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 | Various Artists:Excelsis: A Dark Nöel (Projekt - 1995) 'Tis the season to be getting jolly, and Excelsis packs large doses of its own sardonic and sweet seasonality. While Projekt's founder Sam Rosenthal may have publicly aired his personal dislike of this release in his exclusive AmbiEntrance interview, I gotta love it if for no other reason than to counter the "usual" Christmas music fare. |
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Stylistically, these Xmas covers span a broad range, though most tend to be relatively soft with light acoustic/electric instrumentation. Some are fairly straightforward, while others are somewhat more radical reworkings.
Softly blurred vocals backed by magically tinkling bells form the slow flow of Arcanta's opener, Carol of the Bells. Suzanne Perry's echoey voice is carried on Ryan Lum's jangle-fuzz guitar in Love Spirals Downward's rendition of Welcome Christmas, a lovely, though very un-Suess-like cover. Oh Come All Ye Faithful gets an acoustic/minstrel treatment from FuchiKachis Ethu featuring members from Projekt's flagship band Black Tape.... Female harmonies intertwine over lush string/organ arrangements in a more traditional take on Carol of the Bells; the track is short (2:31), but exceedingly sweet! Area's electronic keyboards open O Come Emmanuel to accompany Kris Krasnowksi's vocal. Thanatos' version of The First Nöel is marked by Padraic Ogl's distinctly macabre tones. His acoustic guitar and Sam Rosenthal's electronics accompany. Lovesliescrushing puts a twist on a usually more chipper tune. Jingle Bells (Snowblower) is slowed down and processed to a hazy, almost unrecognizable smear. What Child is This gets the straight (albeit synthesized) treatment by Balderas & Osborn; sorrowful string arrangements and classical stylings make this piece seem relatively "serious"; it's beautiful nonetheless. Black Tape For a Blue Girl (Sam Rosenthal and Lucian Casselman) turns Chanukkah, Oh Chanukkah into a murky, layered dirge. which I find quite enjoyable. Veronika of Sorrow plays her rum-pum-pum-pum drum machine, synth, and guitar (and sings) for her version of Little Drummer Boy; the song builds nicely and is revved up by squawling guitar feedback. (Veronika also serves as the Dark Angel of the cover art.) Lycia/The Unquiet Void combine forces for a decidedly somber, though sweltering rendition of We Three Kings. Male and female voices gather in a raw, passionate opera in Eva O's arrangement of O Holy Night, the disc's long-running cut at 6:03. Faith and the Muse render A Winter Wassail with a perky, medieval style. Autopsia's deconstruction of Silent Night, Stille Nacht (g)RAVE remix is definitely the most "ambient" track (and a personal favorite). A chorus singing the song itself is buried beneath a stark, blowing wind. The same song, tho traditionally titled as Silent Night, receives an even more experimental makeover by Attrition, marking this as the most outright spooky tune. Besides a quickly sung lyric, a darkly quiet drone is most prominent, overlaid with various clunks, shimmers and other mysterious shadings. |
| Excelsis: A Dark Nöel is a mixed bag by any account, but certainly is a balm against too many happy-sappy melodies or barking dogs. Even if I only listen to it for one month a year, I give it a hearty holidaze One Thumb Up! |  |
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