RUNNING WILD

Reviewed:
- Gates to Purgatory (1984)
- Under Jolly Roger (1987)
- Port Royal (1988)
- Death or Glory (1989)
- Blazon Stone (1991)
- The First Years of Piracy (1991, compilation)
- Black Hand Inn (1994)


GATES TO PURGATORY          1984         (BMG)
- Standouts: 'Soldiers of Hell', 'Diabolic Force', 'Adrian S.O.S.', 'Genghis Khan', 'Prisoner of Our Time'
I got into Running Wild primarily through their third album, Under Jolly Roger - when they shifted more into a power metal sound with some pirate themes. But like so many other German bands, Running Wild originally ran with the whole Satanic speed metal theme that Venom pretty much pioneered! This explains why their first couple of releases are so much different to the rest of the catalogue then. This 1984 debut, Gates to Purgatory, is very much a raw, grimy speed metal affair. Running Wild's story reminds me a little of Sodom's first couple of releases (In the Sign of Evil and Obsessed by Cruelty) - those were both raw and Satanic slabs of speed metal, but the band would quickly change their image and sound on all following albums. Grave Digger started off as a more conventional speed metal band too, before becoming the power metal machine they're really known for now. Must be a German thing!

Back to Gates to Purgatory, well, I like this album. But then again I'm a sucker for rough underground '80s speed metal! I find the band's power metal stuff to be largely superior and unique by comparison, but on the whole this is a fun debut. Had it been released a couple of years later, maybe it wouldn't have given the band as much momentum? Let's be honest, Satanic/evil themes and the whole leather n' spikes image within the metal underground was already commonplace in 1984. But I think 1984 was still just about early enough to make Running Wild standout alongside their contemporaries, despite a number of bands doing similar things. I'm glad they changed their style later on, sure, but I definitely can't write-off Gates to Purgatory as 'inferior' to the rest of their material. 'Cos it's not!

Although this disc sounds like it was recorded in a giant tin can, I find the songs to be a little more musical than what Venom, Sodom or Slayer (in their early days at least) were doing. Occasionally you might even hear a little of their trademark power metal sound shine through - I can hear this within some of the guitar riffs and leads in 'Soldiers of Hell', even if they weren't there yet. Possibly even the galloping 'Genghis Khan' and 'Diabolic Force' as well. Rolf Kasparek (aka Rock n' Rolf) sings in English, but his thick German accent is noticeable here. He sings with a little more throat and gargle than he would later, sounding more like Venom's Cronos, but if you've heard anything else by Running Wild then you can still tell it's the same man singing. Of course, some of the tracks are pretty similar to Venom musically - the first couple of tracks, 'Victim of States Power' and 'Black Demon' remind me of that style. Others have a little more uniqueness about them - 'Adrian S.O.S.' for example, is fast as fuck, and the low budget production makes it sound sloppier than it really is. But there's some definite melody within the guitars that Venom or early Bathory don't have. Again, small characteristics that give Running Wild their own identity. The last track, 'Prisoner of Our Time' has an almost anthemic quality about it. 

Had this been the first Running Wild album I'd ever heard, I'd likely have scored it a little higher. Sadly, Gates to Purgatory often gets overlooked by yours truly despite the fact I actually like these songs quite a lot. I don't have a problem with lo-fi, cheap production - it's kind of expected with a lot of metal after all. But I'm not a fan of this particular album's production - there's a noticeable lack of bass/low end, and also a weird crackle to the guitars/drums that's difficult to describe. It doesn't ruin the album for me of course, but I don't think it does the songs justice either. The playing on this album is far from amateurish - there's plenty of solid lead guitar work and riffage that would've benefited from a beefier sound. Ahh well! Either way, a solid start for Running Wild. Some people actually prefer the sound and image they were going for during the early days over the power/pirate style they'd adopt soon after. I'm not one of those people. But other than the production I do like this disc quite a lot. I have the 2017 BMG reissue, but it was originally released on Noise.
Adam's rating: 7.7/10


UNDER JOLLY ROGER           1987          (BMG)
- Standouts: 'Under Jolly Roger', 'Beggar's Night', 'Diamonds of the Black Chest', 'Raise Your Fist', 'Land of Ice', 'Merciless Game'
Now we're talkin'! This was the first Running Wild album I ever heard, and I'm ashamed to admit I got into this band way later than I should have. I didn't listen to them until I reached my 30s! Even though I'd heard of Running Wild decades ago, they passed me by for such a long time - and it's a shame because I think I would've loved them in my teens. Yet another case of too much music, too little time! Anyway, by the time Under Jolly Roger was released, the band have moved away from the typical Satanic imagery and speed metal sound, and shifted into an often pirate-themed image and tone, with an emphasis on power metal within the music. The thing about Running Wild though, is that they still managed to incorporate speed metal into the new power metal sound - because power metal wasn't always about overbearing keyboards! Not to rag on Sabaton or Powerwolf, but classic power metal sounds nothing like either of those bands. Ironically, this particular album is maybe just as heavy metal as it is power metal - but it's definitely getting there. 

Maybe the whole pirate thing is a gimmick, but it feels so much more natural here than it does compared to a band like Alestorm or Red Rum. There's no accordions for starters! And it also must be said that not every song here entirely pirate-themed. Still, as soon as the opening title track kicks in after the cannon blasts, I can't help but crank this album up to the max! The riffs are heavy metal, yet they sound piratey and I have absolutely no fucking idea how to explain why this is!! They just do! True, Rolf does kind of sing in the stereotypical pirate accent here, and I guess even uttering the words "jolly" and "Roger" together automatically makes me think of swashbuckling men with eye patches, peg-legs and hooks for hands... but it works oh-so well! I love this tune! 'Beggar's Night' and 'Merciless Game' are both killer tunes too, classic Running Wild. They have those massive, gallopy riffs and tremelo-type guitar licks have become signature of the band from this album onward. 'Diamonds of the Black Chest' might be more mid-tempo, but it kicks arse. And it's chorus is simple and surprisingly sing-along-y! Same goes for 'Raise Your Fist' - the chorus is catchy and anthemic, and overall just a memorable cut in general. Meanwhile 'Land of Ice' is slow and lumbering, with a doomy introduction - but it still sounds like prime Running Wild, and doesn't sound out of place here in any way.

This album only consists of 8 songs - none of them come close to being filler, even if 'War in the Gutter' and 'Raw Ride' are my least favourites. The former still serves a nice speed/power metal number within the tracklisting, while the latter is a biker anthem with a fist-pumping attitude. And I suppose I could complain about Under Jolly Roger's short 35 minute length, but I really don't mind a short album if the music is quality from start to finish. Many of their later albums would get longer, but this one is like a nice little icebreaker for their new sound, style and direction! I think the best was yet to come; like I was saying, the album breaks you into the new style of the band quite softly (not that the music is literally soft). So the songs aren't massively ambitious or anything like that, they're just really good. And the leap in production from Gates to Purgatory to this is night and day. Under Jolly Roger sounds 1000x better to my ears in every single way. Overall a pretty darn great record. A stupidly fun slice of Germanic heavy/power/speed metal - and those pirate themes were actually unique back in the '80s! It's not perfect, but it's a classic.

I bought the 2017 BMG Deluxe Expanded Edition maybe 3 years ago, and it comes with a second disc of re-recordings and alternative versions of the songs from 1991, 1992 and 2003. It's a fun little addition to the original album, but I don't think any of the songs are definitive versions. It's a great reissue either way.
Adam's rating: 8.5/10


PORT ROYAL         1988          (Noise)
- Standouts: 'Port Royal', 'Raging Fire', 'Into the Arena', 'Uaschitschun', 'Final Gates', 'Conquistadores', 'Blown to Kingdom Come', 'Warchild', 'Calico Jack'
A stellar sequel to their transition album, Under Jolly Roger. On Port Royal, practically every aspect of the band has gotten better - the musicianship, playing and instrumentation has been taken a step further, and the songs grander and more anthemic. As with the last album, the pirate image doesn't feel like a gimmick when it comes to Running Wild - the music is very much heavy/power metal in the traditional sense, but it just so happens that the band have a carefully-crafted pirate image/theme to go alongside the songs. Songs like the opening title track and 'Into the Arena' almost feel epic - the riffs are like a mixture of classic Iron Maiden and that irresistible Euro power metal-style riffage. Combined with the gang-chant chorus vocals, this is what quality heavy metal is all about. 'Raging Fire' uses the same ingredients but adds even more melody overall. Even the mid-tempo 'Uaschitschun' is hugely memorable - it has a touch of '80s Judas Priest about it, and feels like perfect music to drive to! Running Wild really do have a sound and image of their own, yet they still find a way to add touches of classic heavy metal bands into their brand (and I mean this in the best sense possible); I get hints of Saxon in the gargantuan 'Blown to Kingdom Come'. 'Warchild' is speed metal nirvana, and even if 'Mutiny' is my least favourite track on this CD, I never feel the urge to skip it. The 8 minute 'Calico Jack' is packed full of excellent lead guitar work, and despite it's longer length, slots in well next to everything else on here and doesn't feel out of place at all. 

Choosing a favourite track on this one is really difficult, but right now I'll pick 'Conquistadores'. This song is absolutely awesome - the riffing is tight, the chorus and backing vocals are insanely catchy and there's even a hint of groove to what is a textbook example of classic Euro power metal. Even the instrumental 'Final Gates' is a great one - it's driven by some spectacular bass playing and it's position right in the middle of the album makes the pacing of the record so good. The production is obviously dated, and there's a tone of echoey reverb that follows the songs around everywhere they go. But in all fairness, I don't have a problem with this. It seems to add a layer of atmosphere to the album that I actually appreciate. I don't think thrash albums should be produced this way, but for anthemic heavy/power metal, it certainly does the job. I suppose the biggest criticism I can think of is maybe Rolf's vocals? He's not exactly a powerhouse vocalist like Rob Halford or Ronnie James Dio, and given how epic the music can be, I sometimes wonder what Running Wild would sound like with a more theatrical singer. Don't think I'm bashing Rolf - I like the guy's vocals, and on Port Royal he even sounds a tad stronger than he did on Under Jolly Roger. This is just a "what if?" kind of criticism, if that makes any sense. 

This really is a superb slab of pure Germanic metal from the late '80s. It was always gonna be an easy 9/10... a 9/10 it is then! It's not actually my favourite Running Wild album, and when I look at other albums I've scored in the 9 - 9.4/10ish range, there's definitely other albums I like more than this one where I've slapped a 9.1 or 9.2 rating on them. Either way, Port Royal is absolutely a classic of it's subgenre. I haven't lived with this one very long in the grand scheme of things. With more time it'll likely rank up another notch.
Adam's rating: 9/10


DEATH OR GLORY          1989         (Noise)
- Standouts: Everything!
Overall consensus online seems to be that 1989's Death or Glory or is Running Wild at their absolute peak. Yeah, that's fair enough. I don't own their entire catalogue, but I'm inclined to agree with this consensus. The first and most immediate thing I picked up on is the strength of this album's production. It still sounds like a product of it's time, and there's plenty of reverb going on here in similar fashion to Port Royal, but everything feels even grander and more epic this time. And I thought Port Royal sounded great too, but this is better! And I like a bit of '80s reverb in the right setting - which this is. Rolf seems to have found a nice balance of melody and grit with his vocals on this record too - he certainly improved with each album at this point. Obviously the songs rule too. They totally kick ass! As soon as opener 'Riding the Storm' and it's rip-roaring follow-up 'Renegade' blare from 'yer speakers, you know Running Wild are about to serve up a special dish of Germanic speed/power metal brilliance. 'Marooned' is nothing more than a full-on speed/power metal song - but it's sooo fucking good that I could easily use it as a prime example of what Euro power metal is all about. A lot of people don't take power metal all that seriously these days because of the popularity of keyboard-drenched gimmicky bands like Sabaton or Gloryhammer - but for a very long time, the genre sounded nothing like anything those sort of bands do nowadays. Anyway, the mid-paced stuff on Death or Glory like 'Bad to the Bone', 'Evilution' and 'Running Blood' standout big time here as well. The riffs are ginormous and leave such a big anthemic presence that it only makes the music that little bit more exciting. Even the melodic instrumental, 'Highland Glory (The Eternal Fight)', is pretty special. It feels like a showcase of the band's talents on their instruments, particularly Jens Becker's amazing bass work. Becker would go on to join Grave Digger and play on a shit ton of their albums. Erm yeah, check out my Grave Digger reviews if you haven't already! 

There isn't any filler to speak of here, and the last few tracks round off the album really nicely. 'Tortuga Bay' is one of the shorter tracks here, and certainly doesn't ware out it's welcome. Same can be said for the strong swashbuckling feels of the title track! Again though, the piratey nature of the band never feels like a gimmick. I suppose it's kind of predictable that the final track, 'Battle of Waterloo', is a lengthy epic. But history lessons and long, epic heavy metal songs go hand in hand! It wouldn't have worked any other way, and as it happens, 'Battle of Waterloo' is one of the best songs the album has to offer in my opinion.

The last 2 albums are undeniably classics. But Death or Glory is one of the all-time greats of the power/speed/heavy metal field. Seeing as I haven't really lived with it for most of my musically-obsessed life, I don't know if I can call it one of MY absolute favourite metal albums of all time. Give it a few more years however, and I wouldn't be surprised if I've promoted it several more ranks.
Adam's rating: 9.3/10


BLAZON STONE          1991          (Noise)
- Standouts: Everything on here is fantastic aside from maybe 'Rolling Wheels', which I still like anyway.
This is maybe my favourite Running Wild album out of the one's I actually own. Practically every aspect of this CD is fabulous - from the blazing riffs, epic vocal arrangements and memorable hooks. Hell, even the production is great. A lot of true metal albums from the early '90s still had remnants of '80s reverb about them - Blazon Stone does as well, but combined with some absolutely killer guitar tones, it makes for one classy sounding album minus the burden of sounding over-produced. The level of polish is just right, and reminds me a little of Judas Priest's masterpiece from the same period, Painkiller, in this respect (one of my favourite albums of all time in terms of production... along with the rest of that album in general!).

And of course, the songs are brilliant. The first 3 songs - the title track, 'Lone Wolf' and 'Slavery' - sure do set the bar high. All 3 of them are speedy riff-fests (but not stupidly fast either), as they should be. We're talking METAL RIFFS IN STANDARD TUNING here, as classic power metal should be!! Riffs are the main focus for me with a lot of bands; they're probably the number 1 reason why I became a metalhead. And Running Wild absolutely deliver the goods. But there's some great vocal arrangements on these songs as well; 'Slavery' has such a simple chorus hook, but it's done in a way that made me remember the track forever even on my first listen when I actually bought this album. And then there's 'Little Big Horn', which again has it all. Fast-but-not-really-fast riffs, a simple vocal hook within the chorus, a blazing guitar solo and a nice balance of muscle and melody. 'White Masque' is notable for being the most catchy track here. It's mid-tempo, yet there's so much going on in it's riffs, and the band somehow found a way to add a layer of groove to them despite being about as far removed from groove metal as possible! The last few tracks, 'Straight to Hell', 'Bloody Red Rose' and 'Heads or Tails' are stupendous, and leave me wanting more. Kind of glad 'Heads or Tails' ends things on a more anthemic note.

Predictably then, complaints are very minor overall. 'Rolling Wheels' is my least favourite track on here, not because of it's slower tempo, it just doesn't feel as enthusiastic as everything else. But even the weakest song on this album is still a good'un at the end of the day. And 'Fire & Ice''s intro riff sounds a little similar to 'Lone Wolf', but everything else about this track is as good as anything else on here. The pirate themes are still technically present too (but not on every track of course, 'Little Big Horn' comes to mind), but it's really quite incredible how common a theme it is within this band, yet isn't a gimmick! You could call Running Wild 'pirate metal' if you really wanted to, but they're not a joke. Yet listen to Alestorm, and you can't take those guys seriously because of the pirate themes. I get that Alestorm don't exist to be taken seriously, I just find it impressive that Running Wild can take a theme often full of comedy stereotypes and not sound ridiculous!  My copy of Blazon Stone also has a couple of bonus cuts - 'Billy the Kid' and a cover of Thin Lizzy's 'Genocide'. 'Billy the Kid' is more of the same (can't argue with that) while the cover is an interesting one that works surprisingly well in Running Wild's favour. 'Genocide' is an underrated track from the Lizzy catalogue - anything from their album Chinatown is in my opinion - so it's nice to see Running Wild do a deep cut instead of yet another cover of 'Jailbreak' or 'Don't Believe a Word'!

This is awesome - one of my favourite classic power metal albums alongside Blind Guardian's Imaginations from the Other Side, Grave Digger's Excalibur, Liege Lord's Master Control and (if we're counting it) Metal Church's Blessing in Disguise. Sure it doesn't always hit the mark, but all in all Blazon Stone gets the chef's kiss from me.
Adam's rating: 9.2/10


THE FIRST YEARS OF PIRACY          1991          (Noise)
- Standouts: Any of the tracks that were originally from Gates to Purgatory or Branded and Exiled.
A compilation of 10 re-recorded songs that were originally from the first 3 albums (Gates to Purgatory, Branded and Exiled and Under Jolly Roger). Yep, it's one of those albums! The good news is that the mixing and audio quality is now much closer to albums like Blazon Stone than the raw, demo-like Gates to Purgatory, meaning that even tracks like 'Soldiers of Hell' and 'Prisoner of Our Time' sound closer to their pirate-inspired albums - well, at least in terms of production anyway. I totally understand them re-recording anything from those first 2 albums; even though the rough speed metal is all part of the charm of albums like Gates to Purgatory, an added coat of paint can at least transform those songs into something fresh. I just don't get why they felt the need to re-record anything from Under Jolly Roger. The original album sounds good to me, and it was only 4 years old in 1991 when The First Years of Piracy was released! Naturally then, I don't ever feel the urge to hear the new versions of 'Under Jolly Roger', 'Raw Ride', 'Raise Your Fist' or 'Diamonds of the Black Chest' found here - I tend to just stick the Under Jolly Roger album on instead! Still, to say these new versions in particular sound poor or inferior is a blatant lie. There's nothing really wrong with them, I'm just used to their OG counterparts.

An enjoyable disc for sure, but I think it's only really essential listening for hardcore fans. I only own a few Running Wild CDs thus far (I'm working on adding more!); the reason why this one made it's way into my collection is because I stumbled upon it in the wild at my local record shop. I can confirm that Running Wild CDs and vinyl in UK-based record stores are not a common sight, so I had to grab it!
Adam's rating: 7/10


BLACK HAND INN          1994         (Noise)
- Standouts: 'The Curse', 'Black Hand Inn', 'Mr. Deadhead', 'Soulless', 'The Privateer', 'Fight the Fire of Hate', 'The Phantom of Black Hand Inn', 'Freewind Rider', 'Powder & Iron', 'Dragonmen'
Ahoy there mateys! Running Wild returned in 1994 with another absolute 'banger of a pirate-themed album, Black Hand Inn. They're not doing much differently here - Rock 'n' Rolf still sounds like Rock 'n' Rolf, the galloping guitar riffs and drum work are as strong as ever and the songs are plentiful. It also sports my favourite album artwork of theirs, and I'd love to have it on vinyl - but my CD will have to do for now! Priorities!

Anyway, Black Hand Inn kicks off with a spoken-word, mood-setting intro called 'The Curse', before the rollicking title track kicks in with all it's glory. It's a speedy power metal riff-fest as you'd expect, as is the superb 'Mr. Deadhead'. 'Soulless' and 'Dragonmen' are ballsy as hell and come with more of those simple yet anthemic gang-chant choruses. 'The Privateer' and 'Fight the Fire of Hate' are wisely placed next to each other within the tracklisting to keep me hooked; the former is yet another Germanic slab of speed metal perfection whilst the latter is a fist-pumping heavy metal stonker. My favourite track on this disc though, has to be 'The Phantom of Black Hand Hill'. It is a simply outstanding, epic masterpiece of power metal, and should be used as a benchmark for how the genre should sound! The riffing structure of 'Freewind Rider' reminds me ever-so-slightly of Judas Priest's 'The Sentinel', so it has to be great right?! In fact, it reminds me so much of Priest in this respect that I actually typed 'FreeWHEEL Rider' by mistake first! And then you've got 'Powder & Iron', which continues the band's signature pirate-inspired speed metal in similar fashion to 'The Privateer'.

'Genesis (The Making and the Fall of Man)' is the album's 15 minute finale, and while it may not be my personal favourite here, it's definitely an impressive feat. The pacing of this track gives it a storytelling feel, and I don't think there's anything wrong with 'Genesis' for what it is. At no point do I ever tire of it, but I don't love it either. I'm just glad the band don't take the piss with these kinds of epics... unlike Iron Maiden with their later albums from 2000 to present! 'Genesis' is the only one of it's kind on this CD, and that's all the album needed. 

Black Hand Inn's production is easily the best yet when you compare it to everything that came before. And I really liked the way albums like Port Royal and Blazon Stone sounded. Black Hand Inn though, still has such a natural sound, with instruments that are clearly audible, guitar tones that sound like they've come from actual amplifiers and not computers, and in general I have nothing to whinge about in this department. Or the album as a whole really. My biggest gripe is the fact my least favourite track just happens to be the epic ('Genesis'), i.e. the song we're all supposed to be really blown away by. For that reason it's hard for me to rank this above an album like Blazon Stone, which is that little bit more consistent in my opinion. But really, this is just nit-picking pessimism from yours truly. Black Hand Inn is classic power metal! 
Adam's rating: 9.1/10