Alestorm - Black Sails at Midnight

August 20, 2009

Reviewer: J. A. Burt

So it would seem that pirates are the new Vikings in metal, and Scotland’s Alestorm is one of at least two bands whose style of music is being described as  “Pirate Metal”, a genre label that is really pretty dumb, and doesn’t really do anything to actually describe the music being played here.  Alestorm plays what is basically Speed/Power Metal, intertwined with some characteristically jaunty-folksy-jig moments.  Mixing folkish music with Metal is far from a new phenomenon, though it’s generally mixed with a blacker sort of fare.  Folk music and Power Metal hybrids are a rarer and generally less successful find.  Falconer is good at it, though even they’re not entirely successful all the time.

Alestorm’s main problem as far as I’m concerned has always been the vocals.  While the rest of the band is playing what is mostly Speed Metal, the singer forces a gruffness that sounds wildly out of place.  I can understand that he’s probably attempting to emulate the character of a vile sea faring scoundrel to go along with the often chuckle inducing lyrics, but the end result is a painfully dull monotone.  Thankfully, this time around, the vocals sit a little further back in the mix so as to somewhat lessen their negative effect.

Musically, the band is quite proficient, and at times I’m reminded a bit of a simpler Ensiferum.  Alestorm have actually improved quite a bit since their debut album, upon which overused brassy keyboards reminded us that the songs were “epic”.  I was pleased to discover that on Black Sails at Midnight, the brass is organic, though it is still a bit overused if you ask me.    Songs like “Wolves of the Sea” and “Leviathan” are quite catchy, and I have definitely found myself humming several of the melodies to myself throughout my day.  Unfortunately most of the songs are largely indistinguishable from the others.  Alestorm’s not a terrible band, they can actually be quite fun to listen and drink to, but there’s not a ton of substance there, and it’s difficult to tell if they’re taking the pirate gimmick seriously or not.  A largely inoffensive release, at times enjoyable, but mostly interchangeable with the debut.

Release Date: May 27th, 2009
Label:  Napalm Records

TRACK LISTING

1.  The Quest
2.  Leviathan
3.  That Famous Ol’ Spiced
4.  Keelhauled
5.  To the End of Our Days
6.  Black Sails at Midnight
7.  No Quarter
8.  Pirate Song
9.  Chronicles of Vengeance
10.  Wolves of the Sea

Total playing time: 46:19

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