This summer should see the release of the band's debut album. All I can say is once that record is out, by all means pick it up. It will undoubtedly be one of the top metal albums of 1984.
And Bob Muldowney was right on in the July 1984 issue (XXVI) of his Kick Ass zine! RUNNING WILD released Gates to Purgatory on this day in 1984!
They were already making a name in the underground with the Rock from Hell - German Metal Attack split in 1983 featuring an early version of Adrian S.O.S. and Death Metal split a couple of months earlier (Oct 1984) with HELLHAMMER, HELLOWEEN and DARK AVENGER.
Paint in subways, paint in buses
With your Edding big black pentagrams
Black metal graffitis are thrown against the wall,
Crucifixes are inversed
Pictures are signed by the Triple Six
Black metal art is shocking law 'n' order man!
For me, an all time classic from West Germany, a musical avalanche. Lyrically the Adversary archetype used to fight against religious and state hypocrisy, corruption and oppression ("Son of Satan's coming, to free all the slaves").
More from Kick Ass, describing the RW sound (just before the release of the album):
From commercial metal (Scorpions, Accept, Bullet) to hardcore power metal (Sodom), they've got something for everyone, and that includes straight ahead powerful heavy metal, in the form of Running Wild.
Sporting a Satanist image, Running Wild is not a power metal or death metal band. They music is basically up-tempo and fast-paced heavy metal, heavy guitar riffing (sometimes reminiscent of heavier Priest a la "Stained Class" and "Hell Bent For Leather"). The vocals are not gut-level like Sir Cronos, but they are rough, and the lead guitar work is also impressive.