Swedish pirate folk renegades Ye Banished Privateers are back with “The Cranker,” a haunting new single and video from their sixth album, ‘Til the Sea Shall Give Up Her Dead, out this Friday, April 11, via Napalm Records. Inspired by the Swedish folk tale Hårgalåten, this dark shanty spins a chilling yarn of a crew seduced by a devilish fiddler into a frenzied, fatal dance beneath the waves. Hypnotic fiddles, pounding drums, and raw harmonies bring the maritime doom to life—watch it bellow.
“‘The Cranker’ lures you in like the Devil’s tune,” the band says. “It’s a folkloric descent to the ocean’s depths.” The album, a 12-track odyssey through 18th-century sailor life, blends sorrowful ballads like “Waves Away” with rowdy anthems, capturing the sea’s stormy romance. Pre-order now for black vinyl, CD digisleeve, or the exclusive flask bundle at Napalm’s store.
Fresh off Wacken 2023 and a blockbuster 2024 tour, the Umeå buccaneers—boasting a 17-member crew—hit Europe in 2025, including album release shows and a fall run with Faun. Kicking off April 18 at Paaspop (NL), they’ll transform venues into high-seas vessels. Full dates at yebanishedprivateers.com.