Geoff has said that if he wants to do something a cappella, that's what VoicePlay is for. His solo channel allows him to explore a lot more with different instrumentals :)
Very cool indeed!! The arrangement, instrumentation and vocalization were EPIC! The Dragon sang this Christmas. You can feel the fire! Some bells are powerful and others delicate. These bells were destroyed. Thanks.
This song is simply EPIC ❤ Love his arrangements and I love that he uses instruments and keeps the "only a capella" for VoicePlay, in this one I adored the percussion 🫶🏻 The "middle Geoff" had a way to stare down the camera, like he was right before going into battle... I literally felt intimidated 😮 I'm not much into all the Christmas stuff and songs, but this one... good lord... I'm listening to it on repeat since it dropped (literally 😂) on Friday 👍🏻
The way Geoff arranged this, it sounds like a war anthem (I'm not the only one to make this observation) and how poignant it is to me bearing in mind this is a Ukrainian carol and considering the suffering they are enduring, even at this time of year in their war-ravaged country. He sings it like a powerful WAR song to encourage a flagging army. I don't know if that's what he was thinking in his arrangement and production of this, but it's a perspective that strikes me as especially relevant today...not only for Ukraine but for us all. The juxtaposition of the usual sweet angelic feeling of most Christmas music with his deep, almost ominous bass that instills a feeling of revolution is also a powerful reminder that the Christ of which we sing was himself a revolutionary who shook the religious and political structures of his day with a radical message. LOVE ALL. Not just those of whom you approve, not just your friends and family. LOVE ALL. This conveys that radical sense to me in a way that shakes everyone who hears this song, sung this way, to their core! To say I love this does not even begin to say enough.
Great reaction!! 😊❤ fun fact.. "Carol of the bells" was originally a Ukrainian pagan chant usually sang during Yule & winter solstice. It was brought over to america 100 years ago and the lyrics were changed to coincide with christmas as Christians today celebrate the holiday. Caroling (going door to door singing songs around this time of year) was also a pagan tradition. In the tradition of Yule its called "Wassailing" . even decorating for december was done before christmas as we know it became popular. Im a Christian myself but I love learning the origins of different holidays. Its interesting to me
Thanks for this reaction to Geoff's epic Christmas release. I have run out of superlatives! A five octave vocal range is a powerful thing. I enjoy the way Geoff arranges music nearly as much as his vocals. Judging by his album art, the Geoffquakes did some damage! Geoff's solo channel is never acapella.
The intimidating feeling comes from this carol being sung as a war song, the carol of a country defending itself against a superior foe invading them! l absolutely love the subtle nod to this tunes ukrainian origin through the blue/yellow color scheme in lighting & clothes, as well as the not so subtle nod of the broken church bells in the cover art. lmho this is Geoffs best solo arrangement so far and it finally gave me a carol l REALLY like! l am more of a grumpy mean old Mr. Grinch than a cheery jolly fellow, so traditional xmas carols are ... difficult at best! But this version l can relate to! Eerily haunting and sinister, yet powerful and drop dead gorgeous at the same time! Happy Holidays!
Geoff deliberately does not do accapella on his own tracks, the same way he only rarely uses his upper register in VP, as a way of seperating the two projects. But yes, this has been called the Die Hard of Christmas carols, in that it is "a Christmas carol" but it is NOT a Christmas carol.
Just imagine you're getting ready for battle, and someone says, "We need an anthem to get us ready for this upcoming fight! What should we listen to?" Why, Thunder of the Bells by Geoff Castellucci, obviously!
Maybe just swap this for Ode to Joy when the safe opens? Or maybe he should do a bass version of Ode to Joy.... I officially do not have a favorite Geoff arrangement. I didn't think he could beat his version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen but here we are...
Geoff saves the acapella for VoicePlay. Have you reacted to Voctave's Mary Did You Know? w/ Mark Lowry, the fellow that wrote the lyrics and Voctave has him singing the lead. It is ethereal and heavenly.
Hardly sweet silver bells! More like giant iron cathedral bells! The artwork on the album seems to parallel that!! His deep bass broke the bells so they crashed to the floor!
I like the thought that went into each part of this song. If you think about it even the last thing you hear in Geoff's rendition of carol of the bells is the tolling of the bell.
Geoff has said that if he wants to do something a cappella, that's what VoicePlay is for. His solo channel allows him to explore a lot more with different instrumentals :)
Very cool indeed!! The arrangement, instrumentation and vocalization were EPIC! The Dragon sang this Christmas. You can feel the fire! Some bells are powerful and others delicate. These bells were destroyed.
Thanks.
This song is simply EPIC ❤
Love his arrangements and I love that he uses instruments and keeps the "only a capella" for VoicePlay, in this one I adored the percussion 🫶🏻
The "middle Geoff" had a way to stare down the camera, like he was right before going into battle... I literally felt intimidated 😮
I'm not much into all the Christmas stuff and songs, but this one... good lord... I'm listening to it on repeat since it dropped (literally 😂) on Friday 👍🏻
The way Geoff arranged this, it sounds like a war anthem (I'm not the only one to make this observation) and how poignant it is to me bearing in mind this is a Ukrainian carol and considering the suffering they are enduring, even at this time of year in their war-ravaged country. He sings it like a powerful WAR song to encourage a flagging army. I don't know if that's what he was thinking in his arrangement and production of this, but it's a perspective that strikes me as especially relevant today...not only for Ukraine but for us all. The juxtaposition of the usual sweet angelic feeling of most Christmas music with his deep, almost ominous bass that instills a feeling of revolution is also a powerful reminder that the Christ of which we sing was himself a revolutionary who shook the religious and political structures of his day with a radical message. LOVE ALL. Not just those of whom you approve, not just your friends and family. LOVE ALL. This conveys that radical sense to me in a way that shakes everyone who hears this song, sung this way, to their core! To say I love this does not even begin to say enough.
Great reaction!! 😊❤ fun fact.. "Carol of the bells" was originally a Ukrainian pagan chant usually sang during Yule & winter solstice. It was brought over to america 100 years ago and the lyrics were changed to coincide with christmas as Christians today celebrate the holiday. Caroling (going door to door singing songs around this time of year) was also a pagan tradition. In the tradition of Yule its called "Wassailing" . even decorating for december was done before christmas as we know it became popular. Im a Christian myself but I love learning the origins of different holidays. Its interesting to me
Thanks for this reaction to Geoff's epic Christmas release. I have run out of superlatives! A five octave vocal range is a powerful thing. I enjoy the way Geoff arranges music nearly as much as his vocals. Judging by his album art, the Geoffquakes did some damage!
Geoff's solo channel is never acapella.
One of the best comments that I have read about this release, someone said, "I've never felt so threatened into having a Merry Christmas." LOL
Intimidating - that's the word I've been searching for. Pretty amazing.
The intimidating feeling comes from this carol being sung as a war song, the carol of a country defending itself against a superior foe invading them!
l absolutely love the subtle nod to this tunes ukrainian origin through the blue/yellow color scheme in lighting & clothes, as well as the not so subtle nod of the broken church bells in the cover art.
lmho this is Geoffs best solo arrangement so far and it finally gave me a carol l REALLY like!
l am more of a grumpy mean old Mr. Grinch than a cheery jolly fellow, so traditional xmas carols are ... difficult at best! But this version l can relate to! Eerily haunting and sinister, yet powerful and drop dead gorgeous at the same time!
Happy Holidays!
Extraordinary talent 🙈
⚘️🕊
Geoff deliberately does not do accapella on his own tracks, the same way he only rarely uses his upper register in VP, as a way of seperating the two projects. But yes, this has been called the Die Hard of Christmas carols, in that it is "a Christmas carol" but it is NOT a Christmas carol.
Agree with you on the action movie vibe!
Just imagine you're getting ready for battle, and someone says, "We need an anthem to get us ready for this upcoming fight! What should we listen to?" Why, Thunder of the Bells by Geoff Castellucci, obviously!
Heroic fantasy Christmas music, also the comments on his page are gold.
This is well done and I really like this version of this Christmas 🎄 song 🎵 😊
Maybe just swap this for Ode to Joy when the safe opens? Or maybe he should do a bass version of Ode to Joy....
I officially do not have a favorite Geoff arrangement. I didn't think he could beat his version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen but here we are...
intimidated.
first thing that came to mind when you first said that?
*grabs popcorn*
we haven't even gotten to the intimidating part yet.
Great reaction thank you
I think he's the ghost of Christmas. How about Scrooge:A Christmas Carol
Geoff saves the acapella for VoicePlay. Have you reacted to Voctave's Mary Did You Know? w/ Mark Lowry, the fellow that wrote the lyrics and Voctave has him singing the lead. It is ethereal and heavenly.
Yes, it should be in the Playlist
@@WhyAmIReacting I'll follow up - so beautiful.
Hardly sweet silver bells! More like giant iron cathedral bells! The artwork on the album seems to parallel that!! His deep bass broke the bells so they crashed to the floor!
I like the thought that went into each part of this song. If you think about it even the last thing you hear in Geoff's rendition of carol of the bells is the tolling of the bell.
This is what you'd hear in the background in the lead up to the huge action piece at the climax of the movie
Geoff just proved that even Dragons celebrate Christmas. They are fighting with the Abominable snowman.
Dragons in a snow fight? Seems like they would have quite the advantage being fire breathers.
Someone needs to do A Christmas Carol: The Musical and cast him as The ghost of Christmas Future