Running Wild

Running Wild are one of the greatest phenomena on the current metal scene: few German bands enjoy such an outstanding reputation and look back at such a long and exceptionally successful career. Since the release of their debut album Gates To Purgatory in autumn 1984, pirate captain Rock´n`Rolf Kasparek has unerringly steered the band past all the rocks and shallows of the volatile, occasionally difficult but always exciting metal genre. As a vocalist, guitarist and composer, Kasparek has released a whole range of undisputed cult albums with Running Wild over the past more than 30 years and wowed his fans on countless tours. Such an awe-inspiring tradition brings with it an obligation, so of course Running Wild set themselves ambitioned targets when they started working on their latest album Rapid Foray and are now ready to present one of the most diverse releases of their whole career. Rapid Foray takes up seamlessly where the group’s greatest recordings left off while sounding contemporary, vibrant and always surprising at the same time. “The eleven new tracks are more complex than those on our previous two releases,” Kasparek reveals, “which I noticed in particular when we were recording the guitars. At the same time some of the numbers remind me of Running Wild classics. I feel that we’ve come up with a very interesting and impressive mix.” Rapid Foray will be available on Steamhammer/SPV from 26 August as a boxed set, Digipak, double vinyl LP and for digital download.

The martial album title already signals the unconditional heavy metal direction of Running Wild’s new numbers. From a total of three dozen song concepts, Kasparek has forged eleven strong numbers. One of Rapid Foray’s ultimate highlights is doubtlessly ´Last Of The Mohicans` with over eleven minutes playing time and extremely complex arrangements. Kasparek: “When you listen carefully you will notice that ´Last Of The Mohicans` consists of thousands of small bits and pieces, which is why the work on this track turned out to be rather complex.”

In addition, Running Wild have recorded the double bass-driven ´Warmongers`, one of their toughest tracks ever, and ´The Depth Of The Sea (Nautilus)`, which is a similarly complex instrumental number as ´Evilution` (from Death Or Glory). The album opener ´Black Skies, Red Flag` sees Running Wild take up the pirate feel which is closely identified with the band, and present ´Into The West`, the album version of a song that was first introduced in Wacken in summer 2015. The Running Wild mastermind is especially proud of the epic ´By The Blood Of Your Heart` with its fantastic vocal melody and atmospheric bagpipe orchestra. Kasparek: “For me this track has all the qualities of a real stadium anthem. Listening to it gives me goose bumps every time.”

It’s pretty obvious that Rapid Foray is another highlight in the career of Running Wild. The long wait, which Rolf Kasparek apologises for, is a thing of the past: “Due to my broken shoulder, I was totally or at least partly incapacitated for more than twelve months from spring 2014, something that repeatedly delayed work on the new material. After that I had to prepare intensively for our show in Wacken, which was also very time-consuming. Now I’m all the more pleased to be able to present an exceptionally strong new recording to all Running Wild fans.”

Rapid Foray was produced by Rolf Kasparek with Niki Nowy as sound engineer, who also mixed and mastered the material together. The cover artwork is based on a photo by Kasparek which Jens Reinhold (Virgin Steele, Freedom Call, among others) subsequently gave the look of an oil painting.

Kasparek explains the apparently belligerent album title: “The pirate image is part and parcel of Running Wild, but of course it’s all tongue-in-cheek, as you can see from the sand in the hourglass on the cover, half of which has already run out.” A motif which could also be used for fan memorabilia: Running Wild have promised a special gimmick for their lavishly designed boxed set. We’ll find out soon!