The world of pirates has always held an irresistible fascination, providing the perfect backdrop for novels, films and countless other works of creative imagination. On the musical front, it is Pirate Queen who take it upon themselves to explore that swashbuckling universe with their album “Sailing Around The World“, released via Despotz Records. The record flows pleasantly from start to finish, carried both by the undeniable appeal of the pirate concept and by a handful of well-crafted tracks, from the building, crescendo-driven chorus of “William Kid” to the relentless, momentum-gathering power metal rhythms of “Ciudad de Tacoronte“. Striking and warm in equal measure, the vocal performance of Her Majesty Elizabeth Noir Nuit anchors the record as its narrator, guiding the listener through a story that is,all things considered, relatively short: the album clocks in at just over thirty minutes, a runtime that works in its favour, keeping the listener’s attention firmly intact while also allowing the band to showcase their full range, from symphonic and folk-tinged metal all the way to the softer, more evocative atmospheres of “Shanty.” A pleasant listen, especially for those with a soft spot for this kind of imagery, though Pirate Queen still show signs of needing a degree of fine-tuning when it comes to arrangements and the overall variety of their musical palette.
Sailing Around The World (2026 – Despotz Records)
