Whether you call this melodic death metal or power metal with death metal vocals it doesn’t matter. This release is decent for sure, but there is something missing in it. First of all there seems to be no bass in the mix at all and secondly none of the songs really leap out at you. It's solid overall but there is little in the form of a standout. One track seems to meld into the next. Quality playing from the Amott brothers, but it's just missing that extra something to push it over the top
Still their/Angela’s fans will be all over this. They will hit the festival scene to appreciative crowds. The thing with this genre is there is quite a bit of quality kicking around and this is just decent. Quite frankly most will expect more from this band.
Alestorm: Back Through Time
This is one of those albums, a bit like Blackmore’s Night CDs, that a reviewer has to listen to two ways. The sober rational music critic way and the way it was meant to be heard. The latter requires ale, or your preferred tipple, and a bit of a pissy mood. Its hard not to smile about this release in either mode, however the latter makes it all the more fun. This is drinking metal, as if the name weren’t a good enough hint, and not bashful about it. Songs are about reasons to drink or the tall tales told when you have had too much.
The band even manage to have some fun at the expense of their critics lyrically in the tune. They promise never to run out of lyrics. They are a bunch of Scots having a good time and not caring who it annoys. The opening track is obviously a nod to Pirates movies and Jack Sparrow. Clearly this is a band that it's hard to take seriously and there is nothing wrong with that. That said there is nothing half-arsed about the playing or song-writing. Choruses are catchy as they should be and it moves along rather nicely.
While Koriklaani, Turisas, and even Tyr do a similar brand of seafaring tall tale telling folk metal, this is far more tongue-in-cheek. The aural version of the Sparrow saga with a touch of Jimmy Buffet moonlighting in a metal band.
Article comments
1 - Earsplit
The name of the band is actually LAKE OF TEARS and the album is called Illwill.