Running Wild - Japanese Albums Collection (1984-2003, 17CD)

The four-man heavy metal combo from Germany named Running Wild was formed in the mid-'70s by vocalist and guitarist Rolf Kasparak – the only continuing member of the group – plus guitarist Preacher, bassist Stephan and drummer Hasche. The group cut their first demos in 1982 and signed to Noise Records for debut album Gates of Purgatory. A support slot for Motley Crue in 1986 gave Running Wild a leg up on other European metal bands, and they toured America soon after. The 1987 album Under Jolly Roger broke the group with metal audiences across the world, employing an outlandish pirate image in keeping with the title. Lineup changes continued, but the band soldiered on, recording regularly through the mid-'90s despite changing attitudes in the music world which pushed heavy metal underground again during that period.

Running Wild- a band that until a few months ago I solely associated with "doing pirate metal better then Alestorm", or something along those lines anyway. While I still don't know whether they're better at pirate metal then Alestorm (although that's likely), I do know that they're one hell of a lot better at doing speed/thrash/whatever this is a lot better then basically everyone else.

It's definitely an album that's a good deal more then the sum of its' parts, I think. A quick listen reveals some relatively simple riffing, short and catchy leads, the gruff, vaguely Lemmy-ish vocals of Rolf and the somewhat unremarkable but still competent rhythm section. Sure, that description doesn't sound terribly amazing, I guess- this is just speed metal with a rockier moments and a few thrashier moments when you get down to it- but daaaamn, it just works.

The whole thing is just catchy as all hell and forces you to drop whatever you're doing and just headbang until you crack at least 4 of your vertebrae. Indeed, this review is nigh on impossible to write mainly because it's just so hard to sit still while this album is playing! I guess it's just the fact that Running Wild manage to write unbelievable catchy tunes- if these guys hadn't got into metal it really wouldn't be surprising if they had ended up being songwriters for pop bands.

Every riff commands you to headbang, every vocal demands a sing along. Prisoners of our Time is more infectious then a blood filled syringe, catchier then an ABBA/AIDS hybrid. It's the shining example of that rock-infused metal anthem that every band has tried their hand at writing, but I daresay that no one has succeeded to quite the extent these guys have -and the fact that these guys manage to pull off the similar-and-almost-as-good Genghis Khan just one song before, well, it's just unfair. No band should be able to pull it off twice in one album!

It helps a fair bit that the faster tunes are equally awesome, though. Diabolic Force would be a personal favourite, full of fairly simple Judas Priest-on-meth riffs (chug on a note, play a chord or two, repeat), and well, that's pretty much a good description of every faster song here. Kind of reminds me of Priest's "Rapid Fire" tune- simple chugging riffs, rarely used but super effective lead work. Everything- the simple but effective rhythm work, the excellent vocals, the perfect mix of a dark, sort of black-ish atmosphere- Preacher, in particular, is strangely dark and oddly reminiscent of Bathory- but yet the said darkness is mixed in with the drunken good times that only thrash and speed metal can bring. It's just perfect. Perfect!

It's hard to really say that much more about this album, really. It's this simple but awesome speed metal that is really catchy and leaves you grinning and nursing your neck gingerly. Straightforward, fast, heavy, efficient and ruthless heavy metal- what more could you ask for?

~ www.metal-archives.com (about Gates Of Purgathory album)

Musicians:

Vocals, Guitars : Rock 'n' Rolf
Guitars : Preacher (Tracks 1-10)
Guitars : Majk Moti (Track 11-18)
Bass : Stephan
Drums : Hasche

Track List:

Gates Of Purgathory
01. Victim Of States Power [3:38]
02. Black Demon [4:26]
03. Preacher [4:22]
04. Soldiers Of Hell [3:25]
05. Diabolic Force [5:01]
06. Adrian (S.O.S) [2:49]
07. Genghis Khan [4:09]
08. Prisoner Of Our Time [5:24]

Victim Of States Power (EP)
09. Walpurgis Night (Japanese Bonus Track) [5:00]
10. Satan (Japanese Bonus Track) [4:11]

Branded & Exiled
11. Branded And Exiled [3:54]
12. Gods Of The Iron [4:01]
13. Realm Of Shades [4:29]
14. Mordor [4:51]
15. Fight The Oppression [4:56]
16. Evil Spirit [3:21]
17. Marching To Die [4:36]
18. Chains And Leather [5:44]

Dropping The Satanic themes explored on albums "Gates to Purgatory" and "Branded and Exiled", Under Jolly Roger is Running Wild's transitional album as they would adapt their now famous pirate theme. Upon listening to the album, you might realize that the music, compared to later albums, is not very polished and the production like the first two albums is raw, and thin. This album was really a gamble for the band. They totally changed their image and musical direction with this album, and the result is a record that showcases more of what makes Running Wild such a great band to listen to. With the introduction of pirates into their music, the band finally created an entity that would set them apart from other bands in the German metal scene.

Under Jolly Roger is one of the bands more focused albums in the bands early career. The sound of the album is still trash inspired, compared to later albums that would be more oriented towards speed metal. The album possesses some great standout tracks such as the fan favourite title track that starts the album off with a bang, literally. The guitars are blistering, and Rock 'n' Rolf's vocal delivery is intense and feels like he's got something to prove with this new direction. Does it pay off? Yes, definitely. The music has a bit more variety than on the previous two records. You have the more driving trash tunes such as the title track, War in the Gutter , Merciless Game and Beggar's Night. Also, you have the more laid back anthems such as Raise Your Fist and Raw Ride. This is a fine transitional album that really showcases the bands early brilliant attempt at delivering pirate themed heavy metal. The music itself is still very raw, like the bands previous efforts. The songwriting is a bit uneven at times, and it still possesses the intensity of older Running Wild material. However, Under Jolly Roger was an experiment, a change of pace for the band; thus the band navigated new territory by keeping the same dark sound, and switching the theme of their tunes.

As a whole, this album has all the key ingredients that would make this awesome band the metal legends they are. The absence of any real epic tracks, which is something that would be prominent on later albums is the biggest weakness here. However, the band was experimenting with a new theme and they wouldn't be experimenting with the epic until their next album, Port Royal.

Under Jolly Roger is an album that should be heard only if you've heard the bands other efforts such as Blazon Stone and Pile of Skulls. Under Jolly Roger is a great record from start to finish. This album shows a band that is becoming more comfortable with their song writing. The albums overall sound is more raw, and unpolished. By now means is this a bad thing, however compared to later albums, this record is a bit inferior. Under Jolly Roger is a near flawless record with great metal tracks, however this album is not the perfect introduction to newer fans of the band; this is a record that should be listened only if you are more familiar with their later records such as Blazon Stone, Pile of Skulls and Black Hand Inn.

~ www.metal-archives.com

Musicians:

Vocals, Guitars : Rock 'n' Rolf
Guitars ; Majk Moti
Bass : Stephan
Drums : Hasche

Recorded and mixed at SoundHouse Studio, Hamburg
Produced by Dirk Steffens

Track List:

01. Under Jolly Roger [4:43]
02. Beggar's Night [5:06]
03. Diamonds Of The Black Chest [3:07]
04. War In The Gutter [3:19]
05. Raise Your Fist [5:29]
06. Land Of Ice [4:56]
07. Raw Ride [4:34]
08. Merciless Game [3:49]

After identifying themselves as Pirates of metal on Under Jolly Roger, Running Wild followed that album up with yet another slab of awesome heavy metal. Port Royal contains some terrific metal tunes including the title track, Uaschitschun and Conquistadors. The highlight of the record is Calico Jack a sweeping eight minute epic that echoes old school Iron Maiden. With each album, Running Wild increased the speed of their songs, with tighter rhythm and melodies which would continue on Death or Glory and culminate in the speed metal opus Blazon Stone. Port Royal is a more confident record that the bands previous albums. With Port Royal, they've finally got deeper into the pirate theme heavy metal to deliver a near flawless record. Port Royal contains some classic cuts by the band. Listening to Port Royal you hear a band that's becoming more confident with its song writing. Listeners will have a taste of an early Running Wild epic, 'Calico Jack', which s by far one of the best tracks on the record and a it's a fine way to close the album.

Port Royal is a great album from start to finish. Other tracks such as 'Warchild' and ''Mutiny'' are lesser known tunes on the album, but the still manage to be just as solid as the more known songs. Rock 'n' Rolf for me, is one heavy metal's most underrated musicians, and the song writing he displays on here is much more focused, precise, but also more relaxed. In other words the band is becoming more confident with who they are, and with stellar music on previous records, along with the music on this record, Running wild would perfect their craft even further. Port Royal is the album for me that really shows what Running Wild would become. This record is a blistering piece of heavy metal and fans of melodic metal such as Iron Maiden will enjoy this record. Even the somewhat weaker tracks are great. This is a powerful record that showcases Running Wild's creativity. Port Royal is a confident album that elevates the bands reputation a lot more. What I love the most about the album is the great, catchy song, the sing along choruses and Iron Maiden-esque song writing. If you enjoy German heavy metal, then Running Wild are a must to listen to. Their music is powerful, catchy, epic . Rock 'n' Rolf writes some of the best metal melodies since Maiden, and his brand of heavy metal is one that metal purists will certainly enjoy. Port Royal is yet another step in a great bands journey of delivering album after album of strong material. As a third album, Port Royal showcases key melodic structures that would come to define Running Wild's later work. Songs like "Calico Jack" and Conquistadors" and the very catchy title track set the standard for other classic Running Wild cuts. With Port Royal, Running Wild built up on their pirate image and crafted an underrated metal classic in the process.

Fans of 80's metal should definitely check this album out. Though Running Wild would mature a lot more as songwriters on future albums, Port Royal shows everything that would make them standout musicians in the German metal scene. Port Royal has everything from the epics to, the anthems to the straight up rockers. This is a strong record from to finish and despite some so-so production, this album is a brilliant slab of a band that delivers strong metal, album after album. Port Royal is an album by a band that becomes more relaxed with each record, and with this album, Running Wild have finally found their image and identity previously explored on Under Jolly Roger.

~ www.metal-archives.com (about Port Royal album)

Musicians:

Vocals, Guitars : Rock 'n' Rolf
Guitars : Majk Moti
Bass : Stephan (on Under Jolly Roger Tracks)
Drums : Hasche (on Port Royal Tracks)
Bass : Jens Becker (on Port Royal Tracks)
Drums : Stefan Schwarzmann

Under Jolly Roger:

01. Under Jolly Roger [4:43]
02. Beggar's Night [5:06]
03. Diamonds Of The Black Chest [3:07]
04. War In The Gutter [3:19]
05. Raise Your Fist [5:29]
06. Land Of Ice [4:56]
07. Raw Ride [4:34]
08. Merciless Game [3:49]


Port Royal:

01. Intro [0:50]
02. Port Royal [4:11]
03. Raging Fire [3:29]
04. Into The Arena [3:59]
05. Uaschitschun [4:54]
06. Final Gates [2:59]
07. Conquistadores [4:50]
08. Blown To Kingdom Come [3:20]
09. Warchild [3:01]
10. Mutiny [4:28]
11. Calico Jack [8:17]

It’s 1987, and after some line-up changes the world’s leading (and, at the time, only) pirate metal band emerge with a tour to support their popular new album, Under Jolly Roger. They decide to release a documentation of the tour, so a couple of shows in Germany get recorded, and released in early 1988, making up the content of what I consider to be a very, very strong live album. It wasn’t widely recognised, which is a shame, because this album is in my opinion just as good as Live After Death, Live in the UK, maybe even the immortal Unleashed in the East (okay, maybe not THAT great, but you see my point).

Pretty much every song on here is represented in its ultimate form. Most of them are also faster than the originals, which is never a bad thing. The traditional shout-along crowd pleasers, like Raise Your Fist, Raw Ride, and of course the band’s ultimate classic Under Jolly Roger, work better than ever. The earlier songs from the two first albums, Gates to Purgatory and Branded & Exiled, are pumped up to the maximum on here, thanks to the new members (Bass virtuoso Jens Becker and drum ditto Stefan Schwarzmann) and increased experience and skills for the two guitarists, Majk Moti and the one, the only Rock N’ Rolf. The two axemen really show their true quality, which wasn’t always apparent in RW’s early catalogue, on songs like Raise Your Fist, Prisoners of Our Time and the oh so underrated Diabolic Force (damn, that song should be fucking legendary, it would probably be if every metalhead got to hear this version).
Purgatory is a song that has never been released in a studio version, which doesn’t bother me at all since no fancy studio equipment could do this song justice. It’s a live song all the way through. Interesting too how it sometimes resembles Judas Priest’s version of The Green Manalishi.
I also have to point out how amazing my Branded & Exiled favourite Mordor sounds on Ready For Boarding. It used to be a dark haunting piece, but not very headbangable since it was a bit too slow. On here, it sounds like it’s on fast forward. Amazing.

This overlooked gem is the perfect documentation of RW’s early years, since it’s pretty much as great as a live album gets. My only complaint would be Rolf’s audience talk, which, probably as a result of record company pressure, is entirely in English even though the audience is German. It sounds really silly. Also, there is no real sing-along section to be found.
But if you’re a fan of RW, it’s a must to get this. This is the classic Running Wild line-up if you ask me, and they’re all at their personal best here.

~ www.metal-archives.com

Musicians:

Vocals, Guitars : Rock 'n' Rolf
Guitars : Majk Moti
Bass : Jens Becker
Drums : Stefan Schwarzmann

All tracks recorded live in Munich Germany during Under Jolly Roger tour.
Tracks 1 & 5 was previously unreleased.

Track List:

01. Hymn Of Long John Silver [2:37]
02. Under Jolly Roger [4:16]
03. Genghis Khan [4:15]
04. Raise Your Fist [5:16]
05. Purgatory [5:35]
06. Mordor [4:24]
07. Diabolic Force [4:38]
08. Raw Ride [4:38]
09. Adrian (S.O.S.) [2:35]
10. Prisoners Of Our Time [5:44]

"Death or Glory" is one of Running Wild's best albums, although they do have a lot of "best albums." After the classic "Port Royal" this album has a different and more epic feel about things, not in a serious way but just in the way certain tracks like the first one and the second to last one sound. It's actually pretty amazing in itself how these two albums were made in the space of two years, they are both so great. The band would eventually go on releasing classic after classic.

There are a couple of real masterpieces on this album and you don't need to be a genius to figure them out. Now I will run through the album track by track. The first masterpiece is the first track, "Riding the Storm", a song has been put together with overwhelming passion, creativity and energy. No where do Rolf's vocals shine more than in this track, the way the chorus is presented just has so much emotion. The riffs in this song thunder across at pace like a violent typhoon and stick in your head like no other, with supercharged, empowering verses and choruses that compliment each other marvelously, the drumming is probably at it's best in this unforgettable song. "Renegade" is another awesome track, slows things down a bit but still a nice catchy tune. "Evilution" slows things down even more, but this isn't a bad thing as it's well done, once the song almost hits the one minute mark the majestic guitars start and lead into a massive, chunky wombat of a riff, this is another solid song.

"Running Blood" is another great track, It's got a more stylish structure compared with the other songs but still possessed some genius riffing. "Highland Glory" is an odd instrumental which sounds a lot different and more diverse than the other songs too, it has a sequence of melodies which are quite effective. Now it's time to get down to business, "Marooned" is back at full speed with blinding rhythm guitar and you will notice some awesomely, effective guitar work after the first chorus, the drumming is also particularly great here, lot's of interesting fills, even the outro riffing is very powerful.

Here comes one from the single, "Bad to the Bone", a sing along classic, I don't care if you are a metal fan or not, you will sing along with this song and you will fucking love it. Totally awesome track. The next song, "Tortuga Bay" is pure speed metal insanity and it's just what the doctor ordered, the whole song is fun as hell to listen too and bang your damn head. The title track "Death or Glory" follows almost in the same vein but is not quite as fast but is still a very good number with a wonderful solo.

If only this was the last song, "The Battle of Waterloo" is the big fat epic everyone's talking about in the reviews below, and are they over hyping it a bit, well.. fuck no. This song is un-fucking-believable. It starts off with bagpipes which are supposed to remind us battle during the Napoleonic Era, they eventually lead into exceptional mid paced riffing which blends in perfectly with middle of the song where it gets majestic and marvelous, the way the second solo is presented can evoke some serious emotion. The song finishes with the great rhythm it started out with. This is truly a masterpiece. The only pretty boring track is the last one "March On", it doesn't really go anywhere and it's not really as interesting as the other tracks. In all honesty it would be a decent song on any other album, but the music on "Death or Glory" set the standard higher.

The production was the best at this point compared to all their other albums, If you like heavy/power/speed metal, then "Death or Glory" is the ultimate album

~ www.metal-archives.com

Musicians:

Vocals, Guitars : Rock 'n' Rolf
Guitars : Majk Moti
Bass : Jens Becker
Drums : Iain Finlay

Produced by Rock 'n' Rolf
Recorded, Engineered and Mixed by Jan Nemec at Studio M in July/August '89
Executive Producer Karl-U. Walterbach

Track List:

01. Riding The Storm [6:29]
02. Renegade [4:30]
03. Evilution [4:44]
04. Running Blood [4:30]
05. Highland Glory [4:52]
06. Marooned [5:13]
07. Bad To The Bone [4:47]
08. Tortuga Bay [3:17]
09. Death Or Glory [3:58]
10. Battle Of Waterloo [7:49]
11. March On [4:12]
12. Wild Animal (Japanese Bonus Track) [4:11]
13. Tear Down The Walls (Japanese Bonus Track) [4:17]
14. Stortebeker (Japanese Bonus Track) [4:06]

After the classic Death Or Glory, Running Wild decided to speed things up without sacrificing the melody of their two previous albums. The result was 1991’s Blazon Stone.

It became their best selling album to date, probably due to the critical success of Port Royal and Death Or Glory. It is less consistent than its predecessors, due to a couple filler tracks, but its strongest ones are better than the ones on the after mentioned albums, and the production is superior too, which boosts the listening experience.

The album starts with the bands best opening song, and an instant classic “Blazon Stone.” The guitar melody heard throughout the song is very catchy and pirate sounding. The speed assault continues with the next track “Lonewolf”, before switching to the mid tempo “Slavery”. Next highlight and probably the best song on the album is “Little Big Horn”, a mixture of catchiness, speed, melody, hooks, and sing along lyrics. The rest of the album suffers from weaker tracks due to the songwriting input of the other band members. Proof of this is that the only good songs on the second half of the album were written by Rolf. The anthem “Heads Or Tails” with its sing along chorus, and the most underrated song in Running Wild’s entire catalog: “White Masque”. This song gives “Little Big Horn” a run for its money. The chorus, the verse, everything is sing along and the guitar work is nicely done.

Points deducted because of the weaker tracks, Jens Becker’s less prominent bass lines from previous albums, and for the horrible album cover. Blazon Stone may not be regarded at the same level of Death Or Glory or Black Hand Inn, but to me, it’s a Running Wild classic, and at that time, a sign of things to come.

~ www.metal-archives.com

Musicians:

Vocals, Guitar : Rock 'n' Rolf
Guitars : Axel Morgan
Bass : Jens Becker
Drums : AC

Produced by Rock N Rolf & Running wild, executive producer Karl-Ulrich Walterbach.
Recorded and mixed at Studio M, Machtsum between December 1990 and January 1991
Engineered and mixed by Jan Nemec.

Track List:

01. Blazon Stone [6:31]
02. Lonewolf [4:49]
03. Slavery [5:15]
04. Fire & Ice [4:09]
05. Little Big Horn [4:59]
06. Over The Rainbow [1:56]
07. White Masque [4:17]
08. Rolling Wheels [5:33]
09. Bloody Red Rose [5:05]
10. Straight To Hell [3:50]
11. Heads Or Tails [4:58]
12. Billy The Kid (Japanese Bonus Track) [4:48]
13. Genocide (Japanese Bonus Track) [4:49]

Running Wild were on a hot streak starting with Port Royal, and with two albums after that it seemed like they were unstoppable. Blazon Stone was the newest bid by the guys, and Rolf has always been one to promote the band’s material to the fullest. Therefore, the move to make a compilation of re-recordings seemed like a genuine idea, but what I want to know is how the rest of band reacted. Was it a group idea, or was Rolf just like:

-Rolf, “Fellow brethren, what I say goes, right? I yearn to see songs from the past catalogue played in this new style of ours. Shall you stand with me and make this dream come to fruition?”
-Axel Morgan, “Do we have to?”
-Rolf, “It is the call of metal brothers to stand by each other. If not, then ye shall see forth the door and steadily, but swiftly, leaveth the hall.”
-Axel Morgan, “Oh shit, I’ll stick around.”
-Becker, “Yeah look at me! I’m already doing bass solos!”
-Dreffein, “Um, you like these snare assaults I’m doing, Captain Rolf?”

…or it could have been something the whole band was on board for, I don’t know. Now for the fans that got to see the band live, this wasn’t a big / new thing, obviously, but for everyone else I can definitely say that this shouldn’t be passed up.

All of the songs featured on this album are from the first three Running Wild albums, which had a sound not alike to the band’s golden age. The earlier sound was a black / thrash / heavy metal hybrid that was characterized by the epic and raw quality. What they played back then was meant to be sinister music that was still proud heavy metal, but the translation sort of works when they are reconditions to become blazing power metal interpretations. It took a little getting used to at first, and in the beginning I didn’t like these new renditions because I knew these original tracks as unrefined, spoiled classics. However, once you do get over the change, you’ll enjoy these songs and appreciate the band for not giving up on this style with just full-lengths.

One major change already is Rolf with the vocals, because his style now is way different than before. On the albums where these songs original came from (the early days in general), Rolf basically talked his way through the songs. This isn’t an insult because this style worked, but he had such a cracked, hoarse voice with rare high wails that sounded like they came from a demon. With the band’s style developing at the time, Rolf turned to more focused clean singing that showed his true potential, charisma, and made Running Wild a more epic band. For most of the songs here, this style works, although some of the very high cleans that were hit with precision on the original recordings are patchy on this one.

Rolf’s wailing, low-end singing on this is something I’ll always love, but the guitars have also drawn their own path that’ll also take some getting used to. If you haven’t heard the earlier Running Wild albums, then this compilation won’t be an issue, but for me taking the first albums so seriously, even these guitars were a little to get over. This is the same production quality – clear, loud, and filtered – as Blazon Stone, so you get the same crispy guitar distortion bent and twisted by Kasparek and Morgan. This is different from the uncooked, boiled tone of the earlier albums – particularly the first one – but that doesn’t stop these guys from blazing with the energy that made those songs so lovable. The bass guitar from Becker oddly doesn’t have much breathing room on most of these songs; I mean it’s there, but if you know Running Wild, you know Jens Becker - this is the guy that made pirates and bass guitars battle buddies in the field of heavy metal. His lines should be deafening and slick, but instead he just backs up the rhythm and is sort of audible.

The optimistic tone goes against the happy yet threatening tone of the early albums, and that’s mainly because of the guitars and their clarity. The melodies were vicious and vintage, but now they’re very harmonious and eclectic, which isn’t bad either; think of it as a different take, which is basically what it is. The mixing is fantastic, with everything but the bass given exceptional volume. The only thing that doesn’t work for me is the tempo slightly sped up for all the songs (making them sound rushed) and the drum sound. I tolerated it on Blazon Stone, but I definitely don’t like it on here. The drums sound so damn metallic and the blot-blot-blot sound of it really gets on my nerves. It detracts from the energy and tension of the songs while also tiring the whole thing.

Overall, I think most Running Wild fans (if not all) will dig this one. It’s a worthy release that shouldn’t go unnoticed, and it contains a variety of early classics. One track I wish they put on here was “Mordor,” which, although a masterpiece in itself originally, would sound awesome with this refined power metal style. Nonetheless, check this one out and delve into all it has to offer. The full-lengths are the known treasures, but even the unknown ones like this are worth plundering.

~ www.metal-archives.com

Musicians:

Vocals, Guitar : Rock 'n' Rolf
Guitars : Axel Morgan
Bass : Jens Becker
Drums : AC

Produced by Rock 'n' Rolf
Recorded, Engineered and Mixed by Jan Nemec at Studio M in July/August '91

Track List:

01. Under Jolly Roger [4:06]
02. Branded And Exiled [3:50]
03. Soldiers Of Hell [3:21]
04. Raise Your Fist [4:51]
05. Walpurgis Night [5:19]
06. Fight The Oppression [4:53]
07. Marching To Die [4:37]
08. Raw Ride [4:14]
09. Diamonds Of The Black Chest [2:49]
10. Prisoner Of Our Time [4:37]

Running Wild’s material can be accessed today through the internet. I don’t feel too bad obtaining albums through downloads since most of the band’s work isn’t exactly widely available on physical copies, full-lengths or otherwise. I get how the early demos aren’t available, but when something as magnificent as Death Or Glory isn’t obtainable at a reasonable price for a brand new copy, then the world is amiss. So for a single like this to get the necessary publicity but not the availability, all I can do is sit back and enjoy more of what makes this band one of the greatest.

Production is akin to Pile Of Skulls and ultimately sustains that speed metal fervor without the classy depth of Blazon Stone. Not to put down Pile Of Skulls, but while an awesome album, it didn’t have that essence to it that, when hearing it, made you feel like a pirate. Nonetheless, these tracks have tempos sharpened with crunchy guitar tones twirled melodically and efficiently. Of course, these three tracks don’t sound alike, but they all share common traits that make them the drinkable, lovable tunes that make Running Wild the only worthy band to put on pirate costumes. Rolf’s gung-ho yelling style accents the tuneful leads that slice honorably in “Hanged, Drawn And Quartered” or churn with the chorus like on “Win Or Be Drowned”; the man never undermines his performance both on the mic and for his riffs.

The loud, boisterous charisma does wonders for morale; man do I wish I could call cadence reciting Running Wild tunes. Hearing Rolf and crew roar in “Lead Or Gold” gets my heart racing for epic activity of any kind, but preferably one that involves naval battles. Music like this can only be played loudly, though the drums might grate some with their metallic-ish snare sound. Otherwise you can look past that with those superb leads and brawny bass backing under the guitars. I miss Becker, too, but the bass job is fulfilled as those axes attack with might and glory. “Lead Or Gold” and “Hanged, Drawn And Quartered” are the smooth runners that could have fit side by side on Pile Of Skulls. “Win Or Be Drowned” really is b-side quality with that riff restricted to the militaristic tempo, though the package altogether isn’t deniable (even if a little limited).

Confidence was Rolf’s forte, and the man had the voice and skills to back it up and turn it into something great. Running Wild’s golden era was a time of prominence that many bands never get to achieve themselves. I’m not even a huge heavy metal nut, but this band crafted the right amount of badassery and exemplified it proudly. All they needed was music to prove it could work, and that was already covered long before the image came around. The way I see it, image can sod off if the music doesn’t compete, but Running Wild are on the right team for image not to get in the way.

~ www.metal-archives.com

Musicians:

Vocals, Guitars : Rock 'n' Rolf
Guitars : Axel Morgan
Bass : Thomas "Bodo" Smuszynski
Drums : Stefan Schwarzmann

Produced by Rock'n'Rolf, Executive Producer: Karl-U. Walterbach
Recorded by Thomas Körge & Jan Nemec at Studio M. Mixed by Jan Nemec
Track 1 - "Lead or Gold" taken from album "Pile of Skulls"
Tracks 2 and 3 released exclusively on this single

Track List:

01. Lead Or Gold [5:07]
02. Hanged, Drown And Quartered [4:42]
03. Win Or Be Drowned [4:21]

Speed Metal is a very obscure subgenre. Those who think it is just fast power (because of the old Walls Of Jericho), is wrong, because DragonForce isn't speed metal. It has a different sound. Speed Metal is, mainly, seen at the late 80s in Germany. Running Wild is one of these bands, and this album the best of them.

Pile Of Skulls is Speed Metal. So don't expect any ballads or some complex songs. Here you'll find simple, fast, and catchy songs (just like with most power metal). With an introduction, 10 songs, 1 of them being an epic, this album clocks at almost 1 hour, so this isn' a short album.

A thing I'd like to comment about Speed Metal is that most people just know Painkiller and Walls Of Jericho. Well, this album is so good it can even compete with those two. And, the best of all, this isn't simple Speed Metal. You can call me a fool, but this is Pirate Speed Metal. Yes, another stupid subgenre but this album really sounds like pirates to me. And how many bands do you know that play pirate music; it is metal, and it is good music? Just Running Wild. So they score a 10 in originality (even almost all their albums are about the same).

But this album has some minor flaws. Even the album could sound monotone at the first listen, you'll discover then that each song is different. The main problem with the album, is that not every song is awesome. "White Buffalo" and "Jennings Revenge" are not-so-good, and maybe "Fistful Of Dynamite" as well. Not that those are bad songs, but not so memorable like the others. I just can't find other flaw than this.

On the other hand, songs like the opener (plus cool intro), the epic "Black Wings Of Death" (it sounds epic to me) and "Treasure Island," and the blasters "Pile Of Skulls" and "Lead Or Gold" will be on your mind for months. As a minor note to myself, see how every previous pirate metal opener is better than this. Not that "Whirlwind" is bad, but it was just almost impossible to make a better opener than "Blazon Stone" or "Riding The Storm."

So, if you like Pirates, Speed, rum and plundering, get this album!

~ www.metal-archives.com

Musicians:

Vocals, Guitar : Rock 'n Rolf
Guitar : Axel Morgan
Bass : Thomas Smuszynski
Drums : Stefan Schwarzmann

Produced by Rock 'n Rolf. Recorded by Jan Nemec/Thomas Korge.
Mixed by Jan Nemec. Recorded and mixed at Studio M June-August 1992.

Track List:

01. Chamber Of Lies [2:23]
02. Whirlwind [4:52]
03. Sinister Eyes [5:07]
04. Black Wings Of Death [5:17]
05. Fistful Of Dynamite [4:06]
06. Roaring Thunder [5:57]
07. Pile Of Skulls [4:40]
08. Lead Or Gold [5:07]
09. White Buffalo [5:17]
10. Jennings' Revenge [4:18]
11. Treasure Island [11:14]
12. Beggars Night (Japanese Bonus Track) [5:00]

Gotta give credit to Rolf for not only writing the same album for the fourth time, but for also making it one of the best in his career. Hearing Black Hand Inn is bittersweet, since although it is another album to cherish, it means one more in the last line of worthy albums. The band would still churn out other awesome material, but all of this feels so long ago that it is already a tale in the history. Next time you look in the history books, you’ll see Black Hand Inn therein, and a nostalgic sigh will emit thereafter.

Just to get it out of the way, the sound of the drums can be a little grating for some. The bulky, boisterous bonks battering the listener every instant gives mixed signals: click-ish double bass? Dusty snares? Rattling cymbals? Did “Angelo Sasso” do guest drumming? No, they’re real, and they aren’t as bad as “Sasso’s” contributions later on. Personally I think the drumming here fits just fine, and it’s the upbeat assault of double bass with complete rhythm precision that makes Jörg Michael stand well in the rabble of drummers. Like all the players on this album, you can feel his utter control over the instrument. Switching gears to the other rhythm maintainer, the bass support grumbles like a hushed boat rudder. I do miss Becker’s lead takeover, but I also love this low-end bubble-bass that compliments the refined speed / heavy metal attitude most present on songs like “Soulless”. So infectious and thick; kick back and get dragged and burned by bass.

Rolf and company (whoever that consists of at any given time) have never let us down when it came to the guitar department, even on the later albums (barely) were production was the main problem. Here I was given more of the crunchy, cherished, commanding riffs, leads, solos, and straight-up barrages of speedy force. Seriously, harmonies are abundant from the conceptual intro, to the title track’s riff-onslaught, and through the trilogy of monstrous anthems preceding the final closer. Every song has a tune that sticks with you for life, and I guarantee their warranty is a lifetime. It’s impossible not to go berserk listening to beasts such as “The Privateer” or the groovy, drum / bass oriented “Fight The Fire Of Hate”. The last track, “Genesis…”, is the most epic on the album, naturally, with a ton of Maiden-competing solos, vicious riffs, and insane vocals.

Vocally I’d say Black Hand Inn contains some of Rolf’s best moments, with the standard set at no less than awesome. He never sounds dull or exhausted, with plenty of those bellowing, gritty howls to encompass another three or four albums. The finale is the last straw, where the gargantuan scope and speed metal domination of the riffs collide with Rolf’s gruff barks to make one of Running Wild’s best tracks; track length be damned! Expect only authoritative, aggressive speed / heavy / power metal with crisp production, powerful (manly) vocals, and a plethora of cool, catchy riffs. There’s no ditching that tone of royalty though, so while angry, it’s still a chivalrous piece of work. I’d certainly rank this up there with Blazon Stone and Port Royal - maybe even slightly higher. Glad to know Rolf was able to muster a couple more novelties before meeting middle-aged burnout.

~ www.metal-archives.com

Musicians:

Vocals : Rock 'n' Rolf
Guitars : TThilo Hermann
Bass : Thomas "Bodo" Smuszynski
Drums : Jörg Michael

All music & lyrics by Rolf Kasparek
Produced by Rock n'Rolf Engineered & Mixed by Charlie Bauerfelnd
Recorded & Mixed at Horus-Sound-Studlo Hannover

Track List:

01. The Curse [3:13]
02. Black Hand Inn [4:31]
03. Mr. Deadhead [4:04]
04. Soulless [4:57]
05. The Privateer [4:22]
06. Fight The Fire Of Hate [6:40]
07. The Phantom Of Black Hand Inn [6:23]
08. Freewind Rider [5:18]
09. Powder & Iron [5:18]
10. Dragonmen [5:42]
11. Genesis (The Making And The Fall Of Man) [15:21]
12. Poisoned Blood (Japanese Bonus Track) [3:44]
13. Dancing On A Minefield (Japanese Bonus Track) [5:01]

Take note of the cover art, because like the last album, there’s a concept behind this one. Also like the last one, you’ll hardly give a shit, because the music will honestly blow your head off. Like most Running Wild intros, this one will get you in the groove of things, but the real kicker doesn’t come until the title track. While playing a bit too close to Black Hand Inn and Pile Of Skulls organization-wise, the title track here does all the proper things right away: a riff onslaught, booming production, gruff singing, and merciless drumming. Speed metal intensity right off the bat, with one of the most pissed off solos written by Rolf.

At first the production seemed a little off since the vocals sounded a bit buried, but alas I settled in soon enough and was able to enjoy Masquerade at its fullest. Rolf continues the loud, crunchy heavy metal he’s been doing more or less since 1989; if it isn’t broken, then just keep using the same formula again and again. For some this works (i.e. Bolt Thrower), and for Rolf this really works. Not only that, but Rolf writes some of the heaviest tracks in his career here; stuff like “Demonized,” the title track, the anthemic “Rebel At Heart,” and the interestingly titled “Metalhead.” All of these contain crunchy, ripping riffs with an authoritative attitude and some hefty backing from the rhythm section. The rest of the album doesn’t let up on the energy, but these tracks in particular hit the hardest.

Top the above info off with the fact that Rolf doesn’t give up on delivering catchy leads with Herrmann and hollering vast, sing-a-long choruses with those accented roars of his. Going back to “Rebel At Heart,” we already get a beastly main riff, but the giant chorus echoes in your head, and that solo section is an explosion on its own. This is the first album that doesn’t end with some monolith of a finale (if you don’t count bonus tracks) since Blazon Stone, giving listeners the more power to lend significance to other tracks. This kind of downplays the fulfillment of the full-length (Rolf would write tons of long tracks for future albums), but what’s given does not disappoint. Everything is played modestly and aggressively, with a production job thick and clear. Credence is given to the guitars, but the bass still grumbles like a rudder and the drums bash, crash, kick, and roll less “mechanically” than before.

So don’t fret! Let Rolf and co. present another keeper of a full-length to satisfy your speed / heavy metal craving. The eclectic vigor, harmonious leads, and masculine attitude speak for themselves. Giving Rolf the benefit of doubt actually has benefits that you can hear, as opposed to everyone else asking for one. It’s soon after Black Hand Inn, but also soon before things start to get sour on the ship

~ www.metal-archives.com

Musicians:

Vocals, Guitars : Rock 'n' Rolf
Guitars : Thilo Hermann
Bass : Thomas "Bodo" Smuszynski
Drums : Jörg Michael

Produced by Rock 'N' Rolf
Engineered and mixed by Gerhard "Anyway" Wolfle at the Horus-Sound Studio July, August '95.

Track List:

01. The Contract / The Crypts Of Hades 2:21
02. Masquerade 4:20
03. Demonized 4:41
04. Black Soul 5:18
05. Lions Of The Sea 5:49
06. Rebel At Heart 5:45
07. Wheel Of Doom 4:03
08. Metalhead 4:57
09. Soleil Royal 4:45
10. Men In Black 4:36
11. Underworld 6:16

Yes sir, thats what this album does to you. You want originality? You want a metal band to expand their horizons? You want experimentation? Well, fuck that when you get a band like RW who consistently delivers great speed/power metal. Intros are usually nothing special on most albums but this one starts with one the best intros ever "March of the Final Battle". Its an intro with balls! Then you get the title track and with RW, you know the title track is gonna kick major ass and this is no exception.

Tough start to follow you ask? No way, RW then delivers a couple of speedy classics with "Kiss of Death" and "Firebreather" which rip with precision and speed as only Rock n Rolf could deliver. One thing to note here - this the last album with the amazing drummer, Jorg Michael (ex Rage, ex Stratovarius). This man can pound with the best of them and this is the main distinction of why this album rules and the 2 follow ups (Victory and Brotherhood) do not rule as much.

The next track is a power metal gem "Return of the Dragon". No, this is not Dream Evil or other generic power metal band, this is RW and its catchy but still remains heavy and has a great sing along chorus. The other standout numbers are "Fire and Thunder", "Adventure Galley", and one of RW's best songs, IMO, "Ballad of William Kidd". Just excellent stuff. The remaining tracks are not as great but there are no stinkers here. This album can be played in its entirety without needing the skip button.

Stop being gay and buy this album now! Hail the Pirates of Metal!!

~ www.metal-archives.com

Musicians:

Vocals, Guitars : Rock 'n' Rolf
Guitars : Thilo Hermann
Bass : Thomas "Bodo" Smuszynski
Drums : Jörg Michael

All music and lyrics by Kasparek except "Adventure Galley" (music by Hermann and lyrics by Kasparek).
Engineered & mixed by Gerhard "Anyway" Wölfle at Horus Sound Studio and Vox Klangstudio.
Mastered by Rainer Holst at Staccato Studio.

Track List:

01. March Of The Final Battle (The End Of All Evil) [2:01]
02. The Rivalry [5:36]
03. Kiss Of Death [3:39]
04. Firebreather [4:05]
05. Return Of The Dragon [6:48]
06. Resurrection [4:48]
07. Ballad Of William Kidd [8:46]
08. Agents Of Black [3:59]
09. Fire & Thunder [7:35]
10. The Poison [4:41]
11. Adventure Galley [4:21]
12. Man On The Moon [4:51]
13. War & Peace [7:46]

If one takes a look at the whole discography of Running Wild - spanning from 1979 (actually, from 1976 as Granite Hearts) to the present time (apart from a brief split between 2009 and 2011), he will be surely surprised in finding only three compilation albums (excluding the 1984 self-released "Heavy Metal Like a Hammerblow" one, of course). And he will be probably even more surprised to learn that one of this three compilations, "Best of Adrian", is nothing more than a selection of tracks from the very last years of Running Wild's career (1998-2005). So, we are left with only two compilations covering a so-far fourteen-full-lengths-long career, an almost flawless 2003 one called "20 Years in History" and this one, "The Story of Jolly Roger", published in 1998 and containing fifteen songs. Fifteen songs that, though, are taken from nine different albums.

So, since there's nothing more useless than reviewing track by track a compilation, I will just say that here you have a great view of what is in my opinion the best part of Running Wild's career so far. We have brilliant songs as Under Jolly Roger, with its epic chorus in the style of power metal, its great guitar melody and its equally great guitar solo; we have Genghis Khan, directly taken from Running Wild's debut album, which starts with a heavy metal riff and carries on between changes of tempo and "harsher" vocals; we have Lions of the Sea, beginning with a great acoustic intro played by a guitar which transforms itself into a fast electric riff, combined with Rolf Kasparek's distinctive clean vocals, while the drumming blasts off with some nice double-bass melody.

We have another classic heavy metal track, Chains and Leather, we have the awesome power metal piece Conquistadores, with its catchy chorus and a great guitar solo.. and I could continue for hours! But, since this is not the right place, I will draw some conclusions starting by pointing out that, in my opinion, this is an equally proper way in order to introduce oneself to Running Wild's astonishing discography than the other aforementioned 2003 compilation, "20 Years in History". Yeah, "20 Years in History" contains some songs from other three albums published between 1998 and 2003, and it even contains more tracks (twenty-six) being a double-cd, but there's really nothing less in this "The Story of Jolly Roger".

Moreover, in this compilation I'm reviewing there are some great tracks such as Chains and Leather and Purgatory which are not featured on the 2003 one, so I would ultimately suggest to anyone who is interested to approach Running Wild's whole career to search indifferently for one of these two compilations, and he won't surely be disappointed. By listening to this "The Story of Jolly Roger" you will hear Rolf Kasparek's musical creature in its best form, you will hear heavy metal songs, power metal ones, speed metal pieces, many great guitar solos, many entertaining pirate-themed lyrics (of course!), a whole lot of catchy choruses and different (clean) vocal lines and styles. In the end, this is everything Running Wild is about!

~ www.metal-archives.com

Track List:

01. Riding The Storm [6:29]
02. Under Jolly Roger [4:05]
03. Blazon Stone [6:31]
04. Sinister Eyes [5:07]
05. Purgatory [5:25]
06. Bones To Ashes [5:12]
07. Branded & Exiled [3:50]
08. Uaschitschun [4:54]
09. Genghis Khan [4:09]
10. Soulless [4:56]
11. Lions Of The Sea [5:49]
12. Bad To The Bone [4:47]
13. Conquistadores [4:50]
14. Chains & Leather [5:42]
15. Prisoner Of Our Time [4:35]

Here is the album by Running Wild that is trashed by many metalheads. While this is not a great disc and is a letdown from the prior and excellent album (The Rivalry), its still not bad. Yes, this is where the drum programming started with RW and it is a mistake because there is the stale drum sound which hurts the material. It is even more stale on this record than on The Brotherhood and thats a shame because some of the songs are very good.

The album starts off with "Fall of Dorkas" which is a good but is not up to par with some of the past lead off tracks on RW's albums. This is followed by the very Maidenish (hey, thats a good thing) "When Time Runs Out" - alot of dual guitar leads here. Then we get a couple of mediocre songs with "Timeriders" and "Into The Fire". They are sorta RW by numbers, nothing to remember here. Next is the worst song off the album - a cover of the Beatles "Revolution". One word to describe this - Yuk! I hate the original and Rolf and Co. do nothing to change my mind about it. A waste of time and space.

Then we get a little interlude called "The Final Waltz". Nothing special here. So, by now this album is looking pretty bad but don't fear because this is Running Wild afterall and they come back huge with the best song on the album and one my fav RW tracks "Tsar". This has it all - speed, leads, epic moments. A great song! "The Hussar" is next and there is no letdown because this songs kicks ass as well and is probably the 2nd best song. The rest of the album is solid power metal with "The Guardian", "Return of the Gods", and "Silent Killer". Then the album ends with the great title track which can lay along side the other great RW title tracks. You will be screaming "Victory" and pumping your fist with this one. A great way to end the album.

Put a real drummer on this album and take off the Beatles crap and you would have a very good album but unfortunately, all you have is a solid (and not bad) metal album. Nothing wrong with that.

~ www.metal-archives.com

Musicians:

Vocals, Guitars : Rock 'n' Rolf
Guitars : Thilo Hermann
Bass : Thomas "Bodo" Smuszynski
Drums : Angelo Sasso

Produced by Rock 'n' Rolf
Recorded and mixed by Gerhard Wölfle at Horus Sound Studio August/September 1999

Track List:

01. Fall Of Dorkas [5:17]
02. When Time Runs Out [5:17]
03. Timeriders [4:24]
04. Into The Fire [4:57]
05. Revolution [2:58]
06. The Final Waltz [1:20]
07. Tsar [7:08]
08. The Hussar [4:05]
09. The Guardian [5:09]
10. Return Of The Gods [5:31]
11. Silent Killer [4:45]
12. Victory [4:50]

This compilation is nothing short of excellent. I was fortunate enough to find it really cheap new, and it made me a fan of Running Wild. It is everything a compilation should be: a good introduction that features some great songs from each album, but also leaves out many gems which makes you want to buy the rest of the albums.

It also features some treats for those who are already RW fans: The two previously unreleased songs Prowling Werewolf and Apocalyptic Horsemen, the new recordings of Branded and Exiled and Mordor, and Rolf has also added bass and guitars to the other songs, which makes them sound even heavier than before. This is most apparent on the Gates to Purgatory songs. Genghis Khan's riff was an absolute crusher already on the original version, but with the added guitars it has gained the strength to slay an elephant in a single blow. Riding the Storm also sounds a bit better than before, and Blazon Stone never sounded so powerful.

There are some minor downsides, however. The additional instruments, for example, weren't necessary at all on the songs on CD 2. The packaging and cover art is boring. The liner notes kinda suck too. Also, one has to ask oneself why Rolf decided to re-record Branded & Exiled and Mordor. Not that the new versions are bad, in fact I like them even better than the originals, but it does slightly interrupt the continuity and he could have released them on some other occasion. Also, the "new" songs are a lot weaker than the others on here. They're still good (I prefer AH by the way), but it mostly feels like Noise just wanted some reasons for the older fans to buy the compilation.

They shouldn't have to worry; it's still a good thing to pick up, for diehards and newbies alike.

~ www.metal-archives.com

A chronological account of Running Wild with two tracks from every album up to and including "The Brotherhood."
Almost all tracks are at least partially re-recorded.

"Prowling Werewolf" is unreleased track from the 1983 live set.
"Apocalyptic Horsemen" is unreleased track originally written for the "Under Jolly Roger" album.

CD1 - Track List:

01. Prowling Werewolf [4:13]
02. Genghis Khan [4:10]
03. Prisoners Of Our Time [5:24]
04. Branded & Exiled '03 [3:59]
05. Mordor '03 [4:41]
06. Under Jolly Roger [4:44]
07. Apocalyptic Horsemen [4:39]
08. Raise Your Fist [5:31]
09. Port Royal [4:15]
10. Conquistadores [4:48]
11. Riding The Storm [6:30]
12. Bad To The Bone [4:48]
13. Blazon Stone [6:32]
14. Little Big Horn [5:00]


CD2 - Track List:

01. Whirlwind [4:55]
02. Treasure Island [11:16]
03. Black Hand Inn [4:33]
04. The Privateer [4:22]
05. Lions Of The Sea [5:51]
06. Black Soul [5:21]
07. Firebreather [4:04]
08. Ballad Of William Kidd [8:43]
09. Victory [4:50]
10. Tsar [7:09]
11. Welcome To Hell [4:35]
12. The Brotherhood [6:49]