X-Wild - Savageland (1996)

After two albums in a single year, X-Wild took the next off, to return in 1996 for their third and final album. Consequently, Savageland would be their magnum opus, and the very best power metal album of that year (to be fair, there wasn't a lot of competition). This is tight, conceptual, bold, and frankly quite savage sounding (puns intended) by comparison to either of its predecessors, and even though the songs are not 100% awesome, it has a few exceptional tracks which are among the best of the 90s German power. Frank Ullrich (Attack, Grave Digger, Living Death) replaces Stefan Schwarzmann for the swan song, but keeps the drumming at much the same pace, wonderfully complementary to the raging fantasy warfare that creates the heart and heat of the record.

Yes, Savageland was over an hour of the best in dorky, but manly power metal you were going to hear, and though the influence still hovers like a pirate caravel to a helpless mercantile galleon, this is the effort where X-Wild have actually come into their own, no longer just a simple ripoff of Running Wild. A grim, pulsing intro (complete with Knight's goofy narrations) initiates the listener to this war-strewn world of butchery, and "Braveheart" enters with Iron Maiden-like savvy, before the level chugging of its Germanic verse and the uplifting, memorable pre-chorus. "Savageland" is next, forged in pure power as the double bass rolls below the very patriotic rhythm and fire. Not the best track here, but "Born for War" compensates with an elegaic grace, as slow and steady wins the race. Knight sounds like a blade finally sharpened to its most deadly edge here, and the way the lyrics interact with the melody makes for a pretty mature spark. "Murder In Thy Name" trots forward with more of Knight's frenzy and passion, and "Children of the Underground" has a killer synthesizer intro which meshes very well into the deeper, folksy vocals and brooding atmosphere (no REAL CHILDREN were hurt during the recording of the chorus!)

White as snow
Eyes that fear the light
Pale and drawn

Oh noes! Will our heroes free the child-slaves from their dusky, toiled fate? We must wait for an answer, for next X-Wild journeys into the "Dragonslair", with its arching melodic intro and somber acoustics, a sort of 'power ballad' with an emphasis on the former word. But no discussion of 'power' can be complete without the next song, one of the best songs of its class to ever be penned into existence. Yes, we might have to suffer through Knight's (AWESOME) narrative here, but it is (AWESOME) well worth it to hear the thrashing of those huge mutes, while the drums build a violent crescendo and the vocals drive forward the ULTIMATE in warfare motivation. If you do not like this song, you do not like power metal. The two are one and the same, synonymous, so check your estrogen back at the fucking door! This is "Die Like a Man", and you will. So make a prayer to whatever deity you hold high.

And if that track is Savageland at its most...savage, "Field of Blackbirds" is X-Wild at the most glorious moment of their career, a beautifully trudging anthem of loss that actually achieves what you might have previously thought impossible for these expatriates...true beauty. The sadness persists through the slowly slogging guitars to the pre-chorus and the wonderful payoff. Holy Glory, Batman! Another of those songs I could gladly die to, though like a man I had already been killed off on the previous. So...yeah, play this one at my burial instead. It's pretty fucking hard to follow up that 1-2 punch, but Savageland is not yet complete, and Frank and the boys will give it their damnedest as the "Clash of the Titans" begins to rock out like, like if Perseus was somehow given a motorcycle by the Gods, instead of a pegasus. "Hunting the Damned" opens in a thick, oozing bass plod, emboldened by huge chords which recall the Running Wild influence, a pretty strong power anthem despite its crawling gait, Knight going wild. "Chaos Ends" is too fitting a title for the finale, and it is definitely a solid track with more of Knight's better vocals.

Savageland is a beast, though 2-3 of the tracks simply do not exude the power of the rest. The sound is immaculate, spacious atmosphere that will engrave this album into immortality. If you've never heard X-Wild and want the 'full spread', then I highly advise you start here. This effort showed a band on top of their game, and on par with many of the best from Germany. It's the most mature, with all the best considered rhythms and a few tracks that were worthy of radio airplay, even though we were living in a world of self-hating alternative rock and incestuous boy bands. This is the one you want.

Highlights: Die Like a Man and Field of Blackbirds are not just highlights of Savageland, but my entire life to date. If only the rest were quite so good...

Verdict: Win [8.5/10] (remembering the myth)

http://www.myspace.com/xwildgermany

X-Wild - Monster Effect (1994)

It may not seem like much time had passed before X-Wild were already into their sophomore effort, but it arrived late in December whereas So What! (likely a collection of older songs) dropped in February 1994, so there is enough distance here to recognize the upgrade in quality that this album conveys. The title is a little better, the songs are a little better in general, and the album has a more cohesive, consistent atmosphere that dominates the occasionally scatter-shot debut. This is pretty good, although the Running Wild comparison is still very obvious, and it is best remembered as a 'prequel' to the later Savageland.

The line-up is identical to the debut, and there is a more mature, airy vibe to the recording which makes it quite the class act as far as derivative German power metal. "Wild Knight" (named in part for Frank, I'm sure) begins the festivities with a great, atmospheric intro, melodic leads resounding deep within, before a very Kasparek charging rhythm. "Souls of Sin" has a dash of Maiden and a pretty straightforward, catchy verse where Knight really lets his vocals wander. Good stuff. "Theatre of Blood" may sound like an outtake from Death or Glory, but it's quite good regardless, one of the tracks that best evokes the windy, glorious feel of the record, with an excellent maritime melody at around :50, and great vocals. "Heads Held High" should be titled "Cocks Held High", because it rocks out with that proverbial member flapping in the wind like a bold Teutonic flag. "Dr. Sardonicus" is no "Dr. Stein", but it has a catchy, slow pace which is quite mighty in delivery. "Sinners are Winners" is back in Running Wild's 1989-90 territory, a scorcher with a nice piratic flair to the riffs.

The arrogant muther
Kicked dirt in the face
Sweetened his deals
Mixed with arsenic and lace

The title track commences the latter half of this slab, a fairly written mid paced classic power metal anthem with good vocals and atmosphere. I love the rather Saxon feel to the riff after 1:00. "Serpents Kiss" is another biker-style rocker akin to Running Wild's "Raw Ride", or a good number of Accept tracks. "Sons of Darkness" has a nice intro, with light bass and guitar melody, then a meaty rhythm which the band will also perfect on their 3rd album. "D.Y.T.W.A.C" seems a rather roundabout way to exclaim the song's chorus, 'Do You Think We Are Crazy?', an almost doom-like groove with a nice bridge and lead segment. The album ends with "King of Speed", one of its best tracks, even though it's a multi-layered bass solo instrumental from Jens Becker. Seriously kick-ass, and probably would have worked even better as an intro to some epic historical track.

Monster Effect sounds resilient, keeping stride after 15 years with its majestic tones and bone crunching German Panzer power. There is enough melody and memorable sensitivity to keep any power metal fan thrilled through the 50 minutes of playtime. All the songs are listenable, provided you have no problem with the similarities to THAT OTHER BAND.

Highlights: Souls of Sin, Theatre of Blood, Dr. Sardonicus, Monster Effect, King of Speed

Verdict: Win [8/10] (too late to let you out)

http://www.myspace.com/xwildgermany

X-Wild - So What! (1994)

Formed by three former members of the great Running Wild, X-Wild is further proof that the apple does not fall far from the tree. Their first album, the unfortunately titled So What!, is an exercise in pure German power metal that sounds a lot like something Rock'n'Rolf Kasparek would write. But can you ever have enough of a good thing? Answer that for yourselves, and you will have determined whether or not it's worth the time to check out this debut album. Granted, So What! also takes a few hard rock liberties, similar to Accept, Grave Digger and Running Wild, so this album isn't always 100% what you are expecting.

Frank Knight's nasal range actually places him somewhere between Kasparek and Dirkschneider...he uses a lot of Udo's rock & roll antics, but has a lower pitch, rarely raising the siren. It's pretty dirty and it works well, as Knight has a harsh bite that I'd much rather listen to than any wailing, 'clean' power metal vocalist of the Tate school. His tones help make the material here street ready, while the trio of Becker/Schwarzmann/Morgan rampage through a solid pile of riffs and a few really catchy tunes.

"Can't Tame the Wild" has a bouncy, mid-paced energy which, alongside Knight's circus freak, narrative vocals, creates a fairly goofy intro, before the Running Wild worship erupts in a riff that would have felt just at home on Blazon Stone or Death or Glory than it does here. "Dealing With the Devil" again apes Running Wild, a lot like "Raw Ride" from Under Jolly Roger in that you could ride your motorcycle to this and kick a poseur as you speed past. "Scarred to the Bone" and "Wild Frontier" are both fairly forgettable knockoffs, but "Sky Bolter" has an uplifting thrust to it that does not disappoint. Here the album begins to take a slightly diverted path which reflects a more widespread influence, as "Beastmaster" is slow moving, hard rocking and "Kid Racer" is a total oldschool German blast (and one of the better speed songs on the album).

Suck up the gas, foot to the floor
Engine is screaming, I gotta have more
It''s people like you, I don''t wanna be
Hey you over there, why are you looking at me? Oh God

Oh God is right, and So What! is not an album one should turn to for lyrical enlightenment, though the words are often amusing for their tongue in cheek qualities. "Freeway Devil" is another pretty good racing tune, with the pirate metal overtones in the riffing. "Mystica Deamonica" is where the album swerves most into the hard rock territory, and yet, despite all the cheese, it's honestly one of the better X-Wild songs throughout their discography. Catchy through a very simple set of chords, with a great song title = chorus part and a kickass bridge around 2:30 that I bet David Lee Roth wished he had come up with. "Thousand Guns" is total Accept worship, with the ballsy chorus and big hard rock riffs, and the album closes with another faster paced track "Different (So What)" which has some barbaric, meaty power metal rhythms.

So What! is a straight shooter as far as its production values, probably owing a lot to the individual members' backgrounds on other albums by Accept, Running Wild and Grave Digger. It sounds good at all volumes, and the musicianship and riffing is tight enough to show that these guys were going places. The only real downside (aside from a handful of mediocre tunes) is the band's too obvious similarities to the other German acts in its family. But if, like myself, one Running Wild might just not be enough...track it down. It's the least impressive of their three albums, but there are some good tunes.

Highlights: Kid Racer, Mystica Deamonica, Different (So What)

Verdict: Win [7.25/10] (the bastard son of the evil one)

http://www.myspace.com/xwildgermany