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Twisted Sister ("TS") is a classic heavy metal band, largely famous in the late 70s and 80s, but reborn in the past decade. Ironically, A Twisted Christmas was supposed to be the swan song for the group, but the holiday release's popularity has encouraged the band to reconsider. This is a fun CD for the heavy metal crowd, and it's a no-brainer for TS fans.

Interestingly, although heavy metal is all about anti-establishment rebellion, this CD presents surprisingly straightforward rock treatments of traditional holiday fare. With frontman Dee Snider at the helm, TS applies steaming bass guitar licks, pounding percussion, and appropriately tortured vocals to those sentimental seasonal favorites.

This album will be blessed relief for heavy metal afficionados and newer generation goth fans who long for familiar Christmas tunes with a twisted perspective. The offering opens with Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas; here, TS initially presents itself anemically, mocking a saccharine sweet approach, before quickly morphing into its darkly rockin' roots. As is often true with heavy metal releases, the bass line and percussion tend to overshadow the vocals, but I suppose that's the point. Oh Come All Ye Faithful is apparently patterned after TS's own We're Not Gonna Take It (rolling into bars of Hava Nagila at the end). The guitar artistry on White Christmas is quite impressive, and Heavy Metal Christmas is the definitively heavy metal version of The Twelve Days of Christmas.

A Twisted Christmas will (and should) scare away the Guy Lombardo crowd, but will be an entertaining choice for those with Ozzy Osbourne posters on the wall (or who have visions of Ozzy dancing in their heads).

--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2007)

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From the liner notes:

Produced by Mark Mendoza

Dee Snider: lead and backing vocals
Jay Jay French: lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Eddie "Fingers" Ojeda: lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals
A.J. Pero: drums, percussion, backing vocals
Mark Mendoza: bass guitar, backing vocals


From the Website:

In June 2006, the band announced that they had signed with the American record label Razor and Tie to release a final CD, of heavy metal Christmas music called A Twisted Christmas. The CD was released on October 17, 2006, and was a commercial success.

On July 8, 2006, Twisted Sister played in front of 80,000 people in Quebec City, Canada. The show also featured Scorpions as the headliner. They also played a small concert at the Wolverhampton Civic Center. The concert was a success, with many fans hailing it as just the same as Twisted Sister at their prime.

The group is still together and occasionally makes small tours around the world, in full makeup. Before each of these mini-tours, they perform as Bent Brother, practicing their set and appearing without makeup, usually at reduced ticket prices, although Snider and French have both voiced the opinion that they do not enjoy playing as Twisted Sister.

Twisted Sister was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame on Oct 15, 2006.

On December 13, 2006, Twisted Sister made an appearance on The Tonight Show. The group performed their rock version of "O Come All Ye Faithful" which is arranged in the style of "We're Not Gonna Take It".

On December 22, 2006, Twisted Sister appeared on CBS's The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, performing their rock version of "O Come All Ye Faithful".

On a recent episode of Dee Sniders syndicated radio program "The House of Hair", Dee stated that due to the success of the Christmas album and also due to the response to the tour promoting the album that Twisted Sister might not retire, and that they are discussing what the bands future should be.

Dee Snider - lead vocals (1976-1987, 1997-present)
Eddie "Fingers" Ojeda - lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals (1975-1987, 1997-present)
Jay Jay French - rhythm & lead guitars, backing vocals (1973-1987, 1997-present)
Mark "The Animal" Mendoza - bass, backing "growls" (1978-1987, 1997-present)
A. J. Pero - drums, backing vocals (1982-1986, 1997-present)

Twisted Sister

A Twisted Christmas

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Track List