alestorm

(7/10) I guess that nobody really expects poetry when it comes to lyrics of Scottish metal outfit Alestorm. This couldn’t be found back on the earlier releases and also the new record, “No Grave but the Sea”, continues with stories around piracy, beer, pubs, tankards and other trivial things. If lyrics like “Tequila and a donkey show/Mexico, Mexico” or “I see the man called Schlumpfi behind the oaken bar” are amusing or boring lies in the eye of the beholder, but beside all that it’s the music that’s actually not too bad. Alestorm has a sense for catchy melodies, which they merge with nice riffs and a powerful rhythm. No doubt, everybody can immediately join in singing and even after quite some beers it works very well.

Alestorm’s newest album comes with ten of these pirate-style folk metal tracks, providing you with 46 minutes of trivial but entertaining music. If you liked the earlier Alestorm releases “No Grave but the Sea” will not disappoint you. I don’t think that the Scotsmen can dramatically increase their fan base but this, I guess, is also not the purpose of the album. Alestorm does what they can do best and fans will be pleased with the ten song. What more do you want?

(7/10)

Tracklist:

1. No Grave But the Sea
2. Mexico
3. To the End of the World
4. Alestorm
5. Bar and Imbiss
6. Fucked with an Anchor
7. Pegleg Potion
8. Man the Pumps
9. Rage of the Pentahook
10. Treasure Island

Label: Napalm Records

Genre: Melodic Metal

Release Date EU: May 26^th, 2017

Alestorm is on tour woth Swabian power metal institution Brainstorm and Crimson Shadow. Seems to be a stormy autumn.

Here are the dates:

(7/10) What happens if you merge Santiano with Sabaton and spice it up with a bit of the Dropkick Murphies and Running Wild? Exactly. You get Alestorm.

The band, that started as Battleheart, re-named in 2007, which means that they reflaged and continued the journey as Alestorm. "Sunset of the golden age" is album number four from the 4 sailor under the Jolly Roger.

In total the album comes with 10 new tracks. One of those is a cover version. It's not another metal track they make their own. No it's a pop mega seller - "Hangover" from Taio Cruz. For all of you who liked the song so far but never dared to admit this - now you have your version. All of a sudden the song rocks and sounds like being live from the quaiside-bar. Well done and more authentic than the original. Who dares wins.

But this is of course just one out of ten tracks. The own compositions are quite cool too. The opener "Welcome to the plank" sounds like the pirate version of Kreator - mainly due to the vocals of Christopher Bowes in the verse parts. A powerful riff introduces "Drink". If Swedish Sabaton would be pirates they would sound like this catchy tune. But there is also the folk compontent in Alestorm's songs. "Magnetic North" is one example as well as "Quest for ships" which sounds like a metal version of a Dropkick Murphys song. "Wooden leg!" is very fast and straight forward, while the longest track is reserved for the end. The bouncer "Sunset of the golden age", also the title track, is an eleven minutes long epos which shows quite some variations. The track is kept mid-speed, has an irresistable hookline and a great melody. It's a good song, eventhough Alestorm has their strength more in the 3-4 minutes tracks. But anyhow, a nice try with an entertaining result.

Funny side note when it comes to the cover of the album. I don't know if it is purely coinsident, but the cover looks very similar to the one of the latest Axel Rudi Pell release. A prove that the metal armada is still sailing on and on and on.

Pirates and metal belong together. That's what we know since Running Wild. Alestorm picked up the topic and  made their version out of it. Pirate metal 2.0.

(7/10)

Tracklist:

1. Walk the plank
2. Drink
3. Magnetic North
4. 1741 (The battle of Cartago)
5. Mead from hell
6. Surf squid warfare
7. Quest for ships
8. Wooden leg!
9. Hangover
10. Sunset of the golden age

Label: Napalm Records

Genre: Heavy Metal / Pirate Metal