Genre: Gothic / Ethereal / Ethnic / Neoclassical

01 Arcanta - Carol of the Bells
02 Voltaire (featuring Unto Ashes) - Peace in the Holy Land
03 Love Spirals Downwards - Welcome Christmas
04 Autumn’s Grey Solace - Through the Snowy Trees
05 Black tape for a blue girl - Chanukkah, Oh Chanukkah
06 Rhea’s Obsession with Athan Maroulis - We Three Kings
07 The Crüxshadows - Happy Xmas (War is Over)
08 Audra - Let the Reindeer Live on My Roof
09 Unto Ashes - For I Am Winter Born
10 El Duende - Gaudete, Gaudete
11 Faith and the Muse - A Winter Wassail
12 Attrition - Silent Night

This is one of the well-known Projekt seasonal releases, and as you have probably guessed by now, referring to Christmas. It starts off with Arcanta’s “Carol of the Bells”, an a capella male voice chorus with a deeply catholic touch to it, and the usual quality Arcanta’s music faultlessly portrays. Even though they are religious Arcanta have always been one of my favourite projects. Their music is at all times soothing, and elevating to the spirit. Then we move on to Voltaire’s unique musical style, mixing gypsy violins, folkish melodies and the quickest of wits, and as odd as that may sound the result is quite astounding. This time he behaves though, to my slight disappointment. But ah well, it is Christmas after all – Jesus will have none of this. And it is still one of the best songs in the album.

Love Spirals Downwards take it up from there, offering a dreamy track with beautiful, ethereal female vocals. “Through the Snowy Trees” by Autumn’s Grey Solace that comes next is my favourite track from this album, combining even more ethereal female vocals with shoegazing guitar melodies – plus it is the least religiously burdened track of the compilation. “Chanukkah, Oh Chanukkah” is more of an ethnic track if anything, reaching the dramatic at points with female voice choirs, strings and operatic female vocals. Very imposing. “We Three Kings” continues in the same ethnic atmosphere, but the music is more folkish in nature, mingling female and male vocals with acoustic guitars.

The Crüxshadows are one of the worst gothic bands I have ever listened to, and I’m sorry to say they constitute no exception here. With all their agonizing efforts to establish themselves in such a predictable genre, they offer here the same boring, banal imitation of 80s goth / dark wave vocals and recycled goth-pop melodies. This track could have easily been missing from the compilation without it suffering any loss. Audra’s track is an easy acoustic guitar ballad in a more modern mood, with nostalgic, sentimental lyrics. Not bad but nothing exceptional either. Unto Ashes bring us back to good taste with “For I Am Winter Born”, a down-tempo Christmas carol with male and female vocals. If only the religious element weren't so emphasized, damn... If only Christmas wasn’t about Christ.

“Gaudete, Gaudete” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaudete) is a medieval Christmas carol with Latin lyrics, and my second favourite song of the compilation, probably because I love medieval tunes at all times and in all occasions. Faith and the Muse put forward the only song that isn’t strictly religious, rejoicing for the new season in a heathen dance of tribute, and supplication for the happiness and love that is to come. Attrition do us the honours of chopping up the traditional “Silent Night” to pieces, making out of it a spooky dark ambient track, with the female Christmas carol vocals sampling here and there, as if sung by a ghost wandering in an empty, cold and frightening old mansion. And good riddance with tradition, might I add. Loved it. If I got my hands on a Christmas carol, I would’ve done something similar to it.

Personally, I am not a christian, and I find all kinds of religious sentimentalism rather tacky. I am guessing many of you feel the same. But on the other hand, there are people who still want to enjoy what is largely known as “the Christmas spirit”, regardless of their religious beliefs. And there are others who even adhere to those religious beliefs. And then again, there are those such as myself who want to go through the holidays as painlessly as possible, because, let’s face it, when the holidays are all around you it is impossible to remain completely untouched by them. Unbearably cheesy melodies haunt you everywhere in your daily routine, along with kitsch ornaments and enforced fake romanticism. There comes the dreadful time when you have to entertain friends and relatives at home, and music is an essential part of that entertainment. In one of those times I would much rather have this CD playing than any of the “conventional” ones that usually go around during the holidays. It certainly won’t annoy the aforementioned relatives and friends, and it doesn’t annoy me either. In fact, most of the songs in it are actually well-written, good tracks. So to cut a long story short, if you are looking for a seasonal release that is a little bit out of the ordinary and will add that extra flair to your holiday season, this is a good purchase. Just don’t invite me over for turkey.