Tag Archives: joey demaio

Manowar’s “Fighting The World” Still Battling After 30 Years (1987-2017)

Check the integrity of your armor and chains and unsheathe thine swords oh Metal Warriors for on this very day in a bygone age, the mighty Manowar had thus delivered the molten platter “Fighting The World”. It was the bands fifth release and came care of Atco Records. As an album it was very straightforward Metal that had more of a commercially viable sound based on a few of its tracks than some of the bands earlier material offered up. Some of the purists to the band might have felt that the band sold out since this would be the their first chance to be broadcast on MTV with the fun video for “Blow Your Speakers”. I’ve embedded that for you below to check out if you haven’t seen it in many years or never before.

As usual, this toast is more personal based as opposed to lining out all the history that you can read on the Wikipedia entry. The original track listing is below and looking over it I have to say that my favorite tunes from it are still my favorite tunes from it. The first tune that “did it” for me personally has to be “Carry On” with the slower beginning and then into its thunderous drive. Speaking of drive there was probably nothing as heavy in my mind as the pounding relentlessness of “Black Wind, Fire and Steel”. As a very active drummer during the time of the album’s release I would periodically try to give myself a heart attack by seeing how far into the song I could get. That Scott Columbus was a demon on the kit during this time and I remembered also being a player who instructed some younger drummers in the basics and when one presented this tune to me as something they wanted to learn I had to be the Ben Kenobi Jedi Master and say “in time this will come” but certainly not after just learning how to keep basic 4/4 time.
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Manowar Announces “Farewell Tour” In 2016

Soon it will be time for fans around the world to sheath their swords, hang up their shields and neatly fold their loincloths in the closet never to be used again as the mighty Manowar has just announced a farewell tour that will end with their disbanding. The bands official statement is below the logo so check it out.

Logo - Manowar

Official Statement:
“The Gods And Kings Tour was a groundbreaking moment in our career. The stage, sound, video and you, our fans, were magnificent!
Coming off such an amazing tour it was clear that the next time we must go even bigger and beyond anything we have ever done; something that will fulfill every Manowarrior’s dreams. Then that will be the ultimate moment to say Thank You and farewell!

The Final Battle will begin in Germany and take us all over the world to say goodbye to all of you.

If you know Metal you know MANOWAR. If you know MANOWAR you know Metal!

Those who join this tour will be left with an eternal memory; having witnessed the band that has dedicated their blood, hearts, souls and every moment of their career to True Heavy Metal. We are calling all Manowarriors to prepare yourselves now and to join us for The Final Battle!”
MANOWAR”

PiercingMetal Thoughts: Despite liking so much of their early material I have never, ever before seen Manowar in concert and it was something that I had wanted to do again and again. It just never happened and now I guess for those fans in the USA, we never will. They so rarely toured over in this part of the world and when they did it was at smaller places that left so many Metal Legions out of the mayhem. They also didn’t allow any photography which is why many of you are reading this and saying “wait, so they were here not too long ago?” Sure they say that this farewell tour will take them all over the world but let’s see what the actual itinerary will be when all is mapped out. For NYC they would need to do at least two nights at a place the size of Hammerstein Ballroom to be effective and a proper goodbye to this side of the Metal fence. Like the rest of you I will await their decree with some level of anticipation. What do you readers think of this “Farewell Tour” announcement? Do you think it will be akin to an Ozzy Osbourne or KISS Farewell tour and find the band back after eleven minutes of non-activity or do you think they will do a public display like Motley Crue did and sign legal paperwork in front of the Internet citing their true end? Let me know what you think in the comments section.

Official Website: http://www.manowar.com

“Put Your Sword and Loincloths Away” For Manowar Has Cancelled Their 2014 US Dates!!!

I really don’t like being the bearer of bad news but sometimes that task falls upon my shoulders and I must. That being said I must inform you to put away your “Game Of Thrones” formal wear because Manowar have just announced that they are cancelling their upcoming US Tour for “Kings Of Metal” so they might continue working on their soon to be released album. I’ve embedded the bands official statement beneath their logo so continue along to get the full on inside scoop.

Logo - Manowar

Press Copy: “MANOWAR have announced their return into the studio to begin working on their next studio album. In order to concentrate on the yet unnamed new studio album, MANOWAR will postpone their U.S. tour dates in November due to scheduling conflicts. Tickets will remain valid and updates regarding new dates will be announced as soon as possible. Those who cannot attend the re-scheduled concerts will be able to get a full refund. MANOWAR will headline Loud Park Festival in Tokyo on October 18, 2014 and will then resume the “Kings Of Metal MMXIV” World Tour with first dates in Germany in January. More 2015 dates will be announced soon!
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“Gods Of War Live” by Manowar

Artist: Manowar
Title: “Gods Of War Live”
Label: Magic Circle Music
Release Date: 8/6/2007
Genre: Heavy Metal
Rating: 4/5

Recorded during their “Demons, Dragons and Warriors World Tour 2007”; “Gods Of War Live” captures Manowar in the best possible manner and that is on the concert stage in front of tens of thousands of screaming Metal heads. This would be the bands third live release and while it focused on material from their later years they would still manage to fit in the venerated classics to the delight of the raging audience. To the Metal fans around the world, Manowar in concert is more than just a show with the incredible lights and epic Metal music – it is instead a highly anticipated event and hallowed day in celebration of the band that practically started the Sword & Sorcery aspect of the genre. When Manowar comes to town their legions unite in common cause and together raise their horns for the glory and honor of Metal music. The first CD opens with the bands staple intro “Manowar” – a song that reminds the audience of their beginnings and their never ending quest for Metal. The song selection presented on the album is actually the entire performed set from the tour so there is a lot to enjoy from beginning to end. Some of my own favorites were set on “Holy War” since it was such a pounding piece and “Mountains” based on the rich heaviness and mood laid out in its live version. I just seemed to like it better here than on the original studio recording.
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“Gods Of War” by Manowar

Artist: Manowar
Title: “Gods Of War”
Label: Magic Circle Music
Release Date: 2/26/2007
Genre: Heavy Metal
Rating: 2.5/5

It is time once again to unsheathe your sword and raise it high to glory and honor as the legendary warriors Manowar make their return for the Metal legions everywhere. Their latest album is entitled “Gods Of War” and is a concept record and follows the themes of Odin and Norse legends. It sounds pretty interesting when you think about it since Norse Folklore is so rich and detailed to read about but before I had my own copy I was seeing a lot of mixed press about the album and much of it was leaning on the negative side. Since I had been a fan of the band from way back in the early days I was wondering how such a thing would be possible. It was only after a couple of spins on the changer that I was able to assess where those who found disappointment were actually coming from. The album begins with the pre-requisite symphonic and sweeping opener that Manowar had been employing in recent years, but unlike the band Rhapsody Of Fire, who seem much more adept at Film Score Metal, this opener is simply a ponderous listen. On completion it does not even lead you to a song but to three or four minutes of dialogue that instead of making you eager to know the tale makes you want to skip right to the music. By the time the album hits “King Of Kings” you would expect a thunderous exploding tune but instead find one that is a lot slower than it should have been and while it has a cool chorus about “Gods of Thunder with man and beast being torn asunder” it is not as much a Metal tune as I would have liked to hear. The song gets to the two minute part and more dialogue is introduced right in the middle and that is a mood killer if you asked me. I did like the vocal play during the acapella “Army Of The Dead” and the pounding drive of “Sleipnir”, a song about the legendary eight-legged steed of Odin, but between them is yet more dialogue and commentary and it was starting to make me wonder what the hell I was listening to. I took this as the band trying too hard to tell the tale as opposed to letting the music bring us deeper into the Nordic myths that they were singing about. Eric Adams no longer shrieks as much as he used to so its easy to follow along with the lyrics, so having long comments everywhere you turn seemed a bit of a waste of valuable music space. “Blood Brothers” is pretty much the ballad on the release and sings of camaraderie and allegiance and is very well done, but the up and down nature of the recording really loses momentum at almost every turn. There are no peaks to rise to and instead only smaller hills. The performances of Adams, DeMaio, Columbus and Logan are tight and together despite all of these reservations.
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