Loincloths. Broad swords. Black wind. Sacred salutes. It was all part of what made Manowar arguably the most individual band on the metal scene in the early 1980s, with a style of music that called upon the wrath of the gods and the heritage of mythology in a unique metal manner.
Before battle metal picked up the cudgels, and many years prior to power metal becoming acceptable, Manowar launched their proverbial chariots and long boats against a dissenting and sceptical world. How ironic is it that, at a time when their stock and influence in the UK has never been greater, the band simply refuse to come over and tour. Even weirder when you consider that they titled their third album, 1984’s Hail To England. As bassist Joey DeMaio said at the time: “England is like our spiritual home. And this is the one country in the world that’s taken us to their hearts”.
