By 1989's
'Death Or Glory', Running Wild's Pirate metal had become a specific, easily recognisable sound, finely tuned and perfectly executed. A big bucks production pumped up the band's sound, ensuring that explosive opener '
Riding The Storm' came over like a high velocity, heavy metallised Thin Lizzy.
In fairness though, this album is alive with standout tracks and clever production touches. The raw simplicity of
'Bad To The Bone'; the superb use of sfx on the Maidenish title track, '
Death Or Glory' and the blood stirring bagpipe lament that opens
'Battle Of Waterloo'.
But it's actually the 'elsewheres' that turn this album into something special. As in - elsewhere, Kasparek shows us all too brief glimpses of a more sophisticated brand of metal. Instrumental '
Highland Glory' belies its clichéd title with a fresh, inventive arrangement, while '
Marooned's
endlessy repetitive closing riff is hypnotically addictive.
A bumper batch of bonus tracks (4) make this CD an even more attractive proposition.
By 1991's '
Blazon Stone' guitarist Majk Moti and drummer, Ian Findlay had been replaced by Axel Morgan and AC. Not that this made a huge difference to the band's signature sound. The riffs are cleaner, crisper, the rhythms simpler, more straightforward perhaps, and the style tends to drift away in places from the instantly recognisable Pirate metal into an embryo of contemporary power metal.
But it's clearly Running Wild. Plus 2 bonus tracks.
'
Black Hand Inn' (1993) sees a return to previous theatrics, with the melodramatic spoken intro (the speaker sounding a lot like Big Arnie) reminding us of Kasparek's love of cheese. But the title track that it intros, '
Black Hand Inn', is an absolute cracker, with a galloping, indeed speeding riff that could only come from one band.
In fact speed is clearly the watchword for this album. It's fast, loud and just crowded with aurally adhesive melodies, biting riffs and hard hitting hooks. To the extent it's hard to pick highlights, but maybe
'Mr Deadhead' and
'Freewind Rider' edge it simply because of their cool titles.
The band's subsequent release, '
Masquerade', continues to polarise fan opinion. From those who see it as a pale shadow of what had come before to those who see at least the equal of its predecessor.
The truth is probably somewhere in between.
There's certainly nothing new here, but RW never claimed to be innovators. Arguably it lacks the invention and imagination with which Kasparek (and
Charlie Bauerfiend) equipped '
Black Hand Inn'. Maybe for some the formula had run its course. '
Masquerade' is basically a (sleight) return to the band's demonic metal starting point, done in a less overt Pirate Metal style.
Some strong songs here too. '
Demonised', '
Lions Of The Sea' and '
Wheels Of Doom' are as good as anything Kasparek had written for previous albums.
And again there's additional value in the form of 2 bonus tracks.
A last point worth making is the quality of the remastering. Kasparek himself had a hand in this, and the result, in almost every case, is a sound that stands up well to the best being produced and released today.
Meantime, that's where the remasters stop. Hopefully
Sanctuary (and Kasparek) will get to '
Pile Of Skulls',
'Rivalry' and
'Victory' very soon.
Ratings
DoG 8/10
BS 6.5/10
BHI 7.5/10
M 6/10
Written by
Brian Thursday, May 17, 2007
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