The core of Rust & Glory’s appeal—apart from the obvious pirate theme—is just how rich it is1 in its composition. It would be easy enough to pick up a couple of acoustic guitars and start jamming about piracy, but instead, The Dread Crew of Oddwood augment their fantastical tales with mandolins, banjo, concertina (Deckard Cordwain), tin whistles, bouzouki (Stark Cordwain), piano, harpsichord, accordion, flutes (Wolfbeard O’Brady), and a hurdy-gurdy (Anny Murphy of Cellar Darling and formerly Eluveitie, in a guest spot). The result is incredibly lush instrumentation that does a stellar job making up for the “missing” metal elements. Behind the drumkit, Pistol(s) Pete clearly wasn’t told—or doesn’t care—that the band isn’t actually playing metal and does a fantastic job of tying everything together in that style. It would remind of The Gentle Storm, especially in its terrific mix and master, except, of course, that Arjen Lucassen never wrote that he’ll “kick Poseidon in the balls and be forever free” (“Leather Ship”). So there is that.
Yes, the pirate influence is everywhere, and it’s in that Alestorm-y style of adventure, misadventure, and drinking. “Give Me Your Beer” is a prime example, with its exceptionally straightforward chorus that Steel Druhm would undoubtedly approve of (“Hey, you! Give me your beer!”), though the use of whistles and flutes is what really sells the song for me. Then there’s “The Apple,” a gloriously upbeat ode to adventure, contrasting the tragically funny “Lost Comrades,” a call-and-repeat tavern ballad that shows off the vocal skills and styles of, well, everyone. That’s another superbly pirate-y thing The Dread Crew of Oddwood has going for them—everyone contributes vocals, including most of the guest musicians. Whether in the form of hoarse growls, in the style of Alestorm, singing, or choral singing/shouting, everyone is joining in, giving the impression of a crew of pals singing sea shanties together to pass the time. In this way, the acoustic nature of the band is perfectly on-theme.
One of the most interesting elements of Rust & Glory is something I’ve already mentioned—that the album is almost certainly written to appeal to fans of folk metal. Album opener “Lawful Evil” hits the ground running in this way, with a fast-paced tune and a catchy chorus in the vein of Ensiferum—big and memorable and shouting “Lawful evil!” a lot. It’s almost too metal, highlighting the “missing” electric elements, which is a funny thing to say because The Dread Crew of Oddwood really don’t need them. “Squall of Death” handles this a bit better by making the folk instruments the focus atop a speedy series of really fun themes, but there’s still an occasional sense of something missing. It’s a funny critique to offer born purely from my own musical tastes and subsequent expectations, but it’s also one of the only critiques I have.
Rust & Glory is a fun album. The Dread Crew of Oddwood show no signs of slowing down on album five, and instead seem to be creeping closer and closer to perfecting their “heavy mahogany” style of music. This is an album that will worm its way into your head and get stuck there, one that keeps you smiling to yourself and getting kicked off of trains because you keep shouting the lyrics aloud by accident. If you’re here looking for serious music, you’ll have to go somewhere else—preferably to grab a beer, come straight back, and start singing along.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Self-Released
Websites: thedreadcrewofoddwood.com | thedreadcrewofoddwood.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/thedreadcrewofoddwood
Releases Worldwide: March 15th, 2024
