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 (in the sense of European libertarianism) 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.

Gates to Purgatory
Studio album by
ReleasedOctober 1984
RecordedJune 1984
StudioCaet Studio, Berlin[1]
GenreSpeed metal, heavy metal
Length33:41
LabelNoise (Germany)
Combat (US)
ProducerRunning Wild and Horst Müller
Running Wild chronology
Gates to Purgatory
(1984)
Branded and Exiled
(1985)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal4/10[2]

The album has sold over 235,000 copies worldwide.[citation needed] The album was reissued in 2012 by Lemon Records, as well as in 2017 by Noise Records.

Track listing edit

All tracks written by Rolf Kasparek except where noted

Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Victim of States Power"Warnecke3:39
2."Black Demon" 4:29
3."Preacher"Kasparek, Warnecke4:26
4."Soldiers of Hell" 3:30
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
5."Diabolic Force"Kasparek, Warnecke5:04
6."Adrian S.O.S." 2:54
7."Genghis Khan" 4:13
8."Prisoner of Our Time"Warnecke5:26
Total length:33:41
US and Canadian CD bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Walpurgis Night"Warnecke4:41
2."Satan" 4:08
Total length:42:30
2017 remastered bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
1."Chains & Leather" (from the 1983 Rock From Hell - German Metal Attack compilation)5:10
2."Adrian" (from the 1983 Rock From Hell - German Metal Attack compilation)2:44
3."Walpurgis Night" (from The First Years of Piracy)5:19
4."Satan" (from the 1984 Victim of States Power EP)4:08
5."Iron Heads" (from the 1984 Death Metal split album)3:38
6."Bones to Ashes" (from the 1984 Death Metal split album)5:17
7."Soldiers of Hell" (re-recorded)3:22
8."Prisoner of Our Time" (re-recorded)4:34
Total length:67:53
  • The bonus track "Walpurgis Night" cuts off very close to the end due to the condition of the master tape on most releases
  • The 1991 Japanese release contains the 1985 album Branded and Exiled

Personnel edit

  • Rolf Kasparek – guitar, vocals
  • Gerald "Preacher" Warnecke – guitar
  • Stephan Boriss – bass
  • Wolfgang "Hasche" Hagemann – drums
Production
  • Running Wild – producer, artwork
  • Horst Müller – producer, recording
  • D. Magnussen – photography

Cover versions edit

References edit

  1. ^ "RUNNING WILD - the official website". running-wild.de. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  2. ^ Popoff, Martin (1 November 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 297. ISBN 978-1894959315.