(Nuclear Blast)
Rating: 8.0
Ho ho ho! Sonata Arctica has graced the merry holiday with a Christmas treat and it is indeed an enjoyable tune. “Christmas Spirits” is a 7 minute track that sports the characteristics of modern Sonata with orchestration, chugging riffs, and jolly elves singing a melody in the background. Ok, the elves part is clearly different.
“Christmas Spirits” sports narration from an old fellow who tells the story of Santa’s workshop and how chaos ensues when Santa’s elves discover the jolly red giant’s assortment of liquors and guzzle them all down, resulting in drunken behavior and ruckus in the city. The narrator says that during the night if you smell really carefully you may be able to smell the trail of Christmas spirits left by the elves.
The joyous holiday melody that rings in the background will certainly ingrain itself in your head as I found myself humming it at times. The single also incorporates a Radio Edit which forgoes the narration and starts the song right away and then there is the Orchestral Version which leaves the guitar behind and lets the violin and keys do the talking.
This version sounds more like a traditional Christmas tune and something that could be found in some holiday kid’s movie. “Christmas Spirits” is a fun, enjoyable Christmas tune with that one-of-a-kind Sonata aesthetic that makes this a must listen! Merry Post-Christmas everybody!
Source: bravewords.com
