Rvnning Wild!

Easy choice for me: Port Royal! Followed by Pile of Skulls.

MetallicSeminarian wrote:

I need to get something from this band. I've been interested in checking them out for a while.

Check them out on Spotify. Most of their albums are available. That's how I got into them.

One of my favorite bands ever, Running Wild are. I haven't heard all their albums though, mainly due to them being so tough to find at a decent price. I do have several, though, and very glad I got them when I did, since shortly thereafter they all shot up in price.

Favorite album? Pretty tough to say...it depends on which one I'm more on the mood for on any given day. Today it would probably be Black Hand Inn.

To answer the thread question which it seems I glossed over ...

It is very hard for me to choose just one or two albums so instead I will rank them in order (loosely) of favorite to ... 'least' favorite...

1. Death or Glory
2. Black Hand Inn
3. Port Royal
4. Masquerade
5. Blazon Stone
6. The Rivlary
7. Pile of Skulls
8. Under Jolly Roger
9. Gates to Purgatory
10. Victory
11. The Brotherhood
12. Rogues En Vogue
13. Shadowmaker
14. Branded and Exiled

I think the first and last are the easiest I can rank with certainty. I never really like Branded and Exiled much. To my ears it doesn't really sound like Running Wild. Not that the debut had RW's signature sound either but unlike Branded, Gates to Purgatory is a speedy affair. Branded sounds kinda sloppy and boring to my ears. It is my least favorite even over the newer albums, which though ranking rather low are still very enjoyable to me.

As for the best - Death or Glory is a no brainer. The songs are very well written, the band sounds very tight and the production is considerably better than the first 4 albums. But what really stands out most on this album are the epic tracks Death or Glory and Battle of Waterloo.

After Death or Glory it becomes harder to rank RW's 90s albums. Despite the 90s being unfriendly towards metal, RW endured and excelled musically. Unfortunately they remained as firmly planted in the metal underground as they were in the 80s - it just wasn't meant to be. Notwithstanding from Blazon Stone all the way through the Rivalry (essentially the entire 90s decade) there were no other power metal bands that came close to their sound. It is hard to choose the better album from those six 90s outputs as they are all great.

The Rivarly imo is the last truly classic sounding Running Wild album. Unfortunately RW's classic period dawned and ended in the same decade that was largely unfriendly to heavy metal bands.

Alex Dee Rokket wrote:

To answer the thread question which it seems I glossed over ...

It is very hard for me to choose just one or two albums so instead I will rank them in order (loosely) of favorite to ... 'least' favorite...

1. Death or Glory
2. Black Hand Inn
3. Port Royal
4. Masquerade
5. Blazon Stone
6. The Rivlary
7. Pile of Skulls
8. Under Jolly Roger
9. Gates to Purgatory
10. Victory
11. The Brotherhood
12. Rogues En Vogue
13. Shadowmaker
14. Branded and Exiled

I think the first and last are the easiest I can rank with certainty. I never really like Branded and Exiled much. To my ears it doesn't really sound like Running Wild. Not that the debut had RW's signature sound either but unlike Branded, Gates to Purgatory is a speedy affair. Branded sounds kinda sloppy and boring to my ears. It is my least favorite even over the newer albums, which though ranking rather low are still very enjoyable to me.

As for the best - Death or Glory is a no brainer. The songs are very well written, the band sounds very tight and the production is considerably better than the first 4 albums. But what really stands out most on this album are the epic tracks Death or Glory and Battle of Waterloo.

After Death or Glory it becomes harder to rank RW's 90s albums. Despite the 90s being unfriendly towards metal, RW endured and excelled musically. Unfortunately they remained as firmly planted in the metal underground as they were in the 80s - it just wasn't meant to be. Notwithstanding from Blazon Stone all the way through the Rivalry (essentially the entire 90s decade) there were no other power metal bands that came close to their sound. It is hard to choose the better album from those six 90s outputs as they are all great.

The Rivarly imo is the last truly classic sounding Running Wild album. Unfortunately RW's classic period dawned and ended in the same decade that was largely unfriendly to heavy metal bands.

I agree about Branded and Exiled. Rolf's voice got on my nerves in that one, and the music just kind of plods along. It's like they hadn't developed that melodic punch that came later.

I really dig 'Branded' even though Rolf's voice is a little unsure. Definitely think it's better than the debut. The only song I don't like is 'Evil Spirit', zzzz. It's good a clean production too, but which also happens to be very square in the period it came out. It's absolutely bare-bones in every sense Running Wild, which does require me to be in that exact mood, but when I am it's perfect.

Realm of Shades, duh duh duhhhh, the empire of the naaaaaghhtt

Orion Crystal Ice wrote:

I really dig 'Branded' even though Rolf's voice is a little unsure.

The title track from that album is one of my favorite Running Wild songs.

After going through this thread, I decided to give Black Hand Inn and Blazon Glory some more listens on Spotify. I'm still not crazy about Blazon, but I'm really getting into Black Hand Inn. It has moved up to third on my favorite Running Wild list.

80s Metal Lady wrote:

Orion Crystal Ice wrote:

I really dig 'Branded' even though Rolf's voice is a little unsure.

The title track from that album is one of my favorite Running Wild songs.

After going through this thread, I decided to give Black Hand Inn and Blazon Glory some more listens on Spotify.  I'm still not crazy about Blazon, but I'm really getting into Black Hand Inn. It has moved up to third on my favorite Running Wild list.

I've noticed a lot of RW fans aren't crazy about Blazon Stone. Why is this?

corplhicks wrote:

80s Metal Lady wrote:

Orion Crystal Ice wrote:

I really dig 'Branded' even though Rolf's voice is a little unsure.

The title track from that album is one of my favorite Running Wild songs.

After going through this thread, I decided to give Black Hand Inn and Blazon Glory some more listens on Spotify.  I'm still not crazy about Blazon, but I'm really getting into Black Hand Inn. It has moved up to third on my favorite Running Wild list.

I've noticed a lot of RW fans aren't crazy about Blazon Stone. Why is this?

It's like everything is in there, but charisma is missing. The overall level of songs is somewhat lower. And that drum sound.

Title track from 'Blazon Stone' is killer, so is 'Fire And Ice', 'White Masque', 'Little Big Horn'.... 'Rolling Wheels' is a little awkward lyrically, but it also sounds like Saxon, so that's okay... 'Straight To Hell', good song..... I don't really dig the last couple of tracks and then 'Lonewolf' doesn't do anything for me at all..... I think it's a really good album, so it would definitely never go far down my list. I might like it better than 'Pile of Skulls', because that album starts killer and then has like 3 songs I completely skip in the middle...a few more high points but then it rules everything with 'Treasure Island'. But I think that album is more inconsistent than 'Blazon Stone' and the production is far worse. What it may be for some is that 'Blazon Stone' plays it very safe and there's not really both an epic and a speed monster like people are used to..... but again, it's high quality....all RW is, really, save the last two, maybe three...and then I just plain don't like about 60% of 'The Rivalry'...

When I first discovered RW in 2004ish, it was by way of a comp containing the song "Under Jolly Roger". That song ruled, but I could never find the album.

The two that I came across locally were Gates to Purgatory and Pile of Skulls. I didn't really care Gates that much, but Pile of Skulls was awesome. So that's my vote, based on that small amount.

I'll go out on a limb here and say that Blazon Stone was Running Wild's attempt at sounding more commercial. There are a bunch of songs that try to go for a more simplistic, chorus / drum based formula. I just don't think their sense of a commercial sound fit with what was considered commercial in the early 90s...

Blazon Stone would have done better commercially had it been released around 1985 - 1987 but by 1992 this sound in a commercial sense was kinda 'dated'.

That said, I like Blazon Stone just fine. It's not their strongest from this period but it is kinda the beginning of a new sound too for Running Wild one they would improve upon with the likes of Pile of Skulls and Black Hand Inn.

Talk about searching for a calf under the bull  

Blazon Stone suffers due to the loss of a major songwriter in the absence of Majk Moti. That's where the difference in sound and simplicity comes from, nothing much, nothing less.

well I've just felt the urge to post my top 10 RW songs, so observe in wonder how right I am:

1. Riding The Storm
2. Under Jolly Roger
3. Masquerade
4. Treasure Island
5. Blazon Stone
6. Conquistadores
7. Lions Of The Sea
8. Siberian Winter
9. Marching To Die
10. Black Hand Inn

oh mannnn  

How would you define Running Wild's sound?

I often see them lumped either in the speed or power metal category. They are also often categorised along other supposedly similar German bands such as Grave Digger and Rage. I don't see any of those bands having anything in common other than playing speedy riffs but that alone imo is not a sufficient connection.

For me, Running Wild's sound is a mix of Thin Lizzy (whom they have covered on several occassions), Judas Priest and Iron Maiden.

Alex Dee Rokket wrote:

How would you define Running Wild's sound?

I often see them lumped either in the speed or power metal category. They are also often categorised along other supposedly similar German bands such as Grave Digger and Rage. I don't see any of those bands having anything in common other than playing speedy riffs but that alone imo is not a sufficient connection.

For me, Running Wild's sound is a mix of Thin Lizzy (whom they have covered on several occassions), Judas Priest and Iron Maiden.

That last paragraph is a perfect equation. Well said.

Orion Crystal Ice wrote:

well I've just felt the urge to post my top 10 RW songs, so observe in wonder how right I am:

My #1 didn't make your list: "Uaschitschun."

I went with Black Hand Inn. I think it is their most complete effort.

Orion Crystal Ice wrote:

well I've just felt the urge to post my top 10 RW songs, so observe in wonder how right I am:

Here's mine (as of now):

1. Uaschitschun (from Port Royal)
2. Port Royal (from Port Royal)
3. Hanged, Drawn And Quartered (bonus on Pile Of Skulls)
4. Conquistadores (from Port Royal)
5. Win Or Be Drowned (bonus on Pile Of Skulls)
6. Pirate Song (from The Brotherhood)
7. Under Jolly Roger (from Under Jolly Roger)
8. Prisoner Of Our Time (from Gates To Purgatory)
9. Branded And Exiled (from Branded And Exiled)
10. Riding On The Tide (from Shadowmaker)

Those 'Pile of Skulls' bonus tracks are all really good. I like the version of 'Uaschitschun' which is on there too.

I almost picked 'Port Royal' over 'Conquistadores' too but ...dat dual guitar solo.  

How is the Ballad of William Kidd not on your list?

 

This thread inspired me to invest in some Running Wild. I acquired Under Jolly Roger and dug it quite a bit (especially the title track and "Diamonds of the Black Chest"). I just purchased Black Hand Inn, as well.

These guys are good.

Awesome! Two classics!

MetallicSeminarian wrote:

 

This thread inspired me to invest in some Running Wild. I acquired Under Jolly Roger and dug it quite a bit (especially the title track and "Diamonds of the Black Chest"). I just purchased Black Hand Inn, as well.

These guys are good.

I purchased Black Hand Inn after reading this thread, too. It is now my third favorite Running Wild album after Port Royal and Pile of Skulls (it might even surpass Pile of Skulls). Those are the three albums to get 3 votes in this poll, too. I also may need to make room for "The Privateer" or "Fight The Fire Of Hate" in my Top 10 Running Wild Songs list.

I'm surprised Under Jolly Roger didn't get much more love.