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1[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/runningwild_doglineup_4.png]]
2 [[caption-width-right:350:The band during the ''Death or Glory'' era.[[note]]From left to right: Iain Finlay (drums), Jens Becker (bass), "Rock 'n'" Rolf Kasparek (guitar, vocals), Michael "Majk Moti" Kupper (guitar)[[/note]]]]
3
4->''We are prisoners of our time''
5->''But we are still alive''
6->''Fight for the freedom, fight for the right''
7->''We are Running Wild''
8-->-- "Prisoners of Our Time"
9
10Running Wild is a [[SpeedMetal Speed]][=/=][[HeavyMetal Heavy]][=/=]PowerMetal band from Germany and are considered to be the inventors of Pirate Metal. Originally formed in 1976 as Granite Hearts, they soon changed their name to Running Wild as an homage the Music/JudasPriest song of the same title. The band's early work featured lyrics and imagery centered around [[{{Satan}} Satanism]] and DarkFantasy, but with the release of the band's third album, ''Under Jolly Roger'', frontman "Rock 'n'" Rolf Kasparek decided to creatively change course with the band's theme, and so {{Pirate}}s would define Running Wild from then on.
11
12The band briefly split up in 2009, only to reform two years later in 2011.
13
14Although Running Wild is mainly known for their pirate theme, they're not as gimmicky as you'd think. The topics of their songs range from [[AncientConspiracy ancient conspiracies]], [[FilkSong literature]], HeavyMeta, and political and environmental issues to [[HorribleHistoryMetal history in general]].
15
16----
17!!Discography:
18
19* 1984 - ''Gates to Purgatory''
20* 1985 - ''Branded and Exiled''
21* 1987 - ''Under Jolly Roger''
22* 1988 - ''Port Royal''
23* 1989 - ''Death or Glory''
24* 1990 - ''Wild Animal'' (EP)
25* 1991 - ''Blazon Stone''
26* 1992 - ''Pile of Skulls''
27* 1994 - ''Black Hand Inn''
28* 1995 - ''Masquerade''
29* 1998 - ''The Rivalry''
30* 2000 - ''Victory''
31* 2002 - ''The Brotherhood''
32* 2005 - ''Rogues en Vogue''
33* 2012 - ''Shadowmaker''
34* 2013 - ''Resilient''
35* 2016 - ''Rapid Foray''
36* 2019 - ''Crossing the Blades'' (EP)
37* 2021 - ''Blood on Blood''
38
39!!Tropes ahoy! Three-master off the starboard bow!
40
41* AfterTheEnd:
42** "Straight to Hell", from ''Blazon Stone'', is about a "stumbling few" trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world.
43** "Land of Ice" off of the ''Under Jolly Roger'' album speaks of an apocalyptic war and a resulting mutant-filled nuclear winter in 1999 A.D.
44** The closing narration of "Genesis (The Making and Fall of Man)" from ''Black Hand Inn'' also speaks of an apocalypse descending over the world in the year 1999, this time as a result of the aliens’ judgement.
45* AgeProgressionSong: "The Ghost (T.E. Lawrence)", from ''The Brotherhood'', chronicles Lawrence's life from being a young man trying to get in the army to the Arab Revolt.
46* AlbumIntroTrack:
47** ''Port Royal'' opens with the aptly-named "Intro".
48** ''Pile of Skulls'' opens with "Chamber of Lies", a lead-in to "Whirlwind".
49** ''The Rivalry'' opens with the aptly-named "March of the Final Battle (The End of All Evil)".
50* AlienInvasion: "Iron Heads" (from the infamous 1984 ''Death Metal'' split-album [[note]]with Music/{{Helloween}}, Hellhammer and Dark Avenger[[/note]] and the ''Masquerade'' remaster). While the chorus tells that the alien invaders are going "to make the world alright", the end result is rather bleak ("Ruins are everywhere, the whole world is empty and dead").
51* ArtisticLicenseShips: In the intro of "Under Jolly Roger", it takes only seconds for the pirate crew to man the cannons and fire them after a suitable target for a BoardingParty is spotted.
52* TheAloner: "Marooned" from ''Death or Glory'' is written from the perspective of the lone survivor of a terrible shipwreck who finds themselves stranded on a foreboding DesertedIsland.
53* AncientAstronauts: "Genesis (The Making and Fall of Man)" from ''Black Hand Inn'' is a retelling of the supposed origins of humanity among the [[Myth/MesopotamianMythology Anunnaki]] aliens as put forth by fringe author Zecharia Sitchin. Rolf has since clarified that he doesn't actually believe any of Sitchin's theories, but that [[RuleOfCool it made for a "really cool story" to put to music]].
54* AncientConspiracy: A theme particularly prevalent in later albums along with the history-spanning struggle against it by the forces of good who rebel against their authority. They tend to be depicted as a sinister pact between the church, military leaders, businessmen, and politicians to serve the demonic forces of darkness for their own enrichment, and cover up phenomena like [=UFOs=] to prevent a BenevolentAlienInvasion from dethroning them.
55* AntiAntichrist: As "Adrian S.O.S." obviously states, [[MetalBandMascot Adrian]] is the son of {{Satan}}. But in an overlap SatanIsGood, Adrian is the "savior to the weak" like his father and destroys racists and other oppressors with hellfire while bringing eternal freedom to the downtrodden.
56* AntiPoliceSong: "Victim of States Power" doesn't focus on this exclusively, but calls them out as "cruel warpigs" and tools of [[CorruptPolitician Corrupt Politicians]] and the CorruptChurch.
57* AshFace: This happened to one of the band's drummers while they were touring in the early eighties; too much fireworks were applied for a stunt, which left his face black and burned a chunk of his clothes away.
58* AuthorAppeal: [[CaptainObvious It's safe to say Rock 'n' Rolf likes singing about pirates]], as well as history, fantasy, aliens, conspiracies, epic literature, standing up against authority and oppression in general, and [[ProtestSong how much he hates fascists]].
59* AuthorCatchphrase: The line "wild and free", which has appeared on every album from ''Blazon Stone'' onwards.
60* BadassCreed: Many songs' choruses are based around this, with "Prisoner of Our Time", "Branded and Exiled", "Chains and Leather", "Under Jolly Roger", "Raging Fire", "Raise Your Fist" and "Unation" being just a few examples.
61* BadGuyBar: The eponymous "The Drift" from ''Resilient'' is one, as it features all sorts of miscreants as its regulars.
62* BalladOfX: "Ballad of William Kidd", from ''The Rivalry''.
63* BookEnds:
64** The ''Victory'' album begins and ends with a gong sound, which is played in reverse in the first track and normally in the last one.
65** ''Masquerade'''s intro track ("The Crypts of Hades") features the sinister heads of church and state gathering in an OmniscientCouncilOfVagueness to pledge their undying loyalty to the AncientConspiracy to serve evil in the name of their own gain, and the outro of "Underworld" features the same Redcoat from the intro gloating to the listener about them being made into a slave of their oppressive system before [[EvilLaugh laughing evilly]].
66* BurnTheWitch:
67** John Xenir is burned at the stake by a group of inquisitors in the intro ("The Curse") of ''Black Hand Inn'' after having been found guilty of "being in league with the devil and having used heathen and forbidden rituals".
68** "Bones to Ashes", originally appearing on the ''Death Metal'' split before being re-visited for ''Masquerade'', is about the historical witch hunts of the 1500s and depicts bloodthirsty religious executioners hunting and burning anyone suspected of witchcraft.
69* CarefulWithThatAxe: Some of Rolf’s falsetto screams on the early albums veer into this (especially “Diabolic Force” from ''Gates to Purgatory'').
70* ConceptAlbum: The album ''Black Hand Inn'' partially focuses on the story of a man named John Xenir, a pirate (what else?) with precognitive magical powers who fights against the CorruptChurch. The album also has a more broad theme of [[ConspiracyKitchenSink many different conspiracies spanning across history]] and the battle between good and evil other albums focus on.
71** Along with ''Black Hand Inn'', every album from ''Masquerade'' up until ''Victory'' loosely tells the story of a war between the forces of light and the forces of darkness (who control the aforementioned evil church) stretching across history.
72* CoolBoat: "Adventure Galley" from ''The Rivalry'' is about the privateer William Kidd's ship with the same name.
73-->Adventure Galley, proudly she's staying her course
74-->Adventure Galley, the magical force, wild and free!
75* CoverVersion: Running Wild has covered "Genocide (The Killing of the Buffalo)" by Music/ThinLizzy, "Revolution" by Music/TheBeatles, and "Strutter" by Music/{{KISS}}.
76* DefiantToTheEnd:
77** Calico Jack, in what else but "Calico Jack", taunting and defying the judge sentencing him to death:
78-->'''Judge''': John Rackham; You are charged with murder and piracy of the high seas. In the name of Her Majesty you will be taken from this court and hung, drawn and quartered. What are your last words, accused?
79-->'''Calico Jack''': My last words? Ha ha! Who do you think you are? What right have you to judge over my destiny? Take your pompous words and stick'em where the sun don't shine! I swear we meet again, bye!
80** John Xenir. In a similar vein to Calico Jack, he tells off the inquisitors even as they burn him at the stake:
81-->Your lies can't impress me, 'cause the truth will come to light! Yes, I will set a mark for that I will return to reveal the truth and who's the true evil!
82* CrystalBall: John Xenir has one which can tell "tales of past and future", in the title song of ''Black Hand Inn''.
83* DragonRider: "Dragonmen" from ''Black Hand Inn'' is about the eponymous holy dragonmen who ride the night skies, ridding the world from evil and oppression.
84* DressedToPlunder:
85** The band mascot Adrian has appeared in pirate regalia (a longcoat and a tri-corner hat) on the covers of ''Port Royal'' and ''Lead or Gold'' single, and on the covers of tribute albums ''Revivalry'' and ''Rough Diamonds''.
86** The band has also donned pirate-themed outfits for live performances ever since ''Under Jolly Roger''.
87* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The first two albums; both because they’re devoid of the band’s famous pirate image and that they feature much more raw and straightforward SpeedMetal (or arguably even first-wave BlackMetal) mayhem without the pirate era’s much more melodic and complex instrumentation that would influence US and European PowerMetal to come.
88* EpicRocking: The band has a lot of songs that go over seven minutes, but "Genesis (The Making and the Fall of Man)" from ''Black Hand Inn'' takes the cake for being over fifteen minutes long.
89* EverythingsLouderWithBagpipes: The intro of "The Battle of Waterloo" from ''Death or Glory'' opens with a military march backed by blaring bagpipes.
90* EvilLaugh: The last song of ''Masquerade, "Underworld", ends with [[{{Satan}} Redcoat]] telling how humanity is deaf and blind to the machinations of evil, and caps it off with an evil laugh.
91* EyepatchOfPower: The band's mascot Adrian has had one since ''Under Jolly Roger''.
92* FadingIntoTheNextSong: Used in ''Death or Glory'', between the title track and "The Battle of Waterloo".
93* GoMadFromTheRevelation: After a lifetime of searching, the protagonist of the song "Diamonds of the Black Chest" (from ''Under Jolly Roger'') finds the titular chest... and it's empty. He goes insane on the spot, and the song ends with him [[LaughingMad laughing madly]] while imagined riches rain down.
94* GreatestHitsAlbum: Several have been released, some to warmer reception than others:
95** ''The First Years of Piracy'', which has songs from first three albums remade by the 1991 line-up, including "Walpurgis Night", which at the time was only available on the band's first EP, ''Victim of States Power''.
96** ''20 Years in History'', which has couple of new songs and little touches of improvement in their past catalog.
97** ''Best of Adrian'', which only covers the era between ''The Rivalry'' and ''Rogues En Vogue'', including the live album ''Live 2002''.
98* TheGreys: Featured in "Sinister Eyes", from ''Pile of Skulls''. They reveal secrets to the protagonist through his dreams, and haven't contacted mankind due to the all hatred it is infested with. The cover art for the song's single (which was never released) has one holding a key and shedding a SingleTear.
99* TheGrimReaper: "Black Wings of Death" from ''Pile of Skulls'' is about the psychopomp, who spreads his terror of inevitable death.
100* HellbentForLeather
101** "Chains and Leather" from ''Branded and Exiled'', along with other [[HeavyMeta metal goodness]].
102-->Even Satan wears leather, our souls do it forever
103-->So let us pray our rules tonight!
104** "Raise Your Fist" from ''Under Jolly Roger" makes a mention of dressing in "shiny leather like a second skin".
105* HeavyMithril: Was a significant part of their songs from the ''Gates to Purgatory'' and ''Branded and Exiled'' era. Even after pirates became their primary theme, the band often still delves into the realm of fantasy, like with ''Black Hand Inn'''s precognitive UndeadPirate protagonist named John Xenir, the benevolent dragon-riding tyrant-slayers of "Dragonmen" from the same album (and ''The Rivalry'' in "Return of the Dragon"), or the ancient and frequently supernatural battle between good and evil running across a number of their later albums.
106* IAmTheBand: Rolf Kasparek, who writes most of the songs and is the only permanent band member. Since ''The Brotherhood'', he has been the sole credited songwriter..
107* {{Instrumentals}}:
108** "Final Gates", "Highland Glory (The Eternal Fight)", "Over the Rainbow", "Final Waltz" and "Siberian Winter".
109** Some albums open up with an instrumental intro.
110* JollyRoger: Their version of the Jolly Roger insignia features the face of Captain Adrian, their MetalBandMascot (with an eyepatch and either a black bandanna or a pirate captain's hat) in place of the skull, as well as the bones crossing behind his head rather than below the skull, as shown, for example, in 1987's ''Under Jolly Roger''.
111* LastChorusSlowDown: Used on "Running Blood" from ''Death or Glory''.
112-->They left a sea of running bloo-ooo-oood!
113* LongestSongGoesLast:
114** ''Gates to Purgatory'' closes with "Prisoner of Our Time" (5:26).
115** ''Branded and Exiled'' closes with "Chains and Leather" (5:45).
116** ''Port Royal'' closes with "Calico Jack" (8:15).
117** ''Pile of Skulls'' closes with "Treasure Island" (11:14).
118** ''Masquerade'' closes with "Underworld" (6:15).
119** ''The Brotherhood'' closes with "The Ghost" (10:23).
120** ''Rogues En Vogue'' closes with "The War" (10:38).
121** ''Shadowmaker'' closes with "Dracula" (7:29).
122** ''Resilient'' closes with "Bloody Island" (9:56).
123** ''Rapid Foray'' closes with "Last of the Mohicans" (11:11).
124** ''Blood on Blood'' closes with "The Iron Times (1618-1648)" (10:30).
125* LoudnessWar: ''Rogues En Vogue'', unfortunately being released well into the peak of the Loudness War, clocks in at a dynamic range of [=DR6=] with constant clipping and an absurd level of brickwalling on the final master. ''Shadowmaker'' is equally bad in terms of the dynamic range level, but thankfully it's at least clip-free.
126** Strangely ZigZagged with the 2017 remasters of the classic albums; while most of them were squashed down to [=DR9-DR7=] from the far more sensible [=DR15-DR10=] of the originals, the remaster of ''Masquerade'' actually improves the dynamic range to [=DR10=] from the [=DR8=] the original master was at.
127* MadScientist: The eponymous "Dr. Horror", from ''The Brotherhood'', who spreads chemical warfare around.
128* {{Mascot}}: Captain Adrian, an [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot undead werewolf pirate who is also the son of Satan]].
129* TheMenInBlack: They are referenced in several songs, most notably "Men in Black" from ''Masquerade'', and are portrayed in a villainous light as agents of the forces of evil.
130* MetalScream: In "Diabolic Force", (from ''Gates to Purgatory'') every verse ends with a [[CarefulWithThatAxe high-pitched]] "Tonight!"
131* TheMutiny: "Mutiny", from ''Port Royal'', is about a ship crew who go against their cruel masters.
132* NobleSavage: "Uaschitschun" from ''Port Royal'' is written from the perspective of a Native American who laments the death and destruction the white settlers have brought to his home and the natural environment.
133** The words before the song's final refrain were originally spoken by Abenaki filmmaker and activist Alanis Obomsawin, who was in turn inspired by the famous "Yonder Sky" speech attributed to Chief Seattle.
134** The title itself is supposedly a word that some Native American tribes used to describe white men, with the nearest rough translation being "ghost" or "wraith". Evidence of the term's actual existence is dubious, however.
135* NonAppearingTitle: ''Gates to Purgatory'' has no title track, though the song "Purgatory" heard on the ''Ready for Boarding'' live album seems to have been intended to be it.
136* NumberOfTheBeast: Mentioned in "Satan".
137-->Six sixty six is his number, he takes the crown of earth
138* OurAngelsAreDifferent: "Angel of Mercy", from ''Rogues en Vogue'', is about a sole angel rescuing the world from darkness (or, perhaps, a divine mecha).
139* OurDragonsAreDifferent: In both "Dragonmen" from ''Black Hand Inn'' and "Return of the Dragon" from ''The Rivalry'', the dragons are portrayed as benevolent beings who fight against evil and oppression in the world, and [[TheDragonslayer the dragon slayers]] as evil.[[note]]Slightly confusingly, a different serpent is referred to in "Return of the Dragon" who is in fact evil and also associated with the dragon slayers[[/note]]
140* OurSirensAreDifferent: The eponymous island in "Bloody Island" (''Resilient'') attracts sailors with tales of riches and treasure. It's ruled by a Siren, whose calling ultimately leads them to their doom.
141* PerformanceVideo: Their only official music video was for "Conquistadores" off the ''Port Royal'' album in 1988 and just consists of recut footage from various live performances of the song during the promotional tour.
142* {{Pirate}}: Running Wild’s quintessential image. Every single album since ''Under Jolly Roger'' features at least one song focused on pirates or seafaring.
143* {{Portmantitle}}: Used on "Evilution" (evil + evolution) from ''Death or Glory''.
144* PrecisionFStrike: Rolf rarely drops many F-bombs in his lyrics, so when he does, you know he really means it. From “Raw Ride”:
145-->I don’t give a goddamn what you want to force upon me
146-->[[AtomicFBomb FUCK]] [[MetalScream YOU!]]
147* ProtestSong: The band has quite a few of these, with ''Black Hand Inn''‘s “Fight the Fire of Hate” (an anti-fascist anthem) and ''Under Jolly Roger''’s “Merciless Game” (about class inequality) being among many prime examples.
148* ReligionOfEvil: Both "Preacher" and "Walpurgis Night", from ''Gates to Purgatory'', are based on a happening of Black Mass.
149* ReligionRantSong: A theme the band often touches on in the Type II and Type III varieties. Most prominent in their early pre-pirate releases, but later songs like "Into the Arena" and "Wild Animal" echo the defiance:
150-->The church is playing moral
151-->They say this piece of gum, it kills
152-->They build up funeral pyres, to burn people for the thrill
153-->They falsified the Bible for the power and the gain
154-->I never fawn on liars, the way they're gonna treat me
155-->If they wanna stab my back
156* RevolvingDoorBand: Aside from Rock 'n' Rolf Kasparek, the only constant member, the band has rotated through 10 different drummers, 9 bassists, and 7 backing guitarists. The only lineups to have lasted more than one album was the one from ''Branded and Exiled'' to ''Under Jolly Roger'' and the one from ''Black Hand Inn'' through ''The Rivalry''.
157* SatanIsGood: "{{Satan}}", on the "Victim of States Power" single and the ''Gates to Purgatory'' re-release, portrays the titular character as a rebel who destroys the worst of the mankind ("Nazis, moralists and conservatives") and brings "liberty and peace to the good". [[AntiAntichrist His son]], [[MetalBandMascot Adrian]], fulfills a similar role in "Adrian S.O.S.".
158* SelfPlagiarism: The solo section in "Timeriders" is very similar to the one in "Merciless Game".
159* SignatureStyle: Rolf has his own very unusual picking technique ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-55VcaalUD0&t=213s as can be seen here]]), which according to him he developed early on as a result of wearing his guitar extremely low in emulation of Music/{{KISS}}.
160** Besides his picking style and writing most of his riffs and solos with a distinct mix of the natural and pentatonic minor scales, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPbxWXNqF5I another thing you might notice about his guitar playing is a certain lick...]]
161* TheSomethingSong: "Pirate Song", from ''The Brotherhood''.
162* SpokenWordInMusic:
163** ''Port Royal'': Album intro (a newbie arrives on the eponymous Port Royal) and the trial of the eponymous pirate in "Calico Jack".
164** ''Death or Glory'': A doctor diagnosing the main character of "Renegade".
165** ''Black Hand Inn'': Opening track "The Curse" (John Xenir is burned at the stake by an inquisitor) and ending track "Genesis", which lays out the story of the alien Annunaki first creating mankind as well as the prophesied apocalypse in which they will wipe them out.
166** ''Masquerade'': [[EvilOverlord Redcoat]] recruiting his agents of evil in "The Contract" and giving the ReasonYouSuckSpeech at the end of "Underworld".
167* SubduedSection: "Chains and Leather" and "Prisoners of Our Time" have moments where the chorus is backed only by drums.
168* TakeThat: "Purgatory" from the ''Ready for Boarding'' live-album was jokingly introduced by Rolf as being "dedicated" to the [[MoralGuardians PMRC]], who apparently objected to its satanic imagery.
169* {{Taps}}: The outro of "Little Big Horn" from ''Blazon Stone'' features "Taps" playing as the guitars fade out, signifying the defeat and death of General Custer.
170* TimeTravel: In "Land of Ice", a group of scientists in then-present day 1987 build a time machine to journey to the future so they can retrieve the new weapons of war they believe will have been invented by then. When they arrive in the year 1999, they instead find that humanity as we know it has perished in the global winter following a nuclear war and only warped mutants remain.
171* TitledAfterTheSong: The name Running Wild was taken from a Music/JudasPriest song.
172* TitleOnlyChorus:
173** Featured in "Tear Down the Walls" from the ''Wild Animal'' EP.
174** Also “Raise Your Fist” from ''Under Jolly Roger'', [[AudienceParticipationSong to which live audiences often chant along.]]
175* ToTheTuneOf:
176** The main riff of "Little Big Horn" is based on the melody of "Girl I Left Behind Me", an old folk song about a man leaving to join the army noted for its popularity with American troops during the Civil War and Plains Wars.
177** The outro melody of "Tsar" (from ''Victory'') is taken from an old Russian silent film.
178* TrainSong: "Locomotive" from ''Shadowmaker''.
179-->The railway's gonna squeaking hard, wheels are dragging over
180-->Red hot grease is on the steel, oiling all the bars
181-->Rhythm's gonna pounding hard, the monsters own thunder
182-->The whistle-pipe is blowing strong, foretelling what to come
183* TropeMaker: Running Wild pretty much invented "pirate metal" with ''Under Jolly Roger'' and their subsequent adoption of the pirate image. They continued to be the TropeCodifier throughout the 80s, 90s, and even a good portion of the 2000s, as ''the'' pirate metal band that originated a lot of themes, conventions, lyrics, and sounds that would influence later bands like ''Music/{{Alestorm}}'' and countless other pirate metal acts.
184* UpdatedRerelease: Albums from ''Death or Glory'' to ''Masquerade'' have remastered rereleases with additional bonustracks.
185* WarIsHell: A number of songs deal with this theme, including "Literature/WarAndPeace", "The War", and "[[UsefulNotes/NapoleonBonaparte The Battle of Waterloo]]".
186-->You're dying in war, but you even can't live in peace.
187* WitchHunt: "Bones to Ashes", from the ''Death Metal'' split-album and ''Masquerade'' remaster, depicts witches being burned to ashes on the stake, and the angel of death collecting their remains.
188* UsefulNotes/WorldWarOne: "The War" from ''Rogues en Vogue'' recounts the events of the war, backed by various marching tunes.
189
190----
191-->[[BadassCreed RAISE YOUR FIST!]]
192-->[[TitleOnlyChorus RAISE YOUR FIST!]]
193-->RAISE YOUR FIST!
194-->[[MetalScream HIIIIIIIIGH!]]

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