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Rating: Running Wild
Black Hand Inn
1994, Noise Records
Heavy
On that abrasive riff, I left a part of myself, and since then, Running Wild has remained one of my favorite bands. That song, the first "pirates of metal" track my ears encountered about ten years ago, was "Soulless", and I still remember perfectly being completely blown away, hit and sunk without escape by a marvelous music that energized me like never before.
A pirate with rum in one hand and an electric guitar in the other for a heavy metal of unique compactness, classic to the core: pure 100% distillate. No room for keyboards, acoustic guitars, or orchestrations of any kind. Rolf Kasparek and his crew have been playing since the early '80s with two sharp guitars, a powerful rhythm section, and his hypnotic, dirty, and penetrating voice. Between the late '80s and the late '90s, Running Wild, although known by few compared to their skill, laid down the law in Europe by giving birth to an impressive series of historical cornerstones indispensable to anyone with the slightest knowledge. Massive boulders that have become classics answering to names like "Death Or Glory", "Under Jolly Roger", "Port Royal", "Pile Of Skulls", "The Rivalry" or even this "Black Hand Inn". Produced with piratical lyrics and capable of withstanding the test of time: examples of simple music without any compromise, played and interpreted with the right mix of passion, technique, and sonic dirt. Their songs often have a sustained tempo that, live, can move crowds in ecstasy; rising marches that culminate in anthems to be sung, shouted without any vocal cleanliness, simply turning up the stereo volume to the maximum.
For a good part of the "Black Hand Inn" journey, we really feel like we're on the deck of a galleon, chewing salt and battling an impetuous stormy sea. After the spoken intro, which explains the CD title, they launch an assault with a trio of aces that will leave you awestruck. The title track showcases Jorg Michael's (Stratovarius) talent for a crushing hit where seconds flow until reaching the anthem chorus repeated to obsession. "Mr Deadhead" is a continuous assault on our hearing, with Rolf leading with a seamless riffing in symbiosis with a dirty, low voice capable of capturing us until the metal encyclopedia-worthy break. We are already in a state of pure ecstasy considering the two hits we have just savored, but when the crescendo riffing of "Soulless" begins, we feel the blood boiling in our veins. We'll probably feel the need to re-experience a devastating metallic intro that takes us into the heart of an unyielding ride starting from the verses and continuing through the bridge and a chorus well-embedded in my mind. Chapeau. We are only at song number #4, with over 40 sumptuous minutes of music still to go, and the Running Wild of Black Hand Inn have soared and disappeared from the horizon, while the others struggle to stay in the wake of an uncatchable galleon.
One of the most static and monothematic formations of a genre that, in itself, is hardly open to innovation. The natural consequence is that this powerful and genuine gem will only and exclusively appeal to those who appreciate such music. For everyone else, it would be just a futile waste of time as Rolf 'n Rock has never sought to increase his number of fans by compromising. He only aims to gain approval from those who have this genre in their veins and feel a long thrill when they hear a good riff. Over a hundred reviews for Iron Maiden and not even the entire discography for Running Wild on Debaser. Well, what a disappointment! If you don't know them, buy it blind.
TRACKLIST
- The Curse
- Black Hand Inn
- Mr. Deadhead
- Soulless
- The Privateer
- Fight The Fire Of Hate
- The Phantom Of Black Hand Hill
- Freewind Rider
- Powder & Iron
- Dragonmen
- Genesis (The Making and The Fall of Man).
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 The Curse (03:13)
[Inquisator:]
John, you have been found guilty of being in league with the
devil and of having used heathen and forbidden rituals.
You will be committed to the purifying fire!
So repent of your unholy sins that your soul can be saved
from eternal hell!
[John:]
Your lies can't impress me, cause the truth will come to light!
Yes! I will set a mark for that I will return to reveal the
holy truth and who's the true evil!!
[Inquisator:]
So you will die by the fire!
Light up the stake!!
And the young man was burned at the stake.
One charred black hand was all that was left of him.
From that day on the hill of stakes was called Black Hand Hill
and was avoided.
And then it all began!!!
03 Mr. Deadhead (04:03)
Brainless and narrow minded, a blockhead all the way
Prejudice's your religion, your maxim's to betray
Evil and overbearing, stupid cupidity
A mean and rotten racist, your fall is what I foresee
Tunes of hate, dirty lies and prate
Envy is poisoning your soul
Evil blood, you try to hatch a plot
But you'll never reach your goal
Mr. Deadhead, venomous toad
Mr. Deadhead, your soul will rot
Mr. Deadhead, habitual liar
Mr. Deadhead, hate's your desire
A slave to evilness, you'll face the truth
No more venom-lies, you will pay your dues
Hatred ate your heart, tearing your soul apart
The devil veils your soul with eternal dark
Tunes of hate, dirty lies and prate
Envy is poisoning your soul
Evil blood, you try to hatch a plot
But you'll never reach your goal
Mr. Deadhead, venomous toad
Mr. Deadhead, your soul will rot
Mr. Deadhead, habitual liar
Mr. Deadhead, hate's your desire
Brainless and narrow minded, a blockhead all the way
Prejudice's your religion, your maxim's to betray
Evil and overbearing, stupid cupidity
A mean and rotten racist, your fall is what I foresee
Tunes of hate, dirty lies and prate
Envy is poisoning your soul
Evil blood, you try to hatch a plot
But you'll never reach your goal
Mr. Deadhead, venomous toad
Mr. Deadhead, your soul will rot
Mr. Deadhead, habitual liar
Mr. Deadhead, hate's your desire
04 Soulless (04:57)
Spineless and false you are creeping through time
Your flag's turning with the wind, your advantage is prime
Feathering your neat is your one and only law
Treachery and fraud is the sense that you are living for
Living on a lie, a mind-killing spell
You'll never ever learn cause you're living in your self-made hell
You're soulless, when the fire of evil burns in your heart
You're soulless, cause hate and greed's gonna tear you apart
The sledgehammer method is the way in which you act
You double-cross and cheat, you never show respect
Spiderlike you crawl, you spin your web of lies
Eternally you'll lose, cause truth will rule the dice
Living on a lie, a mind-killing spell
You'll never ever learn cause you're living in your self-made hell
You're soulless, when the fire of evil burns in your heart
You're soulless, cause hate and greed's gonna tear you apart
Conceited and dense, imposture is your call
Selfdestructed clown, imbecility is your fall
Reality and truth cut you down to size
Duck your rotten head, be prepared to pay the price
Living on a lie, a mind-killing spell
You'll never ever learn cause you're living in your self-made hell
You're soulless, when the fire of evil burns in your heart
You're soulless, cause hate and greed's gonna tear you apart
You're soulless, when the fire of evil burns in your heart
You're soulless, cause hate and greed's gonna tear you apart
You're soulless
You're soulless, heart of stone
You're soulless
You're soulless, bad to the bone
05 The Privateer (04:21)
The privateer is watching, the moon provides the only light
Roaring winds are blowing, a flag appears out of the night
Guns are spitting fire, the cannonball tears up the rail
The vessel's changing course, the thunderstorm blows up the sail
A furious fight is raging, red-hot cannon's shooting hard
Ironballs are flying, tearing all the planks apart
His allseeing spy-glass is aiming at the sea
No mariner has the slightest chance to flee
His crystal ball's revealing where he has to steer
He fights the covered evil without a fear
Oh, the privateer
The sea-dog's realmed in legends, it said he had the second sight
His assignment must be holy, he fought the fight with power and pride
The key to ancient wisdom, the power to have seen the truth
He'll return to holy ground, where his tortured soul had died in youth
His allseeing spy-glass is aiming at the sea
No mariner has the slightest chance to flee
His crystal ball's revealing where he has to steer
He fights the covered evil without a fear
Oh, the privateer
His allseeing spy-glass is aiming at the sea
No mariner has the slightest chance to flee
His crystal ball's revealing where he has to steer
He fights the covered evil without a fear
Oh, the privateer
10 Dragonmen (05:42)
Flying shields across the sky, the dragon's firebreathing
Metallic wagon rides the wind, blinding lights releasing
A stirring phenomenon is lighting up the darkened sky
Magnetic stream on the soil, a whirring sound when dragons fly
They ride the wind on metallic wings
Envoys of the invisible council
At the speed of light, lighting up the night
Watching where the evil will break through
Piktograms have spread the word, unadulterated truth
Rediscovered holy laws, man's honesty to prove
They ride the wind on metallic wings
Envoys of the invisible council
At the speed of light, lighting up the night
Watching where the evil will break through
The holy dragonmen, trailblazers of a new age
Riding the universe to force the evil to its cage
The holy dragonmen, watching the fallen soul
Roaming eternity to save the truth, the highest goal
The holy dragonpaths, flowing streams of energy
The breath of life is in its veins, where the spirit's running free
Dragonmen will bring the truth, ancient wisdom of their mind
The untruth's the easier way, is truth made for mankind?
They ride the wind on metallic wings
Envoys of the invisible council
At the speed of light, lighting up the night
Watching where the evil will break through
The holy dragonmen, trailblazers of a new age
Riding the universe to force the evil to its cage
The holy dragonmen, watching the fallen soul
Roaming eternity to save the truth, the highest goal
Flying shields across the sky, the dragon's firebreathing
Metallic wagon rides the wind, blinding lights releasing
A stirring phenomenon is lighting up the darkened sky
Magnetic stream on the soil, a whirring sound when dragons fly
They ride the wind on metallic wings
Envoys of the invisible council
At the speed of light, lighting up the night
Watching where the evil will break through
The holy dragonmen, trailblazers of a new age
Riding the universe to force the evil to its cage
The holy dragonmen, watching the fallen soul
Roaming eternity to save the truth, the highest goal
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Other reviews
By Harlan
‘Black Hand Inn’ is actually much more than just an album; it’s a concept album revolving around the figure of a man unjustly accused of having sold his soul to the devil.
Fast and powerful tracks like the title-track and ‘The Privateer’ will undoubtedly make you stand up, compelling you to keep the rhythm fervently.
