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(8/10) There were times when I was almost convinced that the flagship of pirate-style metal disappeared in the endless ocean of metal - forever. But obviously there is still life in the old dog yet and it would be very wrong to write off Running Wild.
"Rapid Foray" is Running Wilds's newest album and it became a strong one. Running Wild is sailing close to the wind and with full speed ahead. Rock'n'Rolf and his crew deliver eleven new songs which are much better than expected. After being in a calm for several years, the band found back to some strong winds that pushes them hard. Running Wild's new record benefits from a lot of back-wind, somethings that's already reflected in the opener "Black Skies, Red Flag". We are talking about a song that covers all trademarks and it could easily fit on one of the earlier releases.
The title track is another well-done tune on the new longplayer. It is based on a vigorous rhythm and some traditional guitar riffs with he melodic vocals lines are the cherry on the cake.
Two more tracks are sticking out their heads from the rest. "The Depth of the Sea (Nautilus)" is an entertaining instrumental that fits very well into the context of "Rapid Foray" and the masterpiece is coming at the end. It feels like each of the ten songs has the simple task to prepare the listener for the epical "Last of the Mohicans". With more than eleven minutes length it exceeds each of the other tunes by far. The start is a very soulful one with some spoken words and an acoustic guitar. It sounds a bit like WASP in the "Crimson Idol" days. The tunes gains pace and power after a while and turns into a moderate paced Running Wild anthem. The chorus is melodic, the guitars are adding some heaviness and the rhythm section build a rock solid foundation. Only little remark though is the question if the song became too long. I think that 6-7 minutes would have done the job as well since there isn't that much variation included.
However, what started with "Resilient" finds its continuation on "Rapid Foray". Rock'n'Rolf brought the pirates back into the water lane, set sails and goes full speed ahead. This album belongs to the bigger surprises in 2016.
(8/10)
Tracklist:
- Black Skies, Red Flag
- Warmongers
- Stick To Your Guns
- Rapid Foray
- By The Blood In Your Heart
- The Depth Of The Sea – Nautilus (instr.)
- Black Bart
- Hellestrified
- Blood Moon Rising
- Into The West
- Last Of The Mohicans
Label: SPV/Steamhammer
Genre: Heavy Metal
Release Date EU: August 26th, 2016
