Trans-Siberian Orchestra releases impressive new album Night Castle
Posted by The Skyliner on November 4th, 2009Samantha Mayo
Staff Writer
The Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s long-awaited album Night Castle weaves together hauntingly sweet melodies, rich, symphonic pieces and raging electric guitar solos to create a stunning work of auditory art.
The 26-track rock opera features a variety of sounds ranging from aggressive rock ‘n roll in “Another Way You Can Die” to the ethereal strains of “Child of the Night” to the warm acoustic guitar featured in “Embers.”
Night Castle contains a unique collection of both instrumental and vocal arrangements. The album is stirring, emotionally charged and energetic throughout each piece.
The instrumentals “Mozart and Memories” and “Bach Lullaby” pay tribute to the influence of famed classical composers on Night Castle’s style.
“Moonlight and Madness” and the bonus track “Nutrocker” are the most classic examples of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s characteristic blend of genres.
While “Moonlight and Madness” and “Nutrocker” deliver the signature Trans-Siberian Orchestra sound, songs like “Toccata-Carpimus Noctem” and “The Mountain” experiment non-instrumental sound effects, such as a helicopter and a rain storm, to up the intensity.
“Night Enchanted” and “Child of the Night” feature unique, ethereal vocals that contrast with the gruff, bitter-sweet tones of “Sparks” and “Dreams We Conceive.”
Night Castle is instrumentally stunning and creative. The band’s vocals, however, fell short of the high caliber of the instrumental performance. While some songs work with the gravelly singing style present throughout most of the CD, the vocals on many of the tracks are repetitious and lacking in range and vocal variety.
In certain parts of the CD, it seems that the song writers tried to pack in too much content. Some songs lack focus and have a tendency to ramble lyrically.
The first 21 tracks of the album are designed to tell a story and should be listened to with the opera script in hand.
The opera is a story within a story. It describes a little girl’s encounter with a stranger on the beach and the tragic tale the stranger tells her.
Both the songs and the script are loaded with penetrating and poignant messages. Trans-Siberian Orchestra founder, producer and writer Paul O’Neill and his team delve into many deep topics including humanity’s connectedness, childhood innocence, true love, courage, sacrifice, good and evil, redemption and forgiveness.
The tracks “Epiphany,” “There Was a Life” and “Father, Son, & Holy Ghost” cry out against injustice and apathy.
“Somewhere/ young men die and children bleed/ Somewhere/ some have too much while others need,” the lyrics from “Epiphany” proclaim.
The elaborate messages and melodies of Night Castle have been almost five years in the making. O’Neill began his work on Night Castle shortly after the release of The Lost Christmas Eve in 2004.
“It definitely got out of control,” O’Neill said, referring to the drawn-out composition process for Night Castle.
The creative style, stunning musical performance and positive, pro-social message in Night Castle make it an album worth purchasing for any Trans-Siberian Orchestra fan.
Tags: Fall 2009, Vol. 109 - Issue 8