Running Wild
Shadowmaker

Why Rolf, why?

Imagine having lived an almost perfect life, with a few ups and downs, but so insignificant that they could even be omitted, and suddenly finding yourself in your living room, staring at the fire, and saying a firm no. Enough. What I could give, I gave, and to the best of my performance. I made no wrong choices, and I don't want to make any, so that's it. Choices like these can only be accompanied by loud applause. Here, Running Wild probably perfectly embody this scene. How many bands in their career have had at least one flop album, the one that didn't spare them from criticism, the one no one expected, the one that even after a hundred listens makes you want to throw it out the window? Then yes, you can also start again in great fashion, but rest assured that no one will forget that little black stain. No matter how much you try to erase it, it will never go away. But let's get back to us.

In 2005, the group led by the indomitable Rock 'N Rolf released Rogues En Vogue, an album that sounded exactly as it should, in the typical manner of the group, albeit with an obviously digital drum "played" by the masterful Angelo Sasso. What? You don't know him? Come on... A compilation would be released the following year, but after that, nothing. Lack of ideas, unwillingness to tour, some ailments here and there, these were the reasons for the breakup according to Rock 'N Rolf. To celebrate the band's farewell, in 2009 Running Wild performed at Wacken Open Air, a concert that would also be immortalized on DVD, released two years later. Between 2009 and 2012, Rock 'N Rolf was asked for re-recordings of their most famous albums, as they were now out of print, but with some bonus tracks attached. Writing and writing, Rolf realized: "Why publish them as bonus tracks? I'll reform Running Wild and make a new album!" Bad choice, Rolf, very bad choice. And this, my friends, is the birth of the album I am about to review, "Shadowmaker."

Let's take it in order. Rather questionable cover, sparse, ugly, lacking the official mascot of the group, Adrian. Honestly, it always reminded me of Darth Vader, and frankly with the music, I don't know what it has to do with it. I will avoid the track by track, also on the advice of a couple of users who gave me this tip, but also because an album like "Shadowmaker" doesn't need it. From catchy tracks that can even be passable like "Piece Of Action" or "I Am Who I Am," it moves to embarrassing songs like "Me & The Boys" which wants to be a new AOR song, but with some very questionable riffs and lyrics that might be okay for Steel Panther so childish as it is, it's surely one of the flat out flops of the album. Boring, long, and inconsistent pieces like "Dracula" and "Black Shadow" only confirm the many mistakes of this release. One of the few pieces to lift the spirits is only "Sailing Fire," but it's a spark of light in total darkness. And then that damned drum... I may be going out on a limb a bit too much perhaps, but with a normal drum, maybe the album would have managed to sound more "alive."

A year later, the release of "Resilient" will restore the group's fame, but as said at the beginning of the review, a misstep remains for life, even if after this you churn out almost masterpiece albums. It's sad to fail one of my favorite bands, but "Shadowmaker" I wouldn't recommend even to my worst enemy. But remember... The galleon staggers, loses pieces, but is still in the water...