Night Castle

Performer: Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Engineer: Dave Wittman; Kurdt Vanderhoof
Producer: Paul O'Neill; Robert Kinkel
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: Personnel: Dave Wittman (guitar, drums); Chris Caffery, Al Pitrelli, Paul O'Neill, Angus Clark (guitar); Anna Phoebe (strings); Jay Coble (trumpet); Luci Butler, Robert Kinkel (keyboards, background vocals); Jon Oliva, Derek Wieland (keyboards); John O. Reilly, Jason Gianni, Jeff Plate (drums); Danielle Landherr, Zak Stevens, Bart Shatto, James Lewis, Kelly Keeling, Andrew Ross, Jennifer Cella, Steve Broderick, Dina Fanai (background vocals). Audio Mixer: Dave Wittman. Arranger: Paul O'Neill. NIGHT CASTLE appears just in time for the big 2009 holiday season but don't be fooled: this isn't a Christmas album, even if it's sonically indistinguishable from Trans-Siberian Orchestra's other seasonal releases, and the fact that it's been dubbed "Capra-esque" certainly brings it within the realm of the season. NIGHT CASTLE brims with all the drama, pomp, and circumstance of Trans-Siberian Orchestra's other records but channeling these traits through a newly created narrative does have the effect of hearing it in a somewhat new light, shifting the focus entirely to the band's attack, not melody. Still, there's not that much new here -- and the coda of seasonal covers, including the first sober version of "Nutrocker" ever cut, doesn't do much to break that spell. But for those already enchanted by the Orchestra, this will continue to enthrall. Night Castle appears just in time for the big 2009 holiday season but don't be fooled: this isn't a Christmas album, even if it's sonically indistinguishable from Trans-Siberian Orchestra's other seasonal releases, and the fact that it's been dubbed "Capra-esque" certainly brings it within the realm of the season. Night Castle brims with all the drama, pomp, and circumstance of Trans-Siberian Orchestra's other records, but channeling these traits through a newly created narrative does have the effect of hearing it in a somewhat new light, shifting the focus entirely to the band's attack, not melody. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine Night Castle appears just in time for the big 2009 holiday season but don't be fooled: this isn't a Christmas album, even if it's sonically indistinguishable from Trans-Siberian Orchestra's other ludicrous seasonal releases, and the fact that it's been dubbed "Capra-esque" certainly brings it within the realm of the season. Night Castle brims with all the drama, pomp, and circumstance of Trans-Siberian Orchestra's other records but channeling these traits through a newly created narrative does have the effect of hearing it in a somewhat new light, shifting the focus entirely to the band's attack, not melody. Still, there's not that much new here -- and the coda of seasonal covers, including the first sober version of "Nutrocker" ever cut, doesn't do much to break that spell. But for those already enchanted by the Orchestra, this will continue to enthrall; and those who've always doubted will still find this a bunch of twaddle. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

If the idea of a 60-piece metal/prog-rock symphony playing Christmas music sounds cheesy, try telling that to the tens of millions of music lovers who have flocked to Trans-Siberian Orchestra's live performances every year since 1996. TSO was created in New York City by composer/conductor/producer Paul O'Neill, composer Robert Kinkel, and singer Jon Oliva. O'Neill favors big, theatrical arrangements and booming production, and his compositions are a crowd-pleasing melange of styles, shifting effortlessly from Billy Joel-esque piano pop to bombastic metal to more trad-sounding orchestral fare. The outfit has recorded several multi-platinum selling Christmas concept albums, and regularly sells out stadiums throughout the United States and Canada.

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