666sharon666 The First Years of Piracy is a re-recordings album by Running Wild released in 1991, sometimes counted as an additional studio album but officially considered a compilation. It presents an updated take on tracks by the band that were first released between the years 1984 - 1987.

The selection of tracks on the album are pretty good. Many of my personal favourites from the band's early releases are represented here; Prisoner of Our Time, Under Jolly Roger, Diamonds of the Black Chest, Soldiers of Hell, Branded and Exiled; all are here and redone to be closer to Running Wild's then current heavy/power metal sound, though some speed metal roots are still evident. Most of their versions are stronger than the originals to my ears, especially the ones from the Branded and Exiled album, but I don't find that to be a big enough draw to make The First Years of Piracy the most essential Running Wild purchase, although I do enjoy this release more than their main studio album of 1991, Blazon Stone. The songs originally from Gates to Purgatory are about on the same level while I have mixed feelings on the new version of Under Jolly Roger. On one hand the song is better produced but also sounds a bit strange to listen to with the original's cannon fire sound effect completely missing. 4 stars.

adg211288 The First Years of Piracy (1991) is a re-recordings release by German heavy/power metal act Running Wild. It was released a little while after their sixth full-length studio album Blazon Stone (1991) and features the same line-up. The songs on The First Years of Piracy are taken from the group's early releases from between the years 1984 - 1987.

The main feature of The First Years of Piracy is that Running Wild have updated the arrangements of the song selection to be more in line with the heavy/power metal sound that they were producing at the time, rather than the rawer speed metal based sound of their first two albums Gates to Purgatory (1984) and Branded and Exiled (1985). This is even noticeable on tracks originally from Under Jolly Roger (1987) which was when they first started to turn more towards power metal and drop the speed metal aspect of their sound. The song choices are pretty good too, representing some of the best from their early works including the Under Jolly Roger title track, Soldiers of Hell, Branded and Exiled and Prisoner of Our Time. Some of Running Wild's most addictive songs there and the improved production just makes them feel more energetic and infectious than ever.

Which is why, in my mind at least, that The First Years of Piracy is actually one of Running Wild's most essential releases. It's not really that the original versions had anything wrong with them, I'm really quite fond of Gates to Purgatory in particular, but these re-recordings were done during the time that Running Wild were at the absolute top of their game and delivering their best albums, and something must have rubbed off on these old songs to end up with an album like this one. Five stars.