Nome Gruppo : Alestorm

Nome Album : Captain Morgan's Revenge

Anno Di Pubblicazione : 2008

TrackList :

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 and Mead
10. Flower of Scotland

Genere : folk/power metal

Biografia : Tratta da Wikipedia

Gli Alestorm sono una band power metal (con influenze folk) scozzese originaria di Perth. Hanno definito il loro genere musicale come "True Scottish Pirate Metal", a testimonianza della prevalenza di tematiche piratesche all'interno dei loro testi. La band nacque sotto il nome Battleheart nel 2004, cambiando nome in quello attuale nell'agosto 2007, quando gli fu offerto il contratto dalla Napalm Records.

Formazione :
* Christopher Bowes - voce, tastiere
* Gavin Harper - chitarra
* Dani Evans - basso

Album :
* Captain Morgan's Revenge - 2008

Collegamenti : Sito Ufficiale

Commento & Voto : Grande energia! questo ho provato al primo ascolto di Captain Morgan's Revenge. Gli Alestorm si possono veramente definire come vero e puro True Scottish Pirate Metal. Il loro genere musicale è un misto di Power Metal, contaminato da influenze Folk scozzesi, in grado di ridare vita ad un genere (il power metal) da diverso tempo fermo su binari morti. Canzoni come "The huntmaster"  & "Captain Morgan's Revenge" sono pura energia da scaricare con un bel Headbanging (sfido chiunque a resistere alla tentazione ) :D Purtroppo nulla è perfetto e il grande difetto di questo 1° lavoro degli Alestorm, risiede nell'incredibile somiglianza  tra le 10 tracce che compongono l'album, difetto da non considerare, se amate alla follia il power metal. Compratevi il cd !

VOTO

SU

Video Alestorm

Today was a good day. Those who have read past entries will know that moods and I have a fluctuating kind of relationship. But today was a good day, in spite of the rain and clouds and cold air. I think a lot of it had to do with getting a phone call from Larry. He picked me up and we went to Toxic Smell (as he likes to call it) and chatted for awhile. The things we talked about really made me feel that I have a chance to accomplish something. We talked a lot about College, something I am looking forward to more than the coming of the messiah. Usually, for people not "used" to Larry's approach at conversation, he speaks bluntly, whether the topics are good or bad. I like that. I enjoy knowing that there's nothing hidden when it comes to people like that. They speak their mind, a lot more than two-cents worth, and allow you to see things in a new light. I guess what I'm trying to say, and I even told him this, is that being around him motivates me. We always talk about jamming, but sadly it never happens; that's mostly a fault on my part. Motivation has been a difficult thing to find lately. But then again it always has been. Dysthymia will certainly have that effect on a person. If you want to know, Google it.

Cookout tomorrow, looking forward to it. It will be the first time spending time with my sister in quite a few months, as well as the first time in quite a few months spending time with Mariah. I suppose our family isn't as close-knit as I would prefer, but I think everyone just has their own thing going on.

I want to apologize to Jessie, I told her that I was going to go straight to bed after she left but, instead, I have done quite the opposite. Just so you know, my lovely girlfriend, I am not just sitting around on the computer doing things that accomplish nothing... (If I were funny I would find some witty thing to say here about how I actually AM doing pointless things that accomplish nothing instead of doing something constructive, like sleeping, but I lack the "funny" gene found in people who are...well...funny).

.
Currently Listening: Alestorm - Nancy The Tavern Wench

An interesting type of band: Pirate Metal with hints of Irish/Scottish melodies. Even though I don't drink, and am quite against it for various reasons, the following lyrics from the song made me giggle:

"So come take a drink and drown your sorrows
And all of our fears will be gone til tomorrow
We'll have no regrets and live for the day
In Nancy's Harbour Cafe"

Alestorm is a band I stumbled on by accident one day while surfing Amazon. Metal isn't that popular down in Northern Virgina, at least not like back home in Canada, so most of my purchases tend to be online. Anyway, when I first saw the title Alestorm: Captain Morgan's Revenge, I immediately thought, "It's Metal? It's PIRATES? Why don't I own this already?". My fascination with piracy in the Age of Sail, both the romantic and the reality, is a matter of public record. As such, this was really an impulse purchase; most gimmick bands often turn out to be terrible. But that was not the case here.

Alestorm describes themselves as "Scottish pirate metal", and while their genre name may seem overly specific, it is no less apt. Don't be fooled though; despite the name, this is pure power metal, albeit with a definite Scottish flavor and songs focused almost exclusively on pirate life. The vocalist has an excellent voice, loud and powerful with just enough of the metal growl to keep things interesting, without becoming incomprehensible or painful to listen to. Lyrics are well written and appropriate to the style. Guitars are technically proficient and definitely ahead of the curve. They even managed to sneak a few non-traditional (i.e. not metal) instruments in here. I can recall hearing harpsichords, bagpipes and accordions at some points. These guys know their stuff, and they show it off with flair but without pretension.

A handful of songs stand out in my mind. The opening Over the Seas is quite good, and the title track Captain Morgan's Revenge is just outstanding, recalling to mind classic tales of buccaneers like Barrett's Privateers. The final song on the album, Flower of Scotland, breaks with the album's theme, but is easily one of their best performances. I'm a bit of a sucker for metal versions of classic songs, like Apocalyptica's version of Hall of the Mountain King, or Iced Earth's stirring Star-Spangled Banner. The remaining songs all run the gamut from decent to good, with nothing that really sounds like filler.

A quite respectable debut, all things considered. The only downside is that they may have unintentionally set the bar a little high; any sophomore effort will be expected to top this otherwise excellent album, and that's a hurdle which many bands fail to clear. All in all, if you enjoy metal, and have even a passing interest in pirates (and honestly, who with a Y chromosome doesn't?), you should give Captain Morgan's Revenge a listen. Personally, I'm looking forward to plunderin' these lads' next album, yar.

Many years have passed now
Yet the curse still lives on ,
And now we rot in a black prison cell
Waiting for our true calling in hell!

//Mumintrollet - Black Anne Bonney

Andra bloggar om: alestorm, battleheart, hårdrock, heavy metal, heavy metal pirates

//Mumintrollet - Black Anne Bonney

//Mumintrollet - Black Anne Bonney

Am I supposed to understand what that artwork means? Does it say something I'm just too dumb to notice? Is it some kind of tribute to 80's new wave? I DON'T UNDERSTAND!! AHH! Alrighty so I have the first record by this band, but I only bought it because I needed a third Solid State cd to qualify for a Best Buy online offer at the time and I ended up not really caring much about it at all. As I've talked about SO many times, it was just another metal/scene band doing the same old thing I've heard done better a million times over. My buddy fool of gold insists it's metal as balls, but I just don't hear it. So fast foward to present day and their new cd, 'I Swear...' (by the moon and the stars in the skyyyy, i'll be there) and I was really expecting more of the same. And I was right..sort of. Obviously it's still nothing original, but oddly enough, it's a lot more rocking and interesting to my ears. It sounds as if they're trying to actually evolve a little bit, albeit into some kind of August Burns Red (without the breakdowns)/36 Crazyfists/Cave In/20 other band monster, but evolution is evolution I suppose. I even hear traces of bands from days gone by, i.e. Korn and Papa Roach, in there too. Awesome. In all honesty, this is a much more enjoyable listen than I expected it to be, and anytime my low expectations can be exceeded, I feel that it's a positive thing for both the band and myself. If you're into ABR or 36CF or anything on Solid State , this is tailor made for you. Chances are I'll be keeping it on my ipod, and that's a bit more than I can say for a few of the cds I'm about to school you on.
Bear Approval Rating: 3.4/5
(i need little bear pictures to use for this from now on..someone get on that)

Alestorm - 'Captain Morgan's Revenge'
Napalm/SPV
Released Jan 29, 2008

Oh my, oh my, oh my. Imagine my excitement when I came across this gem this past weekend. Four Scottish dudes who have taken the idea of power metal concept stuff past the usual Viking nonsense of a slew of Euro bands and into the uncharted waters of...PIRATE METAL! As you might expect, the songs are all about sailing the seven seas, drinking mead and ale, walking the plank, finding treasure, hooking up with wenches, and all the other cool shit pirates get to do. The dude even sing in an 'ARRR' kinda pirate voice and they have all these other pirate instruments happening too. It's really something special to behold. Granted, once the novelty wares off, the cd is really pretty crappy. But whatever..PIRATES!!
2/5

Misery Signals - 'Controller'
Ferret Music
Released July 22, 2008

There's something kinda cool about that artwork. But yea, so Misery Signals. There's an ad for this cd that says: "For fans of Thrice, Killswitch Engage, Meshuggah, and Tool". Um ok, whatever you say Ferret. This band is a tough nut for me to crack, I can't really decide if I enjoy them or I hate them. It's been that way since their first record for me, and I guess that's a good thing..at least I don't have total disgust for them, right? To me, this doesn't really sound any different from their other stuff, but I'm just a casual observer and a hardcore Miserite might tell you differently. I kinda like the music, they go in some interesting directions with it, but it's hard to digest it with the vocals being what they are. And what they are is deeply screamed and heavily processed practically the entire time..so that takes some getting used to..but it does help them stand out a little bit. The record has it's moments where it's pretty damn heavy though and it has a few neat little breakdowns so that's always a good way to win me over a little bit. I've liked 'Controller' a smidge more with each attempt i've made to listen, which is good for the band, because I was initially planning on trashing this record. If you're into Tool, Thrice, Meshuggah, or KSE, give it a listen.
2.5/5

The Famine - 'The Raven and The Reaping'
Solid State
Released May 27, 2008

This band is made up of a bunch of dudes that were in a band I never really cared for when they played metal called Embodyment and they sorta sound like Living Sacrifice, who I also never really care much about. But yet there's also a hint of Dimebaggy Pantera riffing going on, and that's something I can support. But I don't like this cd. My biggest musical turn-off is a shitty production job, and that's kinda all I hear when I listen to this cd. Turn down the treble, douches..and dirty things up a bit. It sounds too clean. Not like a good Adam D. production job clean either, it's like using a brillo pad on a stainless steel pot clean. I'm also annoyed that there aren't really ANY tempo changes to speak of. Every song is kinda the same thing for 3-5 minutes, and that gets so incredibly old so incredibly fast. Don't waste your time.
1/5

Knights Of The Abyss - 'Shade'
Ferret Records
Released June 24, 2008

They sound like any combination of bands like Black Dahlia Murder, Agony Scene, As Blood Runs Black, etcetcetcetcetc. It's that fast metal with the mid-range screamy vocals that's fairly typical of bands in this genre. I've only listened a few times, but there's not all that much memorable here. Next!!
1.5/5

I Wrestled A Bear Once - s/t
2007/2008?

Yea I don't really know anything about this band, aside from their badass tshirt design above and their awesome name and the fact that I downloaded their last cd the other day. I think they even have a girl singer. At least she does some singing on the mellower parts, I dunno if shes the screamer. BUT IT'S ALWAYS GREAT WHEN SHE IS, AMIRITE?? This is fuckin' metal as balls and pretty awesome too. It's grindcore to the extreme, with rad programming and those cute little jazzy interludes that all these bands are all about. And breakdowns!! They'r the shit, so go listen to them on myspace, and try not to soil your undies.
They just got signed to Century Media too! Yay!

]]> http://lusitaniadepeso.wordpress.com/?p=1112 Fri, 16 May 2008 09:01:14 +0000 Helena Silva http://lusitaniadepeso.wordpress.com/?p=1112

Os ALESTORM e os DRACONIAN desbravam novos caminhos e oferecem aos seus fãs singles exclusivos para download. Ambas as músicas, "Heavy Metal Pirates" dos ALESTORM e "No Greater Sorrow" dos DRACONIAN são downloads exclusivos e não vão ser lançados nos próximos álbuns das bandas. Os que estiverem interessados, devem visitar o iTunes, eMusic, etc.

The most obvious similarity between a stereotypical pirate and this album is definitely the vocals. It wouldn’t be easy to sound like a pirate while still having decent vocal melody’s but Christopher Bowe does a fantastic job of it. The vocals are also very easy to understand, which is important because they lyrics are brilliant. I don’t mean brilliant as in clever metaphors and deep, intellectual meanings; rather they are lyrics that actually sound like things pirates would say. They are damn entertaining to listen to, and most importantly, to sing along to. Lyrics about drinking, debauchery and conquering foreign lands complete the pirate experience and make you feel as if you are part of Captain Morgan’s crew.

Musically, it’s largely the use of keyboards that creates the pirate atmosphere. Other than the keyboard solos, which can sound very out of place at times, they are used very well to at atmosphere which really makes the music something special. The rest of the music is done well and there’s enough variety to keep you interested for the whole album. Not to mention there are some particularly tasty guitar solos in there.

At times they sound like a much heavier (and much more interesting) version of Running Wild however it’s not similar enough that it sounds like a rip-off. “Death Before the Mast” is a fantastic display of their heavier, faster side and features slightly more vicious vocals than other tracks. “Of Treasure” is an interesting track, being all acoustic and not the slightest bit metal, but it fits in very well creating a nice break from their usual heavier self. “Wenches & Mead” and “Nancy the Tavern Wench” have great potential for some mighty pirate singalongs. Particularly the latter of the two is one of the best drinking songs I’ve heard and will definitely get some airplay in the late hours of my next party.

Other than some unneeded keyboard solos, this album is amazing. Alestorm have done an utterly amazing job of creating a very realistic pirate atmosphere while not slacking off musically and becoming a gimmick. I highly recommend everybody gives this album a listen because it’s a very entertaining experience.

Tracklisting:
1. Over the Seas
2. Captain Morgan’s Revenge
3. The Huntmaster
4. Nancy the Tavern Wench <-reviewers choice
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

8/10

Aber gut. Wenden wir uns diesem Prachtstück von Silberling zu. Zunächst einmal möchte ich euch die Tracklist und das Cover präsentieren:

Captain Morgan's Revenge

1. Over the seas
2. Captain Morgan s revenge
3. The huntmasters
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

Einige Worte zur Band und dem Gesamteindruck dieses Erstlingswerkes.

Ja. Herrlich. Wo andere Bands ein Intro nach dem anderen vor ihre Tracks setzen, beginnt diese Schottische Kombo sofort mit ihrem typischen Sound. Der Sound... nach was klingen sie denn eigentlich? True Metal? Battle Metal? Vielleicht Power Metal? Nein. Hier handelt es sich um die Genesis einer komplett neuen Unterkategorie von Metal. (<sarcasm>Nein, von diesen Unterkategorien gibt es noch lange nicht genug....</sarcasm>) Scottish-Pirate-Metal. Klingt komisch? Ist meiner Meinung nach aber weitaus zutreffender als eine Überschublade. Die gesamte CD ergibt ein sehr stimmiges Bild. Instrumentalparts sind wirklich reine Instrumentalwerke, welche des öfteren einzelne Instrumente in den Vordergrund rücken. Dies wird in "Death before the mast" besonders deutlich, aber dazu gibt es weiter unten in der Einzeltrackbesprechung weitere Details. Zu den Tracks muss gesagt werden, dass sie alle eine einzelne kleine Geschichte erzählen. Bestes Beispiel hierfür ist - wie sollte es auch anders sein - der Titeltrack Captain Morgan s revenge. Worum gehts hier? Na klar, um die Rache eines Piratenkapitäns. Was darf auf einer zünftigen Piraten-Metall-Scheibe auch nicht fehlen? Richtig. Trinksongs. Wenches & mead trägt diese Thematik bereits im Titel. Aber auch in anderen Tracks mangelt es nicht an lobenden Worte für das eine oder andere alkoholhaltige Getränk. (Zur Not reicht doch auch die leicht kratzig/rauchige Stimme des Sängerknabens Christopher Bowes um einen in eine Stimmung zu versetzen in der man am liebsten auch sofort an Deck eines Schiffes sitzen will. (Am besten mit einem zünftigen Ale!))
Auch andere Freuden des Piratenlebens werden besungen; es mangelt bei der Auswahl der besungenen Themen weder an Schätzen, noch Stürmischen Seen oder körperliche Freuden des einsamen Seemannes (Man übersetze sich "Nancy the tavern wench"). Die CD ist auch sehr hörbar, wenn man anderweitig beschäftigt ist, und nicht sonderlich auf den Text achtet, denn der Sound ist einfach stimmig.

Alles in allem ist zu sagen, dass es sich hier um ein Debutalbum sondergleichen handelt, welches mir auch nach mehrmaligem intensiven hören noch immer neue Facetten offenbart. Meiner Meinung nach ist dieses Album nahe an einem historischen Epos der modernen Musikgeschichte.

Darum gebe ich 9/10 Punkten.

Zu den Einzelberichten über die einzelnen Tracks:

1. Over the seas
...beginnt sehr vielversprechend. Wenn man den Instrumentalteil am Anfang als Intro bezeichnen mag, ist dieses exakt im Stil gehalten, den man erwartet, wenn man Scottish-Pirate-Metal liest. Es behandelt eine Schatzsuche. =D
Sehr gut gewählter Introtrack.

" ...He said, "I'll give ye the map, if ye give me some gold" ..."

2. Captain Morgan s revenge
... Der Titeltrack des Albums. Ein SeeMeilenstein von 6:42

Ein Intro von 40 Sekunden, ein zweiter Introteil von nocheinmal 20 Sekunden. Da schaut man schon relativ erstaunt, dass bereits eine ganze Minute vergangen ist. Der gesamte Track ist sehr kurzweilig, und geht absolut genial in's Ohr.
Wenn ich nicht wüsste, dass es sich um ein Keyboard handelt, würde ich schwören, dass des Käptens Maat auf der Brücke steht und das Akkordeon bearbeitet..
Gen Ende hat der Track noch einen langsameren, gut verkraftbaren, Storyteil.
Insgesamt mein favorisierter Track des Albums.

" ...We returned to port with sorrow in our chests
An evil shadow followed us on every quest..."

3. The huntmasters

...beginnt komplexer und treibender als die ersten Tracks des Albums. Zudem enthält dieser Titel die Textzeile, die mir am besten im Ohr hängen blieb. Es handelt sich hierbei um eines der Lieder, die man gut und gerne mitsingt - oder im späteren Zustand mitgröhlt.

"...With the power of ale, he could not fail
Sail into battle, glory and metal

Hail! - Huntmaster
Ride! - Huntmaster
Fight! - Huntmaster
Die! - Huntmaster ..."

4. Nancy the tavern wench

... Beginnt zunächst vergleichsweise langsam und bedächtig. Die Vocals sind hier (akustisch) sehr klar zu verstehen, und füllen sich mit einigen sehr treffenden Metaphern, aber auch klar ausgesprochenen (noch immer) alltäglichen Problemen

"...Come take a drink, and drown your sorrow..."

5. Death before the mast
...beginnt direkt mit einem (einfachen, aber) eingängigen Rhythmus des Schlagwerkers, welcher sich auch bis zum Ende des Tracks hin durch den kompletten Track zieht. In der späteren Hälfte des Tracks ist die Fähigkeit der Band sehr gut zu erkennen, einzelne Instrumente (ich zähle in diesem Falle die Stimme des Fronters als Instrument) gekonnt in Szene zu setzen. So folgt auf eine virtuos singende E-Gitarre direkt ein Keyboardimpuls auf welchen wiederum eine klar verständliche Gesangspassage übergeht. Woraufhin das Stück in einem fulminanten Schusswechsel des Trommeltrümmerers untergeht.

Genial.
Gen Ende des Tracks in knapp 10 Sekunden:

"... Hear the terror, fires burn and cannons sound
Fate awaits me, as the vessels circle round
See the slaughter, cutlass swings and pistols fire
Feel the anger, raging through my body tires..."

6. Terror on the high seas

Was müssen meine Piratigen...äh...entzündeten Ohren da ganz zu Anfang hören? "...the time to strike is now..."
Einen Keks für denjenigen, dem es auch auffällt. Ja. Richtig. Manowar - Battle Hymns beinhaltet exakt diese Zeile. Das musste mir als Manowarfan ja auffallen. Nun, ich wage zu behaupten, dass Alestorm diese Zeile trotz allem ideal verwenden. Auch hier findet sich eine lineare Story und ein eingängiger Refrain. In diesem Track beweist der Fronter, dass er nicht nur in einer Tonlage trällern kann, sondern auch zu anderen Höhen in der Lage ist.

"...Who will survive no one can tell
Come on, let's give 'em hell! ..."

7. Set sail and conquer

Langsam gehen mir die kreativen Lobenden Worte aus. Auch dieser Track ist gut hörbar, hat einen Ausruf, der wiederholt wird, und somit gut intonierbar ist. Auch bangbare, und feierbare Passagen fehlen nicht. Was will der Pirat mehr?

"...A reign of blood and slaughter..."

8. Of treasure

Oh. Ein anderer Anfang. Klingt wieder nach Akkordeon, wird aber Keyboard sein. Dieser Track ist im Vergleich zu allen anderen auf dem Album langsam. Er erzählt (abermals) eine Geschichte, nutzt dieses mal sogar einen Chor. Erinnert mich ein wenig an ein paar Episoden aus Knorkator - Wir werden alle sterben. Ein gelungenes Werk, wenn es auch nicht komplett meinen Geschmack trifft. Es wäre meiner Meinung nach gut geeignet gewesen um gen Ende der Scheibe den Wind aus den Segeln zu nehmen.
"...Forgotten years ago - a chest of glory ..."

9. Wenches & mead

"Huren und Met", was will der Pirat von Weltmeer. Hier handelt es sich um den Trinksong des Albums. Man kann ihn wohl nicht beim ersten Hören mitgröhlen, aber er wird sich wohl auf jeder guten Party-Setlist der Band wiederfinden.

"...Hey! hey! I want more wenches
Hey! hey! more wenches & mead
Hey! hey! I want more wenches
Lot's of wenches is what I need... "

10. Flower of Scotland

...ist doch glatt eine Coverversion zum Ende. Hätte doch nicht sein müssen. Hier wird im Chor ein älteres (1974 o.o), patriotisches schottisches Volkslied wieder ausgegraben. Hätte man doch bloß einen Goldschatz gehoben, um diesen Silberling noch aufzuwerten. Dies ist der einzige Titel des Albums, der meiner Meinung nach wirklich nicht hätte sein müssen.

"...Those days are past now,
And in the past
They must remain,
But we can still rise now,
And be the nation again..."

So. Ich glaube, dieses erste Review wird ein Meilenstein für die Geschichte des Headbangers Life sein. Mit nicht ganz dreizehnhundert Wörtern doch ein ganz gutes Stück Arbeit. (Glückwunsch, Du hast bis zum Ende gelesen.)

"With the power of ale, he could not fail"
scrow am 02.04.20008

PS: Alestorm spielen sowohl auf dem Wacken, als auch auf dem Rockharz. (2008)

Azaghal - Omega

Fairly melodic aggressive black metal from Finland. Corpse paint and vinyl pants. Quality.

Necronoclast - The Plague

Decent if not groundbreaking one-man black metal. Sort of melodic.

Arson Anthem - s/t

Acceptable punk featuring Phil Anselmo of Pantera, Superjoint Ritual, and other bad bands. Also other famous ex-members of other bad bands. Crunchy metal parts sit awkwardly amongst mediocre '80s-American-hardcore riffs.

Satan's Host - Great American Scapegoat

Sort of boring thrash metal with harsh vocals. think Kreator, only not as good. Cheesy intro.

Alestorm - Captain Morgan's Revenge

Exactly what you'd expect from a pirate-metal band. Epic, and silly, as fuck. Very cheesy.

Grimbane - Let the Empires Fall

Fair-to-poor black metal from Canada, a decidedly un-metal place. Not one, but TWO cheesy-ass intros. Cheesy spoken-word Satanic incantations and synth intros sprinkled throughout.

Eluveitie - Slania

Competent, if overly melodic and accessible. Eluveitie plays a mix of Celtic folk tunes and Gothenburg-styled melodic death metal like At the Gates or the Black Dahlia Murder or something.

So that's it for now.

Alestorm - Featuring Robert Smith and some crazy long-haired pirates, Alestorm provided my first look into the world of pirate metal. Under the guise of Scottish pirates, they sang songs about rum, wenches, and sailing the seas. More seasoned pirate metal fanatics brought their swords and axes, the lead guitarist poured some rum for the front row, and I laughed a hell of a lot. The lead guitarist had a few solos which sounded great. (Robert Smith isn't really in the band, but the man looked just like him. Didn't really fit in with the pirate theme.)

Norther - Pssh. Pirate metal, get real, right? Ah, good! "Melodic death metal"! Only slightly more legitimate, but I am familiar with this genre. I did like Nightwish for a long while afterall. A Finnish group that played very good, even if they were way too serious. The lead singer had long hair and no shirt. He also looked possessed.

Turisas - The highlight of the evening is an obviously popular Finnish group. They came out in pelts and face paint, and they took the stage by storm. Very powerful presence. I didn't get to stay for the whole set because I had to go back to Reading, but they were a pleasure to see. Hype only has one track, I'm afraid.

It was quite a funny night. I don't really see "viking metal" as a legitimate form of music, but for what it was, it was very good. All the bands looked and sounded amazing. It's just nice to see performers of any kind putting so much out there during a performance. Even if its not your kind of music, it's still nice to see.

http://www.youtube.com/v/ZA1NoOOoaNw&rel=1&border=0

Is that not the most retardly amazing video you have ever seen, I've just watched it 3 times now and I feel as if my brain is melting.

Help?

Now slighlty more importantly.

Pirate Metal Rocks. Period.

Everyone must listen to Alestorm - Captain Morgans Revenge.
Better yet download the whole album. It really is amazing

Anyways, Bye.

Alestorm - Captain Morgan's Revenge

01.Over The Seas
02.Captain Morgan's Revenge
03.The Huntmaster
04.Nancy The Tavern Wench
05.Death Before The Mast
06.Terror Of The High Seas
07.Set Sail And Conquer
08.Of Treasure
09.Wenches & Mead
10.Flower Of Scotland

Este grupo se define como folk/power metal. Su página web es www.alestorm.net y en ella podréis escuchar algunas de sus canciones.

Para que os hagais una idea, este grupo suena como Running Wild en la mayoría de las canciones, con unas guitarras potentes y compactas que se encargan de crear, junto a la batería y el bajo, unos cimientos y una base potente a partir de los cuales el teclista se encarga de la melodía, y el cantante puede berrear bien respaldado.

El disco sigue una historia de piratas, como se puede adivinar por la portada y los diferentes títulos, y así la melodía que crea el teclista recuerda las tonadas que los marineros podrían cantar en las cubiertas o las tabernas con una jarra de ron, haciendo además que este teclado suene unas veces recordando el sonido del acordeón, y otras imitando el sonido de las gaitas. Los coros multitudinarios tambien favorecen esta impresión.

El problema es que sobre esta combinación el vocalista parece que esta cantando de mala leche, lo que hace que sea una voz bastante desabradable. Y los coros, con ligeros aires taberneros, parecen a veces, efectivamente, una banda de borrachos, sobre todo en la ultima canción.

El guitarrista, en los solos, que son combates contra el teclista, intenta parecer un genio de la música y un maestro de la guitarra, pero solo consigue cambiar rápido de notas, tocar deprisa, sin melodía ni sentido ni estructura ni nada. Sin embargo el teclista si consigue demostrar que es el mejor del grupo.

Hay algunos temas que aceleran las guitarras y toma más protagonismo la batería cañera, pero desaparece el teclado, que es lo único que podría merecer la pena.

En definiva, un grupo que podría resultar interesante, ya que las ideas son buenas,  si echaran a todos menos al del teclado.

Barrio Conflictivo le da un 6,5

Anyway, I like the magazine. It's well written - knowledgeable, but accessible to an ignoramus like me. I gave the accompanying free CD a spin. Much of it was as I expected: drums that sound like those little plastic things kids used to have on their bicycle wheels that go tik-tik-tik-tik as you cycle along, grinding guitars, and belched vocals. Some of it shocked me in that it was so lame and old school. Widow and Biomechanical sound like Def Leppard and Judas Priest, and I don't have a sufficiently evolved sense of irony to deal with that. And then there are a few terrible prog bands coming over all Marillion on us, and the world can do without that. Still, there is some mighty stuff. I particularly liked Sylosis and Before the Rain, but the group that stood out for me were Alestorm from just up the road in Perth. I laughed out loud listening to their contribution "Captain Morgan's Revenge".

Pirate metal. That's a genre I can relate to. Alestorm come over like the Pogues crossed with Metallica partying on the set of Pirates Of The Caribbean. It's insane, but absolutely brilliant. I can honestly say I've never heard anything quite like it. Yes I laughed, but not at them. It is such gleeful and gloriously fun music, that's it's impossible not to smile. But it also rocks like a bastard. There's an album, also called Captain Morgan's Revenge. I hope it's all as good as the title track.

Thoughtfully, the song can also be heard on the group's Myspace page.

http://www.myspace.com/alestorm

Band: Alestorm
Album: Captain Morgan's Revenge
Year: 2008
Genre: Scottish Pirate Metal / Power Metal / Speed Metal
Country: Scotland
Filesize: mb
Tracklist:
[01] Over The Seas [Edit Edition]
[02] Captain Morgan's Revenge
[03] The Huntmaster [Edit Edition]
[04] Nancy The Tavern Wrench [Edit Edition]
[05] Death Before The Mast [Edit Edition]
[06] Terror On The High Seas [Edit Edition]
[07] Set Sail And Conquer [Edit Edition]
[08] Of Treasure [Edit Edition]
[09] Wenches And Mead [Edit Edition]
[10] Flower Of Scotland [Edit Edition]

http://www.alestorm.net/
http://myspace.com/alestorm

Download
http://infernalmistery.blogspot.com (Password)