Rating:
www.skullbrandedpirates.com
Genre: Pirate Metal
Rating: PG
Target Audience: Metal-Heads and fan of Pirate-Core

There’s just something about pirate metal. While musically they couldn’t be further removed from actual historical pirates, there’s something in their dress/manner/attitude that makes you believe they “get it.” Blackbeard might have drunkenly sang the songs of the folk singer, but I’d bet gold dust that he’d rather party with the metal-heads. [read more »]

Rating:
Genre: Pirate Metal
Rating: PG
Target Audience: Pirate-Core fans, whether they’re metal fans or not

Alestorm’s Captain Morgan’s Revenge every bit appears the standard pirate metal album – the front cover features a skeletal demonic pirate screaming into the eye of a storm, while the back is emblazoned with an original jolly roger over a compass rose and crossed pistols. The packaging is definitely piratey. But as we know, the very nature of metal sometimes make for an album whose cover is the only thing that’s clearly piratey. All too often the typical thrasher growls and yells of “yarrr wahhhh grrrramoad!” could just as easily be “singing” of devil pigs as they might of pirates. This is the crux of pirate metal - but not so with Alestorm. [read more »]

Rating:
Various Artists
www.ppnom.org

– Volume 1

– Volume 2
Genre: Various. Ranges from traditional to metal to lounge. Seriously.
Rating: PG
Target Audience: This is perhaps the most universal collection of pirate music ever. If you love any aspect of the genre, these albums are for you.

A short while back I was asked (and I paraphrase,) “I think I’m interested in learning more about pirate music, but I don’t know where to begin. Any suggestions?” [read more »]

Rating:
Swashbuckle
www.swashbuckle.info

Genre: Heavy Metal and traditional
Rating: PG-13
Target Audience: Late teens to early retirement

Pirate metal isn’t a new thing – several bands, in fact, have tackled this concept before. But in many cases the only real way you know the music is piratey is by the album cover artwork, and maybe the names of the songs. This is because the untrained ear is unlikely to understand the growls and yells, let alone determine if the lyrics are composed of anything remotely relating to pirates. [read more »]

Rating:
Verbal Deception
www.verbaldeception.com

Genre: Pirate Metal
Rating: PG
Target Audience: Ages 15 and up

Making instrumental music sound piratey is commonly done with squeeze boxes and banjos, as is demonstrated by a whole range of traditional sea-shanty artists. It is also commonly done with orchestras, as can be seen in an assortment of swashbuckling movie soundtracks. But to make music piratey utilizing rock band-era electric guitars and drums, and to do so before a single “I’m a pirate” type lyric is even uttered, is another trick entirely. Few bands try, let alone succeed. [read more »]