Running Wild
Under Jolly Roger

The forceful crashing of the waves against the hull;

The violent and sharp noise of the wind on the unfurled sails;

The continual and martial creaking of the slow rolling of an aged galleon, worn by the sun and weighed down by too many cannons...

A shout tears through the deceiving calm and the captain shouts the order:

"Men and cannons... FIRE!!!"...

It's really true: Running Wild were without any doubt "The Chiefs".

Founded in the prehistory of Metal (1976 under the name "Granite Heart"), they were among the first to adopt the spiked and studded style typical of the genre in its early days, and among the very first to powerfully threaten the throne of Acceptian power in early eighties German classic metal.

Commanded by the admiral (ex-welder: check out the cover of "Gates of Purgatory") Rolf Kasparek (known as Rock'n'Rolf), the crew lives in perpetual fear of being "thrown overboard" for the most disparate reasons. It's no secret that the "good captain" constantly changes the line-up without justifications, or forces many to leave as they are only relegated to mere executors of given orders, seemingly at times more like a one-man band than a true group.

After two good fast and compact Heavy (speed) albums, which, in my opinion, didn't add much to what was done years prior by maidens and priests; Running Wild looked around, loaded weapons, provisions, and barrels of rum, decided to lift the anchor and tie their image tightly to the mainmast of the galleon, right "under that Jolly Roger" (the legendary flag, emblem of ferocious pirate boardings) that would make them famous (big words!).

Indeed, with this album begins the adventure that will lead the "Wild Runners" to bind, with conviction and "swagger", their musical history to the most diverse (yet finely selected) pirate adventures and raids of either real buccaneers or those born from the whimsical, a bit goofy but absolutely rational mind of "uncle" Rolf.

It's incredible how Our Guys, on this album, manage to be as simple as they are engaging and varied... but we're not talking about technical or structural variety, but about how "the rabble" manages to precisely explore every layer and depth of the classic metal of the time, simultaneously providing a new convinced thematic characterization that is as simple as it is surprisingly "fresh" and logically "Metal".

Of course, it's not enough to tell a little story about deserted islands and hidden treasures to convince and immerse oneself consistently and with persuasive conviction... it's necessary to contextualize the music, to create a soundtrack that describes easily and unequivocally the subject matter, so that the lyrics perfectly match the sound part and the latter strongly evokes only and exclusively the treated theme. In this, from this work onwards, Running Wild would prove to be true masters, continuously perfecting the marriage between the treated lyrics and the proposed music.

But enough with the bullshit Ocram and describe the album, for fuck's sake!

Alright, let's make one thing clear: we're not dealing with anything particularly innovative (not even for the time).

The recipe is simple yet extremely tasty, like the usual Sunday dish:

A direct Heavy Metal, without particular virtuosity or structural extravagance, precise and sharp guitars from the English school combined with square and relentlessly compact rhythm sections (belonging to that German power that our band helped to "define"), all excellently "seasoned" by the rough, ungraceful, and evocative voice of good old Rolf.

Running Wild didn't want to revolutionize or invent anything, they preferred to try to be top of the class, and to do this they found (a thing almost never attempted at the time by others) a fundamental motive, an identifying image that would distinguish them: the Pirates.

The first song of the album, also the title track, would remain in the band's (and German metal's) history and would identify them for the rest of their career: "Under Jolly Roger" arrives with its furious and epic (or rather "surfaced") ride. In the most astonishing simplicity, everything runs smoothly: uncle Rolf's voice never so involved and "raw", the driving rhythm and the gritty, scratching guitars create a true "metal anthem" flavored with the sounds of waves, boardings, and artillery barrages that flow into the straightforward and direct chorus-refrain like a cannonball to the teeth, all flooded with a tackiness that borders on the ridiculous... GREAT!

But that's not all... As mentioned earlier, the album continuously sways like a vessel in a full storm.

From the migraine-inducing double bass power-revolt of "Beggar's Night", sailing towards the tenderly clumsy, yet very pissed-off, attempts at social reflection of "Raise Your Fist"; passing through the almost doomish apocalyptic awakenings of "Land of Ice"; getting stuck in the very angry and chameleon-like (and for the first time thematically serious) (Thrash)-Power assault of "Merciless Game"; and ending like paranoid madmen digging, with their trusty electric guitar, on a deserted island in search of a stupid treasure that never existed ("Diamonds of the Black Chest").

An album to rediscover, which begins the stormy path that will lead the "Wild Runners" to perfect their brash musical conviction and thematic choice up to the masterpiece "Death or Glory" two years later, and that holds a special and privileged place in the "Metal Heart" of yours truly.

A work that I recommend for getting closer to 80s German metal; it's the only one by uncle Rolf that I still listen to after many years... perhaps because it was my first "kraut-metal" album... perhaps because I'm a nostalgic (and mentally ill) person... Or maybe because, deep down, I still feel connected to that pimply and wanking kid who got so excited at the slightest rumble of an electric guitar...

In short... "READY FOR BOARDING"!!!