Customer Reviews

Pile of Skulls

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Good songs,incredible melodies, more powerful singing and heavier bass-lines than on their previous marvels Black Hand Inn and Port Royal.This effort by running wild is worth both my good time and my money. The crackhead below who has spread his psychotic ravings should have his head blown off and be buried in a shallow grave. Such nonsense is as helpful as having a hippie to evaluate a elite military squad. Pile of skulls is top of the line and will not disappoint anyone who knows his heavy metal ABC. This is a solid continuation of the NewWaveOfBritshHeavyMetal ( Judas P , Iron Maiden ,Saxon etc. ) Buy or die !

POS ( 1992 ) is Running Wilds third best achievement ever. Only " Masquerade -1995 " and " BHI-1994 " can surpass this impressing effort. Many of Germanys professional power metal reviewers even rank it as R.W:s top best album.

Therefore ; do not mind the negative " review " below which is a unserious insult to every powermetal-fan around.

Running Wild is not only real true metal - it is GERMAN MELODIC POWER METAL AT ITS BEST. This is music for those of you who are fed up with mediocre love-you-baby-freedom-party - lyrics that significates many popmetal acts today ( both in Europe and USA ).

When Captain Rolf and his guys break the silence with searing riffs, thunderous double bass-kicks and addictive, choruslike pirate-hymns ( sung by MEN , not boys ! ) there is no pardon given ! This will sweep You feet away.

If You have the possibility to test listen to this masterpiece before bying - then go for the tracks : Whirlwind ( very fast , energetic and with great headbanging-potential ) Pile of Skulls ( title track - probably their best singalong anthem since " Riding the Storm " on the Death or Glory-album ) Sinister Eyes ( a little bit darker lyrics - but still a great , powerful refrain that will grow into your head. ) If you do not like this , then you should not listen to/review power metal at all - because this is what the genre is all about. Even if people dislike R.W ( which for me is impossible to understand )for personal reasons , no one can dispute the fact that R.W belongs in the first top-five squad of european power-speed-metal that have graced the continent. The other four would be : Helloween,Blind Guardian,Gamma Ray and Primal Fear.

Like many other R.W-listeners I can only hope that R.W will find their way back to this uncompromized top shape. Their latest album " Victory " is a very good metal composition, but clearly light years away from the above mentioned masterpieces. If you have never heard R.W before - I recommend you to start with the album POS. Nothing can go wrong.

The guitarist in Running had being the reason I love this band so much. Being pile of Skull, one of the best album they made. I would like to buy it again, because my whole collection was stolen from my car...so sad uh!

Running Wild isn't for everyone. If you prefer bands that give you something new with each album, then this probably isn't for you. Running Wild does one thing and they do it well. It's difficult to describe but they (and by they I mean Rock'n' Rolf and whomever he happens to be working with on his albums) have a power/speed metal sound that just cuts right into your mind and makes you want to drink, party, and fight. Most people know them as "that band that does the pirate songs", and there's plenty of that here. Songs like "Lead or Gold" and "Treasure Island" are fine examples of that. However, there's more to Running Wild than that. Rolf has a distinctive vocal style that's both versatile and simple and easy to sing along with at the same time, he manages to give us plenty of aggression with his raspy voice, but he also hits those high notes well. He always seems to use a very distinctive galloping rhythym on his songs and again Pile of Skulls is no exception to this. His trademark epic melodies are here too. So what makes this album better than any other Running Wild album? Well, not a whole lot. It's difficult to say which of RW's albums are best because they tend to sound alike. Not that I don't enjoy getting new albums by them, but, they do have a consitant level of quality that they've kept up since their '88 album Port Royal. Pile of Skulls is proabably my choice for the "best" RW album, simply because it defines so well what RW is about. This album contains all of their best moments, and more. A must buy.

This Cd is a Heavy Metal classic; all the songs are great. Most people who have listened to it, even if not Metal fans have enjoyed it. You can't go wrong with this one.

Running Wild have found a great formula and are milking it for all it's worth. They introduced their pirate "vision" in Under Jolly Roger, and have not looked back since. What can you say about the band? The music has a tendency of sounding samey, but it is highly enjoyable. It is anthemic and it sweeps one off one's feet. I own three albums, this one, Black Hand Inn and Death or Glory. There is little to differentiate the music between them, all three are good. But Pile of Skulls is a bit stronger in my opinion because a few songs are absolutely great. Personal favorites: Sinister Eyes (best RW song), Whirlwind (sounds just like the title), and Lead or Gold (great fistwaver). You may not need to own every RW song out there, but if you are a metal fan, you should own at least one, and Pile of Skulls would be my choice.

Pirate-metal just rocks! There is just something about pirates that is so metal, Running Wild makes any of todays "metal" bands walk the plank.

This makes me want to grab an eye patch and a parrot and start plundering for some booty. Arrrr! this be the soundtrack to any fine pirate, and i aint talkin bout no silly pirate from the carribean either, you filth blige rat! Me's talking bout a true pirate with a mighty fine ship and a crew of 50 stong men with a vast horde of treasure! *Pile of Skulls* is the kind of music you want playing when your plundering some pieces of eight from some poor swab's stronghold.

Running Wild gives the hempen jig to other bands like Metallica, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Pantera or any other so called "legendary" metal band.

Arrrrrrrr! X marks the spot where the booty lies!

What can I say about Running Wild?

This german band is the best of german heavy metal ( with accept, grave digger and gamma ray).
Powerfull vocal lines, Strong Riffs and fantastic lyrics about Pirates and History.

Pile of Skulls is the best albun of the band. Songs like Jenning's Crew and Lead or Gold shows that Running Wild, after a couple of years is the same ( And don t need changes).

Arrrrrr! Listen up ya scurvy landlubbers! If ya likes tales of life on the high seas, then set sail for your nearest record store, and don't forget to bring your booty. Tell the swab behind the counter that he'd better give ya Running Wild's Pile Of Skulls if he don't wanna end up doing the Hempen Jig. Pile Of Skulls is a mighty fine cd of pirate metal to enjoy over a blackjack of bumboo after a long day on the dogwatch. Buy it today, ya miserable dogs, or I'll see to it you gets a good keelhauling.

An all time classic from the masters of Pirate Metal. No heavy metal collection is complete without this treasure.