Manowar - Into Glory Ride

Believe it or not, there was a time when people didn’t laugh at Manowar. Well, maybe they did—these guys wear fur underwear, for chrissakes—but the band’s music wasn’t the reason for their derision. You see, in the early 80s, Manowar brought power and Viking metal to new heights, releasing four classic albums. Bassist Joey DeMaio is famous for ridiculous taunts like “We will melt your face.” While farfetched now, I can attest that from 1982-1984, my eyeballs dripped repeatedly down my chin listening to Manowar records…

In the early 80s, DeMaio was working as a bass/pyro tech for Black Sabbath. When Sabbath played a show one night at Newcastle City Hall in England, he met guitarist Ross The Boss, who was playing at the time in Shakin’ Street, a Sabbath support band. The two found they shared a similar musical vision, and Manowar was born. They recruited vocalist Eric Adams and drummer Donny Hamzik and recorded their debut full-length in 1982, Battle Hymns. The album was well received by fans and the band soon became a name in the metal underground. Music For Nations came calling, and Manowar signed their first record contract in blood (literally). In the face of this newfound success, the group ventured into the studio to record Into Glory Ride with new drummer Scott Columbus.

Into Glory Ride begins with the sounds of Eric Adams screwing a 16 year-old girl, only to be discovered by the girl’s father and thrown out of the house. He runs out into the street, and as he emits an evil laugh, “Warlord” begins. It’s the weakest song on the album, but still an interesting combination of blues-based rock and dirtier, heavier metal. Still, the band did this better on Battle Hymns songs like “Death Tone.” “Secret of Steel” is far darker, and we now hear the classic Manowar sound—slow, dirty, sepulchral power metal riffing with THICK, nimble bass lines running almost on top of it. There were many other great bass players in metal during this period—Steve Harris of course heads the list—but to this day I’ve never heard anyone play like DeMaio. He approached the instrument like a guitarist, turning riffs into mountains and lighting into lead parts without hesitation. Ross wouldn’t be upstaged though—and he could bring the house down with a lead himself, as he does here. Columbus doesn’t impress with his technical ability, but he plays sharp and hard. And we haven’t even gotten to the real star of the band, Adams. There was NO other metal vocalist capable of doing this stuff at the time. His voice is like a cannon and listen to the high-octave screams—his control over what sounds like chaos is incredible. Do you like in-your-face, doom riffs? How about the opening to “Gloves of Metal”? The lyrics of “We wear leather/We wear spikes/We rule the night” aren’t going to inspire anyone, but the crushing drums and guitar harmonics might. “Gates of Valhalla” begins with a lead bass piece by DeMaio before Adam’s beautiful voice enters. Where did an American band come up with lyrics like this?: “I point my hatchet to the wind/I guard the gates and all within/Hear my sword sing as I ride across the sky/Sworn by the sacred blood of Odin onward ride.” Another great Ross The Boss lead—his solos were like happenings during this period, events unto themselves. And more incredible screams by Adams as the massive, Nordic wall of sound crests. “Hatred” might be my favorite song here. It is unbelievably dark and has sinister groove. “I taste your blood as it showers from my blade/I eat your heart, from evil it was made.” The chorus is played almost a stutter step, and then they kick into a very evil sounding hook with bells ringing and Adams screaming his f***ing head off—awesome. “Revelation (Death’s Angel)” also has groove, and the galloping beats by Columbus will get your head moving. Listen to them slow it down near the end, and gradually build the tempo back up for a final, rousing chorus. Pounding toms open “March For Revenge,” as Adams commands his Viking brothers to ride up from Hell and take their revenge. Listen to the great break, where DeMaio again accompanies Adams, who sweetly sings grim lyrics like, “Fear this wound your last/Mighty earth now doth drink your blood.” The anthemic quality of the song is incredible, without sacrificing any heaviness. They end with a rousing, tom rolling, cymbal crashing crescendo—how appropriate.

After 1984’s Sign of the Hammer, Manowar began a swift decline. They boasted repeatedly about the 32-track digital technology used to record 1987’s Fighting The World, failing to realize that the rawness and dark character of their sound was what made them special. In the end, their obsession with studio perfection (and lack of focus on songwriting) would lead them to the same fate as Megadeth. Today, they are a shadow of their former selves, and often grouped with a plethora of limp-wristed European power metal bands.

But nothing can take away the glory of their first four works, including Into Glory Ride. Well, maybe fur underwear can… Nahhhh, not even that.