Band:	Blackmore's Night
Album:	Winter Carols
Style:	Folk rock
Release date:	November 2006

01. Hark The Herald Angels Sing / Come All Ye Faithful
02. I Saw Three Ships
03. Winter (Basse Dance)
04. Ding Dong Merrily On High
05. Ma-O-Tzur
06. Good King Wenceslas
07. Lord Of The Dance / Simple Gifts
08. We Three Kings
09. Wish You Were Here
10. Emmanuel
11. Christmas Eve
12. We Wish You A Merry Christmas

Legendary Deep Purple and Rainbow guitarist, Ritchie Blackmore is well know to be a fan of mediaeval periods and folk music. His folk project, Blackmore's Night (the meeting of Ritchie Blackmore and Candice Night, his girlfriend) knows a real success, especially in Japan since 1997, and years after years they're releasing new "sweety" albums. Blackmore's Night is nothing Metal, but if you like sweet tender and emotive folk and if you're a bit bored by brutality, I really recommend you their new release "Winter Carol", a perfect album to pass winter and Christmas quietly at home.

If you're looking for saturated guitars, I' m sorry but you're not reading the good review. "Winter Carols" is based on winter folk ballads and "carol" that was a form of dance music played by minstrels during the Middle Ages. The album is full of folk guitar, harps, whistle and simple percussions and evidently Candice sings with her really beautiful voice on each song. This is full of good and nice intentions the songs are beautiful and tender and even if it can sound a bit "too much" sometime, in general it's really good to listen to it.

"Winter Carols" is more a matter of ambiances and emotions than anything else. Maybe that you'll find this image stupid or cheesy, but really it's perfect for a cold night of winter in front of some fire in your living room. Plus, you must know that some of the songs are "Christmas" related songs, "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" for example is the real "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" that we all know! But a la Folk sauce evidently! You can prepare this CD for December, and to be honest when you know that a lot of others artist will release "Christmas" albums (Tarja Turunen, Twisted Sisters etc?) I can tell you that "Winter Carols" will probably be among the best releases. After all, we're talking about a Ritchie Blackmore's album so everything is just perfectly played and even if it's a ballad album, you'll be able to listen to some good guitars soli ("Wish You Were Here"?) don't worry.

"Winter Carols" is a really beautiful album, something perfect for the long cold winter nights. Maybe that it is a bit "too much" sometime but well, some innocent and friendly music will never hurt us in this brutal world right? Folk and ballads lovers this is for you (evidently you don't have to be allergic to Christmas).