“You can feel the weight of life bearing down on the sailors as they sing in the doldrums of life —awaiting a savior,” he said. “Harkening back to ancient carols, sung with manly voices, we’re hoping to create a space that lets the true power and theology of the hymns to affect the listener.”
In the next song, “In the Bleak Midwinter,” which is sung by some of the band members’ wives, Fedoryka explained that the sailors’ wives waiting on shore are “beckoning their husbands home for Christmas.”
Finally, in the last song — a Christmas medley including “O Come All Ye Faithful,” “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” and “Joy to the World” — the sailors reunite with their wives and families and break into chorus together in a Christmas celebration.
In addition to its danceable tunes, which blend Irish, Ukrainian, and other folk traditions, Scythian is also known for its high-energy, joyous performances that engage people of all ages, from children to the elderly. Their Christmas album delivers that Scythian brand at its best.
Scythian spent the year performing at venues across the globe, including at the Knights of Columbus Supreme Convention in Orlando, Florida, in the summer.
The album even includes one of the band’s performance staples, “The Wellerman,” a sea tune made popular by TikTok but with a Christian Christmas addition.
Fedoryka explained that the tune was included because it “immediately connects with the younger generation” and “really fits the theme of the album.”
“We added a Christmas verse and chorus that gives me chills every time, since people familiar with the tune never would expect it — and so it really drives the theology of Christmas home in a unique way,” Fedoryka said.
To Fedoryka, making “Christmas Out at Sea” was about “seeking to keep Christ in Christmas” while appealing not just to the pious but to every person in such a way that calls them back to the true beauty and joy of the season.
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In a time where anything old is often seen as evil or backward, Scythian’s Christmas album brings new life to the holiday music genre, awakening listeners to the magic of ancient traditions.
Scythian also hosts and headlines an annual folk music festival in the Appalachian Mountains that is highly attended by Catholic young adults and families.
Christmas is about the “unbridled joy of knowing a Savior is born to us, which spills over into dancing and song with spirits high,” Fedoryka said.
“Gathering with loved ones and singing carols is a favorite tradition of ours, and this album is what we hope all our Christmases are about.”
Scythian’s “Christmas Out at Sea” album is available for purchase on the band’s website and for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, or wherever you listen to music.