Alestorm – Black Sails at Midnight – 2009
When I first heard about this band and Black Sails at Midnight, I was captivated by the album’s cover image. It’s strange really, that with just this as a reference, one can accurately infer the kind of music that will be performed. It’s worth noting that the cover image at the top of this review is somewhat different from what I saw, as this is a special edition with an accompanying DVD. However, more on that later.
Anyway, I did what one can do in most record stores nowadays, sampled a bit, and quickly concluded that I had to explore this further! So, the album was acquired, and after a few listens, I’ll attempt to convey my impressions as straightforwardly as possible.
What is it?
Since was so new to me personally, I must begin by categorizing what I heard emanating from the speakers. This, even if it might be obvious to those already familiar with the band.
On the plastic covering the album, there was a label that explained the content much better than I thought when I first read the comment: Scottish Pirate Metal! What it means becomes entirely clear when you listen. But for those who haven’t heard them, it might be best described as power metal with folk elements. There’s ferocious double-bass drumming, alongside the presence of fiddles, trumpets, and even bagpipes.
This is the album art that made me so curious
The melodies undeniably evoke thoughts of the sea. You can almost taste the saltwater on your face in songs like Keelhauled, Leviathan, and That Famous Ol’ Spiced. There’s also a cover of Wolves of the Sea, performed in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 by the musical project Pirates of the Sea.
Is it Serious?
What works against them, musically speaking, is that I’m not quite sure whether to take them seriously or not. I’m not sure if they’re poking fun at themselves on Black Sails at Midnight and the entire music industry. Or, if they take themselves too seriously. Sure, there are plenty of other bands that niche themselves and write lyrics about a single phenomenon. Like Sabaton, which I actually think is an excellent musical comparison, especially with their war-themed lyrics. And it’s primarily this that I mean contributes to the complex impressions I touched on earlier. It feels a bit Donald Duckish, while I find the melodies quite catchy, and the arrangements, aside from the pirate-inspired sections, belong to the good old school of heavy metal that I truly enjoy.
Now, the DVD, how is it? Well, it’s roughly what one can expect, a live recording from Wacken in Germany. The funny thing is since this is only Alestorm’s second album, and the songs on the DVD are not on the actual album, you get a taste of Alestorm’s first album, Captain Morgan’s Revenge, without having to make an extra effort, so to speak. However, I don’t think Alestorm seems to be a particularly good live band from what you see of their show. Still, the essential thing is to experience their earlier music, and that’s always enjoyable.
As a whole though, it’s entertaining music and a different setup, but it tends to become a bit tiresome in the long run. Furthermore, I want to point out that the bonus DVD included in this particular edition of the album is not part of the rating. Still, if it were, it would slightly lower the overall impression!
