Running Wild

Founded in Hamburg in '76 under the name Granite Heart, which became Running Wild in '79, it is a German heavy/speed metal band founded by "Rock'n'Rolf" Kasparek. In its early days, the German band played on a satanic imagery, displaying pentagrams on the covers of its first two albums. However, from their third album, Under Jolly Roger, a real break occurs, since the Germans opt for pirate imagery and themes, which they would pursue for almost their entire career, despite a shift toward Napoleonic themes on albums such as Rivalry. The band's real success begins with the album Port Royal, quickly followed by Death Or Glory, two albums still regarded today as cult heavy metal albums. The band split in 2009 to reform two years later with Shadowmaker.