Red Rum is a metal band from the UK formed in 2011, and to date, have released two E.P.’s – ‘With Gods By Our Side’ (2014) and ‘To War’ (2020), and two full-length albums – ‘Booze And Glory’ (2015) and ‘Book Of Legends’, emerging in 2023…
…featuring ten pirate-themed songs across thirty-three highly entertaining and amusing minutes! The band follow in the gigantic footsteps of pirate metal pioneers Running Wild, standing shoulder to shoulder with other pirate metallers Alestorm, Naufragant, and Pirates Of Metal – Red Rum, a British thoroughbred racehorse! Wait… What… No… Yes, Red Rum is the famous racehorse from the seventies that won three Grand National races – but the Red Rum on display here is the British pirate metal band Red Rum! And the band’s second outing ‘Book Of Legends’, a tale of ale swigging drinking anthems – the one-and-a-half minute spoken word narrative of the opening intro ‘Book Of Legends’, setting the scene for what is to follow…
…a seven-seas adventure with the British buccaneers! So come aboard the ship me ‘earties, an’ man the cannons as we set sail properly with ‘Drunk And Disorderly’ – an up-tempo an’ jolly jig o’ anthemic party metal! The band (aka the crew) create an entertainin’ atmosphere that be guaranteed to plant smiles a mile wide on the faces o’ listeners – smiles that there be fixin’ to stay put fer the entire album!
Fer every song on offer be ‘highly amusin’, cheery an’ bloody jolly fun – ’50 Gallons Of Ale’ pickin’ up the pace but not losin’ any o’ the ‘appy nature the crew ‘ave in abundance. Just try an’ not smile – it is impossible! Red Rum be avin’ fun, it is what the genre’s all about – along with crackin’ songs to drink to! ‘We Pirates’ be one such song – anthemic in style and stature, a call to arms rabble rousin’ romp that there’ll ‘ave everyone comin’ together. The crew be flighty, frivolous, and feisty, with every song attractive and infectious.
‘Liar’s Dice’ ‘has a strong storyteller’s vibe about it, along with a ‘eavier an’ meaner feel not ‘eard previously. Yet it still ‘as the essence o’ gentlemen o’ fortune metal, Red Rum not deviatin’ from their root metal sound. I ‘ave been a teetotaller all me life, yet there’s somethin’ magical ‘ere, an unseen force that there makes me wanna grab a beer, ‘old it aloft an’ yell “may yer anchor be tight, yer cork be loose, yer rum be spiced, an’ yer compass be true”. What the ‘ell be goin’ on! A party, that’s what! A party that be in full swing with the ‘Greatest Drink (In All The Lands)’ breakin’ out into a trot an’ dancin’ its way to the fore an’ centre – the crew uppin’ the ‘appy level to new ‘eights, noddin’ ‘eads an’ tappin’ feet with an insane amount o’ involuntaribility! Harr, involuntaribility – sounds like it should be a real word, but sadly it isn’t! The album gets the nearest to traditional ‘eavy metal with ‘Rekt’ – plantin’ one foot firmly on the monitor an’ the other on an ancient treasure chest! Also the ‘eaviest song on offer, ‘Rekt’ will appeal to non-fans o’ gentleman o’ fortune metal, pullin’ them into the Red Rum universe.
The crew ‘ave been in party mode since the album began, an’ be in no mood to avast!
The traditional metal sound remains in force fer ‘Captain’s Command’ – melded with the crew’s root gentleman o’ fortune metal sound. An’ an immense amount o’ ‘appy too! I can’t quite believe ‘ow ‘appy ‘Book Of Legends’ (the album) be – it be insane! Now I be not sayin’ it’ll cure all ills, but if ye be unhappy or sad, give this ‘ere album a spin, it might just do the trick!
‘Drunken Pirates (Ahoy!)’ be the most solid o’ all the traditional metallers on offer – Red Rum provin’ they be more than just a “fer fun” metal crew. ‘Drunken Pirates (Ahoy!)’ maintainin’ the incredible party atmosphere that there began a ‘alf ‘our ago – the crew endin’ the album in sparklin’ fashion with (probably) the ultimate drinkin’ anthem! ‘Make Port Drink Port’ a ‘ighly entertainin’ romp o’ tankards ‘eld ‘igh with drunken cheerin’! An’ a fittin’ end to the album too!
Overall, a thoroughly entertainin’ and engagin’ voyage o’ ‘appy mood, smile inducin’ an’ infectious ‘eavy metal.
TRACKLIST
Book Of Legends
Drunk And Disorderly
50 Gallons Of Ale
We Pirates
Liar’s Dice
Greatest Drink (In All The Land)
Rekt
Captain’s Command
Drunken Pirates (Ahoy!)
Make Port Drink Port
Red Rum: Facebook
Release Year: 2023
Label: Trollzorn
Category: Album
Country: UK
Reviewed by Iron Mathew for Frenzy Fire and Metal-Roos.
