Alestorm isn't exactly breaking any new ground with Back Through Time. The band's sound is essentially high-speed power metal with a hefty dose of folk metal elements and a bloody ton of pirate trappings. Now that Running Wild is no longer active (and even they seemed to outgrow the pirate fixation after a while), Alestorm has taken up the Jolly Roger for the next generation. Back Through Time does have a certain Running Wild vibe, but like Running Wild getting drunk with Flogging Molly. There are also traces of Elvenking and Mago de Oz. You have your power metal riffing and double bass drumming, but there's also the accordion and violins and Christopher Bowes' gruff, folksy vocals. It's fun stuff, and even if you could care less about pirates drinking anthems like "Barrett's Privateers" and "Rum" are pretty irresistible. The more straightforward metal songs like the title track and the nearly 8-minute "Death Throes of the Terrorsquid" are also impressive from a power metal point of view. The harsh, almost black metal vocals and symphonic elements on that last one make it sound almost worthy of Dimmu Borgir (or Stormlord, sticking with the seafaring theme).