Christmas songs that go insanely hard

You ever feel sick of the same cheery Christmas songs on every playlist, shop and radio channel? Do you like heavy metal? What about existential dread? Look no further because I have the perfect album for you!

Raskasta Joulua (have a heavy Christmas or something like that) is a music project created in 2004 that consist of multiple Finnish metal and rock singers recreating traditional(ish) Christmas song in heavy metal style. The first Raskasta Joulua album was made in 2004 but the one I am recommending was released in 2013 (why did they name the projects AND four albums Raskasta Joulua??). So, Raskasta Joulua (2013) is probably the most memorable of the Raskasta Joulua project albums having been sold double platinum by 2016 (can someone update the Wikipedia page?) and being the most streamed one on Spotify.

The most famous song on the album is Tulkoon Joulu (come Christmas) and rightfully so. The music video has 9 million views which is a lot since there's only 5,5 million people in Finland. Hands down the best Christmas song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s_QgMCW9ks)

Theme wise original Finnish Christmas songs are never cheerful. For example:

• Sylvian joululaulu (the Christmas song of Sylvia) is about a bird, Sylvia atricapilla, that has its eyes plucked out and is locked in a cage where it is used as a lure and longs to be back in Finland (https://youtu.be/m-2ZAQIoqHg?si=ZN99FuTpyTd7HFKW).
• Varpunen jouluaamuna (sparrow on a winter morning) tells a story of a little brother that died of famine coming back to his older sister in a form of a sparrow (https://youtu.be/qQ3ck-kPGrg?si=6jnRQBehTaNsAW4K).
• Tonttu (elf) is basically an elf having an existential crisis for 5 and a half minutes (https://youtu.be/AU8XdA5W3Pg?si=DH6sPyrvV7L47NCl).

But making our own melancholy songs is not enough. We have to go higher.

Heinillä härkien kaukalon (on the hays of the bulls manger) is originally a French folk song called Entre le bœuf et l’âne gris. The lyrics are pretty much the same in both versions but in the Finnish version there's an extra verse where baby Jesus is called the purest victim/sacrifice. Like?????????????????? If that is not the most metal thing ever!! (https://youtu.be/4MFGZoC-Dr0?si=cnSx48r1teWC5Tkk)

On a lighter note the album also contains Nisse-Polkka and Valkea Joulu 2013. Nisse-Polkka is a children's song about forest animals celebrating Christmas (https://youtu.be/wQoPoYyk_ag?si=OM3SGS-IlML-USuH) and Valkea Joulu is a cover of White Christmas (https://youtu.be/GyBp4N9TahM?si=6APS5nhV2433J3ev).

So please give a listen ( •̀ ω •́ )✧!!

Merry Christmas, happy holidays and lovely new year!!