By Nicholas James Miller

I truthfully didn’t enjoy my job working the dinner shifts at a nameless restaurant when I was sixteen years old. My entire sleep cycle for the school year was ruined by those late nights, getting let out of work at 2am, then sleeping all day. On the bright side though, every Sunday night from 10pm until the wee hours of the morning, the local rock station would play a barrage of the greatest underground metal bands in the world, the show was “Metal Church.”
Why is this relevant? Because one night listening to the show, a band called Alestorm was featured. A pirate themed metal band of swashbucklers from Scotland who found that all they needed to be happy was some wenches, some rum, and some good metal music. I was instantly hooked, and have been a fan ever since.

Since then, a new album of theirs has arrived on the market, titled “Sunset On The Golden Age.” A marvelous rendition of mastered tracks that truly give me the sensation of freedom and serendipity, which is all the pirates truly wanted. It shows that music can be more than music; it can be an adventure, a spirit lifting full soul, and a mind and body engagement that leaves you with a sense of wonder.

The tracks orchestrate many instruments that many metal bands would not adopt, such as accordions, violins, flutes, and other instruments all recorded live to give the band an original feel that makes them stand out as true legends.
My favorite track off of the album “Drink” is as brutal as it is inspiring. That is, if by inspiring, you mean wanting to pick up a pint and have a good time in a mosh pit. There are a few other tracks that stand out, including a Tao Cruz cover of “I’ve Got A Hangover.” Personally I prefer this version to the original. They’ve found a way to make a pop song that metal heads in general would likely despise into a hilarious head banging sensation.

I would definitely recommend this album to my friends, mostly because if you’re riding in the car with me, you’ll wind up listening to it one way or another. To all who pick it up, merry travels to you, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.