Band:	Rumahoy
Album:	Time II: Party
Style:	Folk metal
Release date:	October 25, 2019
Guest review by:	omne metallum

01. Cowboys Of The Sea
02. Time To Party
03. Treasure Gun
04. The Legend Of Captain Yarrface
05. Harambe, The Pirate Gorilla
06. Poop Deck Party
07. The Beer From My Town Is Better Than Yours
08. 1000 Years Of Dust
09. Full Mast
10. Stolen Treasure

Who knew that you could be considered second-rate in a genre like pirate metal? Rumahoy sail the same seas as those that came before them, searching for treasures that allude many a band. While I can't say Rumahoy are the most original band in the world, what I can say is, is that Time II: Party is one of the funniest romps across the seven seas, in the hands of a man who is more Captain Birdseye than Nelson.

This album has its tongue so far in its cheek that if you were Gene Simmons, you could scratch your ear with it. The band adopt the pirate gimmick and couple it with embracing the world of memes to create a hybrid that is both dated yet relevant. Captain Yarrface leads you through an album that will have you singing and laughing along in equal measure, while taking aim (and the piss) out of anything that sails by.

What the band do best is hold your attention and, even when passing over to another element of the music to prevent you burning out your interest, never let it waver. Punctuating the contributions of Yarrface, the band take centre stage and give you something to listen to before passing you back to Yarrface to dole out the comedy element of the music, with songs like "Harambe, The Pirate Gorilla", "Treasure Gun" and "The Legend Of Captain Yarrface" being the best examples of this.

If your hooks aren't yet out for Harambe, then you can listen to what the rest of the band are doing; while it is easy to hear that Walktheplank, Treasurequest and Pete (they really do go all in on the gimmick) don't offer up anything unique or mind blowing, it is well played and fits the aesthetic of the band well. Yarrface isn't the greatest singer, but to focus on that is to miss the point of what he's there for, to be the ringleader in this circus of fun.

If you aren't a fan of comedy music then yeah, this album will do little to change your mind (except the odd track in small doses); beyond the jokes there isn't enough to supplement or hold your attention for any extended period of time. Are they better than Alestorm? Musicially no, comedically yes. Given Bowes appears on this album (see "Poop Deck Party") and the bands do collaborate regularly, it is a comparison the band(s) embrace.

It is with that I stare the dichotomy in the face; while the album is fun and something I listen to regularly, it is an album that beyond that is very bare quality. While a band like Steel Panther grow stale joke-wise, they remain strong musically; Rumahoy are very much the opposite. Your mileage will vary for sure, but to me Time II Party is a strong album that I can't help but hold high.