From sailing the high seas to rummaging shanty towns and refueling on glorious rum, Alestorm continues to make waves with what their fans have labeled as Pirate Metal music. Out of Scotland and coming together in 2004, Alestorm has made tidal waves with hit songs like “Drink” from 2014’s Sunset on the Golden Age and their 2017’s “Fucked With an Anchor” from No Grave but the Sea.
Following 2022’s Seventh Rum of a Seventh Rum, which peaked at number five on both US Current Hard Music and Top New Artist Albums, they are back in 2025 with their eighth full-length album, The Thunderfist Chronicles, on June 20th through Napalm Records. Currently made up of Lead Vocalist Christopher Bowes (who is also well known for his keytar skills), Gareth Murdock (bass), Máté Bodor (guitar), Peter Alcorn (drums), and Elliot Vernon (keyboards), Alestorm is primed to entertain their loyal followers once more.
Teaming up with Lasse Lammert of LSD-Studios (Gloryhammer, Wind Rose), the band set sail with “Hyperion Omniriff” at the top of the album. An epic opening, it features heavy, distorted guitar and violin, while Bowes’s gruff voice sets the stage with the line, “I have travelled across the land in search of fame and gold.” From here, it turns to “battle for the souls of men” and ends on a glorious quest for “gold under blood-red skies,” staying true to the pirate shanties their fanbase loves the most.
Track two, which was released on May 20th, “Killed To Death by Piracy,” chugs along the ruthlessness of a pirate’s life. “Your doom comes from the sea,” is threatened by Bowes’ menacing pirate tone, which features underlying distorted guitars and a drum beat that rolls faster than the waves on the ocean blue. Added something to the party, track four, “Frozen Piss Part 2,” features a spectacular guitar solo in the bridge that leads into a beautiful woman’s voice singing in a foreign language.
Moving along, one track that prominently features the signature keytar is “The Storm.” This one takes on a deeper and darker tone lyrically with “fire paints a moonlit sky, all opposing me shall die, I am the storm.” However, this enhances the band’s ability to engage their fan base on different emotional levels. With that in mind, “Mountains of the Deep” is a playful tune with humorous lyrics that the band is renowned for. Featuring the line “She’s got giant boobs like the mountains of the deep,” it reminder you that life is too short to be taken too seriously all the time.
This brings to mind “Goblins Ahoy!,” which is self-explanatory. Here, the battle begins with the Goblins taking the lead. A doozy for sure, while the Goblins have ye shakin’ in yer boots, the Pirates will be rummaging and pillaging even in death, whilst the Goblins dance around in hats made from the dirty pirates…
Ending a wild sea voyage, “Mega-Supreme Treasure of the Eternal Thunderfist” is a massive seventeen-plus-minute song that tells a story of roads long traveled and being lost in dreams of eternity. In this song, Bowes employs his screaming vocals, which are complemented by the high energy of the drums. Lengthy, it finally comes to an end with the sounds of the waves crashing on the beach, sending the listener off on a good note with a pleasant phone ringing and a quick answer and hang-up.
From the seas, sirens, Goblins, and of course the treasure a bode, Alestorm crashes into the music waves with an epic adventure-filled, fun-driven, Heavy Metal sound that is sure to hit the spot that the rum will not. Striking gold yet again, Cryptic Rock gives The Thunderfist Chronicles 5 out of 5 stars.
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