Metal Monday: Metal For Pirates, By Pirates

posted in: Features • Rock

While there have been many genres of music that specifically target one group of people as their audience”  be it goth, punks or scene”no genre of music has quite done it like pirate metal (not even the wizard rock band Harry and the Potters). As for what exactly constitutes a “pirate metal” band there are varying degrees of scurvy-ness

One way to be a pirate metal band is to sing about the life of pirates, which Running Wild did on their 1987 album titled Under Jolly Roger. While being a pretty standard heavy metal album, every song pertains directly to Jolly Roger and his dirty deeds, and is largely considered the first album of the pirate metal genre.

Another way is to actually be a pirate. Bands such as Swashbuckle exemplify the pirate life, as is portrayed in their video for “Cruiseship Terror”:

If being a pirate and singing about pirates isn’t enough for you, Alestorm really take it to the next level by having a sound that isn’t hard to imagine that traditional pirate music would have sounded like (but decidedly less metal). Check out their video for “Keelhauled” for a stellar example:

So, if you’re ever bummed out and think there’s no music you can relate to, there’s a fair chance you’re just not finding it. Who would have thought there was music by pirates, for pirates?