Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum fellow Otaku & Metalheads!
Well, we’ve may for an odd island. There’s palm trees all over, but the coconuts....they’re not normal. They’re.....crystal coconuts? What has befallen this place!? It’s almost as if.....a curse was placed upon this floating piece of land.
That’s right, we’re reviewing the latest entry in the saga of Alestorm’s journey through the Caribbean. Their last record, No Grave But The Sea, was a hit, but the band may have outdone themselves with this one. Released just a few months ago, it came out during a time where the plague that has seemingly engulfed the world, and provided it’s own odd ray of sunshine. It’s goofy, silly, weird, and just a hint of trollish fun. So, let’s depart this wicked place, and take a look at my review for Curse of the Crystal Coconut while we sail for the main land. Let’s begin!
Background
As the years went on for Alestorm, their musical craftsmanship improved from album to album. From Captain Morgan’s Revenge to No Grave But The Sea, there was a clear advancement and evolution of the band’s musical talent & taste. However, this crew of musical scallywags didn’t rest on their treasure chests and rum barrels, and so they decided to set out on another musical voyage. On the 8th of January, 2020, our boys from Scotland would reveal the name of their new adventure, and on the 29th of May within the same year, Curse Of The Crystal Coconut would be released to us cutthroats and drunkards in such a plagued time. The album was received very well across the board: while there were some that gave it a more neutral rating, the consciences seems to be that the album is a worthy addition to Alestorm’s musical treasure horde.
Basic Description
Lighthearted humor & fun trolling.
Like I said in the first review this month, Alestorm seemed to have a more serious stance at the start of their career, but as time passed the band opted to take a more humorous route with their music. No Grave But The Sea seemed to be the funny counterpart to Captain Morgan’s Revenge, but Curse of The Crystal Coconut has usurped that release. This is a genuinely funny album from beginning to end, and considering how awful 2020 has been, it almost seems needed. On top of that, the band goes down the troll path with this record, and while it might be a little too forward at times (More on that below), for the most part it’s the kind of trolling that’s not malicious, and has just as much fun with the listener as it does annoy the haters.
Best Track
Bit of a tie between the initial two singles off of the album, Treasure Chest Party Quest & Tortuga. The former is a delightful piece of Pirate Metal, but with lyrics that almost come across like a mix between pirate & rap elements, and even the instrumentation seems to reflect this to a certain degree. Tortuga, on the other hand, couldn’t even hide it’s influences if it wanted to! With a guest appearance by Captain Yarrface (Once again...that’s his name) from Rumahoy, the lyrics come across like typical Alestorm, but with an exceptionally rap-focused approach. Much like the previously mentioned tune, the instrumentation reflects this also, but there’s a more metal feel to them. The band chose wisely what the first two tracks for the public were, and dammit if they’re a lot of fun!
Treasure Chest Party Quest
Tortuga
Worst Track
As I said above, Curse of the Crystal Coconut has a lot of lighthearted trolling, and it’s pretty fun for the most part. That being said, there are points where maybe Alestorm is trying a touch too hard in the trolling department. Shit Boat (No Fans) for example tries maybe a little too hard to push buttons, and this mild tryhard vibe weighs the album down just a touch. Apart from that, nothing on here sucks in any way!
Shit Boat (No Fans)
Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below:
Curse of the Crystal Coconut
Overall Impression & Rating
Curse of the Crystal Coconut was an album we needed this year. With things going to hell in a handbasket, the world needed a couple of silly Scottish pirates and their equally silly exploits. It may come across as a little too troll-ish in a spot or two, but at the same time Alestorm knew that people needed something to laugh at, and they delivered said laughter. If you’re feeling down, why not try to pry a crystal coconut open? You’ll never know what you’ll find!
Curse of the Crystal Coconut gets a 9 out of 10.
And that was Curse of the Crystal Coconut! A considerably more silly affair than their first release, Alestorm genuinely show off their musical talent as well as their skill at humor. If they eased up on the trolling a sliver, then it might be a genuinely perfect release. Well, just like last time, we got one final post before the good times end. So join me at the end of the month, when I’ll talk about 5 more Power Metal albums that need to be in your collection. See you then!
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