Long-term fans of Teutonic Heavy Metal stalwarts Running Wild will probably by now be familiar with mainman Rolf’s statement which he made a few weeks ago about this album. When asked whether last year’s enforced lockdowns and free time had been at all beneficial, he stated; “The result is an album that in my opinion is probably the best in Running Wild`s career to date. Every one of the ten songs sounds exactly as I had it in mind when I composed it. I’ve never been happier with a Running Wild record before”, Well sir, that is one bold statement, which will have the Running Wild devotees salivating at the prospect. Personally, I’ve been partial to a slab or two of Running Wild for the last 35 years or so, so let’s wade in and see if he’s right, shall we?
We only have to paddle in up to our knees before we hear that the production is nicely big and showcases the oh-so-Running Wild opener perfectly as the slightly-folky-a-little-bit-piratey-and-bagpipey guitar lead riff carries the song forward. Actually as the album progresses, we only really hit pirate-dom once more with the “Black Hand Inn” style ‘The Shellback’,, which revisits the period very familiarly, and made me personally wish for more. Because, of course, I like the Power Metal inspiring pirate side to Running Wild the best – the first album I ever heard from them was “Under Jolly Rodger” and then “Port Royal”, so as teenager this was Running Wild for me and really it has always remained so. But what this album is, and to be fair, what most parts of Running Wild albums have been since the Millennium is no nonsense Heavy Metal, in a style they have been doing since those early albums (‘Raw Ride’, ‘Raging Fire’, ‘Bad To The Bone’ etc, etc), which is as much a part of the Running Wild legacy as anything with an eye patch, scurvy, deck-swabbing or rum.
“Blood On Blood” sounds a like the album Rolf was trying to do around ten years ago with “Shadowmaker” and “Resilient”, but with a bit more time to live with the songs and a couple more nods towards the open seas, he’s pretty much nailed it – there’s some top notch Running Wild anthems on this album. OK, ‘Wild Wild Nights’ sounds more like an updated track from their 1984 debut and ‘One Night One Day’, a power-ballad type track in a similar style to Slade’s ‘My Oh My’, isn’t really my thing, but epic closer ‘The Iron Times (1618-1648)’ is right up there with ‘The Last Of The Mohicans’ or ‘Genesis’ and ‘Treasure Island’ from the mid 90’s. Is it the best album in Running Wild’s career to date? Well, it depends on what your idea of the best Running Wild album would be, and the one person who has been involved in every single track they’ve ever recorded is the person stating that it probably is, so if he’s happy then the fans should be too.
(7.5/10 Andy Barker)
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