I thought they changed because of Under Jolly Roger. Rolf wrote a song about pirates, they decided that they'd pose in pirate clothing for the backcover and it kinda took off from there.

I got under Jolly Roger by a friend from this forum from Russia Jovdat. I thank him for the trade, this album rules.

Sorry it's taking so long guys. School's got me really busy these days. Next weekend I'll be off and in my hometown, so I'll have enough time to write the next two reviews during the journey home. That'll mean that the next update will have reviews of both Port Royal and Death Or Glory!

I'll see if I can't re-listen to the album shortly, and I'll do a write-up asap.

PORT ROYAL (1988) NOISE
Intro
Port Royal
Raging Fire
Into The Arena
Uaschitschun
Final Gates - instrumental
Conquistadores
Blown To Kingdom Come
Warchild
Mutiny
Calico Jack

Line-up:
Rock 'n' Rolf - Vocals, Guitar
Majk Moti - Lead Guitar
Jens Becker - Bass
Stefan Schwarzmann - Drums

Running Wild became one of my favorite bands because of 'Under Jolly Roger'. So when the follow up was released, I was pretty excited. Since I was not yet familiar with the bands earlier work, and thought the pirate image was something they'd always done, I ascertained that the this was intact, and that the music followed along the same lines as the previous album.

'Port Royal' delivers the same galloping metal we all know and love from Running Wild. The songs are built around the rhythm, and as such the drums and bass are important parts of the bands sound. Jens and Stefan doesn't bring anything new to the plate, replacing Stephan and Hasche on bass and drums, but they deliver the goods, nonetheless. And 'Port Royal' is basically an album where the "more-of-the-same" is a fitting term. The band sounds a tad on auto-pilot. And the production is also a little thin. Basically this makes for a solid Running Wild CD, but not a mind-blowing one. "Conquistadores" and the epic closer, "Calico Jack", are amongst the bands finest moments. But songs like "Into The Arena" and the instrumental, "Final Gates", are easily forgotten.

'Port Royal' is not my favorite Running Wild album. It is nothing particularly wrong with it. It's just not as strong as many of the bands other albums. But as a long time fan of the band, it is still a CD I put on every now and then.

Killer tracks: Port Royal, Raging Fire, Conquistadores, Mutiny, Calico Jack

“DEATH OR GLORY” (1989)







“Face in the wind, we’re riding the storm!”

Over the last couple of years, Running Wild had vastly changed their sound. While “Under Jolly Roger” was still pretty much in the raw ‘n’ dirty heavy metal vein of their previous albums, “Port Royal” was much more of a melodic heavy/speed metal affair. This change in sound culminated in what many people consider to be their magnum opus, 1989’s “Death Or Glory”, a relentless assault of power metal anthems that is among the best heavy metal LPs to ever come from Germany.

Since it’s been a looooooong time since I last listened to “Port Royal”, it’s kinda hard to compare the two albums, so I’ll try and compare it to their third LP, 1987’s “Under Jolly Roger”. The production has vastly improved. Every instrument can be heard clearly, and as such the muddy sound from their early records has disappeared. While their third album is a lot like their first two albums in terms of songwriting (although “Under Jolly Roger” was a tad more melodic than their earlier efforts), “Death Or Glory” is much more melodic and more of a speed metal album than their early works. Although I hold their first three albums in high esteem, and regard every one of them as classic heavy metal records, “Death Or Glory” is a brilliant, brilliant achievement, that, in my opinion, is in the same league as classic records like “Number Of The Beast” and “Sad Wings Of Destiny.

The record blasts off with “Riding The Storm”, a typical Running Wild track that would be a classic for years to come. Everything about this song is just perfect. The rhythm section pounds away, the guitars are both melodic and very aggressive, and Rolf’s vocals are better than ever. Gone are the raspy growls from the early albums, making place for a more melodic style of singing that is pretty unique. Don’t expect any Rob Halford-style screams, but his vocals are still pretty damn good. It’s kinda pointless to list all the good tracks on this album, since almost all of them are downright classics. “Marooned” is a blistering melodic speed metal song, “Bad To The Bone” is a true Running Wild classic, a brilliant heavy metal rocker, and “The Battle Of Waterloo” is one of their finest epic tracks (and that says a LOT!). I could ramble on and on about the brilliant tracks on this album, but I guess that’s kinda pointless. The only track I really don’t like is "March On", which is a bonus CD track, so that doesn’t really count.

All in all, “Death Or Glory” is yet another classic Running Wild album, and arguably their finest achievement. A true heavy metal classic that every self respecting heavy rocker should own. I would go as far as saying that “Death Or Glory” is better than anything that countrymen Helloween, Gamma Ray and Iron Savior have ever put out. As Nigel Tufnel would say, “This ‘un goes to eleven!”.

1. Riding The Storm

2. Renegade

3. Evilution

4. Running Blood

5. Highland Glory (The Eternal Fight)

6. Marooned

7. Bad To The Bone

8. Tortuga Bay

9. Death Or Glory

10. The Battle Of Waterloo

11. March On

“You don’t hear the cries… cos you’re bad to the bone yeah!”

Excellent review, I am not all familiar with Running Wild and this thread is making me curious, especially with the statements like the following:

“Death
Or Glory” is a brilliant, brilliant achievement, that, in my opinion,
is in the same league as classic records like “Number Of The Beast” and
“Sad Wings Of Destiny.

Yet another killer album from the pirate-band. I guess they had managed to make quite a name for themselves by now, because EMI released this album in the UK. Opening with the awesome 'Riding The Storm' this album rarely steps down from it's glorious ride. Excellent galloping metal at it's finest. Running Wild have a unique sound, and although their music might be considered simple, they never repeat themselves, nor do they get boring. I've own a re-release with 2 bonus tracks. Unfortunately the liner-notes do not give any info on them. I've later found out that they originally were released on the 'Lead Or Gold' EP from 1992. They are also featured on the remastered version of 'Pile Of Skulls'.

The band also released a concert video from the following tour.

Killer tracks: Riding The Storm, Bad To The Bone, Tortuga Bay, Death Or Glory, Battle Of Waterloo

Port Royal - An okay release by the band. Not one of their best.I see Kmorg
doesn't like Final Gates but I think it's really cool and is the one
track from it that sticks out in my mind.

Death Or Glory - Superb release ! Riding the Storm,Evilution, and Bad to the
Bone are standout tracks.

I can definitely recommend you guys to check out "Death Or Glory", you won't regret it! The next review will probably be up tomorrow. I'll have some more free time the next couple of days (for the wrong reasons though...), so I guess I'll do the review for "Pile Of Skulls" too during the weekend.

DEATH OR GLORY is an amazing album, heavy in your face unadulterated pure metal LOL. I don't own it, but have as mp3, and I find myself listening it more than other of their albums. If anyone has a copy to sell it PM me plz

'Death or Glory' is.......... listen to 'Riding the Storm'. Just *listen* to it. All the main riffs, the way the lyrics work so perfectly, the bass role, the cymbal work. This song goes on Metal Rushmore. 'Running Blood'. 'Marooned'. 'Tortuga Bay'. Almost every song just *works* despite not having as many high highs in a row as some of the other RW albums... and this is something where, metal fans just need to absorb how the newer power metal sensibilities from Germany were blending in with older classic metal, and even hard rock, it's just utterly fantastic really, and as for the feeling....if you don't understand music like this, or 'Heaven And Hell', things like that... it's just.. you're just completely missing out on a large portion of what the core of heavy metal is.

I think next to be talked about is 'Blazon Stone'. Uhh. I stopped writing reviews, since it would have consumed my life, so.. I don't really have a review...but. 'Blazon Stone' is not quite as utterly monumental and thrilling *as an album* as the predecessor....but Rolf's voice continues on a peak performance...lyrical topics are more varied..and the album has it's share of classics.......alright, the epiphanies are making me feel like Pelata so I need to utilize a different tactic for stringing my fractured thoughts together here. The title track, which is a RW steamroller, 'Fire and Ice', 'Little Big Horn' with an unstoppable verse riff, 'White Masque', 'Rolling Wheels' - the lost Saxon anthem, and then the remaster includes the B-sides such as 'Genocide', an incredible Thin Lizzy cover. I can't really explain whether anything is 'missing' on the album, necessarily, or precisely why I like others better other than I usually want to hear songs on album B or C more than some of the songs on 'Blazon Stone'. This is still one of their best. More people have something from around the same time like 'No Prayer For The Dying' instead of this and this would serve so much better, but that's how it goes.

A classic speed metal platter and one that is sadly underrated IMO, as is most of the Running Wild catalog.

BLAZON STONE (1991) NOISE

Blazon Stone
Lonewolf
Slavery
Fire & Ice
Little Big Horn
Over The Rainbow - instrumental
White Masque
Rolling Wheels
Bloody Red Rose
Straight To Hell
Heads Or Tails
Line-up:

Rock 'n' Rolf - Lead Vocals, Guitars
Axel Morgan - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Jens Becker - Bass, Backing Vocals
AC - Drums

I find it quite amazing that Running Wild are able to release so many great albums in a row, when they in fact base all their songs on the same musical themes. Who said you can't sound great even if you aren't all that innovative? 'Blazon Stone' is another stone turned on the Running Wild journey. There isn't much else to say. But if you like the albums prior, or preceding this one, you're bound to like 'Blazon Stone' as well. Galloping heavy metal doesn't get much better than this. "Over The Rainbow" is a cool bass-solo! I'd really like to get my hands on the remastered edition though, as it contains 2 bonus tracks.

Killer tracks: Blazon Stone, Fire & Ice, Little Big Horn, White Masque

I'll start linking to songs so people can hear a bit off each album also.

Two from Blazon Stone:

let's see...uhh.. next is: Pile of Skulls (1992)



But there was no metal in the 90's...Metal died out...All the metal bands sold out/faded away..et al...et al..... Wake up AMERICA.... there's a whole other world out there too, y'know.. 203 sovereign states, or something like that. So this Running Wild album is commonly listed as a fan favorite. This is really the first overly noticeable step into introducing more theatrics into the power/speed/classic metal mix the band had been employing since 'Port Royal' and it works quite well. There are moments which feel surprisingly melodic, vocal-wise, if one is only familiar with the older material, yet once the rhythm guitar introduces the backbone, with a rather unchanged flair, the new element and approach works incredibly well. 'Lead or Gold' and especially the 12 minute 'Treasure Island' are prime examples, both taking the RW anthem formula to a different, but welcome level in the verses and choruses, and also both displaying some of the finest riffwork the band has to show, writing textbook hooks 7 albums in. Speaking of riffwork, the rhythm guitar really seems to be the star here in terms of just consistent and excellent delivery...something which is true on every RW album, but on 'Pile of Skulls' it seems to push it just a little bit more. This album has a pretty even amount of fast, midpaced, and slow songs, all with the energy and spirit expected of RW, although I feel the production puts a slight damper on things now and then..the drums fall way flat, and sometimes it seems like the mixing levels were right at the cusp of going 'into the red'. Most of the songs are great to excellent, but there's a couple of pretty forgettable songs near the middle in the form of 'Roaring Thunder', which is too slow to be over fast enough, and 'Fistful of Dynamite', which does not quite succeed in surpassing 'Bad To The Bone' in hard-rocking metal excellence, but what does? There's also 'White Buffalo', which carries an admirable message, but awkward delivery, and bites off just a little bit too much off of Judas Priest's 'Leather Rebel' in the main riff. Instead of one of these, they should have included a B-side now floating around in Internet land called 'Skulldozer', which would beef up the album with another quality speed metal song. The final criticism I have here is that 'Skulldozer' was not included on the remastered edition, though the other related B-side and single tracks were. In any case, an obvious purchase for a RW fan or a fan of any offshoot or hybrid of speed/power/classic metal.

First of all, thanks for taking over the thread, Jake. Here's my write up for 'Pile of Skulls':

I'm not entirely sure why, but this seems to be the Running Wild album I listen the least to. That doesn't mean that it is a bad album, but I somehow rarely pull this one out. It might be that this band has delivered so many good albums, it's getting harder to choose between them. Nevertheless, 'Pile Of Skulls' contains several killer metal tracks, that is easily recognized as Running Wild. I just love the galloping metal this band perfected, and a song like "Whirlwind" is the be all, end all of this genre! This particular album was released in 1992, when the record-companies were putting bonus-tracks on the CD's to prevent people from buying the LP. So the original release of 'Pile Of Skulls' has 2 bonus-tracks. But it was also remastered, and re-released in 1999, with 4 additional bonus tracks. A 2007 reissue of that is the version I now own. 3 of the 4 tracks can be found on EP's and singles released around the same time as this album. "Beggars' Night" originally appeared on the 'Under Jolly Roger' album. I just have to hand it out to Rock 'n' Rolf for delivering the goods every time!

Killer tracks: Whirlwind, Black Wings Of Death, Fistful Of Dynamite, Pile Of Skulls, Lead Or Gold

Running Wild are indeed one of those bands who never seem to get old to me and are one of my all-time favorite bands. I first heard them when I bought Under Jolly Roger back in 1988, or so. It's funny...I got the tape mainly because, at that time, the record store where I bought it had the genre description next to the price, and for UJR, it was labeled as thrash metal! I was big into thrash, so I picked it up. At first, I was like, "Man, this isn't thrash!", but I quickly got over my narrow-minded disappointment, haha. I about wore out that tape. Port Royal and Death Or Glory followed soon thereafter; although I never did happen to get the first two albums. Probably because I never saw them in the store back then.

I still have some albums to acquire on CD, though. I have Under Jolly Roger, Port Royal, Death Or Glory, Pile Of Skulls, Masquerade, and Black Hand Inn, so far. All excellent albums, and I'm glad I got them when I did, 'cuz they're up there in price, now! I also have some kind of Russian bootleg of Port Royal and The First Years Of Piracy on one disc, and 'Years' is spelled 'Nears', haha...plus, 2 or 3 of the tracks from TFYOP aren't on there like they should be. Still kind of a neat thing to have, even though I was a little irritated when it came in and I saw what it was. Good thing I didn't pay much for it.

I never did get to see Running Wild live, but it's not surprising, since I live in the States and they didn't tour over here much. However, if Toxic Taste ever gets over here one day and I see them, I'm gonna have all my RW discs with me for Rolf to sign, haha!

Running Wild rule. I don't really see how any self-respecting metalhead can NOT like them to one degree or another.

@ Orion Crystal Ice: thanks for taking over the thread! I've been very busy the last couple of months, and it'll probably remain that way for another good two months. I'll still drop by every now and then to give my opinion on a Running Wild album though. However, I will do a write up on what I consider to be Running Wild's finest effort....

BLACK HAND INN (1994)



It's 1994, and it's been two years since the last Running Wild album. Pile Of Skulls was definitely a great effort by these veteran German metallers, but on Black Hand Inn herr Rolf Kasparek and his band of Teutonic pirates delivered their magnum opus, a 65 minute heavy metal rollercoaster ride. Every single track on this full length is 100% classic Running Wild. The production is absolutely flawless, and the drumming (courtesy of herr Jörg Michael) is INSANE! Just listen to the drumming when the title track begins... mindblowing! It's like this guy is a damn octopus! But overall, there's not a whole lot to say here. Black Hand Inn is a metal classic that every selfrespecting fan of oldfashioned heavy/power/speed metal should own.

A friend of mine bought this album as a new release, and I remember we almost played his CD to death! This is another one of my favorite albums by this band. All the songs are excellent, just as on 'Under Jolly Roger'. So when I was lucky enough to find a Japanese version, with digital remastering and 2 bonus tracks, I grabbed it! These tracks have later been put on regular European reissues as well, but I'm still glad I picked this CD up back then. "Genesis" is a 15 minute plus epic track. Great cover-artwork, penned by the famous Andreas Marschall (In Flames, Grave Digger etc.).
Killer tracks: Another one with only great songs!

These last 3 (Blazon Stone,Pile Of Skulls,& Black Hand Hill) are home runs in my book. Each one is solid. I've been lucky enough to get the remastered discs with the bonus songs.Standout tracks for me are : Blazon Stone,Black Hand Inn,The Privateer,Lead Or Gold, and White Buffalo.