BEETHOVEN'S LAST NIGHT

I'm not a Christian, so I have little interest in most of Trans-Siberian Orchestra's albums, but I will admit that if I must listen to Christmas tunes, theirs are at least tolerable. But when I listen to this disaster, it makes me think of that song from the movie, "Team America: World Police" that goes "I miss you more than Michael Bay missed the mark, when he made Pearl Harbor. I miss you more than that movie missed the point. And that's an awful lot, girl."

It seems like a good idea to turn some of Beethoven's best known music, and turn it into power prog. But sometghing insidious must have happened between this band and the memory of lovely lovely Ludwig Van in the course of creating this album. Something bad enough to have the poor composer's remains spinning so fast in his grave that he could generate enough power to send an army of Marty McFlys hurtling through time every minute.

Okay, in the band's favor, there are a few pieces that almost live up to expectations. Mozart / Figaro and Requiem (The fifth) have the bombastic sound we expect from this group, and towards the end of the album, they even make a (all too quick) attempt at the fabulous second movement of the ninth symphony.

The tragedy of the album comes mainly from the vocals. The singing is mostly gruff, not quite accurate, but over the top theatrical ravings that are unlistenable from start to finish. They make Für Elise into Füry Elise. It doesn't help that most of the vocals are not sung over Beethoven's music, but pieces that make Andrew Lloyd-Webber sound interesting.

Why? Just why?