Storm Seeker are a German Pirate or battle metal band and as with most bands in this genre they use a few interesting instruments including a Hurdy Gurdy, cellos and Nyckelharpa among others. Who knew that Dusseldorf was awash with pirates and brigands, still this is Storm Seeker's third album. It is also bang on trend for this years first break out musical genre of Sea Shanties although thankfully they didn't record the album on zoom.
The album opens as it means to go on with How To Be A Pirate a good slightly tongue in cheek Pirate/Battle metal tune somewhere between Alestorm and Turisas until the female vocals come in on the second verse when they suddenly have echoes of Lacuna Coil as they set out there vision for How To Be A Pirate.
Naval Hitchhike is a good scabbard beating shanty to the ancient art of grabbing a ride on a passing ship when you've been shipwrecked again, the cello on this set against the raging down tuned guitars makes it sound more like Turisas meets the Kilmaine Saints especially when the breakdown for I think the Nyckelharpa solo happens.
Shoot This Ship Down is an shanty about a battle against a foe that isn't totally explained, or I missed that bit listening to the blast beat drumming and furious fiddle playing, this is at it's best when Timothy Abor and Sandy McGnomsen harmonize.
Guns Don't Cry will sound good next to Dennis Alcapones Guns Don't Argue, and this is a good drinking song before the second half gets a bit windblown trying to avoid staring down the barrel of a gun as they try to take your gold again.
One More Day is a bit more wistful with Sandy McGnomsen taking lead vocals for the first time as this tale of plunder on the high seas unfolds. Compass is a slow sparse hymnal to the compass that must guide there way back to land once more.
Row Row Row takes the original Row Your Boat And keel hauls it into a new song of the despair of being in a small rowing boat on an ocean looking for salvation and one last flagon of ale.
Deathwatch Beetle Party is the first bi-lingual song on the album as they switch between English and German, while hoping the wenches they want aren't too enamoured of the Deathwatch Beetle before they have a bit of a klezmer metal ending.
Maelstrom could well be about the well- known Larping event as much as another piratical battle as they try to explain exactly what happens and how it finally came to a conclusion with the widdliest solo on the album.
Sextant is properly stormy action on the rolling waves of a sea shanty that barrels along until it breaks down to a folksy middle part before it starts to get more rousing as they try to get to the islands once more.
The album closes with a brilliant Oompah metal reworking of Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Polka Dot Bikini into Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Honolulu Strand Bikini that almost feels like it could be a Schlager metal classic even though they are far too cool to play or listen to Schlager. Play this either before or after Turisas version of Rasputin.
Find out more at https://nocut.shop/Guns-dont-cry https://www.storm-seeker.com/ https://www.facebook.com/Stormseekerband
