Alestorm - Sunset On The Golden Age Album Review (Napalm Records)

 

 

Scottish Metallers, Alestorm are known for their pirate themes and are back after three years with their fourth album and follow up to, 'Back Through Time', so are you ready to board the swash buckling pirates boat again?!..

Opening song, 'Walk The Plank' opens on an upbeat triumphant note and showcases a more symphonic epic sound, which displays a more serious and refined side to them immediately, all the while embracing their catchy wonderful pirate sound! Enjoying yourself on their quest, stick around for 'Drink', which could well compete with their best and most infectious anthems to date! You will find you can't stop listening to this and will have found your new weekend tune to get merry to and have a blast with your mates!

'Magnetic North' again demonstrates their slight change in sound, possessing their nautical elements but mixed with heavier sections also.

'1971 (The Battle of Cartagena)' is an truly epic surprise featuring growly fierce vocals, highlighting a more dark heavy sound with lots of superb well structured tempo changes, displaying the bands impressive musicianship!

Just based on the title 'Mead From Hell' you can tell it will be a good classic Alestorm song! In yet another alcohol based fun and seriously addictive track, which again will rank high in the Alestorm catalogue!

'Surf Squid Warfare' continues on from their typical fun pirate anthems along with 'Quest For Ships' again this 'flows' on 'swimmingly' from previous tracks, 'Mead From Hell' and 'Surf Squid Warfare' as all tie in nicely, and keep things consistent and coherent, being faster paced and more thrashed based and features some impressive technical guitar work!

The comically titled, 'Wooden Leg!' also continues to entertain throughout with ridiculous but brilliant lyrics which will make you smirk endlessly, such as how the Japanese and Spanish resulted in getting 'wooden legs'. The chorus rampages and screams aggressively, expressing the anger behind this in a silly but wonderful fashion!
 

'Hangover' is a cover version of Taio Cruz’s song, and considering the original is a pop dance song, Alestorm stamp their signature moves all over this, resulting in a very catchy fun track which comes complete which a pirate rap part - what more could you want?!..

 

So we reach the end of this mad and exciting quest of debauchery in the title and closing track, 'Sunset On The Golden Age' which also is the longest track in an epic manner as you would hope! Compared to the earlier particularly epic, 1971 (The Battle of Cartagena"), here its more slower and sinister in parts but equally stunning, and end on the notion that the band have a hell of a lot to offer, more than just their silly pirate antics (not that I'm complaining as this is something they do superbly and effortlessly!)

This latest venture shows the Alestorm which we love and expect, without ever a dull moment, but this time with more of a dark side and more focus on folk elements. Although lyrically humorous, it is very well written as usual and the music is serious and technical! This is the perfect album to get seriously drunk to, as well as musically and creatively admire. It marks their most dynamic and epic album to date with signs of refinement without losing their fun pirate inspired massive anthems! They proof here that not only are they unbeatable when it comes to pirate metal, but in contrast that they are also more than that - a force not to be reckoned with! So hop on board and let their music wash over you and enjoy the epic journey!

 



http://www.alestorm.net/
https://www.facebook.com/alestormband
www.napalmrecords.com/

 

Release Date:

01.08. GAS, FIN & BENELUX
04.08. UK & Rest of Europe
05.08. USA/CAN
06.08. ESP/NOR/SWE