If you are looking for a band with hidden messages in the music forget Manowar. Their messages are in your face from start to finish. With songs mainly about Viking folklaw, it's all kill, kill, hail and kill. And I love it. When they leave the folklaw behind and play more modern songs... it's mostly about how loud they are. This is metal at its most metally. Once the loudest recorded live band in the guinness book of records,(when I saw them play back in 1990 you could feel the music in your bones). Oh yeah one other general point... the clothes (or lack of them) they wear loin clothes and are muscley... puts some off I am told!!!

There have been a few line up changes but it's always Eric Adams and Joey DeMaio as the back bone.

Eric Adams vocal range is amazing.. he seems to be able to hold a note forever and he can go from screachy to melodic in a heartbeat.. yes there are ballardy bits.

Joey DeMaio is a bass player with a difference, he does solo's.... ever heard flight of the bumble bee on the bass? it's amazing.

All the albums are great but if I had to pick just one it would be Battle Hymns, it has a bit of Viking stuff, a bit of sex n violence and a bit of how great Manowar are. And of course it has my all time favourite Manowar song on it, Battle Hymn. Not bad for a debut.

The Fact type bit.....

**Brief(ish) History**
A long long time ago in a dim and distant past Joey DeMaio formed a band to do in-your-face Metal, with Ross The Boss on guitar, Eric Adams on vocals and Donny Hamzik on drums. The recorded debut album Battle Hymns with no less than Orson Welles (actor, director and man from the sherry ads) doing narration on the track Dark Avenger. Then it was time for a contract with a new label... which they signed in blood, and a new drummer Scott Columbus that hit drums so hard they needed to make him custom ones. They recorded Into Glory Ride then Hail to England and then it was tour time. They invaded Great Britain, then conquered Europe, recorded Sign of The Hammer and made it into Guinness book of world records. Then it was Fighting The World and Kings of Metal before returning to America. Four years later in 1992 was The Triumph of Steel, then two years for Louder Than Hell. The latest album, Warriors Of The World, came out in 2002.

**Discography**

BATTLE HYMNS
Death Tone
Metal Daze
Fast Taker
Shell Shock
Manowar
Dark Avenger
William's Tale
Battle Hymn

INTO GLORY RIDE
Warlord
Secrets of Steel
Gloves of Metal
Gates of Valhalla
Hatred
Revelation (Death's Angel)
March for Revenge (By The Soldiers of Death)

HAIL TO ENGLAND
Blood of My Enemies
Each Dawn I Die
Kill With Power
Hail to England
Army of The Immortals
Black Arrows
Bridge of Death

SIGN OF THE HAMMER
All Men Play On Ten
Animals
Thor (The Power Head)
Mountains
Sign of The Hammer
The Oath
Thunder Pick
Guyana (Cult of The Damned)

FIGHTING THE WORLD
Fighting the World
Blow Your Speakers
Carry On
Violence And Bloodshed
Defender
Drums Of Doom
Holy War
Master Of Revenge
Black Wind, Fire And Steel

KINGS OF METAL
Wheels of Fire
Kings Of Metal
Heart Of Steel
The Crown And The Ring (Lament Of The Kings)
Kingdom Come
Hail And Kill
The Warriors Prayer
Blood Of The Kings
Pleasure Slave

THE TRIUMPH OF STEEL
Achilles, Agony and Ecstasy in Eight Parts (over 28 mins long!!)
Metal Warriors
Ride The Dragon
Spirit Horse Of The Cherokee
Burning
The Power Of Thy Sword
The Demon's whip
Master of the Wind

LOUDER THAN HELL
Return Of The Warlord
Brothers Of Metal Pt 1
The Gods Made Heavy Metal
Courage
Number 1
Outlaw
King
Today Is A Good Day To Die
My Spirit Lives On
The Power

HELL ON WHEELS (Live Double Album)

HELL ON STAGE (Another Live Double)

WARRIORS OF THE WORLD
Call To Arms
The Fight For Freedom
Nessun Dorma
Valhalla
Swords In The Wind
An American Trilogy
The March
Warriors Of The World United
Hand Of Doom
House Of Death
Fight Until We Die

Offical website is www.manowar.com

There you go.. everything you wanted to know about Manowar but were afraid to find out. If you like your music loud then this could be the band for you, I have already converted my 12 year old son into a fan and some of his friends too. I would tell you this band were like Judas Priest or some other band but they aren't, they are unique. It's not Thrash Metal, it's not Death Metal, it's not anything apart from Pure Metal.

Albums are available in a few record shops but they aren't easy to find unless you go to more specialist places, but can all be ordered from their website, but as it's American there is postage of $20 ontop... unless you are American of course. A few are available on Amazon and Ebay, if I do manage to find anywhere that has them all I will update this.... as I am looking for them myself as I'm replacing all my old vinyl slowly.

Have added a few pictures so you can see The Kings of Metal in all their glory (but I still haven't been able to find anywhere that stocks the back catalogue without a ridiculous delivery fee though!)

Have fun
Sarah :o)