Manowar's origins go back to Black Sabbath's Heaven And Hell tour of the UK in 1980, when Black Sabbath bass tech and pyrotechnic operative Joey DeMaio met former Dictators guitarist Ross The Boss, then playing guitar with French support band Shakin' Street. At the end of the tour, the pair joined forces with singer Eric Adams and Manowar were born. Scott Columbus would join on drums for 1983's "Into Glory Ride". Releasing the self-explanatory and genre defining "Battle Hymns" in 1982, they would release three more influential and ground breaking albums of heavy metal before signing to Atlantic Records in 1987 for "Fighting The World". Notable for being the first Manowar LP to sport a cover painting by celebrated fantasy artist Ken Kelly, famed for his iconic artwork for KISS and Rainbow, Kelly would collaborate with Manowar for many years to come. Among the 9 tracks penned by Joey DeMaio was a revisit to the epic 'Defender' featuring Orson Welles (the only occasion that the legendary actor collaborated with a heavy metal band). Also included was lead single 'Blow Your Speakers', whose video gave the band a wider audience through the growing popularity of MTV. Wasting no time, a second LP was released by Atlantic in 1988. "Kings Of Metal" proved to be a commercial high point, featuring the singles 'Wheels Of Fire' and 'Kings Of Metal'. The "Kings Of Metal" tour would continue for three years, taking Manowar around the globe. It was four years before another Manowar record - "The Triumph Of Steel" - was released, by which time founder member Ross The Boss had been replaced by David Shankle on guitar and Rhino had replaced Scott Columbus on drums, the only record to feature this line-up. The album kicks off with one of Manowar's most ambitious pieces, the near 30 minute 'Achilles, Agony And Ecstasy In Eight Parts '. Sporting another impressive Ken Kelly painting, "The Triumph Of Steel" was released in 1992, and features the single 'Metal Warriors'. Included as a bonus track is the non-album song, 'Herz Aus Stahl'.
1. Fighting the World 2. Blow Your Speakers 3. Carry on 4. Violence and Bloodshed 5. Defender 6. Drums of Doom 7. Holy War 8. Master of Revenge 9. Black Wind, Fire and Steel 10. Wheels of Fire 11. Kings of Metal 12. Heart of Steel 13. Sting of the Bumblebee 14. The Crown and the Ring (Lament of the Kings) 15. Kingdom Come 16. Pleasure Slave 17. Hail and Kill 18. The Warrior's Prayer 19. Blood of the Kings 20. Achilles, Agony and Ecstasy in 21. Eight Parts 22. Prelude 23. I Hector Storms the Wall 24. II the Death of Patroclus 25. III Funeral March 26. IV Armor of the Gods 27. V Hector's Final Hour 28. VI Death Hector's Reward 29. VII the Desecration of Hector's 30. Body: Part 1 ò Part 2 31. VIII the Glory of Achilles 32. Metal Warriors 33. Ride the Dragon 34. Spirit Horse of the Cherokee 35. Burning 36. The Power of Thy Sword 37. The Demon's Whip 38. Master of the Wind 39. Herz Aus Stahl
