Battle Hymns (Manowar album)
 | It has been suggested that Battle Hymns MMXI be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since September 2024. |
| Battle Hymns | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 14, 1982[1] | |||
| Studio | Criteria (Miami) | |||
| Genre | Heavy metal | |||
| Length | 36:05 | |||
| Label | Liberty | |||
| Producer | ||||
| Manowar chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal | 8/10[3] |
Battle Hymns is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Manowar, released in 1982 by Liberty Records.
Background
[edit]Joey DeMaio and Ross the Boss met during the Heaven & Hell Tour of Black Sabbath. DeMaio worked on the fireworks of the concerts, and Ross the Boss was in the opening act Shakin' Street. Although DeMaio did like his band, he liked the performance of Ross the Boss and invited him to create a band of their own, which he accepted. The line-up was completed by Donnie Hamzik in drums and Louis Marullo, a former friend of DeMaio, in vocals. Ross told him that the name would not work for a heavy metal band, that he should use a stage name instead. As his sons were named "Eric" and "Adam", Marullo took the name Eric Adams.[4]
Track listing
[edit]All songs by Ross the Boss and Joey DeMaio, except where indicated
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Death Tone" | 4:51 | |
| 2. | "Metal Daze" | Joey DeMaio | 4:20 |
| 3. | "Fast Taker" | 3:56 | |
| 4. | "Shell Shock" | 4:07 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Manowar" | 3:38 | |
| 2. | "Dark Avenger" | 6:23 | |
| 3. | "William's Tale" | Gioachino Rossini | 1:54 |
| 4. | "Battle Hymn" | 6:56 | |
| Total length: | 36:05 | ||
Personnel
[edit]Manowar
[edit]- Eric Adams – vocals
- Ross the Boss – guitars, keyboards
- Joey DeMaio – bass, bass pedals
- Donnie Hamzik – drums, percussion
Additional personnel
[edit]- Orson Welles – narration on "Dark Avenger"
Production
[edit]- Mixed by Jon Mathias at Record Plant Studios, New York City
- Joey DeMaio, Ross the Boss – producers
- Joe Foglia – engineer
- Jim Sessody, John Agnello – assistant engineers
- Joe Breschio – mastering
- Bob Currie – executive producer
- Aucoin Management, Inc. – management
- Bill Burks, Brian J. Ames – art direction
- Gary Ruddell – Illustration
Cover versions
[edit]- Thrash metal band Overkill covered the song "Death Tone" on their 1999 album Coverkill.
- Traditional metal band Seven Witches covered the song "Metal Daze" on their 1999 album Second War in Heaven.
- The song "Battle Hymn" has been covered by German heavy metal band Majesty.
- Swiss Heavy Metal band Burning Witches covered the song "Battle Hymn" on their 2020 album Dance With The Devil.
- Finnish symphonic power metal band Beast in Black covered the song "Battle Hymn" on their 2021 album Dark Connection.
- German band Tankard covered "Fast Taker" on the re-release of their album Disco Destroyer.
- American traditional metal band Slough Feg covered "Fast Taker" on a split single with Solstice.
2010 re-recording – Battle Hymns MMXI
[edit]In late 2010 it was announced that Manowar were to rerecord Battle Hymns for a November 26 release.[5] The album, Battle Hymns MMXI, was drummer Donnie Hamzik's first studio recording with Manowar since the original 1982 Battle Hymns release. Orson Welles having died 25 years before, the narration during "Dark Avenger" was recorded by Sir Christopher Lee.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ "New Releases" (PDF). FMQB. June 11, 1982. p. 31. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
- ^ Rivadavia, Eduardo. Battle Hymns at AllMusic
- ^ Popoff, Martin (November 1, 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 212. ISBN 978-1894959315.
- ^ Mariskal Romero (August 14, 2022). "Manowar: 40 años de "Battle Hymns", el disco que hizo temblar los cimientos del mundo" [Manowar: 40 years of "Battle Hymns, the album that shook the foundations of the world] (in Spanish). Mariskal Rock. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
- ^ BLABBERMOUTH.NET - MANOWAR: 'Battle Hymns 2011' Release Dates Announced
- ^ Joey DeMaio – Battle Hymns 2011 – YouTube
