Did someone say pirate metal? Multinational metal legends Alestorm are back with a vengeance to take us on another chaotically hilarious thrill-ride with “Curse of the Crystal Coconut.” After having already released three singles, the full album has finally landed and is everything we could have hoped for and more. Their signature sound and joyful pirate-themed lyrics are rife throughout this one, proving that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Originally formed in 2004 in Scotland as Battleheart, the band have undergone significant changes in line-up and sound to become the Alestorm they are today. Some things have changed, but some have stayed the same and fans are thrilled that these fun-loving pirates of metal with their fun, quirky lyrics and uniquely experimental style, have held onto the good stuff.

Alestorm genuinely does make piracy fun and the party doesn’t stop with this new album. From the very first listen, it's clear that the three singles have been only the tip of the glorious iceberg in terms of the gems this one has aboard. Every single track will have you tapping your feet and wanting to join in. 

While it’s easy to laugh at them, and often, that’s kind of the point, the musical talent displayed by these guys is impossible to dismiss as a joke. They are good. The current line-up of Christopher Bowes (vocals and keytar), Máté Bodor (guitar), Gareth Murdock (bass), Elliot Vernon (keyboards) and Peter Alcorn (drums) are so brimming with technical skill, it borders on insane. This is the kind of music you only get when you take a bunch of great musicians who have a genuine and intense love for what they do. Alestorm have real fun with their music. And that’s why we all have so much fun every time we listen to them.

With six studio albums now under their belts, they have well and truly proven themselves a mainstay of the metal scene and created a whole new genre of their own. They call it pirate metal, and it honestly defies any other attempt at classification. With blends of power metal and folk metal, they create heavy singalong sea shanties that will make you rock and laugh in equal measure. And “Curse of the Crystal Coconut” is by far their most wild and fun album to date.

Author: Harley Houghton

Harley Houghton is a writer and blogger, based in Melbourne, Australia. Her passions include music, especially metal, gaming and comics. Check out her blog www.harleysmadhouse.com and follow her on Twitter.