(Trans Siberian Orchestra) - "Night Castle"

Review:

The TSO was formed by Paul O’Neil back in 1996 to create grand rock operas, most of them based on Christmas (it made sense because they tend to do their massive arena tours around this time); this is only the second to not follow that subject. This time, the wonderful, emotional story is worthy of a blockbuster Hollywood drama, I will not tell you what it is about because it will spoil it; just enjoy reading the 64 page booklet. The songs themselves would not be out of place in Les Miserables, indeed, one of singers, Rob Evan, actually was in Les Miserables on Broadway. Jeff Scott Soto (W.E.T, Journey, Yngwie Malmsteen, etc.) takes the lead, together with the gorgeous Jennifer Cella. What about the highlights? The ‘Child of The Night’ segment in the grand choral opener, ‘Night Enchanted, is delightful, based on music by Delibes, and beautifully sung by Alexa Goddard and Valentina Porter. It also appears in its own right as a bonus track. ‘The Safest Way Into Tomorrow’, sung by Jay Pierce, is an outstanding ballad, Jeff Scott Soto puts in an emotionally charged performance on ‘Dreams We Conceive’, and ‘Epiphany’ is an epic, dramatically belted out by Rob Evan. ‘Father, Son, and Holy Ghost’ starts out gently before turning into a powerful ballad where Jennifer Cella sounds like Bonnie Tyler after some throat lozenges. This is followed by her more delicate performance on ‘Remnants of a Lullaby’. The only true rock song is ‘Sparks’ (although Jeff Scott Soto’s ‘Another Way You Can Die’ comes close) with Tim Huckleberry doing a decent Joe Cocker impersonation. What I do find strange are the 5 prog rock guitar wigouts, dispersed throughout the album. Based on classical themes, sounding like Dream Theatre plays ELP, they do not fit the story or the style of the album. They would have been better left out and put on the bonus disc so that the whole of the main album can fit on one disc.

Even stranger, the best and most fitting instrumental, ‘Tracers’, is consigned to a bonus track. Therefore the album could be construed as something of a Curate’s Egg, depending on your viewpoint. Broadway fans may be put off by the prog, prog fans deterred by the Broadway songs. But if you are open minded (and there’s always the skip button), then this is a truly wonderful album and package. Being on a major label, there should be no problem in procuring a copy.

8.5 out of 10.

Reviewed by Phil Wooldridge