SWASHBUCKLE

Swashbuckle’s ‘Back To The Noose’ reminds me of the old Playstation pirate game ‘Overboard’, and it’s just as silly AND just as fun!!! But don’t be fooled. These guys are certainly no slouches as musicians and songwriters. Not as serious as Running Wild with their lyrical themes, less ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ than Alestorm but no less relevant in the genre of ‘pirate metal’!? Swashbuckle are a relevant thrash band (and better than some of their more serious brethrens). The song titles give a feel of what you’re letting yourself in for lyrically from this New Jersey trio. Songs such as: ‘Splash-n-Thrash’, ‘We Sunk Our Battleship’ and ‘Cloudy With A Chance of Piracy’. I think for some the pirate theme may be a bit too much but don’t let that put you off a damn fine thrash album played with intensity and vigour. This is an album any self respecting new-wave (or indeed old-school) thrasher should own. Trying to pinpoint stand-out moments is tricky as the whole album is a roller-coaster ride from start to finish with small interludes of pseudo sea-shanties, relaxing acoustic passages and, to tell the truth, frankly bizarre invasions of what sounds like pirates escaping from a ride at a funfair narrated by a voice that sounds like an extra from a Scooby Doo cartoon! Excellent stuff!!!

LABEL:

FORMAT:

Nuclear Blast

Album

BACK TO THE NOOSE

Review by Paul Sims

RUNNING TIME:

41:56

RELEASE DATE:

24th July 2009

TRACK LISTING

1) Hoist the Mainsail; 2) Scurvy Back; 3) Back to the Noose; 4) Cloudy with a Chance of Piracy; 5) We Sunk Our Battleship; 6) Rounds of Rum; 7) Carnivale Boat Ride; 8) Rime of the Haggard Mariner; 9) Cruise Ship Terror; 10) No Prey No Pay; 11) La Leyenda; 12) Splash-n-Thrash; 13) The Grog Box; 14) The Tradewinds; 15) Attack; 16) Peg-leg Stomp; 17) Whirlpit; 18) All Seemed Fine Until; 19) IT CAME FROM THE DEEP!; 20) Shipwrecked; 21) Sharkbait

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

USA

"...a roller-coaster ride from start to finish with small interludes of pseudo sea-shanties, relaxing acoustic passages and, to tell the truth, frankly bizarre invasions of what sounds like pirates escaping from a ride at a funfair narrated by a voice that sounds like an extra from a Scooby Doo cartoon!"