Austin's Invincible Czars have made their mark by creating exceptionally original music: songs and instrumental pieces that are like four-to-five minute "mini-symphonies" chock full of memorable melodies, meticulous arrangements, dynamics, and humor. Their music fuses riff rock, classical/symphonic music, heavy metal, loungey grooves, odd meters, klezmer, country shuffles, punk rock and circusy polka. They draw from influences as disparate as Slint and Igor Stravinsky, Van Halen and Louis Armstrong, and The Melvins and Ween. The band applies the DIY attitude of post-punk groups like NoMeansNo and Fugazi to their musical explorations, resulting in a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. In the past few years, they have also become known and lauded for their arrangements of classical works such as Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite andMussorgsky's "A Night on Bald Mountain." They have also re-scored the Russian silent film Aelita, Queen of Mars and performed it live for Austin'sAlamo Drafthouse Cinemas in July 2007 with guest vibraphonist Sarah Norris of Bee vs. Moth. Future silent film collaborations with the Alamo Drafthouse are in the works.   NUTCRACKER SUITEThe Invincible Czars debuted their unique arrangement of the Nutcracker Suite in 2004, selling out the Church of the Friendly Ghost in Austin and beginning an annual tradition. From 2005 to 2007, the band has held live performances of the Nutcracker Suite at locations throughout Austin and Houston, including collaborations with Wicked Cricket Dance Theatre, Graham Reynold's Golden Arm Trio, Ballet Austin and the Houston Ballet. The 2007 season saw the studio release of the Invincible Czars' Nutcracker Suite, ensuring the continuation of this holiday tradition.