Black Hand Inn | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 24 March 1994 | |||
Recorded | 1993–1994 | |||
Studio | Horus-Sound-Studio, Hanover and Vox Klangstudio, Bendestorf | |||
Genre | Heavy metal, power metal, speed metal | |||
Length | 65:46 | |||
Label | Electrola | |||
Producer | Rolf Kasparek, Karl-Ulrich Walterbach | |||
Running Wild chronology | ||||
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Singles from Black Hand Inn | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Rock Hard | 9/10 [2] |
Black Hand Inn is the eighth studio album by German heavy metal band Running Wild, released on 24 March 1994 through Noise Records. It is a loose concept album about a resurrected man, against a backdrop of piracy, foreseeing Armageddon.
The album's story starts with "The Curse", in which a man by the name of John Xenir (played by Rolf Kasparek) has been condemned to death for using forbidden powers and is burned at the stake to save his soul. After the fire burns out, all that is left is a blackened and charred hand. In the title track, John is alive and creates his own inn in a grove with the sign of a black hand on the front door. He shows to his patrons his powers by predicting their futures. A priest happens to see his powers and threatens him, calling him a devil. However, John is unfazed and tells the man that long ago he was burned away and that the priest is really the evil one.
The lyrics of the song "Genesis" are based on the book "The 12th Planet" by Zecharia Sitchin.
In 2005, Black Hand Inn was ranked number 394 in Rock Hard magazine's book The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time. [3]
All songs written by Rolf Kasparek
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "The Curse" | 3:15 |
2. | "Black Hand Inn" | 4:32 |
3. | "Mr. Deadhead" | 4:02 |
4. | "Soulless" | 4:57 |
5. | "The Privateer" | 4:21 |
6. | "Fight the Fire of Hate" | 6:38 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
7. | "The Phantom of Black Hand Hill" | 6:25 |
8. | "Freewind Rider" | 5:15 |
9. | "Powder & Iron" | 5:18 |
10. | "Dragonmen" | 5:42 |
11. | "Genesis (The Making and the Fall of Man)" | 15:18 |
Total length: | 65:43 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Poisoned Blood" (From The Privateer EP) | 3:42 |
Total length: | 69:25 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Poisoned Blood" (From The Privateer EP) | 3:42 |
2. | "Dancing on a Minefield" (From The Privateer EP) | 5:00 |
Total length: | 74:25 |
Chart (1994) | Peak position |
---|---|
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [4] | 54 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [5] | 50 |
Running Wild is a German heavy metal band formed in Hamburg in 1976. They were part of the German metal scene to emerge in the early to mid-1980s, and are also considered to be one of the country's so-called "big four" of power metal, along with Grave Digger, Helloween and Rage. Over the course of their career, they have released 17 studio albums, three live albums, five compilation albums, and six singles/EPs.
Gates to Purgatory is the debut studio album by German heavy metal band Running Wild, released in 1984. It predates their piracy themes and has mostly satanically-influenced lyrics but also features songs with anarchic and libertarian 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.
Branded and Exiled is the second studio album by German heavy metal band Running Wild, released in 1985.
Port Royal is the fourth album by German heavy metal band Running Wild. It expanded on the pirate theme introduced in their album Under Jolly Roger (1987) and established them as "pirate metal" in the metal community. The album takes its name from the location of Calico Jack's death.
Rogues en Vogue is the thirteenth album by Running Wild, released in 2005.
Pile of Skulls is the seventh studio album by Running Wild, released in 1992. It is their last album with guitarist Axel Morgan.
Under Jolly Roger is the third studio album by German heavy metal band Running Wild. It marked a stylistic turning point in which the group dropped the Satanic imagery they had previously used and adopted the pirate theme they would become known for, creating and influencing the later named pirate metal subgenre of heavy metal in the 2000s in the process. The album's title comes from the famous Jolly Roger, the flag used by pirates to identify their ships.
Death Metal is a 1984 split album by the bands Helloween, Hellhammer, Running Wild, and Dark Avenger. It contains the only recorded material by the German group Dark Avenger besides their 1985 demo tape.
Masquerade is the ninth album by German band Running Wild. It is the first in a trilogy of a theme of good versus evil, continued with The Rivalry and concluded with Victory.
Victory is the eleventh studio album by German band Running Wild. It is the third and final album in a trilogy of a theme of good versus evil, started with Masquerade and continued with The Rivalry.
The Brotherhood is the twelfth album by German heavy metal band Running Wild.
Blazon Stone is the sixth album by German heavy metal band Running Wild, released in 1991. According to Rolf Kasparek in an interview to a Brazilian heavy metal/hard rock magazine, Blazon Stone is the best-selling album by the band, in the 1990s. It is also their first album with both guitarist Axel Morgan and drummer AC.
Live is a 2002 live album by German heavy metal band Running Wild, released on 18 November. It was recorded live at Halle Gartlage in Osnabrück, Germany during their support tour for The Brotherhood.
The Rivalry is the tenth album by German band Running Wild. It is the second in a trilogy of a theme of good versus evil, which began with Masquerade and concluded with Victory. It is also their last album with drummer Jörg Michael.
Death or Glory is the fifth studio album by German heavy metal band Running Wild, released 8 November 1989 through Noise Records. It is the band's last album with both guitarist Majk Moti and drummer Ian Finlay. Being one of their most successful releases, it contains the concert favourites "Riding the Storm" and "Bad to the Bone". The final track, "March On", was not included on the vinyl release due to space constraints.
Shadowmaker is the fourteenth studio album by German heavy metal band Running Wild, released on 20 April 2012. It is the band's first studio album since 2005's Rogues en Vogue and the first since the band's return after breaking up in 2009.
The Final Jolly Roger is a live album by heavy metal band Running Wild, released on 24 June 2011 via Golden Core Records. It was recorded and filmed at Wacken on 30 July 2009 for a CD and DVD release. This was known at the time as the "final" show when Rolf Kasparek announced the band's split on 17 April 2009 before reuniting in 2011.
Rapid Foray is the sixteenth studio album by the German heavy metal band Running Wild. It was released by Steamhammer Records on 26 August 2016. The album was delayed due to Rolf Kasparek's shoulder injury, and their subsequent show at Wacken in 2015. A lyric video was made for "Black Bart".
Blood on Blood is the seventeenth studio album by the German heavy metal band Running Wild, their first album in five years, since 2016's Rapid Foray. It was released by Steamhammer Records on 29 October 2021.
Forever Warriors Forever United is the thirteenth studio album by the German female heavy metal singer Doro, released on August 17, 2018 through Nuclear Blast Records. This is Doro's first double album, released separately as split albums, as well as a double package. The album is dedicated to Lemmy Kilmister. The first single "All For Metal" contains several guest vocalists such as Chuck Billy, Jeff Waters, Johan Hegg, Mille Petrozza, and Sabaton. "If I Can't Have You, No One Will", which has a duet with Amon Amarth bellower Johan Hegg, was released as the 2nd Single. The third and fourth singles were "Lift Me Up" and "It Cuts So Deep" respectfully. Five music videos were produced in promotion for the record's release: "All for Metal", "It Cuts So Deep", "If I Can Not Have – No One Will", "Freunde Furs Leben" and "It Cuts So Deep".