Night Castle (CD - 2009)

Personnel: Dave Wittman (guitar, drums); Chris Caffery, Al Pitrelli, Paul O'Neill, Angus Clark (guitar); Anna Phoebe (strings); Jay Coble (trumpet); Luci Butler, Robert Kinkel (keyboards, background vocals); Jon Oliva, Derek Wieland (keyboards); John O. Reilly, Jason Gianni, Jeff Plate (drums); Danielle Landherr, Zak Stevens, Bart Shatto, James Lewis, Kelly Keeling, Andrew Ross, Jennifer Cella, Steve Broderick, Dina Fanai (background vocals).

Audio Mixer: Dave Wittman.

Arranger: Paul O'Neill.

NIGHT CASTLE appears just in time for the big 2009 holiday season but don't be fooled: this isn't a Christmas album, even if it's sonically indistinguishable from Trans-Siberian Orchestra's other seasonal releases, and the fact that it's been dubbed "Capra-esque" certainly brings it within the realm of the season. NIGHT CASTLE brims with all the drama, pomp, and circumstance of Trans-Siberian Orchestra's other records but channeling these traits through a newly created narrative does have the effect of hearing it in a somewhat new light, shifting the focus entirely to the band's attack, not melody. Still, there's not that much new here -- and the coda of seasonal covers, including the first sober version of "Nutrocker" ever cut, doesn't do much to break that spell. But for those already enchanted by the Orchestra, this will continue to enthrall. minimize