Alestorm has returned with their fourth collection of sea
shanties, and by this point in their career, one has to wonder if they’re going
to find new creative inspiration or begin truly scraping the barrel for
material (as they put it). In truth, “Sunset On The Golden Age” is a mix of
both, as there are new elements, but they tend to fall within Alestorm’s
familiar sound. With that said, “scraping the barrel” is too harsh a phrase to
describe the quality here. Alestorm still provides a number of incredibly
enjoyable songs, primarily through their ability to be catchy beyond belief. This
focus on sheer catchiness is embodied in the two opening tracks, “Walk The
Plank” and “Drink”. Both rely on choruses that are relatively simple, but
entertaining nonetheless. In fact, “Drink” might just be the most memorable
thing the band has ever recorded.
Most of the other songs tend to follow suit similarly, but there
are a few ways the band mixes it up. For one thing, nearly every song has a
keyboard, bass, and drums breakdown. These sections tend to be based on folky
keyboard melodies, and definitely show Alestorm incorporating far more folk
metal influence than ever before. This is particularly prominent on songs like “Magnetic
North”, which is a slower song overflowing with folk elements. “Sunset On The
Golden Age” also has a couple of lengthy tunes. Both “1741 (The Battle of
Cartagena)” and the title track prove to be highlights simply through the epic
emotions they conjure. Their choruses are both among the best of the album, and
the songs (particularly the latter) provide a great soundtrack for the imagery
Alestorm provides.
The middle of “Sunset On The Golden Age” is definitely the
weakest part. “Mead From Hell”, “Surf Squid Warfare”, and “Quest For Ships” are
not bad songs, but they’re pretty standard for Alestorm. The only slight
experimentation they offer is the use of harsh vocals at the end of “Surf
Squid Warfare”. This is done in more a death metal vein, compared to the black
metal explored on “Death Throes of the Terrorsquid” from their previous album. Things
pick back up again with “Wooden Leg!”, which is the fastest and most spastic
song. It is one of those tracks that pummel you into oblivion with the tenacity
of the chorus. You’re going to be hearing the words “Wooden Leg!” far more than
you need to, but by the end of the song, you’ll be shouting those words
alongside vocalist Christopher Bowes.
The one song I have yet to mention, “Hangover”, is quite
possibly the best on the album. It is a Taio Cruz cover (if you have no idea
who that is, you are not alone!), but it fits in perfectly with what Alestorm
does. It’s not quite a ballad, but certainly slower and softer than most of
their work. Nonetheless, it is the perfect “sing-along” song that will
certainly come to life if played live. The only downside with this song is that
one of the verses shows Bowes rapping, which nearly ruins the song. Luckily,
the chorus is so incredibly potent that the song overcomes that hiccup.
In the context of Alestorm’s discography, “Sunset On The
Golden Age” shows a slight progression. There is an increase emphasis on folk
melodies, but the riffs are still quite prominent. On the whole, it is probably
the most consistent album the band has done, simply because all of their albums
have a couple of tracks that stick out like a sore thumb. Upon first listen,
this was my least favourite of their albums because no tracks reach the heights
of “Keelhauled” or “Captain Morgan’s Revenge”, but with subsequent listens, it
proves to be incredibly enjoyable.
Highlights
"Walk The Plank"
"Drink"
"1741 (The Battle of Cartagena)"
"Hangover"
Final Rating
4.5/5 or 90%.
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