Search - Running Wild :: Port Royal

Cry freedom on the seas . . .

trebe | 07/06/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"On Under Jolly Roger (1987), Running Wild first incorporated elements of the pirate way of life into their music and persona. On Port Royal (1988), the German metal band consisting of guitarists Rolf Kasperek and Majk Moti, along with new rhythm section, Jens Becker on bass, and Stefan Schwarzmann on drums, continue the trend to an even greater degree, producing another collection of powerful songs. The very cool album cover features the band as pirates. Whereas the sound of Under Jolly Roger was rather raw and edgy, the mix for Port Royal is much fuller, with more emphasis on the bass tones.



Port Royal was the infamous Jamaican port near Kingston harbor that was a haven for privateers and pirates, in the 17th century. This location serves as the inspiration for the title track, a pulsing rocker that puts you on the high seas looking for booty. The life of pirate John Bracken, who operated out of Port Royal, and was tried, convicted, and hung for piracy, is the inspiration for the ambitious `Calico Jack', an adventurous piece with a complicated song structure that is reminiscent of Iron Maiden.



Starting with a slow atmospheric bass intro, perhaps the hardest rocking tune, is the thundering `Conquistadors', dealing with one of Kasperek's favorite topics, injustices done by, or in the name of, organized religion. The lyrics. `Conquistadors, hungry for gold, doing as the religious madman told', captures the sentiment of this song.



Expressing anger and despair, `Raging Fire' features a cool riff and catchy chorus, while `Mutiny' contemplates the hard life of those who take to the sea. The instrumental `Final Gates', is a nice rather subdued piece, with nice bouncy bass line. `Uaschitschun' has a menacing opening and then transitions to a mid-tempo rocker with a classic solo break. The song, a commentary on man's excesses, is an example of the music moving toward becoming slightly more melodic and funky.



Although it still rocks harder than most metal releases of the time, Port Royal is one of the softer efforts by the band. Jens Becker, and Stefan Schwarzmann do bring something different to the mix, and Running Wild would gear up and truly put things together when they recorded Death or Glory (1989), an underappreciated milestone in heavy metal. This great recording dealing with war and destruction, would be a return towards the raw, live, sound, the band had previously on Under Jolly Roger."