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Running Wild - Live - DVD


*
=Staff's pick

March Of The Final Battle
Welcome To Hell
Bad To The Bone
Lead Or Gold*
Riding The Storm*
When Time Runs Out
The Brotherhood*
Soulless*
Blazon Stone*
Crossfire
Metalmachine Solo
Kiss Of Death*
Uaschitschum
Unation
Victory*
Prisoners Of Our Time
Purgatory*
Soulstrippers
Under Jolly Roger

Bonus track:
Bad To The Bone "Rock´n´Rolf feat. Donots live at Ringfest, Cologne

Special features:
Backstage report from Langen & Osnabrück


Genre Power Metal
Rolf Kasparek
Vocals
Tracks 19
Rolf Kasparek
Guitar
Runningtime 120 Min.
Bernd Aufermann
Guitar
Label Gun Records
Peter Pichl
Bass
Release 25 Nov. 2002
Matthias Liebetruth
Drums
Country Germany
-
Keyboards
Similar artists ---

Finally - after 12 years wait since the last (and only) livevideo from Running Wild we are now facing a live DVD recorded at a show in Osnabruck, Germany on the 30 March 2002 during the Brotherhood tour.

For the yet uninitiated in the works of Running Wild, that have been a figurehead for german metal since the beginning of the 80's, it can be said they play a very catchy, singalong type of metal that is very much based of sharp and melodic guitar riffs - many times very simple and back to the roots. It is done with heart and dedication to Metal, and I think this man is a genius for producing one melody after the other that are absolutely over the top.

The long version of the DVD includes 19 livesongs, and the first half of the concert opens in a very strong way with the aces Welcome To Hell, Bad To The Bone, Lead Or Gold, Riding The Storm, When Time Runs Out, Soulless and Blazon Stone. Than it slightly looses in tempo a little with Crossfire, a totally useless drumsolo, Kiss Of Death, Uaschitschun and Unation

When I first saw the tracklist for this DVD, I got a bad vibe for the whole thing because i felt there were at least a handful songs that I wold like to see replaced for better ones, and some that didn't look like they should fit in the set. I was wondering why he chose to include some of the songs that were somewhat a minor disappontment on the last album The Brotherhood, for example Crossfire and Unation. But after having seen this concert a number of times now, I have come to the conclusion that they all are very well worth their place in the set. These songs that can appear a bit flat on cd, are very fresh and groovy live, and now when I have listened/watched in on the concert a number of times, I wouldn't want to change much in the tracklist. All songs are there for a reason, and reflectes the major part of Running Wild's career so far.

A few more of the classics (Mordor, Beggars Night, Little Big Horn, The Phantom Of Black Hand Hill and/or a few more from the albums Masquerade and The Rivalry)would have been very nice to see, though, since it's not every year Captain Rolf releases a live video.

A few things that disappoint me on this DVD is that the extra features - the backstage footage from Osnabruck and Langen - are very short and we don't get to hear Rolf or anyone speak. It's just 2-3 minutes of people drinking coffee, beer and getting ready for the show. I hope for an interview or more interesting stuff behind the scenes 'til next time.

The conclusion is that it is nevertheless very nice to see Rolf live again in a very good mood, and apart from the obvious killers in form of the old classics, he serves fresh and vital versions of the newer, more groovier midtempo tunes from the latest albums.

People that are systematically mocking this kind of music, and are making fun of the spandextights, the poses, the funny hats and the standard 80's-guitarriffs are in for a real treat here. They will probably be rolling over the floor for days after seeing this. Nothing much has changed in Rolf's appearance on stage since the Death Or Glory-era. It's exactly the same moves with the head, exactly the same twinguitar-dance with the second guitarist about 50 times during the concert, the same flamboyant clothes (more spectacular than ever). I personally love the consistancy in the man's work and music, but others might not.

And of course - the brilliant music is the same! This is well spent money for a Running Wild fan.

See also review of: Resilient , Shadowmaker , Rogues En Vogue , The Brotherhood

Production
Vocals
Compositions

8

7,5

8,5

 
Summary



8,5 chalices of 10 - Tommy

Related links:

www.running-wild.de