAS AND A HEADBANGING NEW YEAR

Various Artists – We Wish You a Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year (2008, Armoury Records)

Track Listing:

1. “We Wish You a Merry Xmas” … 4:39
[Performed by: Jeff Scott Soto/Bruce Kulick/Bob Kulick/Chris Wyse/Ray Luzier]
2. “Run Rudolph Run” … 3:30
[Performed by: Lemmy Kilmister/Billy Gibbons/Dave Grohl]
3. “Santa Claws Is Coming to Town” … 4:19
[Performed by: Alice Cooper/John 5/Billy Sheehan/Vinny Appice]
4. “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” … 4:06
[Performed by: Ronnie James Dio/Tony Iommi/Rudy Sarzo/Simon Wright]
5. “Silver Bells” … 5:05
[Performed by: Geoff Tate/Carlos Cavazo/James Lomenzo/Ray Luzier]
6. “Little Drummer Boy” … 4:37
[Performed by: George Lynch/Simon Phillips/Billy Sheehan/Dug Pinnick]
7. “Santa Claus Is Back in Town” … 4:01
[Performed by: Tim “Ripper” Owens/Steve Morse/Juan Garcia/Marco Mendoza/Vinny Appice]
8. “Silent Night” … 4:11
[Performed by: Chuck Billy/Jon Donais/Scott Ian/John Tempesta/Chris Wyse]
9. “Deck the Halls” … 4:10
[Performed by: Craig Goldy/Oni Logan/Tony Franklin/John Tempesta]
10. “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” … 4:41
[Performed by: Stephen Pearcy/Tracii Guns/Bob Kulick/Billy Sheehan/Greg Bissonette]
11. “Rockin’ Around the Xmas Tree” … 3:21
[Performed by: Joe Lynn Turner/Bob Kulick/Bruce Kulick/Rudy Sarzo/Simon Wright]
12. “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” … 4:27
[Performed by: Tommy Shaw/Steve Lukather/Marco Mendoza/Kenny Aronoff]

Produced by: Bob Kulick & Brett Chassen

Every other metal site is reviewing it this year, might as well throw my two cents in as well…

Holy night! This CD ROCKS!!! A lot of rocked-out versions of Christmas songs have been released over the years (most successfully, Twisted Sister’s A Twisted Christmas) and metal compilations of yuletide classics are nothing new, but this album is hands down the best I have ever listened to!

The talent assembled on this album are nothing short of rock legends and incredibly gifted musicians: Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, George Lynch, Stephen Pearcy, Tommy Shaw, Joe Lynn Turner, Lemmy, Dave Grohl, Billy Gibbons, Scott Ian, Bruce Kulick, Ripper Owens, Geoff Tate, Rudy Sarzo… I could go on and on.

A lot of times, when you assemble so much talent from different bands, these tribute/compilations come off as cash ‘n’ grabs, quick paychecks for artists who really aren’t putting themselves into the project. Well, I can safely say that’s not the case here. Outside of “Rockin’ Around the Xmas Tree” and “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)”, all the songs have been given their own legit hard rock/metal feel, just check out the Dio-sung “God Rest Ye Merryman Gentlemen”, which has been re-worked into a great plodding heavy metal song worthy of Black Sabbath Heaven And Hell!

Alice Cooper even turns “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” into “Santa Claws Is Coming to Town” and delivers an inspired Alice performance that’ll make you wish Christmas and the big guy in the red suit never comes! I also have point out that Tim “Ripper” Owens probably gives the best vocal performance of the whole album on “Santa Claus Is Back in Town”, again, making you forget it’s even a Christmas song and just making you want to rock out.

Seriously, folks, this is one of my favorite albums of 2008. I am obsessed with Christmas and I know this album is going to get many plays from me for years to come. The ONLY complaint I have is “Silent Night”, which was totally butchered by Chuck Billy with some horrid cookie monster vocals (which sounds really out of place with the fun hard rock/metal vibe of the rest of the album). I don’t have a problem with taking classic holiday songs and giving them a metal twist, but that’s just wrong to me.

Lowlights: “Silent Night”

www.eagle-rock.com
www.myspace.com/metalchristmas