Manowar: Battle Hymns

The Top Twenty Greatest Metal Albums Of All Time

Number 17

You at the back! You, yes you! Stop laughing! Yes, they wear loin-cloths. And carry plastic swords. I hear you. Loud and clear. But… strip that all back, slap the record on (any one of their records) and what have you got? You’ve got pure balls to the wall METAL! And they believe in it! Oh do they believe!

They signed their contracts in their own blood. (KISS poured their blood into the red ink for their 1977 Marvel comic book. Bill Aucoin managed both KISS and Manowar, so I guess we know where this blood fetish came from!) They play concerts (in Europe only, which seems to be their only market) to maximum volume and capacity.

I’d still kill to see them here in Oz. Man oh man, what a trip that would be!

Manowar have a fantastic body of work throughout their entire career. Battle Hymns however, was one that has left a lasting impression.

Other contenders: Manowar – Into Glory Ride, Manowar – Hail To England