Tantrum – Now That’s What I Call A Tantrum Christmas EP

That time of year when such musical luminaries as Bob the Builder, Mr Blobby, LadBaby, St Winifred's School Choir, Renée and Renato and Mariah Carey thrust themselves towards the pinnacle of the music charts.

This year to save us from tears and to add some class to the proceedings, Tantrum have followed up last year’s Christmas effort, “Santa Time”, with their “Now That’s What I Call A Tantrum Christmas” EP.

The “The Jolliest of Times” has guitars chiming like Christmas bells before the track takes of into a galloping little Christmas ditty. There’s so much drumming going on you’d think Mark Riches had mutated into an octopus.

The track itself is an interesting take as to what happens at Christmas. If I have this right, Santa is a demon that knows who all our fears. He slithers down the chimney, does what he needs too and leaves us special candy that erases all trace of what he does. It seems that according to Tantrum, “the jolliest times are protecting our minds from a demon that comes out of nowhere,” and that we are “walking in a bloody winter land.”

It's great stuff, fun and played at a furious pace. The guitars play off each other in the middle instrumental passage before blending into a twin attack. And, in the play out we do get some genuine jingling bells.

Second track on the EP, though not a Christmas song is an absolute gift as the band tear their way through Gary Moore’s classic “Out In The Fields.” Without dramatically moving away from the original version, no bluegrass or hip hop rendition here. Make no mistake though, Tantrum manage to put their own stamp on the song.

Tantrum follow “Out In The Fields” by unwrapping another cover. This time they take on “I’m Alive”, from Helloween’s “Keeper Of The Seven Keys (Part I).” It sits very comfortably in to Tantrum’s style.

“Turbo Tyrant” is Tantrum’s final gift for 2024. A re-working of one of their earlier tracks. There’s more twin guitar solos and the rhythm section does a good job of keeping up. I got a sense of Judas Priest around the time of “Turbo” in how Tantrum delivered this track.

“Oh, Holy Night” start off with gentle acoustics and a synth with Mark Reid delivering his vocals over them. This gentle approach is swept away at the chorus as Mark Riches drums crash int and the guitars pick up the melody. Tantrum deliver an epic take on the on the carol. Soaring guitars are matched by Mark Reid’s soaring vocals, which he delivers with energy and passion.

It’s clear that Tantrum are simply having a wonderful Christmas time.

Tantrum are:

Mark Reid – Vocals

Baz Fitzsimmons – Guitars

Chris Horne – Guitars

Liam Barrie - Bass

Mark Riches – Drums