Manowar: Hail To England

(1984)

Hail To Manowar!!

Pros: Another classic example of early-to-mid '80s Manowar, this CD truly ROCKS!

Cons: The Vinyl Time Constraint Strikes Again!

Full Review

Two years (and one album) after they first shook the world with "Battle Hymns," the Kings of Metal shook things up again, with an album dedicated to the band's birthplace. These guys may be from the U.S., but their music is straight out of the old country! This album ranks pretty highly in my Manowar collection thus far, although I have yet to own "Into Glory Ride" or "Sign Of The Hammer." I'm working on that though, believe me! Here are the songs:

1. "Blood Of My Enemies"
I almost like to think of this one as "Battle Hymn, Part Two." It is very similar to the classic title track of Manowar's first album in form, although without the soft part in the middle of the song. The thing that caught my attention as I first popped this CD into my player was the very beginning of this song, NICE job here! Good way to start this volume of carnage.

2. "Each Dawn I Die"
I see this song as kind of a departure from the traditional Manowar formula, but as such, I really like it. Starting with a unique beat by Scott Columbus, the sound here could be called primitive, almost sparse. But it works! The lyrics are interesting too, more dark and mysterious, which I like. Another good track.

3. "Kill With Power"
The beginning of this song kind of reminds me of some of Metallica's early work. Scott's beat accelerates to an almost maddening pace, before the guitar fires off a few rounds of machine gun fire. Then the song is off and running, showcasing the bands knack for speedy songs. The chorus is simple, all the easier to sing (scream?) along with. A classic Manowar song.

4. "Hail To England"
Although both "Manowar" and the title track to this album salute the band's birthplace, this track does it with more style and substance. The result is another one of the band's classic examples of just how majestic they can be. The choir in the background works well in the choruses, and the song as a whole really shines, as any good title track should. Extremely well-done.

5. "Army Of The Immortals"
Say what you will about Manowar, but one thing you cannot say about them is that they don't appreciate their fans. Quite the opposite is true: These guys are fiercely loyal to their fans, and this song is living proof. This band knows that if not for their fans worldwide, they would not have come nearly as far as they have. "Metal makes us strong," and the fans of metal make it a force to be reckoned with!

6. "Black Arrows"
This is another mind-blowing piece of basswork from Joey DeMaio. If the warning at the beginning isn't enough to prepare you for the onslaught to come, nothing is. Joey DeMaio is an amazing bassplayer, case closed!

7. "Bridge Of Death"
This song is not for everyone, let me say that right off. If you are one to be easily offended by the kind of music that Manowar plays, this song is NOT for you. That having been said, I think this one closes out the album with a bang. It is soft at first, then it starts to ROCK. Above all, however, it is menacing from start to finish. In a nutshell, if you're not offended by the message portrayed in this song (Satanism, ETC.) you will like this song!

So ends another review of another great Manowar album. As in "Battle Hymns," this one is on the short side, but the material presented is top-notch Manowar. The artwork on the cover is nicely done too, an underrated (but classic) piece of album art from the mid '80s! I highly recommend this CD to all fans of True Metal!

The Bottom Line:

Another early Manowar album that is not to be missed! Awesome stuff!

PLEASE NOTE: This section is under construction until further notice.

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