Running Wild "Gates To Purgatory"

Running Wild is a German heavy metal band, formed in 1976 in Hamburg. They were part of the German metal scene to emerge in the early to mid-1980s. Over the course of their career, they have released sixteen studio albums, three live albums, five compilation albums, and six singles/EPs. Although their earlier releases contained Satanic themes and imagery, Gerald "Preacher" Warnecke, the guitar player of the band, was studying theology at the time and is now a pastor in Cologne.

Formed in 1976 as Granite Hearts, the band agreed to change it to Running Wild in 1979 - the name was taken from the Judas Priest song with the same name, featured on their 1978 full-length Killing Machine.

According to some old interviews with Rolf, his nickname "Rock 'n' Rolf" was first pronounced by a kid who was the younger brother of one of his friends, in the band's very early days or even before their formation. The guy was at his house with another friend, and the two had discussed for hours of rock, hard rock, metal, bands etc.; when Rolf ringed the door, the kid opened, Rolf told him his name and the first, confused by all those talkings and recurring words of his brother and the other guy (especially "rock", obviously), said to them: "Hey, there is Rock 'n' Rolf here!". They all laughed and kept on calling him that way since then.

Gates to Purgatory is the first studio album by 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.

The album has sold over 235,000 copies worldwide. The album was reissued in 2012 by Lemon records, as well as in 2017 by Noise records.

Released December 26th, 1984.

- Recorded at Caet Studio, Berlin, June 1984. 

- Produced by Running Wild.