Heavy Metal Examiner's Mark Morton has issued an interview with New Jersey’s thrashing pirate armada SWASHBUCKLE. The following is an excerpt:

Q: How did the idea come together for you guys to merge extreme metal with the pirate theme?

Admiral Nobeard: "Well, we've been raised and cut our teeth on heavy metal since we were wee pirates, we figured that we'd thrash and tell tales of our nautical nonsense so the masses can enjoy it as well. It be natural to we pirates to be singing songs of pillage, plunder and shenanigans, whilst putting it to some fast aggressive metal."

Q: Obviously, there are going to be naysayers that think you are simply trying to cash in on the Pirates of the Caribbean popularity. How do you respond to such an allegation?

Admiral Nobeard: "Obviously, those people have a hard time understanding the concept of fun. Har har. People are entitled to an opinion but most naysayers are opposed to just about everything anyone does. If we actually gave a sh** what people thought, we wouldn't be here today dressed in our stylish pirate garbs. So lighten up kiddies and don't sup too much on the Hater-ade."

Read the full interview at Heavy Metal Examiner.

As previously reported, the band are confirmed to play three European Festival in the summer of 2009:

Legacy Festival - May 21st

Summer Nights Festival - May 22nd

Metal Dayz Festival - May 23rd

The rum drinking, saber swinging, parrot friendly trio recently inked an accord with Nuclear Blast after being chosen as one of three bands out of the Nuclear Blast MySpace Band Contest.

The band will also be playing at the Pagan Fest USA Part II Tour in April alongside label mates KORPIKLAANI, ELUVEITIE and BLACKGUARD among others.