Running Wild - Under Jolly Roger

Running Wild… One of the very few names that bound their name with true heavy metal by creating their unique sound, releasing wonderful LPs, performing greatly at their live shows and gaining thousands of fanatic followers and enemies in the same time.\r\n

\r\nThe trademark band of German – and not only – power metal, announced its final split-up a few days ago with a statement from their leader Rock N Rolf (Rolf Kasparek) and filled its fans all over the world and all fans of true heavy metal with grief! Hard times for pirates, aye Captain Rolf?
\r\nWhat needs to be done now is to start with a monument to the great Germans – and I say “start” because I am sure that there will be many more monuments referring to Running Wild’s great “pieces of eight”.\r\n

\r\n

\r\nRunning Wild started performing together in 1976 under the name “Granite Heart” and took the name Running Wild in the early 80s, when they released a few demos and finally made it in the “Death Metal” collection along with Celtic Frost and Helloween, finally seeing the songs they created being printed in vinyl. In 1984 the released “Gates to Purgatory” which moves in dark metal sounds and their well known concept. In the same wavelength is their second album “Branded and Exhiled” of 1985. Those are two very good speed albums, flawless and raw, but the best is yet to come…
\r\nWe are in 1987 now and Majk Moti, Stephen Boriss and Wolfgang “Hasche” Hageman under the guidance of Captain Kasparek create the corner stone “Under the Jolly Roger”, with new wind in their sails, their trademark concept, the polyphonic parts and the smell of rum being embedded in the vinyl. The Running Wild machine took off for good having created what many call “Pirate Metal” –  at which no other band can compete with them until now.
\r\nNo matter how much I talk about the ultimate “Under the Jolly Roger” it will only be another drop in the gallons of rum that the album carries in the pirate ship that appears on its cover. The album creates a unique feeling, an unbelievable groove, amazing riffs, a great rhythm section and the captain’s voice sounds through the storm… “Ship Ahoy… Man on the Canons Fire!!!”\r\n

\r\n

\r\nMonumental songs like the same named “Under the Jolly Roger”, “Diamonds of the Black Chest”, “War in the Gutter”, “Raw Ride”, “Raise Your Fist” and of course the ultimate “slap in the face” of politicians song “Merciless Game” – as well of course as all the album – are priceless monuments that the old folks look back to and the new ones discover.\r\n

\r\n

\r\n“Under the Jolly Roger” was the stepping stone for Running Wild’s new ID, which they perfected with “Port Royal”, “Death or Glory”, “Pile of Skulls”, “Black Hand Inn” and practically every album since, and even though each one sounded very much like the previous, there was always something new in it besides the music which remained thick and old like the treasure map in the LP’s inner sleeve!!!
\r\nTo sum up, I wish to tell Captain Rolf the following 4 verses – and maybe he will change his mind about abandoning the pirate ship in the reefs of Records Labels:
\r\n

\r\n

\r\n

\r\n

\r\n

\r\n \r\n

\r\n

\r\nLambros “The Privateer” Tennes
\r\nTranslation: Iro Kapeloni\r\n\r\n

\r\n