Another Wednesday in December, another Christmas video from Orion's Reign...only this time, I have a new video for you!
Minniva is back on the vocals for this rendition of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”, with plenty of high-octane power metal vocals to spare. Everyone is rocking out to a festive backdrop, and just looks like they are having so much fun! There is imagery of Santa flying in his sleigh on a snowy night...honestly, I don't know how one can listen to Orion's Reign and not get into the holiday spirit; I suppose it is possible, but they probably don't like Christmas music anyway. As for those of us who love metal and love Christmas music, Orion's Reign has got you covered.
I hope everyone has enjoyed my forays into Christmas music so far, because there's more to be had! It is the season for sharing, right?
Once again, Wednesdays focus on Orion's Reign, whose power metal-infused renditions of classic Christmas carols have become a favorite of mine at this time of year. Their videos are also of a fun and light-hearted nature, making these festive tunes even merrier.
Like last week's video, this one is a couple of years old, but Christmas music is timeless, so the shelf life of a music video shouldn't matter too much.
The video for “Deck the Halls” begins with the band setting up their gear in the middle of a forest. Ladies in lovely dresses sit on the grass, trying on flower crowns. After working so hard, one of the bandmembers stops to relax at a nearby tree. As he appears to drift into dreams, the music starts. The ladies stop to look at the band, headbanging in the middle of the forest. At first they seem stunned, then curious, and before long, they are smiling. They follow the sound of the music, hiding behind trees as they watch in awe. As they tiptoe around the wooded areas, it is clear to see that they are fairies, and with one wave of their magic wands, the guitars turn into giant candy canes! The magic wand is brandished a few more times, and before long, the band is “decked” out in red and green, dressed as merry elves as the fairies dance around them and join in the fun.
Was it a bit of Christmas magic, or simply the dreams of a tired musician? You'll just have to watch for yourself.
For more information on Orion's Reign, visit their official website.
As I mentioned last Friday, the review writing has been put on “cruise control”, and I am turning it over to holiday music.
With the holiday season under way, the time for playing festive songs for the occasion has arrived. We all have our favorite seasonal tunes, and each year it is guaranteed that at least one of our favorite musicians will release a Christmas album.
That being said, until Christmas, both on Wednesdays and Fridays, I am going to feature two artists within the symphonic metal genre that have come to make Christmas music their specialty.
One of these is the Greek band Orion's Reign, whom I have reviewed here before. Known for their symphonic metal renditions of Christmas classics, Orion's Reign creates a holiday soundtrack for those who like a little more heaviness in their Jingle Bell Rock.
The video for “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” is over 5 years old, but the song itself is far see than that, so who cares? I only have a short window of time to review cool metal Christmas videos, so I am gonna review this one.
Featuring vocalist Marit Børreson and symphonic metal mastermind PelleK, Orion's Reign wishes us a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year in the grandiose, dramatic way that only a symphonic metal band can do. Marit and PelleK are dressed up in Santa hats, the band performs among a Christmasy backdrop, and stockings adorn the drums and guitars.
For more information on Orion's Reign, visit their official website.
As a metalhead, it's probably isn't considered “cool” for me to admit I wear any other color than black, celebrate any other holiday than Halloween, or listen to “festive” music...but I admit that I love Christmastime. I love the bright lights, the home-cooked goodies, the overall spirit of the holiday season...and I absolutely love Christmas music. I love decorating my house with all the sentimental treasures I have accumulated over the years, as I listen to my personal collection of seasonal tunes, which has also amassed over time.
That being said, it probably comes as no surprise that I especially love when the worlds of metal and holiday music join together at this time of year. The end results can sometimes be impressive—such as the music of Trans-Siberian Orchestra, undoubtedly the most commercially successful example of metal holiday music. Or the combination could lead to disaster, such as the countless forgettable Christmas tunes that metal bands occasionally cash in on to make a quick buck. More often than not, I find these efforts create a happy medium, where it will not necessarily prompt these bands to change genre, but the music stands up well enough to provide a winter-time soundtrack for their fans as they return to these songs year after year as part of their own holiday tradition.
However, one band who is taking a cue from the template set by Trans-Siberian Orchestra is Orion's Reign, from Greece. Like TSO, the majority of their music is seasonal, with a bombastic power metal sound which works surprisingly well for both merry ditties as well as solemn hymns. Orion's Reign also dabbles in the occasional cover song from time to time; but unlike TSO—who have crafted original holiday material—they stick to those tried-and-true Christmas favorites that we all know and love, and put a little extra metal for just the right amount of spice.
But just because a band chooses to go with the classics instead of creating more Christmas songs for us to learn, does not mean that the music has to sound predictable and boring. In fact, what I love about Orion's Reign is their ability to have fun with these songs we have heard a million times over, and make them sound interesting. Take a song like “Jingle Bells” (the video featured here)—we have heard that song done so many times that there can't possibly be a way to make it new again—but Orion's Reign enlists the help of Norwegian vocalist Minniva Børresen, and creates this lush, symphonic earworm that gets your toes tapping before you realize what has happened!
The video itself is also cheery and light-hearted: the band rocks out in the middle of a wooded area, while Minniva and male vocalist Dan Vasc trade off operatic vocals in a jubilant sing-off for the ages. There is even time for a mad guitar solo. If that doesn't put you in a joyful mood, then you're probably gonna get a visit from a few ghosts on Christmas Eve. Just sayin'.
For more information on Orion's Reign, or to hear more of their Christmas music, visit the band's official website.
