Black Hand Inn
Studio album by
Running Wild
Released24 March 1994
Recorded1993–1994
StudioHorus-Sound-Studio, Hanover and Vox Klangstudio, Bendestorf
GenreHeavy metal, power metal, speed metal
Length65:46
LabelElectrola
ProducerRolf Kasparek, Karl-Ulrich Walterbach
Running Wild chronology
Pile of Skulls
(1992)		 Black Hand Inn
(1994)		 Masquerade
(1995)
Singles from Black Hand Inn
  1. "The Privateer"
    Released: 10 March 1994
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Rock Hard9/10[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.

Content

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.

Reception

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]

Track listing

All songs written by Rolf Kasparek

Side A
No.TitleLength
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
Side B
No.TitleLength
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
Japanese bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
12."Poisoned Blood" (From The Privateer EP)3:42
13."Dancing on a Minefield" (From The Privateer EP)5:00
Total length:74:25

Personnel

Additional Musicians
  • Ralf Nowy – flute on "Dragonmen"
  • Thomas Rettke – backing vocals
Production
  • Rock 'n' Rolf – producer
  • Charlie Bauerfeind – engineering, mixing, mastering
  • Sascha Paeth – engineering (additional), programming
  • Marisa Jacobi – layout, typography
  • Karl-Ulrich Walterbach – executive producer
  • Andreas Marschall – cover art

Charts

Chart (1994) Peak
position
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[4] 54
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[5] 50

References

  1. ↑ Ravelin, Antti J. "Running Wild – Black Hand Inn review". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  2. ↑ Dix, Jan Michael. "Rock Hard review". issue 84. Rock Hard. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  3. ↑ Best of Rock & Metal – Die 500 stärksten Scheiben aller Zeiten (in German). Rock Hard. 2005. p. 52. ISBN 3-89880-517-4.
  4. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Running Wild – Black Hand Inn" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  5. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Running Wild – Black Hand Inn". Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
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