Hail Santa! Metal Christmas music.
Just going to start by saying that I’m not the biggest fan of metal Christmas music generally speaking. It’s okay to enjoy things that aren’t related to metal and adding metal to Christmas doesn’t necessarily make it “cool”, in fact it can take away from both leaving you with something neither cool or very festive. However in some cases the results can’t help but make me smile. So let’s take a look at some individual tracks and albums that nail the brief and kick ass. Let’s say three of each. I’m sure you’re aware of these already but let’s not let that stop us.
Tracks:
No Presents for Christmas by King Diamond: Well it’s the King so of course this one made the nice list. Opening with a medley of Jingle Bells and I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus before launching into possibly the single best Christmas Metal song. Christmas time is here again, Santa needs a helping hand.
https://youtu.be/Sqnl0LGWwek?si=jz4k76N9dfBqW-3J
Red Water (Christmas Mourning) by Type O Negative: Okay so this one might not fill your soul with joy and leave you wishing for good will towards men but who cares? I assume you’ve heard this just because it’s on October Rust but if not then it’s one to check out. Pretty typical Type O Negative sound, a gloomy dirge. Maybe it’s cheating to put this on here as it’s not specifically written as a novelty Christmas song but it has Christmas in the name so we’re having it. Black Lights hang from the tree.
https://youtu.be/SzaflC73iTk?si=XctCygvGORlbjgHC
Run Rudolph Run by Lemmy, Billy Gibbons and Dave Grohl: What’s there to say about this? Lemmy barking his way through a rock n roll version of Run Rudolph Run. It’s not big and it’s not clever and it sounds exactly like you imagine it does. That being said I find something quite charming about this.
https://youtu.be/1q0J3y_0xuI?si=HVJzPQUlfxaxC_FX
Albums:
Celestial by Rob Halford: Look, does the world need this? Really? Probably not but you’ll not hear a word against the Metal God around these parts. If you want metal versions of Christmas classics like Deck the Halls, Joy to the World and even your boy King Wenceslas then this album is all you need. I know this contradicts what I said in the intro somewhat but just listen to this and you don’t need any over Christmas covers.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBnJv6rImVe-24vq2-j4ijwPV3_RPFCE0&si=DJO9le-z_ZkBM2W6
A Christmas Carol by Majestica: I am not really a power metal fan so power metal chat will, I’m sad to say, be scarce on these pages. However, if you can’t get cheesy at Christmas then when can you? This is exactly what it sounds like. Swedish purveyors of symphonic power metal Majestica have retold the classic Dickens tale with a flair and pomp that you never knew you needed. I unironically love this.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjUuIOio_9fiLxQjdBYaDX_0IGDJ1nZwY&si=dFRVLxiCbQym3KS5
Sleddin’ Hill, A Holiday Album by August Burns Red: American metalcore band August Burns Red took quite a turn in 2012 when they released this. 15 tracks and 48 minutes of instrumental Christmas crackers. Does Frosty the Snowman need a breakdown? Does Sleigh Ride need a guitar solo? Who can say. But it happened. Might as well strap in and enjoy it.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_l1yyK50kEM7ElvR8mwpBa8KtzVpjnVe80&si=um5whoCj5TQPNpjj
Anyway, that’s quite enough of that.