CHAPTER III: THE GLORY RIDERS ON THEIR MARCH FOR REVENGE
''ONWARD, POUNDING INTO GLORY RIDE''
With a new tower of strenght behind drums, named Scott Columbus, Manowar begun working for the album that would succeed ''Battle Hymns''. The band was without a record contact, starting rehersals and recording some new songs in studio, with the money they got from EMI after breaking the contract. Basically it was going to be a private release, until Johnny Zazula who was the founder of the indie record label ''Megaforce'' a year ago, interested about the band and signed Manowar to his own label.
''BORN TO LIVE FOREVERMORE, THE RIGHT TO CONQUER EVERY SHORE''
Manowar started their first small gigs around their home place, trying to become well-known by people and get a record deal. But things were not so easy for a band like this: ''On June we had already finished the recordings of the album and we booked a show in a small club in Florida. So, we played our setlist and when we finished our show we saw that the walls building had collapsed,along with the roof! The other band who played with us didnt wanted to continue their set!! Then came the guy who owned the place and told us that we were the best band he had ever seen, but next time we should not play so loud and not come naked!'' (Joey De Maio)
In 1982 Manowar hired the former Kiss manager Bill Aucoin and finally signed a record contract with Liberty/EMI in the U.S and the four warriors Joey De Maio, Eric Adams, Ross The Boss and Donnie Hamzik recorded their first album called Battle Hymns on August of the same year. All tracks are written by Joey De Maio/Ross The Boss, except Metal Daze written by De Maio.
The album has also an instrumental track called William's Tale, a classical cover of Gioachino Rossini played by De Maio on bass, showing the talent and the skills of Manowar's leader. The instrumental bass tracks is something that would continue in many Manowar albums.
The four tracks on side A are good examples of 80's heavy metal with Metal Daze and Shellshock to be the best moments of this side. But the other side of the record has all the magic and greatness of the glorious Epic Heavy Metal that would build Manowar's legend in the following years: Songs like Dark Avenger and Battle Hymn revealed to the world that this band was here to stay for evermore!
Manowar's first promo photo
Some special notes from the Battle Hymns album:
Manowar's same track is the opening one in every live gig from the band's beginning until now.
Battle
Hymn would be the last song to be played in every show of the band for 2 decades, gaining the respect and admiration of anyone that
has seen the band perform on stage,a real Spectacle Of Might.
Another tradition that the
band keeps from its beginning is the introduction theme called the
''Miracle And The Finale'' composed by Miklos Rozsa, from the 11 Oscar movie ''Ben Hur'' in 1959.
But the most important fact about this album is the collaboration of the legendary actor and director Orson Welles (the Citizen Kane in the 1941 film and many others) with the band in the narration history of Dark Avenger ''and his horse called Black Death''.. One of the greatest moments of Heavy Metal history.
Manowar and Orson Welles at studio 1982
Along with the album release, Ross the Boss on behalf of the band gives the very first interview in Kerrang!
Manowar's determination and will can be clearly seen in his words:
''Everyone's scared. Record companies are scared and so are the radio stations.But at the top of the list are bands. They are the ones doing all the damage..We are not afraid! We just dont give a shit!!''
First interview Kerrang! 1982
The album sold 8-10.000 copies for EMI and Manowar would be the support act in Ted Nugend's American Tour. But things didnt go well for the band and after only 5 shows they were dropped out of the tour. The band said that a lot of people liked them a lot and this was something that Nugent couldnt stand.
''He (Ted Nugent) told me that he wanted to stay in the top for another 10 years'' stated sarcastically Joey De Maio. So, the band left without any major touring in U.S something that made difficult for the band to make its music heard by many people..
Manowar live 1982
Along that, after only 2 months EMI broke the contract with the band and so Manowar was without a tour and without a record company behind....Within the next months drummer Donnie Hamzik left the band. He would rejoin Manowar in a suprise move in 2008. But in the end of 1982 things didnt look so optimistic for them...Despite all the difficult situations and bad luck that Manowar faced, this band was not like others. They started rehersal,writing new songs and seeking for a new drummer. Nothing could stop them on their ride to Glory...!
BATTLE HYMNS MMXI
On November 2010, 28 years after its original release Manowar with
the same line up (with Karl Logan instead of Ross The Boss) re-recorded
the album as Battle Hymns MMXI, with the addition of 2 bonus live tracks
from their support shows with Ted Nugent. Another famous actor,
Christopher Lee narrates the story of Abaddon with his magestic voice
this time. A decent try from the band even if not at the same level and
as passionate as their debut album, back in 1982. But why Manowar
re-recorded Battle Hymns?
The truth is that the band was never
satisfied with the production and the final result. There are interviews
of Joey De Maio back in 1983 saying '' how can a heavy metal album be
recorded with dolby sound?? It has nothing to do with us, we are not
satisfied at all '' . So i think this is why Manowar decided to do this.
''Finally, technology has caught up with MANOWAR's custom-built touring
and recording equipment. The band decided that their fans deserved to
hear the songs from their debut album Battle Hymns with the massive
sound and production that has become their signature over recent years
and records.''
Manowar's Saga is one of those that cannot be described easily. A band that everyone who is into Metal music and knows about it has something to say. A band that always gave food for comments and controversial talking, always under the spotlight for anything they have done along the years of its existance.
But nobody can deny the fact that this American quartet represents the warrior spirit in Heavy Metal, a band with the most fanatic and loyal fans around the world, creating an Army of Immortals behind them.. This band never gave in to record companies or trends and never compromised its music for no one . They have kept on Fighting the World for over 3 decades and time vindicated their determination as they are still around in nowdays.
Manowar are a big infuence for many metal bands and the fathers of the term ''Epic Metal'' in Heavy music. Manowar's Sword and Sworcery image, the powerful music, the lyrical themes and Warrior album covers are the shrine of Epic Metal genre.
This is the History of Manowar, the Metal Kings!
MANOWAR BEFORE BATTLE HYMNS
Eric Adams and Joey De Maio 1978
''WE MET ON ENGLISH GROUND,IN A BACKSTAGE ROOM WE HEARD THE SOUND,
AND WE ALL KNEW WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.''
Manowar's beginning was settled in the early 80's, when Joey De Maio who was working as a pyro-technician for Black Sabbath's road crew met Ross ''The Boss'' Friedman in 1980 at Newcastle,England who at the time was the axeman for Shakin' Street, a french hard rock band who was a support act on the legendary Black & Blue Tour '80, with Black Sabbath and Blue Oyster Cult.
Ross Friedman was the one with the biggest experience in the music industry since he was already in Shakin Street and had toured around. Other things that Ross is involved except Manowar: Ross is the producer of Anthrax's Soldiers of Metal 12'' in 1983 and also has been member of Manitoba's Wild Kingdom in the early 90's,Heyday and others. Now he has his own band called simply Ross The Boss.
Joey De Maio and Eric Adams
French band Shakin Street with Ross on the right
Some notes from Joey De Maio: ''In the early
days of the band we had to go out and actually steal food. Things were
so bad that we didnt have food for 4 days in a row. But we were hungry
for metal, we were starving for music, it was like a religion, it didnt matter..''
Joey De Maio with Ross The Boss backsatage 1980
Joey De Maio's previous music experience was with the mainman and guitarist of The Rods and also RJ Dio's cusin, David '''Rock'' Feinstein with the highly rare 7 inch rock vinyl ''Midnight Lady'' in 1978 where Joey was (what else?) the bass player... Many years later, Joey De Maio would released the 2004 album of David Feinstein through Manowar's record label Magic Circle Music.
David ''Rock'' Feinstein
Midnight Lady 7'' 1978
The other co-founder and still original member of the band, vocalist Eric Adams was part of an early teen band named the Kids who released a 7'' vinyl in 1965, with Eric Adams under the name ''Louis Marullo'' !!
The Voice of Metal (a.k.a. Eric Adams) and Joey De Maio were friends since childhood and were neighbors at the same time. A friendship that has lasted to nowdays...
Eric Adams
The Kids with vocalist Louis Marullo! 1965
In 1981,Manowar with Joey De Maio on bass, Eric Adams on vocals and Carl Cennedy (The Rods) on drums, along with Ross The Boss on guitar recorded in Auburn (their homeplace outside NYC) their first (and only) demo. This demo had only 2 songs which both are in different versions on their first Lp: Shellshock and Battle Hymn. The band presented the demo to record companies trying to sign a record contract but this wasnt an easy thing...
After the demo recordings, Carl Cennedy return to Feinstein's band and Manowar recruit Donnie Hamzik for drummer with whom they recorded their first opus Battle Hymns, the opening battle cry of their fight to the ascendance to the throne of Heavy Metal .
After this, Heavy Metal World will never be the same.
Battle Hymns would sound the call pretty soon...
