Alestorm - The Revenge of Captain Morgan

Many sub-genres exist within Metal’s sphere of influence; from the high pitched guitar solos of power metal, to the lows of doom metal. Often there are themed metal bands; often, with the northern European elements inherent in Heavy metal these end up being medieval, more often than not a group of Vikings in full chain mail; or the likes of Turisas showing the general nature of the battle-hungry berserker. It is a band that had been supporting Turisas earlier in the year that I mention today.

Alestorm appear to have brought a new theme to the rooster of the Metal sub-genres; Pirate Metal.

The song structures themselves are somewhere between power metal and folk metal; the galloping beats and use of skill that is seen in the great power metal or NWOBHM bands; but the use of keyboard settings of horns, strings, and the accordion; giving the sound a texture similar to what is characterized as pirate music.

The themes of the music are very much pirates, the likes of “over the seas” bring the classic tales of the search for riches, whereas “terror on the high seas” and “death before the mast” bring fast, trashy tales of battles on the high seas.

Overall it’s an album that is fun, it doesn’t give overblown explanations of a bands morality; or soppy tales of lost romance; and there is nothing wrong with that, having an album that is entirely about drinking, fighting and shagging is a bit of a release from the music that we are normally subjected too. No pretension; all pirate!