Pirate metallers Calico Jack recently unleashed their treasure chest of riches with the sophomore album “Isla de la Muerte” on June 30th via Rockshots Records. For this full-length, the band kept the style of their debut album but improved every aspect of their music. “Isla de la Muerte” is much more aggressive, the songs are heavier, more dynamic, and more powerful than past ones. The fiddle tunes on the release are more epic and refined, and there’s no shortage of some of Calico Jack’s trademarks such as the Caribbean sounds in ‘Antigua’. The band also added important elements such as a track of pure classic heavy metal Running Wild-style (‘Bad Fortune’) and a journey through the eastern sounds of the Indian Ocean in the final suite ‘Sandokan’.
Today, the band presents one of its gems, “Marauder” with a new music video. The track is an ode to the life of the looter, who thrives only by plundering the property of others.
“To be a pirate is not just to live free and have fun in a tavern, but one must be prepared to commit the most abject crimes to survive, and if that meant amassing wealth and power, many marauders of the sea were just fine with that. ‘Marauder’ is a song written to be engaging and fun, with simple, groovy guitar riffs and Korpiklaani-esque violin melodies designed to unleash nonstop pogoing and headbanging. The lyrics, by contrast, tell of the heinous and cruel deeds of a sea marauder who has no mercy for anyone who stands before him and aims to plunder as much wealth as possible without qualms or remorse for his deeds. The accompanying video is an actual comic book adventure drawn by cartoonist Nico Tamburo, famous for publishing various works with a pirate setting. In the video, a pirate crew made up of the band members storm a Caribbean port and defeat naval officers after a savage swordfight, toasting the mountain of gold accumulated at the end of the song.” adds the band.
Watch and listen to ‘Marauder’ below.
Named after the nickname for Captain John Rackham, the English pirate captain who operated in the Bahamas and in Cuba during the early 18th century, Calico Jack was founded in 2011 by the brothers Toto (rhythm guitar) and Caps (drums) with the aim of merging legendary 80s heavy metal with modern Scandinavian folk metal, wrapping everything in a maritime atmosphere, inspired by folk songs and sea shanties of the Anglo-Saxon tradition. They make sure they present a flashback to those times with stage scenery and costumes.
“If you play pirate metal, you can’t help but fill the stage with bandanas, chests, skulls, cutlasses, and pistols. We are arranging to bring real parrots and cannonballs on stage, but we are meeting some resistance from animal welfare and pacifist associations… Aesthetics aside, our live shows are notorious for creating absolute chaos above and below the stage, so it is not advisable to attend one of our concerts if you are looking for meditative and intellectual listening. We also hold the record of never having played sober since the beginning of our career, and we offer unlimited drinks to any fan who asks!” adds the band.
Recommended for fans of Finntroll, Korpiklaani, Equilibrium, Moonsorrow, and Running Wild, “Isla de la Muerte” is available for album pre-order at https://bit.ly/IslaDeLaMuerteCD
Track Listing:
1 – Broadside Attack (07:24) (Video)
2 – Isla de la Muerte (10:32)
3 – Bad Fortune (05:02)
4 – Antigua (06:25)
5 – Three Cheers to the Shanty Man (04:30)
6 – Marauder (04:37)
7 – Queen Anne’s Revenge (06:08) (lyric video)
8 – Haul Away Joe (03:31)
9 – Sandokan (15:47)
Total length: 1:03:58
Album Credits:
Recorded at Elnor Studio by Mattia Stancioiu
Mixed and mastered by Calico Jack
All songs written by Calico Jack
Photos by Chiara Mascetti
Cover art by Sergey Vasnev
Album Release Party
30 June – Hörnerfest (Brande-Hörnerkirchen, Germany)
w/Subway to Sally and more
For more info:
Rockshots.eu | Calicojack.net | Facebook.com/CalicoJackOfficial |
Instagram.com/calico.jack.official