Alestorm

Alestorm

Alestorm
Background information
Origin Perth, Scotland
Genres Power metal[1][2] folk metal, pirate metal
Years active 2004–present
Labels Napalm
Associated acts Gloryhammer
Website www.alestorm.net
Members Christopher Bowes
Gareth Murdock
Peter Alcorn
Elliot Vernon
Máté Bodor
Past members Gavin Harper
Dani Evans
Doug Swierczek
Ian Wilson
Alex Tabisz
Tim Shaw

Alestorm is a multi-national heavy metal band originally from Perth, Scotland.[3] Their music is characterised by a pirate theme, and as a result they have been dubbed a "pirate metal" band[4][5] by many critics and their fanbase.

After signing to Napalm Records in 2007, their debut album Captain Morgan's Revenge, was released on January 25, 2008.[6] Black Sails at Midnight, the band's second album, was released on May 27, 2009. The band's third album, Back Through Time, was released on June 3, 2011. The fourth album from the band, Sunset on the Golden Age, was released in August 2014.[7] Their fifth and latest album No Grave But the Sea was released on May 26, 2017.

Biography

Origins (2004 - 2007)

The band was founded in 2004 as Battleheart, a studio project by Christopher Bowes and Gavin Harper. Originally intended as a standard power metal band, the success of song "Heavy Metal Pirates" convinced the band to permanently adopt a pirate theme and incorporate folk metal elements into their music. Gavin and Christopher recorded & released two independent demos in 2006,[8] which were received well by the local metal community.[9] The band began to perform live in 2006, with a lineup consisting of Bowes (vocals and keytar), Harper (guitar), Dani Evans (bass guitar) and Doug Swierczek (drums). Doug Swierczek eventually left the band later that year and was replaced by Ian Wilson. After a period of inactivity, in late 2007 Battleheart sent their demos to Napalm Records, and the band was promptly offered a record deal.

Alestorm

After being signed by Napalm Records, the band changed their name from Battleheart to Alestorm. Their debut album, Captain Morgan's Revenge, was released in early 2008.[10]

By September 2008, original guitarist Gavin Harper had left the band. Tim Shaw was Harper's replacement, but after a brief period of touring, was fired from the band. To fill the guitarist position, Dani Evans switched instruments from bass to guitar, and Gareth Murdock of Waylander joined as the replacement bassist. The band's 2nd album Black Sails at Midnight was released in May 2009. In March 2010, Ian Wilson left the band and was replaced with a new drummer named Peter Alcorn. Alestorm's third album, Back Through Time, was Alcorn's first appearance on an Alestorm album. In October 2011, Elliot Vernon joined the band as keyboard player and performing screamed / death metal vocals.

The band released their fourth record entitled "Sunset on the Golden Age" on 1 August 2014,[11] reaching the #1 position in the UK Rock Chart.

Dani Evans retired from the band in April 2015, [12] and was replaced by Hungarian guitarist Máté Bodor of the band Wisdom.

In October 2016, Christopher Bowes announced during a concert on the Super Smashed Turbo Tour that the band planned to begin recording a fifth studio album in January 2017. The fifth record, entitled "No Grave But The Sea", was released on May 26, 2017.

Tours

Musical style
Alestorm - Keelhauled
A clip from Keelhauled illustrates Alestorm's style of play.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Alestorm play a combination of styles of metal. They are generally classified as power metal and folk metal. The band refer to themselves as "Pirate Metal" and are identifiable by the pirate-themed lyrics in their songs. Alestorm's music utilizes the upbeat epic style of power metal with many orchestrations commonly found in folk metal. Album recordings feature heavy use of real trumpets and trombones, whilst implementing accordion synths, fiddle and tin whistle to convey a pirate sea shanty feel. Alestorm uses factors of absurdity to bring a jocular feel to their music, incorporating irreverent lyrical themes while retaining a tenuous connection to pirates.

They have also been known to experiment with different metal genres, going from songs that are predominantly thrash metal ("Black Sails At Midnight") to a switch to a black metal sonority mid-song ("Death Throes Of The Terrorsquid"). The band's later albums have begun to incorporate more screamed vocals by keyboard player Elliot Vernon, adding hints of metalcore ("Magnetic North") and death metal ("1741 - The Battle of Cartegena") to the band's sound. [14]

Band members

Current Members

Former members
  • Gavin Harper – guitar (2004-2008)
  • Dani Evans – bass guitar (2006–2008), guitar (2008–2015)
  • Doug Swierczek - drums (2006)
  • Ian Wilson – drums (2007–2008, 2008–2010)
  • Alex Tabisz – drums (2008)
  • Tim Shaw – guitar (2008)

Timeline

Discography

Alestorm discography
Studio albums 5
Live albums 1
Music videos 5
EPs 4

Studio albums

Year Details Charts
UK
 GER
 AUT
 US
Heat.		 US
Hard Rock		 US
Independent
2008 Captain Morgan's Revenge
  • Release: 25 January 2008
  • Label: Napalm
  • Formats: CD, download
 - - - - - -
2009 Black Sails at Midnight
  • Release: 27 May 2009
  • Label: Napalm
  • Formats: CD, picture disc, download
 - 60[15] - 87[16] - -
2011 Back Through Time
  • Release: 3 June 2011
  • Label: Napalm
  • Formats: CD, Mediabook, LP, Download
 200[17] 42[18] - 23
[19]		 - -
2014 Sunset on the Golden Age
  • Release: 1 August 2014
  • Label: Napalm
  • Formats: CD, LP, download
 68 26 39 7
[20]		 20
[21]		 32
[22]
2017 No Grave But the Sea
  • Release: 26 May 2017
  • Label: Napalm
  • Formats: CD, Mediabook, LP, download
 50 14 15
[23]		 1
[24]		 14
[25]		 5
[26]

EPs and singles

Year Details
2006 Battleheart[8]
  • Release: 2006
  • Label: Self-released
  • Formats: Download
Terror on the High Seas[27]
  • Release: 2007
  • Label: Self-released
  • Formats: Download
2009 Leviathan[28]
  • Release: 27 January 2009
  • Label: Napalm
  • Formats: CD, download
2013 In the Navy (The Village People cover)[29]
  • Release: 18 November 2013
  • Label: Napalm
  • Formats: Download, LP
2016 Skalstorm (split 7" single with Skalmold)
  • Release: 30 September 2016
  • Label: Napalm
  • Formats: Download, LP

Live albums

Year Details
2013 Live at the End of the World[30]
  • Release: 18 November 2013
  • Label: Napalm Records
  • Formats: DVD, CD, download

Music videos

Year Song Album Director Type Link
2009 "Nancy the Tavern Wench" Captain Morgan's Revenge Unknown Live performance [31]
"Keelhauled" Black Sails at Midnight Silvan Büge Performance [32]
2011 "Shipwrecked" Back Through Time Ivan Colic[33] [34]
2012 "Death Throes of the Terrorsquid" Narrative [35]
2013 "In the Navy" (The Village People cover) In the Navy EP Tommy Jones Tour footage [36]
2014 "Drink" Sunset on the Golden Age Oliver Sommer Narrative [37]
"Hangover" (Taio Cruz cover) Unknown Lyric [38]
2015 "Magnetic North" Ivan Colic Narrative [39]
2017 "Alestorm" No Grave But The Sea Ivan Colic Narrative [40]
"Mexico" Ivan Colic Narrative [41]
"Fucked With An Anchor" Elliot Vernon Studio footage [42]

References

  1. ↑ Muzzman (30 June 2012). "Captain Morgan's Revenge by Alestorm (Album, Folk Metal): Reviews, Ratings, Credits, Song list - Rate Your Music". rateyourmusic.com. Archived from the original on 15 July 2012.
  2. ↑ "Alestorm". Metal-archives.com. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
  3. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 2009-12-13.
  4. ↑ "ALESTORM". MusicMight. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  5. ↑ Bowar, Chad. "Alestorm – Captain Morgan's Revenge review". About.com. Archived from the original on 26 May 2010. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  6. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 10 February 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-01.
  7. ↑ "ALESTORM - Bacon Powered Pirate Core". alestorm.net.
  8. 1 2 "Alestorm Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
  9. ↑ "Battleheart - Terror on the High Seas". Metalreviews.com. 2007-01-19. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
  10. ↑ "NAPALM RECORDS ONLINE STORE - Heavy Metal & Rock CDs, Vinyl, Merch Mailorder". Napalmrecords.com. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
  11. ↑ "ALESTORM - Bacon Powered Pirate Core". alestorm.net.
  12. ↑ "BREAKING NEWS: Guitarist Dani Evans Leaves Alestorm". Metaltalk.net. 2015-04-19. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
  13. ↑ "Alestorm’s Concert Listing". Last.fm. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
  14. ↑ "Alestorm - The making of Sunset On The Golden Age - Limited Edition Box Set (HD)". YouTube. 2015-02-19. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
  15. ↑ "Napalm Records : Chart Entries". Napalmrecords.com.
  16. ↑ "ALESTORM Hits Billboard Heatseekers Chart". Bravewords.com. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
  17. ↑ "CHART LOG UK Update 18.06.2011 : NEW ENTRIES UPDATE" (TXT). Zobbel.de. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
  18. ↑ "Alestorm's 'Back Through Time' Lands On German Chart". BLABBERMOUTH.NET.
  19. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/artist/278428/alestorm/chart?f=324
  20. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/artist/278428/alestorm/chart?f=324
  21. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/artist/278428/alestorm/chart?f=795
  22. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/artist/278428/alestorm/chart?f=326
  23. ↑ http://oe3.orf.at/charts/stories/2602614/
  24. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/artist/278428/alestorm/chart?f=324
  25. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/artist/278428/alestorm/chart?f=795
  26. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/artist/278428/alestorm/chart?f=326
  27. ↑ "Terror on the High Seas - Review". sputnikmusic.com. Grant Hunter. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
  28. ↑ "Leviathan - EP on iTunes". iTunes. Alestorm. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
  29. ↑ "In the Navy - Single". iTunes. Alestorm. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
  30. ↑ "Live At the End of the World". iTunes. Alestorm. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
  31. ↑ "ALESTORM - Nancy The Tavern Wench [Live] (Official)". YouTube. 2009-04-23. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
  32. ↑ "ALESTORM - Keelhauled (Official)". YouTube. 2009-06-26. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
  33. ↑ April 22, 2011 (2011-04-22). "Alestorm Films 'Shipwrecked' Video". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
  34. ↑ "ALESTORM - Shipwrecked | Napalm Records". YouTube. 2011-05-20. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
  35. ↑ "The Death Throes Of The Terrorsquid Music Video".
  36. ↑ "ALESTORM - In The Navy (DVD Teaser) | Napalm Records". YouTube. 2013-10-18. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
  37. ↑ "ALESTORM - Drink (Official Video) | Napalm Records". YouTube. 2014-06-12. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
  38. ↑ "ALESTORM - Hangover (Taio Cruz Cover) | Napalm Records". YouTube. 2014-08-01. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
  39. ↑ "ALESTORM - Magnetic North (Official Video) | Napalm Records". YouTube. 2015-07-29. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
  40. ↑ "ALESTORM - Alestorm (Official Video) | Napalm Records". YouTube. 2017-04-21. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
  41. ↑ "ALESTORM - Mexico (Official Video) | Napalm Records". YouTube. 2017-05-05. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
  42. ↑ "ALESTORM - Fucked With An Anchor (Official Video) | Napalm Records". YouTube. 2017-05-26. Retrieved 2017-05-29.
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