After signing to Napalm Records in 2007, their debut album Captain Morgan's Revenge, was released on 25 January 2008. Black Sails at Midnight, the band's second album, was released on 27 May 2009. The band's third album, Back Through Time, was released on 3 June 2011. The fourth album from the band, Sunset on the Golden Age, was released in August 2014. Their fifth album No Grave But the Sea was released on 26 May 2017. Their sixth and latest album, Curse of the Crystal Coconut, was released on 29 May 2020.
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, which were received well by the local metal community. The band began to perform live in 2006, with a lineup consisting of Bowes (vocals and keytar), Harper (guitars), Dani Evans (bass) 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.
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.
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, reaching the #1 position in the UK Rock Chart.
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 26 May 2017.
On 8 January 2020, the band announced the title of their sixth studio album, "Curse of the Crystal Coconut". This was released on May 29th, 2020. Prior to its release, Alestorm released the singles "Treasure Chest Party Quest", "Tortuga" (feat. Captain Yarrface of Rumahoy) and "Fannybaws".
Alestorm is generally classified as pirate metal, folk metal, power metal, heavy metal, and hard rock. The band refer to themselves as "True Scottish 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 Cartagena") to the band's sound.
Official bio:
Avast, ye landlubbers! From the deepest darkest depths of the Caribbean comes Alestorm, a drunken band of pirates on an epic quest to drink your beer, steal your rum, and be the greatest damn band that ever did sail the seven seas!
From humble beginnings playing shows to farm animals in a field somewhere in Eastern Scotland, Alestorm have evolved into an international party machine hellbent on conquering album charts and festival stages throughout the world, with their infectious brand of 'Pirate Metal' and their dashing good looks.
Somehow they've managed to convince hundreds of thousands of people from New Zealand to Argentina to Lithuania and everywhere in between (except Paraguay), that it's cool to wear a pirate hat and sing stupid songs about getting drunk and stealing ships. So prepare your spleens, because Alestorm are coming to kick ass and chew gum. And they're all out of ass.
Also, they have a giant inflatable duck. Does your band have a giant inflatable duck? No. I didn't think so.
Wooden Leg!
Alestorm Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I bought it in a tavern from a gnarly old dude
When I got shot to pieces by a cannon ball
It cut me down to size, I used to be quite tall
A couple of drinks, to dull the pain
I stood up on my leg and began to fight again
When all of a sudden, can you believe
A cannonball hit me in the other knee
Wooden leg, wooden leg, wooden leg
I've got a wooden leg, wooden leg
Wooden leg, wooden leg, wooden leg
I've got a wooden leg, wooden leg
Wooden leg, wooden leg, wooden leg
I've got a wooden leg, wooden leg
Wooden leg, wooden leg, wooden leg
I've got a wooden leg, wooden leg
Now both of my legs, are made of wood
The future's looking grim, it doesn't seem good
So I drink all day and I drink all night
I get really drunk and get into a fight
With a samurai guy with ninja skills
He beats me up til I'm nearly killed
I ask him for mercy, do me no harm
But the bastard chops off both my arms
Ah you japanese bastards!
Wooden leg, wooden leg, wooden leg
I've got a wooden leg, wooden leg
Wooden leg, wooden leg, wooden leg
I've got a wooden leg, wooden arm
Wooden leg, wooden leg, wooden leg
I've got a wooden leg, wooden leg
Wooden leg, wooden leg, wooden leg
I've got a wooden leg, wooden leg
The lyrics of Alestorm's song Wooden Leg tell the story of a sailor who, after losing his leg in battle, purchases a wooden replacement from an old man in a tavern. Despite being injured, the sailor gets back up and fights again, only to be hit by another cannonball, this time taking out his other leg. The sailor then turns to heavy drinking to cope with his injuries and engages in a fight with a skilled samurai. In a cruel twist, the samurai ends up chopping off both of the sailor's arms, leaving him with only his wooden leg and arm.
The song is told from the perspective of the sailor, who is both humorous and self-deprecating in his storytelling. The use of profanity directed towards the Spanish and Japanese reflects the historical context of naval battles between countries, even though the events in the lyrics are fictional.
The repeated chorus of "Wooden leg, wooden leg" serves as a catchy hook and reinforces the sailor's sense of identity, as his wooden limbs become a defining feature of his physical appearance.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got a leg, it's made out of wood
My leg got destroyed by a cannonball, so I replaced it with a wooden one that I bought from an old man at a tavern.
When I got shot to pieces by a cannon ball, it cut me down to size, I used to be quite tall
The cannonball destroyed my leg, and it made me realize that I'm not as invincible as I thought I was.
A couple of drinks, to dull the pain, I stood up on my leg and began to fight again
I drank to numb the pain, got back up on my wooden leg, and continued to fight, no matter what happened.
When all of a sudden, can you believe, a cannonball hit me in the other knee
Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, I got hit in the other leg by another cannonball.
Now both of my legs, are made of wood, the future's looking grim, it doesn't seem good
After both of my legs got destroyed, I had to replace them both with wooden legs, and now my future seems bleak.
So I drink all day and I drink all night, I get really drunk and get into a fight
To cope with my misfortune, I drink heavily and start fights with anyone who's willing to take me on.
With a samurai guy with ninja skills, he beats me up til I'm nearly killed
I picked a fight with a skilled samurai who nearly killed me in the beating that ensued.
I ask him for mercy, do me no harm, but the bastard chops off both my arms
I pleaded with my opponent to spare me, but he cut off both of my arms, leaving me with only my wooden leg(s).
Wooden leg, wooden leg, wooden leg, I've got a wooden leg, wooden leg
My wooden leg is the only thing I have left, and it represents my undying determination to continue fighting, even when the odds are stacked against me.
Wooden leg, wooden leg, wooden leg, I've got a wooden leg, wooden arm
After losing both of my arms, I replaced one of them with a wooden one, just like my legs.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHRISTOPHER BOWES, GARETH MURDOCK, LASSE LAMMERT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind