Manowar is an American
heavy metal band from
Auburn, New York
Auburn is a city in Cayuga County, New York, United States. Located at the north end of Owasco Lake, one of the Finger Lakes in Central New York, the city had a population of 26,866 at the 2020 census. It is the largest city of Cayuga County, ...
. Formed in 1980, the group is known for lyrics based on
fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and drama ...
(particularly
sword and sorcery
Sword and sorcery (S&S) is a subgenre of fantasy characterized by sword-wielding heroes engaged in exciting and violent adventures. Elements of romance, magic, and the supernatural are also often present. Unlike works of high fantasy, the ...
) and mythology (particularly
Norse mythology
Norse, Nordic, or Scandinavian mythology is the body of myths belonging to the North Germanic peoples, stemming from Old Norse religion and continuing after the Christianization of Scandinavia, and into the Nordic folklore of the modern peri ...
and
Greco-Roman mythology
Classical mythology, Greco-Roman mythology, or Greek and Roman mythology is both the body of and the study of myths from the ancient Greeks and ancient Romans as they are used or transformed by cultural reception. Along with philosophy and polit ...
), as well as numerous songs celebrating the genre and
its core audience. The band is also known for a loud and emphatic sound. In an interview for
MTV in February 2007, bassist
Joey DeMaio
Joey DeMaio (born March 6, 1954) is an American musician who is the bass player and main songwriter for the heavy metal band Manowar which he founded in 1980. He is also the founder and CEO of Magic Circle Music.
Biography
He is a childho ...
lamented that "these days, there's a real lack of big, epic metal that is drenched with crushing guitars and
choir
A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which s ...
s and
orchestra
An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families.
There are typically four main sections of instruments:
* bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, c ...
s... so it's nice to be one of the few bands that's actually doing that". In 1984, the band was included in the
Guinness Book of World Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
for delivering the
loudest performance, a record which they have since broken on two occasions. They also hold the world record for the longest heavy metal concert after playing for five hours and 1 minute in Bulgaria (at
Kavarna Rock Fest) in 2008. They also have been known for their slogan "Death to false metal". The band maintains a strong cult following.
Biography
Origins (1980–1981)
Manowar's history began in 1980 when
Joey DeMaio
Joey DeMaio (born March 6, 1954) is an American musician who is the bass player and main songwriter for the heavy metal band Manowar which he founded in 1980. He is also the founder and CEO of Magic Circle Music.
Biography
He is a childho ...
, the future bassist of the band, met guitarist
Ross the Boss
Ross Friedman (born January 3, 1954), also known as Ross the Boss, is a guitarist, known as a founding member of both the punk band the Dictators, and the heavy metal band Manowar.
History
Friedman was born in the Bronx, New York, and forme ...
while working as a bass tech and fireworks manager for
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath were an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy metal music. The band helped de ...
on the
Heaven & Hell Tour. Ross the Boss, a former member of the
punk rock band
the Dictators, was the guitar player in Black Sabbath's support band, Shakin' Street. The two bonded over their shared musical interests, became friends and decided to form a band with the suggestion and advice of
Ronnie James Dio
Ronald James Padavona (July 10, 1942 – May 16, 2010), known professionally as Ronnie James Dio, was an American heavy metal singer. He fronted and founded numerous bands throughout his career, including Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio and ...
during the tour.
At the end of the tour with Black Sabbath, the duo got together to form Manowar. To complete the roster, they hired drummer
Donnie Hamzik and singer
Eric Adams
Eric Leroy Adams (born September 1, 1960) is an American politician and retired police captain serving as the 110th mayor of New York City since January 1, 2022.
Adams was an officer in the New York City Transit Police and then the New York ...
, a former classmate and friend of DeMaio. The name Manowar was suggested to Joey DeMaio and Ross the Boss by their instrument designer, John "Dawk" Stillwell.
''Battle Hymns'' (1981–1982)
On the strength of their debut demo, Manowar secured a recording contract with label
Liberty Records
Liberty Records was a record label founded in the United States by chairman Simon Waronker in 1955 with Al Bennett as president and Theodore Keep as chief engineer. It was reactivated in 2001 in the United Kingdom and had two previous revivals ...
in 1981. The label pressured the band to produce a good number of songs in a short time towards a debut album. The resultant album, ''
Battle Hymns'', was released the following year. The legendary actor and director
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...
served in the role of narrator on "Dark Avenger".
Soon after the album's release, Manowar engaged in their first tour. The band played support for hard rocker
Ted Nugent
Theodore Anthony Nugent (; born December 13, 1948) is an American rock musician and activist. He initially gained fame as the lead guitarist and occasional lead vocalist of The Amboy Dukes, a band formed in 1963 that played psychedelic rock a ...
, but their collaboration lasted only a few months. Manowar then decided to put together a short tour by themselves and all the arrangements were made in a few weeks by their manager. Despite these setbacks, the band gained domestic fame on this short tour and also began to get their first European fans, particularly in the United Kingdom and in Germany. Stressed from the strain of the continuing performances, Hamzik decided to leave the band at the end of this tour and was replaced with
Scott Columbus.
''Into Glory Ride'' and mainstream success (1983–1988)

By 1983, the band left Liberty Records and struck a deal with
Megaforce Records
Megaforce Records is an American independent record label founded in 1982 by Jon Zazula and his wife Marsha Zazula to release the first works of Metallica, and devoted primarily to hard rock and heavy metal. It has offices in New York City (wh ...
in the US and
Music for Nations
Music For Nations (MFN) is a British independent record label focusing mainly on rock and metal. It was a subsidiary of the larger label distributor Zomba Records, which was a division of BMG and later Sony Music Entertainment.
Launched in ...
in Europe—signing the contract in their own blood. The signing was a cover story in the 1983 July–August issue No. 47 of ''
Kerrang!
''Kerrang!'' is a British weekly magazine devoted to rock, punk and heavy metal music, currently published by Wasted Talent (the same company that owns electronic music publication '' Mixmag''). It was first published on 6 June 1981 as a one- ...
''.
When Manowar returned home, they immediately went into a recording studio to produce what, in the intentions of the group, would have been a simple
EP, but came out instead, due to the quantity and quality of the tracks made in that period, as the band's second album, ''
Into Glory Ride''. An EP was actually published in 1983 with the title ''Defender'' containing, as its main track, the eponymous song, which included more work by Orson Welles. The atmosphere of the album evoked classical
heroic fantasy
Heroic fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy in which events occur in a world where magic is prevalent and modern technology is nonexistent. The setting may be entirely fictitious in nature or based upon Earth with some additions. Unlike dark fiction ...
and mythology, and served as a predecessor to
Viking metal
Viking metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by a lyrical and thematic focus on Norse mythology, Norse paganism, and the Viking Age. Viking metal is quite diverse as a musical style, to the point where some consider it more a c ...
. It contained several innovative features, both in style and sound, and led to a huge increase in the number of fans of the group, particularly in the United Kingdom, where the band planned a long tour that was ultimately canceled. The song "Defender" was later re-recorded and included in the ''
Fighting the World'' album of 1987.
To apologize for the failure of their UK tour, Manowar decided to dedicate their next album to the United Kingdom. The album, ''
Hail to England'', was recorded and
mixed in just six days and was released in early 1984.
Manowar soon returned to work in the recording studio. After leaving Music for Nations, the quartet released ''
Sign of the Hammer'' ten months after their previous album.
Following further disagreements with their new label, the group changed record label to
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most ...
in 1987. Via Atlantic, they released ''
Fighting the World'', which enjoyed more extensive distribution and increased the band's prominence in the international heavy metal scene. Album art was designed by
Ken Kelly.
In 1988, Manowar released the album ''
Kings of Metal'', which is the band's best known work. Songs like "Heart of Steel", "Kings of Metal" and "Hail and Kill" are performed regularly in concerts. ''Kings of Metal'' is Manowar's highest-selling album worldwide.
Manowar embarked on a world tour, for a period of approximately three years, with stops in almost all European nations. During that tour, Joey DeMaio "fired" Ross the Boss. According to a 2008 interview with the guitarist, "Joey felt that Manowar would be better without me". He was replaced by
David Shankle, who was chosen by members of the band after a search among about 150 candidates. Scott Columbus later also decided to leave the band during the Kings of Metal tour. Columbus himself picked his replacement
Kenny Earl Edwards
Manowar is an American heavy metal band from Auburn, New York. Formed in 1980, the group is known for lyrics based on fantasy (particularly sword and sorcery) and mythology (particularly Norse mythology and Greco-Roman mythology), as well a ...
(soon nicknamed 'Rhino').
New albums, first video, and live publications (1992–2002)

A new musical unit after the recent changes, Manowar released ''
The Triumph of Steel'' in 1992. It gained some success and was particularly famous for the presence of a suite lasting no less than 28 minutes entitled "Achilles, Agony and Ecstasy in Eight Parts", inspired by the events of the ''
Iliad
The ''Iliad'' (; grc, Ἰλιάς, Iliás, ; "a poem about Ilium") is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the '' Odys ...
'' and the hero
Achilles
In Greek mythology, Achilles ( ) or Achilleus ( grc-gre, Ἀχιλλεύς) was a hero of the Trojan War, the greatest of all the Greek warriors, and the central character of Homer's '' Iliad''. He was the son of the Nereid Thetis and Pe ...
. After this release, the band went on a world tour for two years. After the expiration of their contract with Atlantic, the band signed with
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label established by David Geffen and owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M Records imprint.
Founded in 1980, Geffen Records has been a part of Interscope Geffen A&M since 1999 and ...
. In 1994, Shankle unexpectedly left the band to form his own group. He was replaced by
Karl Logan, a musician met by DeMaio during a motor meeting. The same year saw the unexpected return of Scott Columbus, who replaced Edwards.
In 1996, they released ''
Louder Than Hell'', their first new studio album in four years. Despite good sales the album was criticized for its simple style.
Despite such criticisms, Manowar released a new collection, called ''
Anthology'', and their first live album, ''
Hell on Wheels'', released by
BMG International in the guise of a double CD containing all the most popular songs of the group. Not having the time to record a new studio album because of the ongoing promotional tour, Manowar released a second live album, ''
Hell on Stage''.
''Warriors of the World'', ''Hell on Earth'', and Magic Circle Music (2002–2005)
In 2002, six years after the last studio album, Manowar released the ''
Warriors of the World'' album. ''Warriors of the World'' presented a sound somewhat renewed in style, but maintained the usual energy and power. The most famous tracks from the album became "Warriors of the World United", "House of Death" and "Call to Arms", in addition to
Puccini
Giacomo Puccini (Lucca, 22 December 1858Bruxelles, 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long li ...
's aria "
Nessun Dorma
"" (; English: "Let no one sleep") is an aria from the final act of Giacomo Puccini's opera ''Turandot'' (text by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni) and one of the best-known tenor arias in all opera. It is sung by Calaf, (the unknown prince), ...
", covered in honor of the Italian fans and sung live for the first time in a concert in
Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard language, Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the List of cities in Italy, second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4  ...
, Italy.
Manowar then began a long world tour, called "Warriors of the World United Tour" that kept them busy and away from a recording studio for a long time. To compensate for the lack of studio albums, the band released several DVDs: in 2002 the video ''
Fire and Blood'', in 2003 ''Hell on Earth Part III'' and in 2005 ''Hell on Earth Part IV''. These (and all DVDs since the year 2000) were directed by
Neil Johnson, and have all been certified Gold in Germany.
In 2003, DeMaio founded his own record label,
Magic Circle Music, which became the official home of the band, having been created to fit the needs of Manowar, and other bands of similar genre. Under the label Magic Circle were also released the EP ''
The Sons of Odin'' with footage taken during the Earthshaker Fest 2005.
''Gods of War'' and ''Thunder in the Sky'' (2006–2009)

Manowar released ''
Gods of War'' through Magic Circle Music in 2007. After playing numerous shows in Europe, including a concert that spanned the course of two nights, they worked on a new EP, entitled ''
Thunder in the Sky'', which was released in 2009. The EP consisted of two discs: the first playing the regular track list; the second playing the song "Father" in fifteen different languages.
Scott Columbus' death, ''Battle Hymns MMXI'', and ''The Lord of Steel'' (2010–2013)
On June 1, 2010, ''
Classic Rock
Classic rock is a US radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the mid 1990s, prim ...
'' magazine published an interview with drummer Scott Columbus who said that he had not worked with the band since April 2008 and had left the band. He also said that statements made in the past, regarding his break in 1990 and 2008 because of an illness and a personal tragedy, were largely untrue and were made without his agreement.
On October 15, 2010, Joey DeMaio announced on
Facebook
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin ...
that Hamzik was officially a member of Manowar again after a 26-year absence.
On April 4, 2011, Columbus died at the age of 54. On April 5, 2020, Columbus' daughter Teresa publicly announced that her father's cause of death was suicide, and urged for more awareness on mental illness and depression.
Manowar's subsequent release was a re-recording of their 1982 debut album ''Battle Hymns''. This album was released on November 26, 2010, with the narration of
Sir Christopher Lee and formally entitled ''
Battle Hymns MMXI''. On July 21, 2011, the band embarked on a UK tour for the first time in 16 years in November and performed the ''Battle Hymns'' album in its entirety.
Manowar's next studio album, ''
The Lord of Steel'', was released worldwide on June 16, 2012, exclusively on
iTunes and on the band's own online store. The album sees a reversion from the symphonic elements present on the ''Gods of War'' album back to a more straightforward, heavy metal sound. The song "El Gringo" is featured in the soundtrack to the film
of the same name.
After the Lord of Steel tour was over in 2013, Manowar released a live EP, titled ''
The Lord of Steel Live'', which included six live tracks recorded during the tour.
''Kings of Metal MMXIV'' (2013–2014)
On July 28, 2013, Manowar announced that they would be re-recording their 1988 release ''Kings of Metal'' with an expected release date of late 2013.
Brian Blessed
Brian Blessed (; born 9 October 1936) is an English actor, presenter, writer and mountaineer.
Blessed is known for portraying PC "Fancy" Smith in ''Z-Cars'', Augustus in the 1976 BBC television production of ''I, Claudius'', King Richard IV ...
recorded his narration for the track "The Warrior's Prayer" at Circle (Recording) Studios in
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the We ...
, England. Like the re-recording of ''Battle Hymns MMXI'', this album allowed the band to use modern day technology.
''
Kings of Metal MMXIV'' was released through iTunes as a digital download on February 4, 2014. Hard copies of the album were released on February 28.
The embarked on a world tour in support of the album in 2014.
Upcoming twelfth studio album, Logan's arrest, and continued touring (2015–present)
On May 22, 2015, Manowar announced that they were currently working on a new studio album that was set to be released in early 2016. This album was not released, and instead they went to Europe in early 2016 for the "Gods and Kings World Tour 2016" which included their first concerts in Slovakia, Latvia and Belarus.
On May 25, 2016, the band announced that they would embark on their next world tour dubbed "The Final Battle". They would later recruit drummer Marcus Castellani from the tribute band Kings of Steel as their drummer for the tour.
On October 25, 2018, it was revealed that guitarist Karl Logan was arrested on August 9 in
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Meckl ...
, for allegedly possessing child pornography and was charged with six counts of third-degree exploitation of a minor. Manowar issued a statement shortly after saying that Logan would not perform with them. They then said that their upcoming album and tour would not be affected. Following Logan's arrest, former guitarist
David Shankle expressed interest in rejoining the band.
On January 1, 2019, Manowar announced that guitarist E.V. Martel would join them on their tour. On March 22, 2019, the band announced that they would release a trilogy of EP's based upon The Final Battle World Tour. The first EP, ''
The Final Battle I
''The Final Battle I'' is the fifth EP by American heavy metal band Manowar, released March 29, 2019. It is the first recording without former member Karl Logan, who was arrested a year prior. He was replaced with guitarist E. V. Martel, who fi ...
'', was released on March 29 in an exclusive pre-sale at the merchandise booth in
Frankfurt
Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , " Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on its ...
and also during the European shows. It was then released on
iTunes worldwide that day. The EP was digitally and physically released on May 30. Former
HammerFall
HammerFall is a Swedish power metal band from Gothenburg. The band was formed in 1993 by ex- Ceremonial Oath guitarist Oscar Dronjak.
History
Early days (1993–1996)
HammerFall was formed when rhythm guitarist Oscar Dronjak quit Cere ...
and
Yngwie Malmsteen
Yngwie Johan Malmsteen ( ; born Lars Johan Yngve Lannerbäck, 30 June 1963) is a Swedish guitarist. He first became known in the 1980s for his neoclassical playing style in heavy metal, and has released 22 studio albums in a career spanning ov ...
drummer
Anders Johansson was announced as the new live drummer shortly after and made his debut at the March 25 show in
Brno. Despite the tour's name, bassist Joey DeMaio dismissed any claims of Manowar's retirement, mainly due to the fans' demands to have them continue to perform.
In June 2019, the band's appearance at
Hellfest
Hellfest (), also called Hellfest Summer Open Air, is a rock festival focusing on heavy metal music, held annually in June in Clisson, France. Its high attendance makes it the French music festival with the largest turnover. It is also one of ...
was cancelled for undisclosed reasons. Fans who were to attend the show expressed their disappointment towards their cancellation. Manowar stepped in and said that they did not cancel their performance, but that it was the festival's organizers who cancelled their appearance in an announcement that appeared on their website. Swedish band
Sabaton
A sabaton or solleret is part of a knight's body armor that covers the foot.
History
Fourteenth and fifteenth century sabatons typically end in a tapered point well past the actual toes of the wearer's foot, following fashionable shoe shapes ...
replaced Manowar in the lineup. Joey DeMaio later said that the band filed a lawsuit against the Hellfest organizers.
In May 2020, Manowar announced that they would embark on a tour, beginning in April 2021 in Europe, to celebrate their 40th anniversary. However, the band did not tour in 2020 and 2021.
On June 4, 2022, the day of the first show of their 2022/23 tour, it was announced drummer Anders Johansson could not perform with the band on their upcoming "Crushing The Enemies of Metal Anniversary Tour '22/'23" due to family commitments, and was replaced by Dave Chedrick for the tour. On September 2, 2022, following the announcement by guitarist E.V. Martel that he would not be available for touring next year, the band announced
Michael Angelo Batio
Michael Angelo Batio (), also known as Michael Angelo, Mike Batio or MAB, is an American heavy metal guitarist and columnist from Chicago, Illinois. He was the lead guitarist for the Los Angeles-based glam metal band Nitro in the late 1980s an ...
as their touring guitarist for their upcoming 2023 “Crushing The Enemies Of Metal” Anniversary Tour.
Band members
;Current members
*
Joey DeMaio
Joey DeMaio (born March 6, 1954) is an American musician who is the bass player and main songwriter for the heavy metal band Manowar which he founded in 1980. He is also the founder and CEO of Magic Circle Music.
Biography
He is a childho ...
– bass, keyboards
(1980–present), guitars
(2018–present)
*
Eric Adams
Eric Leroy Adams (born September 1, 1960) is an American politician and retired police captain serving as the 110th mayor of New York City since January 1, 2022.
Adams was an officer in the New York City Transit Police and then the New York ...
– vocals
(1980–present)
*
Anders Johansson – drums
(2019–present)
*E.V. Martel – guitars
(2019–present)
;Current live members
*Dave Chedrick – drums
(2022–present)
*
Michael Angelo Batio
Michael Angelo Batio (), also known as Michael Angelo, Mike Batio or MAB, is an American heavy metal guitarist and columnist from Chicago, Illinois. He was the lead guitarist for the Los Angeles-based glam metal band Nitro in the late 1980s an ...
– guitars
(2022–present)
;Former members
*Carl Canedy – drums
(1980–1981)
*
Ross the Boss Friedman – guitars, keyboards
(1980–1989)
*
Donnie Hamzik – drums
(1981–1983, 2009–2017)
*
Scott Columbus – drums
(1983–1991, 1994–2008; died 2011)
*
David Shankle – guitars
(1989–1994)
*
Kenny Earl "Rhino" Edwards – drums
(1991–1994, 2008–2009)
*
Karl Logan – guitars, keyboards
(1994–2018)
;Former live members
*Marcus Castellani – drums
(2017–2019)
Timeline
The Faceless Warrior
The Faceless Warrior, also known as the King of Metal, is the band's mascot. The character first appeared in 1988 on the cover of the album ''
Kings Of Metal'', and has since appeared in the cover artwork of almost every following Manowar album, as well as on merchandise and in almost every Manowar live show to follow.
In a May 2002 interview with Metal-Rules.com, vocalist
Eric Adams
Eric Leroy Adams (born September 1, 1960) is an American politician and retired police captain serving as the 110th mayor of New York City since January 1, 2022.
Adams was an officer in the New York City Transit Police and then the New York ...
was asked, "Who is that guy in your album cover? Do you have any name for him?". He replied, "No because he is you, he is her, he is this person he is that person and so on. He has no face and that was in
icpurpose because everyone needs a heroes
icin their life and our music is all about heroes and you know being the leader not the follower. It's picture
icof hero and you being that hero is that what it is all about. So there is no real name for it. It's a fantasy world man. Put your face there are you are the hero!"
The Sign of the Hammer
"The Sign of the Hammer" is a cultural gesture developed in the early years of the band, after the release of their
fourth album of the same name, and serves as a signature of the band. The sign is most likely to have been shaped from the vocalist
Eric Adams
Eric Leroy Adams (born September 1, 1960) is an American politician and retired police captain serving as the 110th mayor of New York City since January 1, 2022.
Adams was an officer in the New York City Transit Police and then the New York ...
. It is formed by raising a right fist above the head, while using the left hand to grab the back of the right wrist. The Media Company "Heilbronner Stimme" published an article describing the Sign of the Hammer as, "the striking greeting. A gesture that unites. A gesture that fits the pathos of the self-proclaimed
Kings of Metal. A gesture that has become the
trademark
A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a type of intellectual property consisting of a recognizable sign, design, or expression that identifies products or services from a particular source and distinguishes them from oth ...
of the group founded in 1980".
The first official appearance of the gesture was on the front cover of the band's fifth album, ''
Fighting the World'', where vocalist Eric Adams is shown making the gesture in a drawing of the band members. The gesture then appeared in the official music video for ''
Blow Your Speakers Blow Your Speakers may refer to:
* "Blow Your Speakers", a 1986 song by Manowar from ''Fighting the World
''Fighting the World'' is the fifth album by the American heavy metal band Manowar, released in 1987 (see 1987 in music). This was the fir ...
'', shown being made by the band members and crowd during a concert, as well as in the full cover art of the album ''
The Triumph of Steel''. Since then, the sign has been featured in almost every official music video of the band.
Awards
Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards
, -
, 2012 , , Joey DeMaio , ,
The Golden God
''The Golden God'' is a 1917 American film written by Robert Hage and Frederick Rath. The film stars Charles Hutchison, Alma Hanlon, Florence Short
Florence Short (May 19, 1893 – July 10, 1946) was an American actress. She had numerous film ...
, ,
Discography
;Demo albums
*''Manowar'' (1981)
;Studio albums
*''
Battle Hymns'' (1982)
*''
Into Glory Ride'' (1983)
*''
Hail to England'' (1984)
*''
Sign of the Hammer'' (1984)
*''
Fighting the World'' (1987)
*''
Kings of Metal'' (1988)
*''
The Triumph of Steel'' (1992)
*''
Louder Than Hell'' (1996)
*''
Warriors of the World'' (2002)
*''
Gods of War'' (2007)
*''
Battle Hymns MMXI'' (2010)
*''
The Lord of Steel'' (2012)
*''
Kings of Metal MMXIV'' (2014)
Legacy and influence on other artists and the genre
Manowar have a very important place in the history and evolution of heavy metal music and are a huge influence in the Heavy Metal genre especially on subgenres such as:
Power Metal
Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional heavy metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. Generally, power metal is characterized by a faster, lighter, and more uplifting sound, in contra ...
,
Epic/ Symphonic/ Melodic Metal,
Viking metal
Viking metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by a lyrical and thematic focus on Norse mythology, Norse paganism, and the Viking Age. Viking metal is quite diverse as a musical style, to the point where some consider it more a c ...
,
War Metal
Blackened death metal (also known as black death metal) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal that fuses elements of black metal and death metal.
The genre emerged in early 1990s when black metal bands began incorporating elements of death met ...
,
Pagan Metal,
Folk Metal
Folk metal is a fusion genre of heavy metal music and traditional folk music that developed in Europe during the 1990s. It is characterised by the widespread use of folk instruments and, to a lesser extent, traditional singing styles (for examp ...
,
Doom Metal
Doom metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other heavy metal genres.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' ...
,
Gothic Metal and
Death Metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling vocals; aggressive, powerful drumming, fe ...
and "on every power metal band to emerge in the past 25 years". "Manowar's influence in the Rock Music industry is undeniable, they have left their mark in the Heavy Metal genre thanks to a combination of unique craftsmanship and characteristic songwriting". Manowar has influenced a huge amount of Heavy Metal bands and artists around the world, such as:
Sabaton
A sabaton or solleret is part of a knight's body armor that covers the foot.
History
Fourteenth and fifteenth century sabatons typically end in a tapered point well past the actual toes of the wearer's foot, following fashionable shoe shapes ...
, Burning Witches,
Rhapsody of Fire
Rhapsody of Fire (formerly known as Rhapsody) is an Italian symphonic power metal band formed by Luca Turilli and Alex Staropoli, widely seen as a pioneer of the symphonic power metal subgenre.
Since forming in 1993 as Thundercross, the band ...
, Brothers of Metal, Warkings
Amon Amarth
Amon Amarth () is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Tumba, formed in 1992. The band takes its name from the Sindarin name of Mount Doom, a volcano in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. Their lyrics mostly deal with Viking mythology and ...
Battle Beast,
Beast in Black,
Death
Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...
,
Elvenking,
Symphony X
Symphony X is an American progressive metal band from Middletown, New Jersey. Founded in 1994, the band consists of guitarist Michael Romeo, keyboardist Michael Pinnella, drummer Jason Rullo, lead vocalist Russell Allen and bassist Michae ...
,
Firewind,
Abbath Battleroar,
Exmortus, Hammer King,
Jack Starr's Burning Starr, Battle Born, Rocka Rollas,
Týr
(; Old Norse: , ) is a god in Germanic mythology, a valorous and powerful member of the and patron of warriors and mythological heroes. In Norse mythology, which provides most of the surviving narratives about gods among the Germanic peoples, ...
, Warrior Path, Wotan,
Wizard,
HammerFall
HammerFall is a Swedish power metal band from Gothenburg. The band was formed in 1993 by ex- Ceremonial Oath guitarist Oscar Dronjak.
History
Early days (1993–1996)
HammerFall was formed when rhythm guitarist Oscar Dronjak quit Cere ...
,
Van Canto,
Ensiferum
Ensiferum (Latin: , n adj., meaning "sword bearing") is a Finnish folk metal band from Helsinki. The members of the band label themselves as "melodic folk metal."
History Formation, demos and ''Ensiferum'' (1995−2002)
''Ensiferum'' was founde ...
,
Avatar
Avatar (, ; ), is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means "descent". It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, goddess or spirit on Earth. The relative verb to "alight, to make one's appeara ...
,
Trivium
The trivium is the lower division of the seven liberal arts and comprises grammar, logic, and rhetoric.
The trivium is implicit in ''De nuptiis Philologiae et Mercurii'' ("On the Marriage of Philology and Mercury") by Martianus Capella, but t ...
,
Majesty
Majesty (abbreviated HM for His Majesty or Her Majesty, oral address Your Majesty; from the Latin ''maiestas'', meaning "greatness") is used as a manner of address by many monarchs, usually kings or queens. Where used, the style outranks the s ...
,
Angra, Eternal Champion, Evertale, Death Dealer,
Burning Point,
Crystal Viper, Scared Outcry,
Imperial Age,
Therion, Hercules,
Lost Horizon
''Lost Horizon'' is a 1933 novel by English writer James Hilton. The book was turned into a film, also called '' Lost Horizon'', in 1937 by director Frank Capra. It is best remembered as the origin of Shangri-La, a fictional utopian lama ...
, Visigoth,
Atlantean Kodex, Vhäldemar,
Grand Magus,
HolyHell, Skelator,
Doomsword
DoomSword is an Italian heavy metal band from Varese, Northern Italy, that combines elements of doom metal, viking metal and traditional heavy metal. Doomsword's lyrics are concerned with epic themes such as ancient and medieval history, fan ...
, Ironsword, Metal Law,
Orden Ogan
Orden Ogan is a German power metal band with progressive and folk metal elements. The band was formed in 1996 by Sebastian Grütling (drums) and Sebastian Levermann (lead vocals and guitar). They currently have three demos and seven studio album ...
Pegazus, Battlerage, Hellish War, Holy Martyr, Grey Wolf,
Moonspell
Moonspell is a Portuguese gothic metal band formed in 1992. The group released their first EP, '' Under the Moonspell'', in 1994 and followed up with their debut album, ''Wolfheart'', a year later. They quickly became the most recognizable metal ...
Cryonic Temple, Runelord, Iron Kobra,
Trick or Treat Hürlement, Assedium, Wrathblade, Rosae Crucis, Validor, Stormburner,
Hysterica
__NOTOC__
Hysterica is a heavy metal band from Stockholm, Sweden. The band was founded in 2005. They recorded their first demo in 2006 which met with critical appraise. After several years of playing live gigs, they finally released their first ...
,
Stormwarrior
Stormwarrior is a German power metal band that was formed in 1998 by vocalist and guitar player Lars Ramcke and drummer Andre Schumann, adding later in the same year guitarist Scott Bolter and bass player Tim Zienert. The members of Stormwarri ...
, Skullview, Steelpreacher, Kramp, Mike Lepond's Silent Assassins, Axe Steeler, Paladine, Vanlade, Claymorean,
Arch Enemy
Arch Enemy is a Swedish melodic death metal band, originally a supergroup from Halmstad, formed in 1995. Its members were in bands such as Carcass, Armageddon, Carnage, Mercyful Fate, Spiritual Beggars, The Agonist, Nevermore, and Eucha ...
,
Korpiklaani
Korpiklaani ( Finnish: ) is a Finnish folk metal band from Lahti who was formerly known as Shamaani Duo and Shaman.
History Shamaani Duo
While other folk metal bands began with metal before adding folk music, Korpiklaani started with folk music ...
, Marius Danielsen,
Seven Witches, Adramelch,
Steel Attack
Steel Attack is a Swedish power metal band from Sala ,formed in 1995.
Biography
Stefan Westerberg and Dennis Vestman formed Mayer's Eve in 1995. The band changed their name to Steel Attack in 1997 due to many coming and going members.
The ...
,
Stormwarrior
Stormwarrior is a German power metal band that was formed in 1998 by vocalist and guitar player Lars Ramcke and drummer Andre Schumann, adding later in the same year guitarist Scott Bolter and bass player Tim Zienert. The members of Stormwarri ...
, Aktarum, Atramentus, Derdian, Dread Sovereign,
White Skull
White Skull is an Italian power/ heavy metal band formed in 1988.
They became known in America with their 1999 release ''Tales from the North''.
Band members
The line-up of the band did not change until 1998 when Nick Savio replaced Max Facc ...
, Heathen Foray, High Reeper& Hippie Death Cult, Ironflame,
Khemmis
Akhmim ( ar, أخميم, ; Akhmimic , ; Sahidic/Bohairic cop, ) is a city in the Sohag Governorate of Upper Egypt. Referred to by the ancient Greeks as Khemmis or Chemmis ( grc, Χέμμις) and Panopolis ( grc, Πανὸς πόλις and Π� ...
, Nocturnal,
Seven Kingdom, Silver Bullet, Vanir, Veonity, Winter's Verge, Winterhymn,
Wintersun
Wintersun is a Finnish heavy metal band from Helsinki originally formed as the side project of Jari Mäenpää, then-vocalist and guitarist of folk metal band Ensiferum.
In 2003, Mäenpää began pulling together songs that he had been worki ...
,
Falconer,
Children of Bodom
Children of Bodom was a Finnish melodic death metal band from Espoo. Formed in 1993 as Inearthed, the final line-up of the group upon their split in 2019 consisted of Alexi Laiho (lead guitar, lead vocals), Jaska Raatikainen (drums), Henkka S ...
Destroy Destroy Destroy
Destroy Destroy Destroy is an American heavy metal band formed in Murfreesboro, Tennessee in late February 2003. With a line-up of rhythm guitarist Jeremiah Scott, vocalist Bryan Kemp and drummer Andrew Hall, they began writing songs; soon th ...
Holy Dragons
Holy Dragons is a Kazakhstani metal band, founded in 1992 in Almaty.
Since the beginning to the present day the main musical direction for the group has been heavy metal. The band sticks to the 1980s style.
In addition, one can trace the inf ...
Arryan Path, Guardians of Time,
Sons of Apollo, Sound Storm,
Sulphur Aeon
Sulphur Aeon is a German death metal band founded in 2010. The band has released three full-length studio albums. The first album, '' Swallowed by the Ocean's Tide'' was released in 2013 and the most recent, ''The Scythe of Cosmic Chaos'' in 2018.
...
,
Unleash the Archers Wolfthooth,
Crom
Crom or CROM may refer to:
Places
* Crom, a townland in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
* Crom Estate, a Northern Irish National Trust Property
** Crom Castle
* Ben Crom, a mountain in the Mourne Mountains in County Down, Northern Ireland
* Cr ...
, Coronatus Perpetual Etude
Brainstorm Untamed Land Feuerschwanz
Immortal
Immortality is the ability to live forever, or eternal life.
Immortal or Immortality may also refer to:
Film
* ''The Immortals'' (1995 film), an American crime film
* ''Immortality'', an alternate title for the 1998 British film ''The Wisdom of ...
and many more.
See also
*
Loudest band in the world The loudest band in the world is a subject of some dispute in musical circles. Many bands have claimed to be the loudest, measuring this in various ways including with decibel meters at concerts and by engineering analysis of the CDs on which thei ...
*
Heavy metal music
*
List of heavy metal bands
*
Battle Hymns Tour
Manowar is an American heavy metal band from Auburn, New York. Formed in 1980, the group is known for lyrics based on fantasy (particularly sword and sorcery) and mythology (particularly Norse mythology and Greco-Roman mythology), as well as n ...
References
External links
*
*
*
{{Authority control
1980 establishments in New York (state)
American power metal musical groups
Atco Records artists
Atlantic Records artists
Geffen Records artists
Heavy metal musical groups from New York (state)
Musical groups established in 1980
Musical groups from New York City
Musical quartets
Nuclear Blast artists