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.
In 2013, they released the debut EP "Panic In The Harbour", and first self-titled full-length in 2019. Now signing with Rockshots Records, the band will be rum running their sophomore album "Isla de la Muerte" out on June 30th, 2023.
For this new record, 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, Calico Jack shares their second single from the treasure chest. Entitled "Queen Anne's Revenge", the song tells the story of the most feared vessel of all time, the infamous Queen Anne's Revenge of Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard. Through fast-paced, dark-toned folk metal, it tells how this legendary vessel is viewed with dread and is considered almost a supernatural menace, after all, its captain was considered by his opponents to be a real devil on earth.
The band adds:
"'Queen Anne's Revenge' is one of the first songs we wrote for 'Isla de la Muerte', completed already a few years ago, and we played it live several times getting great feedback. It is perhaps the track most similar to the style of our first album, with a dark and evil atmosphere that pays homage to the style of Finntroll more than in the other tracks. On the cursed melody of the refrain, Giò, our captain, narrates the terror that Queen Anne's Revenge, Blackbeard's legendary ship, arouses in all those who only hear of her. In the lyric video accompanying the single, some of the most famous maritime artwork from the 1700s and 1800s is shown, with dark and belligerent scenes depicted."
Watch and listen to the video for "Queen Anne's Revenge" - https://youtu.be/nJupjSnaz6k
Digital - https://bfan.link/queen-anne-s-revenge
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
Music Video - "Broadside Attack" at https://youtu.be/fbkuvnJ_cuk