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They have been a safe haven for all lovers of the purest heavy metal, the kind that reeks of beer and whiskey. Their piratical and combative attitude has guaranteed them a strong position within the Valhalla of classic metal, a position reinforced by works like "Under Jolly Roger," "Port Royal," "Death or Glory," "Blazon Stone," "Black Hand Inn." The symbolic figure of the German band, the captain who never abandoned the ship, is the vocalist and leader Rolf Kasparek. Since the birth of Running Wild, in the mid-70s, he has been the pivot of the entire artistic creation of the group.
Within their long career, dotted with excellent works and others less successful, "Masquerade" is considered by many as the album that marked the beginning of the "decline," although the Germans have continued with passion and dedication their long musical journey. The year 1995 is the release year of "Masquerade," the ninth studio album of Running Wild, which like the others (except for the first two), carries on the band's "pirate philosophy" that owes part of its success also to the choice of surrounding themselves with that repertoire of images that have associated them with the world of naval battles, the adventures of pirates and corsairs.
This is the atmosphere that can be felt in the furious speed of the title track, the first emblem of the band's style: nothing remotely akin to orchestras and various melodic experiments. The sound of Kasparek and Herrmann's guitars, along with Jorg Michael's drums, dominate everything and are the congenial elements of that artistically combative spirit that has distinguished them for thirty years. The same script applies to "Demonized" and "Black Soul", even more accentuated in the two splendid "Lions of the Sea" and "Rebel at Heart" where the choruses seem to come out of albums like "Port Royal" or "Pile of Skulls." Two tracks that showcase the maritime world that inspires the band, thus inspiring Kasparek, being the person thanks to whom Running Wild managed to continue existing. In fact, he has changed his lineup partners many times, while remaining the "supreme leader" of the band, so much so that some have highlighted this factor and declared that Running Wild can very well be considered as a solo project of Rock 'n' Rolf.
"Masquerade" is the perfect reflection of its creator, that is, a heavy metal composer who probably had exhausted the best and was proceeding more out of compositional inertia than urgency, driven mainly by passion, always remarkable in Kasparek. In fact, despite the good episodes mentioned, this album adds nothing new to the glorious German band, given the second half of the CD: powerful in sound, weak in ideas. Songs like "Soleil Royal" and "Men in Black" are for Running Wild only exercises in style.
With "Masquerade," the last part of Running Wild's professional path begins, where the glory of some previous works will never be reached again. This slow descent led Rolf Kasparek to end their story with "Rogues en Vogue" in 2005, being aware of the musical exhaustion the band moniker had reached. This withdrawal from the scene is the farewell of a true musician: certainly not as famous as others, probably not very technically gifted but who knew how to compensate for all this with a passion and attitude out of the ordinary. To him my admiration.
1. "The Contract - The Crypts Of Hades" (2:19)
2. "Masquerade" (4:20)
3. "Demonized" (4:40)
4. "Black Soul" (5:17)
5. "Lions Of The Sea" (5:48)
6. "Rebel At Heart" (5:44)
7. "Wheel Of Doom" (4:02)
8. "Metalhead" (4:56)
9. "Soleil Royal" (4:45)
10. "Men In Black" (4:35)
11. "Underworld" (6:14)
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
02 Masquerade (04:20)
Masked souls and blackest minds, mandrakes of the dark
Pitch and poison in their veins, they wear the evil's mark
Corruption, hate and deepest scorn they teach
"Obey and work!" the holy law they preach
They've sold your soul, your flesh and blood to the whims of evil gods
They've changed the world to hell on earth to save their evil plots
With murder, war and treachery they rule
If you trust in their machinery you're a fool
Masquerade, hiding their black-heart
Masquerade, evil and dark
Masquerade, treason and lies
Masquerade, covers their evil eyes
They rule the world by telling lies, dripping poison in your ear
Keeping up appearances, revelation is their fear
They control your mind with hate and evil lies
Religion is the devil in disguise
Masquerade, hiding their black-heart
Masquerade, evil and dark
Masquerade, treason and lies
Masquerade, covers their evil eyes
So open up your clouded eyes the conspiracy to see
If you wipe away their evil world, there's a chance of living free
The ancient tales tell holy laws: The truth!
So be aware of what they are and they'll lose
Masquerade, hiding their black-heart
Masquerade, evil and dark
Masquerade, treason and lies
Masquerade, covers their evil eyes
Masquerade, hiding their black-heart
Masquerade, evil and dark
Masquerade, treason and lies
Masquerade, covers their evil eyes
03 Demonized (04:40)
Modern man is going crazy, the whole world is going mad
The atmosphere is going hazy, they loot the world until its dead
The hell of war that rages on, the law of hate that's everywhere
Falling bombs a billion tons, plunge the world into dispair
An evil, frightening nightmare that rules the world until the end
No change and no redemption will come until the evil's banned
Demonized, the machinery pollutes the air
Demonized, atomic bombs that sow dispair
Politicians rule the lie, misuse the law to make their pile
Corrupted whores of deepest dye, they ruin the world, but they
keep their smile
An evil, frightening nightmare that rules the world until the end
No change and no redemption will come until the evil's banned
Demonized, the machinery pollutes the air
Demonized, atomic bombs that sow dispair
They invade the world with blinded rage
Revealing truth'locked to a cage
War and death their evil seed
They hold their power on dirty deeds
Religious con-men are catching souls, take the money that's rolling in
They cheat the world to save their goals, let children die while
they pray and sing
An evil, frightening nightmare that rules the world until the end
No change and no redemption will come until the evil's banned
Demonized, the machinery pollutes the air
Demonized, atomic bombs that sow dispair
Demonized, corrupted men that pray the lie
Demonized, they save the money let people die
"That rotten bastards!"
05 Lions of the Sea (05:49)
Strong and proud the cruise, black banner at the top
The spoondrift hits the bow, they round the reefs and rocks
The voice of freedom whispers in the rushing wind
They roam the raging sea on their gliding wings
They fight the black to save the truth
They fight the scorning lie
Oppressions wall they will destroy
They'll fight it till they die
Lions of the sea
They ride the wind eternally
They fight to be free
Roaming the seven seas of fate
They save their souls from black, from its evil void
Facing the challenge its coldness to destroy
They deny the temporal power, they deny their evil lies
They're strain at the leash until the evil dies
They fight the black to save the truth
They fight the scorning lie
Oppressions wall they will destroy
They'll fight it till they die
Lions of the sea
They ride the wind eternally
They fight to be free
Roaming the seven seas of fate
They brave the sea eternally, they tame the raging waves
Freedom is their destiny, the sea will be their grave
Strong and proud the cruise, black banner at the top
The spoondrift hits the bow, they round the reefs and rocks
The voice of freedom whispers in the rushing wind
They roam the raging sea on their gliding wings
They fight the black to save the truth
They fight the scorning lie
Oppressions wall they will destroy
They'll fight it till they die
Lions of the sea
They ride the wind eternally
They fight to be free
Roaming the seven seas of fate
Lions of the sea
They ride the wind eternally
They fight to be free
Roaming the seven seas of fate
07 Wheel of Doom (04:02)
Religious madness is made to rule,
fights the sceptic with hate
Blind believers, the credulous fool,
weak and delivered to fate
A slave to science, prejudice-view,
its constant dogma is law
Caught in dumbness, no mind, no clue,
ignorant down to the core
It's you, keeping the hand on the wheel
It's you, ruling the fate
It's you, keeping the power to change the world
Before it's too late
The wheel of doom, turning circles
The wheel of doom, your hand on the wheel
The wheel of doom, light or darkness
The wheel of doom, no lieing, no deal
They cheat and lie and lie and cheat,
stagnation is serving their aim
Materialists gonna feed their greed,
praising the evil's name
Blinded tools made to obey, no mind,
no thoughts, no repend
Deny the truth and you'll have to pay,
you ruin yourself at the end
It's you, keeping the hand on the wheel
It's you, ruling the fate
It's you, keeping the power to change the world
Before it's too late
The wheel of doom, turning circles
The wheel of doom, your hand on the wheel
The wheel of doom, light or darkness
The wheel of doom, no lieing, no deal
Don't stuck on relics that block your way,
don't be a wheel in their gear
So free yourself or you'll have to pay,
open your eyes wipe away your fear
It's you, keeping the hand on the wheel
It's you, ruling the fate
It's you, keeping the power to change the world
Before it's too late
The wheel of doom, turning circles
The wheel of doom, your hand on the wheel
The wheel of doom, light or darkness
The wheel of doom, no lieing, no deal
11 Underworld (06:14)
Evil souls and blackest hearts, lurking in the night A darkened race, so mean and sly, they keep away from light Ancient words tell dreadful tales about the other side About its world where demons live and where the evil hides They invade the world with war and pain to save their evil aim Their power's build on blackest lies, but man will pay its price Underworld, the centre of the blackest heart Underworld, where the evil side hides in the dark They've ruled the world through history, the lords of war and crime Military and government, they're brought into line Men in black, they cover up the sight of U.F.O.'s Their power's save as long as there is no one who knows! They invade the world with war and pain to save their evil aim Their power's build on blackest lies, but man will pay its price Underworld, the centre of the blackest heart Underworld, where the evil side hides in the dark Churches built on holy spots its energy to ban Exposing truth, who's the church? blackest kind of men Religion's made to obscure the mind, living on its lies Who's the one to wear its crown? the devil! no disguise! They invade the world with war and pain to save their evil aim Their power's build on blackest lies, but man will pay its price Underworld, the centre of the blackest heart Underworld, where the evil side hides in the dark Underworld, where laws were made to hide the truth Underworld, where evilness and darkness rules You have eyes to see, nevertheless you see nothing! You have a soul to feel, nevertheless you feel nothing! You have a mind to know, nevertheless you know nothing! That is the way we want you to be!!! HO HO HO...
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