Mascot Records once again have dug deep into their sack and are thrilled to reveal their new seasonal ‘CHRISTMAS ROCKS, Vol.2’ E.P. We’ve already found last year’s unused bottle of brandy, that heavy metal Christmas sweater and dusted off the box of tinsel, so we’re locked in and ready to go. Throughout November and the beginning of December, expect some festive frivolities by powerhouse vocalist Beth Hart, Indiana duo The Cold Stares, your new favourite Southern rockers The Georgia Thunderbolts, guitar-wizard Paul Gilbert, and Maryland rockers Any Given Sin.

‘CHRISTMAS ROCKS, Vol.2’ will be digitally available in full for all your Christmas party needs from 3rd December.

Listen to The Cold Stares “Santa Looked A Lot Like Daddy” here:

The Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Beth Hart reinterprets “Angels from the Realms of Glory,” the traditional Christmas Carol written by Scottish poet James Montgomery. The song is featured in the new Netflix film, A Castle For Christmas, starring Brooke Shields and Cary Elwes. “I really loved doing this Christmas song. It’s one I’ve always loved,” Hart says. “It was really fulfilling and fun. I saw bits and pieces of the movie and one particular scene that the song is in, and it’s just beautiful. 

The Cold Stares take their own spin on a country icon on “Santa Looked A Lot Like Daddy.” “We took the opportunity to play something on the Christmas album that no one would expect. I always loved Buck Owens and the song from when I was a kid and thought, what would our version sound like on some cassette in a truck stop in the ’90s?” says Chris Tapp.

New Maryland rockers Any Given Sin are already muscling out the big guns on the Active Rock charts in the U.S. hitting #1 on SiriusXM Octane and they took on the challenge to write an original song, “Nothing For Christmas,” and embraced the opportunity with bells on it. “[vocalist] Vic came up with the idea and sent it to the team, and we all liked it, so we built on it from there. In 5 days, the song went from the infancy stage to mastered. Our hopes are that it will be a holiday favourite for years to come,” they say.

Fresh from the release of their debut album, Can We Get A Witness this fall, new Southern rock heroes The Georgia Thunderbolts bring the eggnog party with a cover of the classic “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree.” “We’re bringing classic nostalgia back for those who may have forgotten the song or never heard it. We feel that Christmas is a very special time for people. We wanted to put our spin on a Christmas classic to show that you can have the holiday spirit all year round. Rain or shine, it’s always Christmas time with The Georgia Thunderbolts!” the band say.
 
Why not set yourself a wrap-challenge by wrapping your Christmas gifts to the rhythm and speed of Paul Gilbert’s instrumental joy of “We Wish You A Merry Christmas”?

One particular Christmas was particularly significant to an eleven-year-old, Gilbert. “I had been banging away on a Stella acoustic guitar for a couple of years,” he says. “I didn’t know how to tune the guitar, so I solved the problem by only playing the low E string,” he adds.
 
“Despite my limitations, I had developed some authority on that one string. But then my uncle came to visit and took a look in my local newspaper, in the “Musical Instruments For Sale” section. He quickly spotted a used Gibson. I had saved up some money from selling ceramic hippopotamus banks that I made in my dad’s pottery studio and from mowing the lawn. The guitar in the ad was still twice the price that I could afford,” he remembers.
 
“But CHRISTMAS was coming, so I asked my parents about getting the guitar. They said they could pay the other half but would tighten their budget, so I wouldn’t be getting any toys. I chose the guitar.”
 
You’ll sing, you’ll tie yourself in Christmas-wrapping sellotape knots, you’ll throw your air-guitar around your waist and look in the mirror as your eyes and teeth sparkle catching it!
 
Venture onwards, you’re now ready for a rock ‘n’ roll Christmas.

Track list

1. Any Given Sin – Nothing For Christmas
2. The Georgia Thunderbolts – Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree
3. Beth Hart – Angels From The Realms Of Glory (från Netflix-filmen A Castle For Christmas)
4. The Cold Stares – Santa Looked A Lot Like Daddy
5. Paul Gilbert – We Wish You A Merry Christmas

Mascot Records will release a ‘Christmas Rocks’ E.P. on 27th November 2020, launching today songs By P.O.D. (Christmas Lullaby) and Crobot (What Child Is This?).

Check out the lyric video for P.O.D.’s ‘Christmas Lullaby’ here:

You can listen to Crobot’s ‘What Child Is This?’ here:

The nights get darker, the weather gets a little crisper and twinkling lights adorn houses, trees, streets and shop windows. In the distance is the gentle jingle-jangle of bells echoing to the joyous smiles of children throughout the world and as yuletide is being toasted; hark, what is that sound we hear? Oh my, it’s P.O.D., 10 Years, Crobot, Ayreon, Otherwise, Black Stone Cherry and Dragged Under – or doth my ear deceive me?

Joyriding through stereos across the globe on 27^th November, via your favourite streaming networks will be the unstoppable sound of Mascot Records’, ‘CHRISTMAS ROCKS’ E.P. But, as a little Apéritif we give you, today, songs by P.O.D. Christmas Lullaby and Crobot, What Child Is This?

P.O.D.’s beautifully poignant Christmas Lullaby is a gentle acoustic reminder of love and warmth. “Christmas Lullaby Inspires me, gives me hope during these uncertain times. It’s a positive, beautiful, Christmas vibration. Thought provoking and heart felt. It resonates from Southtown, San Diego, all the way to the North Pole,” says Marcos Curiel. This gives way to the sound of Las Vegas hard-rockers Otherwise, ripping through Chuck Berry‘s Run Rudolph Run and then into Knoxville‘s 10 Years, who create an epic and expansive version of Silent Night. Talking about the song they say; “Silent Night has always been one of our collective favorite Christmas songs. It’s a classic, and we didn’t want to stray too far from what is familiar to people, but we did try to put our own touch on it!”

Kentucky‘s favourite sons Black Stone Cherry channel their inner-Elvis Presley on their riotous Southern Rock take on Blue Christmas.  Seattle  punks Dragged Under show that you can do Christmas-catchy but heavy as they take on a different direction on This Holiday. Frontman Tony Cappocchi explains; “This Holiday is our answer to all the super happy Christmas songs that are forced on us year after year. They’re all so cheery, and bubble-gum, and the reality is that the holidays aren’t like that for everyone. A lot of people (especially this year) don’t think of the holidays as a great time. Whether they’ve lost someone, don’t have family or money, or just don’t like being around people pretending to like each other. I had skipped holidays for years while working my dead-end retail job, and I think it made me a little cold to the holidays. Especially when people come to the mall and only think about themselves while screaming at the retail worker because they didn’t have the right toy. We’ve lost the reason for the season.”

Only Crobot could turn a 19th-century hymn into a doomy Black Sabbath-esque colossus on What Child Is This? with the band saying; “With such a rippin’ roster of awesome bands, Mascot has brought us all together to help put you in the Christmas spirit! So put a bow on it and slide it under the tree! Santa, we won’t forget to leave some riffs next to your cookies. Merry Riffmas, Beardos!”

Ayreon embrace the full arsenal of festive song weaponry on ‘The Last Day Of War And The First Day Of Peace’; uplifting vocals, a beautifully infectious melody, bells and a Lennon-esque sentiment. Talking about the song Arjen Lucassen said; “I was asked to record a Christmas song, and my first thought was that it’s not really my thing. But as I thought about it, I suddenly remembered that 27 years ago in 1993, I already recorded a sort of Christmas track, but it was never used. I re-recorded the track, Lori adapted the lyrics, I made it a bit more ‘Christmassy’ and of course added the obligatory sleighbells. The coolest thing about this track is the party sounds you hear in the background. That was actually recorded in the meeting room of the record label by the whole Mascot staff! Hope you like it, ho ho ho!”

Like a mini-aural advent calendar, a little musical treat will be revealed every week on streaming services from the 29th October until 27th November, when you can gorge yourself on the whole packet.

Merry Riffmas ya filthy animal.