RUNNING WILD “Gates To Purgatory” /Digipack CD/

Remastered re-release of debut full-length studio album by legendary German Heavy/Power/Speed Metal band.
Europe wasn’t probably ready for what would be called Pirate Metal, with its origins laid down in the city of Hamburg, Germany, starting back in 1976 with a moniker named Granite Hearts. It took three years for the band to reassemble under the name Running Wild and to actually get down to business without kidding around. Given the right chances, after being critically acclaimed for their demos and compilation performances, the band was signed to a small local label named Noise Records, for a full-length release. From there on, the Running Wild, led by vocalist-guitarist-songwriter Rolf Kasparek aka Rock N’ Rolf, was on its way to the far reaches of success and to become a pioneer in Metal music.
"Gates To Purgatory" predates band's piracy themes and has mostly satanically-influenced lyrics, but also features songs with anarchic and libertarian (in the sense of European libertarianism) themes. It was in part of Gerald "Preacher" Warnecke's studies in theology (he left the band soon after the album's release to become a vicar).
Other than the Satanic and leather imageries, followed by the assimilation of in kind lyrical concepts that Running Wild took upon themselves, the music feels and breathes of the British Metal fume, crossing the outskirts of harmonic NWOBHM into signs of proto-Speed Metal.
For a first official step, “Gates To Purgatory” demonstrated the toughness of German Heavy Metal, which isn’t related to Accept, with honor. Selling over 235,000 copies worldwide, "Gates To Purgatory" catapulted Running Wild to Metal stardom in their native Germany and beyond.
Deluxe Expanded Edition includes eight bonus tracks and 16-page booklet.
There are 2 misspelled printed on back cover:
Track 7 is marked as "Genghis Kahn" (instead of “Genghis Khan”);
Track 8 is marked as "Prisioner Of Our Time" (instead of “Prisoner Of Our Time”).
Noise Records/Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company, 1984/2017 (NOISECD025). Made in EU. Pressed in Austria.


Tracklist:
1. Victim Of States Power 3:27  
2. Black Demon 4:25  
3. Preacher 4:22  
4. Soldiers Of Hell 3:25  
5. Diabolic Force 5:01  
6. Adrian S.O.S. 2:48  
7. Genghis Khan 4:08
Bonus Tracks:
8. Prisoner Of Our Time 5:22  
9. Chains & Leather ('Rock From Hell - German Metal Attack' Version) 5:10
10. Adrian ('Rock From Hell - German Metal Attack' Version) 2:45
11. Walpurgis Night (The Sign Of Women's Fight) (12" Single B-Side) 5:21
12. Satan (12" Single B-Side) 4:10
13. Iron Heads ('Death Metal' Version) 3:46
14. Bones To Ashes ('Death Metal' Version) 5:19
15. Soldiers Of Hell (1991 Re-Recorded Version) 3:23
16. Prisoner Of Our Time (1991 Re-Recorded Version) 4:36
Total playing time: 67:28 min.


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