RUNNING WILD’s debut album “Gates To Purgatory” is among the essential classics of “Heavy Metal made in Germany”. Every fan of German quality steel has to own this killer, no excuses! Already back then the Hamburg based hell soldiers had their own, inimitable style, but a lot straighter and also rougher than on the following releases.

But the band neither sped through their battle hymns on mach 3 speed, no, they always had variety on offer. Besides ultra speedies such as “Adrian S.O.S.“ we also get slower song like “Preacher”, slow, but damn heavy. Basically every song is perfect to sing/shout along and bang your head, I especially would like to point out “Prisoner Of Our Time” with its fantastic chorus in best arena format and the equally simple as ingenious “Genghis Khan”, as well as the ultimate hymn “Diabolic Force”, you just can’t make it any better than here: Around an extremely solid framework we get tons of melodic guitar riffs and several high screams of Rock’n’Rolf, including an arse kicking chorus!

Apropos Rock’n’Rolf: Back then the guy still had a rusty door in his throat, which shredded a lot with every breath. Maybe not exactly beautiful, but cool. (Online June 19, 2004