The group currently consists of lead vocalist/keytarist Christopher Bowes, bassist Gareth Murdock, drummer Peter Alcorn, keyboardist/harsh vocalist Elliot Vernon and guitarist Máté "Bobo" Bodor.

After signing to Napalm Records in 2007, their debut album, Captain Morgan's Revenge, was released on 25 January 2008.

The band was founded in 2004 in Perth, Scotland as Battleheart, a studio project by Christopher Bowes and Gavin Harper.

[5] The band began to perform live in 2006, with a lineup consisting of Bowes (vocals and keytar), Harper (guitars), Dani Evans (bass) and Doug Swierczek (drums).

[2][12][13] To fill the guitarist position, Dani Evans switched instruments from bass to guitar, and Gareth Murdock of Waylander joined as the replacement bassist.

[18] In March 2010, Ian Wilson left the band and was replaced with a new drummer named Peter Alcorn.

[26][27] In October 2011, Elliot Vernon joined the band as keyboard player and also performed screamed / death metal vocals.

[28][29] The band released their fourth record entitled "Sunset on the Golden Age" on 1 August 2014,[3][30][31] reaching the #1 position in the UK Rock Chart.

[3][34] In October 2016, Christopher Bowes announced during a concert on the Super Smashed Turbo Tour that the band planned to begin recording a fifth studio album in January 2017.

[49] In August 2021, a Twitter account named "GloryhammerC" posted screenshots of what appeared to be an internal chat from 2017 between the members of the band Gloryhammer, of whom vocalist Chris Bowes was a keyboardist and founding member, that showed misogynist and racist humour along with several racial slurs.

[51] On 5 September 2021, Bowes and the rest of the band released statements, admitting the leaked chat was true and apologizing for the remarks.

[59] In June 2022, the band was criticised by several sources [60][61] for playing a gig in Tel Aviv due to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

On 17 September 2023, the band announced an upcoming EP titled "Voyage of the Dead Marauder", set to be released in 2024.

[67] On 9 December 2024, Alestorm announced through social media the upcoming eighth studio album titled The Thunderfist Chronicles which will be released in summer 2025.

[70] Album recordings feature heavy use of real trumpets, trombones, accordions synths, fiddle and tin whistle, violins, vibraslaps, brass, keytars, and singalong choruses to convey a pirate sea shanty feel.

[70] The band's later albums incorporate screaming and death growls performed by keyboard player Elliot Vernon, as well from guest vocalists such as Ken Sorceron[81] and Mathias Lillmåns.