Running Wild

Toxik Attack – Assassinos em Série Review

By Holdeneye on January 26, 2019 in 2019, Helldprod Records, Portuguese Metal, Reviews, Speed Metal, Thrash Metal, Speed Metal, Thrash Metal, 68 comments

“I’m proud to tell you that I happen to be AMG’s resident specialist when it comes to Portuguese language thrash/speed releases from Helldprod Records. No other writer here can boast the honor of reviewing such a record, >and now I’ve done it twice in my illustriously short career. It may be an impossibly narrow niche, but hey, you have to start somewhere! Assassinos em Série is the debut album from Portuguese band Toxik Attack, and it is my next great hope for thrash in 2019.” Closed for remediation.

Gnosis – The Offering of Seven Review

By Grymm on September 19, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Black Metal, Reviews, Terror From Hell Records, Black Metal, 48 comments

“Way back in 2015, the great Al Kikuras gave a review of The Third Eye Gate, the debut album from Floridian black metal act Gnosis. In that review, he eloquently explained the tightrope balance of empathizing as a musician, how difficult it must be to watch someone rip an album you worked on diligently to shreds, as well as the hard work of being a reviewer doing said shredding. It’s a complete and utter duality that, as a fellow part-time musician, I can completely relate to. After all, it’s never fun to put your heart and soul into something, just to watch someone tear it to pieces. And with that, three years later, they return with The Offering of Seven and I am the man-cat to review it.” Art and punishment.

Monument – Hellhound Review

By Steel Druhm on May 22, 2018 in 2018, English Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Rock of Angels Records, Heavy Metal, 39 comments

“When does homage cross over into plagiarism? When does admiration become unhealthy obsession? These are questions one must confront when reviewing Hellhound by U.K. traditional metal fiends, Monument. Sporting several former members of White Wizzard, the band unsurprisingly sets out to showcase their love of 80s metal in ways so shameless and graphic, decorum almost prevents me from discussing them here. Almost.” Hellhounds and copycats.

Under Siege – Under Siege Review

By Dr. Wvrm on January 18, 2018 in 2018, Folk Metal, Italian Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Folk Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 34 comments

“I can never quite get my head around how quickly Bandcamp staked out such an integral position in my life. The online marketplace is responsible for expanding my listening horizons as well as keeping me attuned to what people I respect (and El Cuervo) find worthy of purchase. Plus, letting me truffle-pig for releases that might not hit the promo bin is how I found Æther Realm. It’s also how I came across Under Siege. The Italians’ folky, eclectic brand of melodeath hooked me from the start, and the notion that their debut might go unreviewed was too painful to allow.” The agony and ecstasy of the fanboy.

Blazon Stone – Down in the Dark [Things You Might Have Missed 2017]

By Dr. Wvrm on January 7, 2018 in 2017, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, Reviews, Stormspell Records, Swedish Metal, Things You MIght Have Missed 2017, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 9 comments

“Though pirate metal has branched out in recent decades, Running Wild’s bloody cutlass is still the measuring stick for wannabe scalawags. Blazon Stone defer to the captain publicly, but in quiet plan mutiny. Steal the dread captain’s ship and plunder the high seas with it? Nonsense! No one can best the the captain… can they? Blazon Stone certainly try.” There can be 3 pirate-themed metal bands when 2 are dead.

Silver Wind – Legion of the Exiled Review

By Swordborn on November 13, 2017 in 2017, French Metal, Heavy Metal, No Remorse Records, Power Metal, Retro Metal, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 40 comments

“France’s Silver Wind seems to be a pretty low-profile act, despite having formed (according to the label’s press release) in 2005. Legion Of The Exiled is the band’s first full-length, and an evident stepping stone from 2013’s Fight For Glory EP – which is regurgitated in its entirety (three songs) here. Comparisons of the band’s inceptive sound to Hammerfall and Enforcer incited some mild interest in me, but clones of this style are not exactly hard to find, and in my experience, the doppelgangers are almost invariably somewhat sloppy and/or without much novelty to them.” Something funky in the wind.

Lonewolf – Raised on Metal Review

By Dr. Wvrm on October 4, 2017 in 2017, French Metal, Heavy Metal, Massacre Records, Power Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 21 comments

“Lonewolf could desperately use some time off. Raised on Metal culminates a decade-long span that saw seven LP releases, including a peak of increasingly unaffecting albums between 2012-2014. The gap to 2016’s The Heathen Dawn revitalized Lonewolf’s sound, suggesting that even a mild breather can do them some good. Not one for learning from their mistakes (or enjoying life or its many bounties), the Frenchmen offer yet another album for judgment, nary sixteen months later.” Can’t we just admire the French work ethic?

Running Wild – Rapid Foray Review

By Steel Druhm on August 30, 2016 in 2016, German Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, SPV, Steamhammer, Heavy Metal, 66 comments

“The pirate’s life is not for everyone. Extensive travel, oft unprofessional coworkers and arcane profit sharing arrangements conspire to limit the talent pool and keep opportunities scarce. None of that ever mattered to Running Wild. They took to the trade like a duck to water and from 1987 onward they’ve kept the marauder’s flag flying almost nonstop through hard times and rough seas. Rapid Foray is the third release since their 2012 “reformation” and as on Shadowmaker and Resilient, they’re not looking to reinvent the parrot.” Rum and rummer.

Lonewolf – The Heathen Dawn Review

By Huck N Roll on July 6, 2016 in 2016, French Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 25 comments

“Dear mother: my battle for acceptance in the brutal world of AMG Amalgamated Blogworks, Ltd. goes on. I’ve survived the gauntlet of milquetoast prog submissions and am a better man for it. There is no respite for the “New Guy,” however: this week my inbox greeted me with a fist to the face in the form of a French power metal album and I fear I may not survive this next phase. Power metal and France typically do not go hand in hand.” The struggle goes on and on.

Silverbones – Wild Waves Review

By Steel Druhm on June 1, 2016 in 2016, Heavy Metal, Italian Metal, Power Metal, Reviews, Stormspell Records, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 20 comments

“Somewhere on a wind swept beach in a far-flung corner of the Pacific Ocean was a buried treasure chest. That chest was filled with all the riffs Running Wild had yet to use but wanted to keep from their scurvy competition. And there it sat for decades in it’s sandy repose, unknown to all but Rock n’ Rolf. That was until upstart Italian buccaneers Silverbones jacked the riff-booty, leaving empty bottles of Limoncello as their calling cards.” YAARR’s revenge?