Asgardlord wrote:
Manowar never said they were epic metal. Manowar always defined themselves as heavy metal, and they are indeed the embodiment of heavy metal. It's true that the new album has too many narrations and orchestrations, which can be attributed to the concept. However we're left with about 8 metal tracks which is pretty much what every Manowar album boils down to. It's not their best album to date, and I more or less agree with the 70/100 (for Manowar standards that is), but saying that they have Virgin Steele or Rhapsody influences is simply ridiculous. Manowar had sympho elements long before Rhapsody (who herald songs like Crown and the Ring or Kingdom Come as an influence to their overall style). As for Virgin Steele (who I love btw), they were always a band that copied Manowar, not the other way around (Invictus anyone?).
Anyway, I'm watching them live in Athens today (flew all the way from Cyprus and I'm pretty psyched), I'll tell you how the gig went!!
anyways, there are lots of US bands that were more the emodiment of Heavy Metal from that time period then Manowar...Cirith Ungol, Maniall Road (and to be honest I never heard them back then for some reason but still), Warlord, Omen, Jag Panzer, Armored Saint and some others. In fact, even in the 80's I thought Manowar was laughable for their claims of being true Heavy Metal, sure they have some great Heavy Metal "Songs" but outside of their frist two they have never made an entire album of Heavy Metal. I'm sorry, but redoing classical music and poetry just doesn't freaking cut it for being "true". Flight of the freakin Bumblebee anyone? That isn't freakin Heavy Metal. Sure songs like Hail and Kill and others are pure but they haven't done an entire pure album in eons.
