Album Review: ALESTORM – Captain Morgan’s Revenge

10th Anniversary Edition

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Alestorm – Captain Morgan’s Revenge – 10th Anniversary Edition

Label: Napalm Records

Release Date: January 26th, 2018

Ahoy, me hearties! Have you ever heard a band for the first time and thought, “What in the hell is going on? Where am I? Do I smell booze and the sea?” If you answered no, then have I got a band for you. These are the questions that were in my mind the first time I heard Alestorm. Considered by many as “pirate metal”, Alestorm has stolen the hearts of wenches and drunken looters alike.

Originally formed in Perth, Scotland, Alestorm created a sound many have never heard before. Power metal, meets folk metal, meets, well pirate metal. Band members, Christopher Bowes (vocals, keytar) Máté Bodor (guitar), Gareth Murdock (bass), Elliot Vernon (keyboards), and Peter Alcorn (drums), formed the band in 2006 and took us on a wonderful journey straight out of Pirates of the Caribbean, except Disney was not invited. Their first album Captain Morgan’s Revenge was released on January 25th, 2008. Ten years later, they decided to re-release the album that started it all, Captain Morgan’s Revenge -10th Anniversary Edition. Between these two albums, they turned us all into bucks with Black Sails at Midnight (2009), Back Through Time (2011), Sunset on the Golden Age (2014), and more recently, last year’s brilliantly deranged No Grave but the Sea.

Bowes remains the only original high seas ruffian of the band since the album’s debut a decade ago. The other sea scuttlers who appeared on the album; Ian Wilson (percussion), Dani Evans (bass), and Gavin Harper (guitar), have all since walked the plank or been keelhauled for breaking the pirate’s code.

The album begins with, “Over the Seas”, which has a flogging guitar riff, growly pirate lyrics and sound, and chanting, because, um pirates. The keyboard, which normally is not something I thoroughly enjoy, is done so well with Alestorm, it simply would not work without it. You will, quite literally, feel like you are in a pirate bar watching three sheets to the wind buccaneers arguing with the horn swagglers. The next song, “Captain Morgan’s Revenge,” a song about curses, death, and drinking. It is basically an anthem for pirates. The third song on the album is called, “The Huntmaster.” This song has an incredible guitar and keyboard solo. It is another great pirate story. Did you want to hear an ode to wenches? Number four is the song for you. “Nancy the Tavern Wench.” In case you were wondering, she is a “lovely bar maiden.” Go ahead and drink your rum-filled glasses in Nancy’s Harbour Café. “Terror on the High Seas” takes on a meatier and heavier sound. Thunder and lightening will flash before your eyes as you rock out and pump your fists to this aggressive song that has another epic guitar solo. “The Flower of Scotland” is considered an anthem for Scotland. This is where the original album ended. The anniversary album continues with live versions of fan favorites over the years including, “Shipwrecked,” “Keelhauled,” and “Drink”.

These musicians are far from lacking talent. Song after song is story after story of people you want to meet, and some you may not want to cross paths with. So grab the closest carouser and a Clap of Thunder before you go on account to becoming a pirate with Alestorm.

The track list is as follows:

CD 1
1. Over the Seas
2. Captain Morgan`s Revenge
3. The Huntmaster
4. Nancy the Tavern Wench
5. Death before the Mast
6. Terror on the High Seas
7. Set Sail and Conquer
8. Of Treasure
9. Wenches & Mead
10. Flower of Scotland

CD 2 ( bonus disk )
1. Actual Human Intro (Live at Summer Breeze 2015)
2. Walk the Plank (Live at Summer Breeze 2015)
3. The Sunk’n Norwegian (Live at Summer Breeze 2015)
4. Shipwrecked (Live at Summer Breeze 2015)
5. Magnetic North (Live at Summer Breeze 2015)
6. That Famous Ol’ Spiced (Live at Summer Breeze 2015)
7. Nancy the Tavern Wench (Live at Summer Breeze 2015)
8. Keelhauled (Live at Summer Breeze 2015)
9. Rumpelkombo (Live at Summer Breeze 2015)
10. Drink (Live at Summer Breeze 2015)
11. Captain Morgan’s Revenge (Live at Summer Breeze 2015)

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