Published on Jul 15, 1999
If there was ever a metal band that had a cult-like following,
it would be Manowar. Those who are in the know worship this band,
singing along with every single song at the top of their lungs.
They look upon those not in the know with a mixture of disdain,
mistrust and pity; these are outsiders who just need a serious dose
of heavy metal.
When I was in high school, it was almost a foregone conclusion
that you had a copy of
Fighting The World in your record collection; you weren’t a
man unless you owned it. It might not have gotten you girls, but it
won you the respect of the other guys. For my case, I might have
owned it, but I never got into the whole warrior ethic of Manowar,
and didn’t pursue the band.
Now, it’s 1999, and metal has been enjoying an underground
renaissance that’s just about to bubble up. Through it all, Joey
DeMaio and crew have been slugging it out, giving their legion of
fans what they want. Recently, what they’ve wanted was their heroes
recorded live, which Manowar has provided with two live albums
released back-to-back. The first album,
Hell On Wheels Live (which I don’t own yet), is a collection
of the more recogniaable songs that even the casual fan could get a
buzz off of.
The second live album (and most recent release),
Hell On Stage Live, is a reward for the diehard fans,
collecting 16 tracks (including some fan favorites) and delivering
them no holds barred. If you’re a newcomer to the ranks of Manowar,
this disc might be a little bit too much for you – blasphemy, I’m
sure, to the diehard Manowar fans, who will think that too much is
never enough. (Chances are I’m gonna piss off some of those people;
even the mildest criticism is a call to arms for serious flame
mail.) If you’re a little more schooled in the band, this will be a
welcome addition to your collection.
The band – bassist DeMaio, singer Eric Adams, guitarist Karl
Logan and drummer Scott Columbus – pull no punches as they storm
through these tracks recorded during their European tour in 1998.
If you don’t like your metal with a bit of blood and sweat, then
don’t bother with this album.
Musically, Manowar is still a solid unit, with tracks like
“Guyana (Cult Of The Damned)”, “Blood Of The Kings,” “Master Of The
Wind” and “Bridge Of Death” all up there with some of the best
metal out there. What is an eye-opener on this disc is DeMaio’s
bass solo, “Sting Of The Bumblebee”. Not since the playing of the
late Cliff Burton have I heard things done to a bass guitar that I
didn’t think were possible. DeMaio could well be the Eddie Van
Halen of the four-string, and he has won my utmost respect for his
skills.
All that said, the warrior stance does seem to be a bit comical,
though to Manowar’s credit, they don’t go overboard with it on
Hell On Stage Live. (The most indulgent they get is during
the spoken word piece “The Warrior’s Prayer,” which is admittedly a
very enjoyable track.)
The only thing holding
Hell On Stage Live back from being a superb album is that it
isn’t the most approachable album for someone who knows little
about the group. I went into this album with only the knowledge of
Fighting The World (and I haven’t listened to that album in
over 10 years), so I was a bit intimidated by an album full of
songs that I wasn’t familiar with. Newcomers might want to stick to
Hell On Wheels Live as their first choice, then pick up this
disc when they’re more comfortable with the musical routine. This
disc is definitely one “for the fans” – in this case, meaning the
true fans will find the most appreciation in it.
One other minor criticism is that, while a good album,
Hell On Stage Live doesn’t feel like the kind of album that
I could leave in the CD player for constant listening. Instead,
it’s more like an album I’d listen to in order to clear out the
pipes. (The diehard fans might also wonder why some of the “bonus”
tracks included on import versions of this album – which are
three-disc sets, mind you – weren’t tacked on to the end of the
second disc. After all, they had 30 minutes to play with.
Hell On Stage Live is an album that you’ll enjoy more if
you’re familiar with Manowar’s history, but you can still gain some
pleasure out of it, even with little knowledge of their back
catalog. If you can take the macho metal warrior ethic with a grain
of salt, chances are you’ll love this album.