| Musical Style: Christmas Metal | Produced By: |
| Record Label: Independent | Country Of Origin: USA |
| Year Released: 2020 | Artist Website: Pastor Brad |
| Tracks: 10 | Rating: No Quote |
| Running Time: 34:32 |
Christmas metal lovers your time is now. Yes, a somewhat overlooked if not understated genre but not an idle one either, as testament to the host of well-known artists with at least one Christmas metal album to their credit. Getting in on the ‘heavy metal holiday spirit’ are Twisted Sister, releasing the aptly entitled A Twisted Christmas in 2006, and Halford, credited with Winter Songs from 2009, not to mention Helix and its 2008 offering A Heavy Mental Christmas. Several Christmas metal compilations are of note as well, referencing We Wish You A Hairy Christmas (2003), Monster Ballads Xmas (2007) and We Wish You A Metal Xmas And A Headbanging New Year (2008).
One artist no stranger to the metal side of Christmas is Cookeville, Tennessee based guitarist Brad Windlan. Dating to his instrumental guitar ‘shred’ series, Pastor Brad (as he is known within hard music circles) released Heavenly Shred in 2008 to include Satriani style re-makes of five popular Christmas songs ‘that (capture) the spirit of Christmas without coming across, well, too Christmasy’ (quoting the 80% Angelic Warlord review). Artist followed up in 2009 with Christmas Shred by appending five additional cuts to conceive his first full length Christmas metal album. Second from late 2019, One Holy Night, instead takes a vocal stance by featuring ten original metal and hard rock cuts that follow the Christmas story as outlined in the New Testament.
Artist also goes the vocal route on his most recent Christmas metal album Have A Metal Christmas from November of 2020. Unlike One Holy Night, Have A Metal Christmas instead includes covers of classic Christmas songs done in metal and hard rock fashion. If in doubt, Pastor Brad pulls no punches in turning Have A Metal Christmas into the real deal with a musical direction I identify with as eighties influenced traditional metal with a melodic metal edge. Imagine Saint, Barren Cross, Bloodgood, Bride and Stryper recording an album paying tribute to many better-known Christmas songs and you will have a good idea what Have A Metal Christmas brings to the table.
You know from the get go artist means serious business on opener “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” with its unabashed traditional metal guitars and bedecked bass (production nails it) standing alongside melodic hard rock hooks in affluence. The continuously repeated (and quite catchy) ‘we wish you a merry Christmas” refrain is near mesmerizing, although the ‘now bring me some figgy pudding and bring it right here’ phrasing comes across a bit cheeky. Still, song sets the tone for some very good ‘metal Christmas’ moments to come.
“I Heard The Bells” backs off somewhat from heaviness but magnifies tempo in taking a melodic metal heading, revealed in the catchy ‘whoah, whoah’ vocal melodies and guitars to drift between the left and right channels. Listener cannot help but come away uplifted and invigorated. As we will see throughout the review, said Christmas songs are not without great truth:
Then rang the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead, nor does he sleep (peace on earth, peace on earth)
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men
Then ringing singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men
Returning to a heavier direction is “O Come All Ye Faithful”, central to perfectly placed bruising guitars accentuated by classical keyboards to allow a slender power metal essence. Tying everything together is artist, whom flashes his gritty, middle register vocal abilities. Of all the albums tracks, this one does the best job bringing home the Christmas message:
O come, all ye faithful
Joyful and triumphant
O come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem
Come and behold Him
Born the King of Angels!
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
Christ the Lord
The impudent (in a positive sense) rendering to “Jingle Bells” is a true classic. With the recognizable ‘jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way’ melody backed by slamming guitars, song takes a cool borderline rap approach with artist fittingly elevating his register as mountains of low-end groove dominate. Topping things are several stretches of cyclonic lead guitar. This one is just plan fun in which to listen.
With its anthem-like arena rocker aura, “The First Noel” tones down guitars (at least somewhat), and elevates tons of commercial hooks in the process. The layered backing vocals to the refrain boost the corresponding warm and uplifting feel. What we have is one of several tracks in which Pastor Brad does a choice job taking a Christmas carol and adopting it to a contemporary style without sounding forced.
Speaking of which, “Oh Holy Night” succeeds every bit much with prodigious drums and even bigger bass to start ensued by ‘chugga chugga’ guitar all over blowing wind. Impetus settles down as keyboards briefly take over until guitars roar back to again play a commanding role. Glossy vocal melodies give way to one of albums best instrumental runs as artist stretches soloing wise. Lyrics again get the Christmas message across:
O holy night, the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world, in sin and error pining
'Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks, a new and glorious morn
Is it just me, but does the guitar intro to “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear” remind of The Bangles’ “Hazy Shade Of Winter”? It separates as its own song rest of the way, with moments drifting between those easy going to include open-air bass and others of a forward nature in which power riffs hold say, either side serving purpose to buoy the ever-presents marked melody rising to the surface.
“What Child Is This” is another favorite, jump-starting to abounding energy as grooving bass approaches a funk facet as wave-like guitars impel in and out of the mix. When combined with the jam-fusion instrumental interlude, a seventies classic rock to straightforward hard rock embellishing comes to the forefront (only thing missing is a jazzy horn section). This is another cut to embody the truth behind Christmas:
So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh,
Come Peasant, King to own Him
The King of Kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and Angels sing
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
“Go Tell It On The Mountain” magnifies energy exponentially, driven with its meteoric tempo as furious guitar rhythms hold sway but also assuaged from artists soulful vocal penchant and blinding leads in abundance. Listen closely and in the distance you can decipher hints of organ to reflect also upon the seventies. Little doubt is left as to the Christmas message:
Go tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go tell it on the mountain
Our Jesus Christ is born
When I was a seeker
I sought both night and day
I asked the Lord to help me
And he showed me the way
“Up On The Rooftop” separates as another bludgeoner, with guitars and rhythm section playing off one another its span as keyboards dance across the blithesome landscape. The all out metalized Ho, ho, ho, who wouldn't go. Up on the housetop, click, click, click refrain is pure brilliance, particularly the guitar feedback to follow that mirrors the recognizable melody.
Upon learning that the artist recorded a Christmas metal covers album, I was not certain what to think. Good news is that Pastor Brad successfully pulls off Have A Metal Christmas by staying true to the originals (albeit not to a fault) while imbuing them with his own sense of eighties metal and hard rock sensibilities (without abandoning the ‘shred’ side of things). It also cannot be understated the meaning behind the revamped carols and songs in question, which I cannot help but think is the heart of what the project is about. When factoring the music and message, Have A Metal Christmas would make the perfect holiday gift or be a good choice to round out your Christmas metal collection.
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing: “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” (3:05), “I Heard The Bells” (3:21), “O Come All Ye Faithful” (3:15), “Jingle Bells” (3:01), “The First Noel” (4:06), “Oh Holy Night” (4:27), “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear” (3:24), “What Child Is This” (3:13), “Go Tell It On The Mountain” (2:59), “Up On The Rooftop” (3:16)
Musicians
Pastor Brad - Lead Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keyboards & Drum Programming
