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Artist News: Alestorm Drummer Returns; Guitarist Departs, New Guitarist Announced

Posted on Friday, September 19 @ 08:00:00 UTC by nightowl

Although these three announcements were a days apart (Sep 11, Sep 13, and Sep 16 respectively), we're grouping them here. In the first, Scottish folk/power metal band Alestorm has issued the following update: "After deciding that plumbing isn't all it's cracked up to be, Mr. Ian Wilson has decided to return to the Alestorm crew to play the drums. We're totally happy to have him back, 'cos he's a badass guy. Dos!

"Also, we've just finished recording a wee four-track EP, which will go on sale to coincide with our upcoming European tour. It's got one new awesome song, a cover, 'Wenches And Mead' in German (oh, yes), and a revamped version of 'Heavy Metal Pirates', available on CD for the first time." Leviathan EP tentative track listing: "Leviathan," "Wolves Of The Sea," "Weiber Und Wein" (German version of "Wenches And Mead"), "Heavy Metal Pirates."

Meanwhile, the second release was: Guitarist Gavin Harper has announced his departure from the Scottish folk/power metal band Alestorm. He commented: "In my time in this band, from doing the first ever recording to not appearing on the latest one, I have always strived to make Alestorm my priority and put it ahead of many other things in life that have been more important to me in order to help Alestorm be as big as it is now.



"In this time, and in my attempts to keep my band members thriving in the music industry and taking advantage of everything, I have nearly bankrupted myself, been pushing new levels of unhappiness and had countless sleepless nights trying to plan routes for the guys within the budgets we have received. I have been struggling with personal differences with some members for a while and just feel that it is for the best if I make way for someone willing to put up with this.

"I have recently taken up residence in a new country and have a lot of new responsibilities as well as a lot of new opportunities and I feel that it is now time to follow what I want rather than constantly struggle and sacrifice that which belongs not only to myself, but to all the loved ones that I have had to borrow from and rely on to keep Alestorm in the music business.

"I will be back with new projects, signed or not, it's now time that music becomes fun again and I will be making a lot of music in the near future!"

And on the heels of that announcement: Scottish folk/power metal band Alestorm has announced the addition of guitarist Tim Shaw to the group's ranks. The band states, "The more eagle-eyed watchers of the underground amongst you may know him as the mastermind behind the epic black metal project Fyrdsman, and as the guitarist of the now-departed death metal titans Premithon. He's a beastly good guitarist, and a great lad to boot. It's gonna be a *****ing blast when we get up on stage and in the studio."

Alestorm adds, "Gavin's [Harper, former Alestorm guitarist] shoes are going to be tough ones to fill, but that's OK, because Tim has big feet. And you know what they say about guys with big feet..."

Alestorm released its debut album, Captain Morgan's Revenge, in January through Napalm Records. According to a press release, the quartet "plays Scottish 'pirate metal,'" by their own definition, and musically resembles the great battle metal bands such as Korpiklaani or Turisas, albeit with a unique touch and Scottish instrumentation."

[Source: Robert, Rock N Roll Cola]

Posted in Band News (tours, comings/goings, etc)