Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Running Wild
Label: Noise Records
Release: 1987
Length: 35:05
Rating: 4/5
“Under Jolly Roger” is pretty much a complete rebirth, ditching the cheap black metal iconography that marked the first two albums of this cult German melodic heavy metal outfit. With it, Running Wild invented a new kind of metal, which critics at the time, thanks to the band’s specific style, lyrics and overall image, dubbed pirate metal. The man most responsible for the shift was the band’s charismatic chieftain, guitarist and singer Rock ‘n Rolf, who had finally found the right outlet for his rebellious, fiercely anticlerical ideas. So this big fan of seafaring, history and historical costumes transformed into a full-blooded pirate captain and finally steered the Running Wild ship into favorable currents. It was his one-of-a-kind voice, which sounded most like the growling of an enraged sea wolf who went a bit too far with the grog, that did the most to make the band recognizable, especially compared to similar German metal acts of the day (Grave Digger, Rage, Helloween, etc).
There isn’t a single bad song on the album, but the title masterpiece, “Diamonds of the Black Chest” and “Raise Your Fist” stand out in particular. Over the years the title classic has become a fan anthem and is also the band’s best-known work. It was right in its intro that they first used an acted-out dialogue, which, before the guitars even roared, sucked the listener into the album’s central concept or, better said, its new pirate yarn. The babbling of the ocean, Captain Rolf’s dictatorial calls on where to line up the battle formations and the thunder of cannon volleys give way to wild guitar riffs, a raging double bass pedal, cataclysmic drum transitions and, the heart of it all, an epic chorus that easily carries the listener off into the wild, rough but also romantic times of the Caribbean pirates. For those who might not know, the term ‘Jolly Roger’ referred to the pirate flag, that is, a skull with crossed bones (later also with crossed sabers).
That Caribbean vibe carries on in “Diamonds of the Black Chest”, which boasts an anthemic, melodic chorus and an excellent guitar solo. Rolf’s furious vocals are nicely wrapped in backing vocal lines this time around. “Beggar’s Night” is a mid-tempo track with an interesting sequence of opening guitar phrases and a few witty guitar effects. The mood once again drags you back to the era of pirates and revolutionary struggles, when it’s easy to picture Captain Kasparek, torch in hand, stirring up an angry mob against the priests and blue-blooded gentry. That rebellious spirit, so typical of this band, runs through the whole album anyway.
On “War in the Gutter” they shift back into a fast tempo, backed up by Rolf’s roaring vocals, jagged riffs and a marching rhythm section. Running Wild wouldn’t be Running Wild if they didn’t leave at least one distinctly anti-political anthem on the album, and that’s “Raise Your Fist”, where a mighty epic chorus reigns, and it’s one of the few tracks on the album without pirate or historical connotations. Thanks to that rousing chorus, it became a beloved live classic. A big contrast comes with the mid-tempo “Land of Ice”, which features great snowstorm and explosion effects. After a slow intro, driven by a drum march and Rolf’s snarling vocals, it slowly unfolds into rhythmically pleasing layers. The biker anthem “Raw Ride” is another solid effort with furious guitar passages and drum quavers, while the main gain here is the triplet harmonies, which the band would polish even further in the future. The closing “Merciless Game”, with its indistinct chorus propelled by the rushing double bass pedal, could have been a contender for the least interesting track on the whole album, but a few masterfully executed guitar solos and triplet harmonies save it.
An obscure band that looked doomed to drown in metal clichés and gray mediocrity finally found its own soul on “Under Jolly Roger”, and with its new pirate look it stood out from its German metal cousins from a mile away. On one of their best records, Running Wild became the first pirate metal band, and among fans of Teutonic metal they grew popular above all for epic songs and concepts about the adventurous exploits of legendary pirates, great historical battles, conspiracy theories and a constant satire of clerical hypocrisy. Rolf’s peculiar sense of black humor and social satire also did its part in feeding the legend of rebellious musical pirates who fight corrupt bigwigs not with sabers but with noisy electric guitars, and among similar German metal bands you can maybe find that only with the likes of Helloween.
Lineup
Rolf Kasparek – guitar, vocals
Majk Moti – guitar
Stephan Boriss – bass
Hasche – drums
Production
Running Wild
Track list
1. Under Jolly Roger
2. Beggar’s Night
3. Diamonds of the Black Chest
4. War in the Gutter
5. Raise Your Fist
6. Land of Ice
7. Raw Ride
8. Merciless Game
