“Death to false metal!” Anyone remember that mantra that the band used to peddle around at the time? They sure lived and breathed what they said, even though the music in the beginning was not that heavy and that metal if I’m honest…They hold the record for the world’s loudest band, which they have deemed “The Black Wind”. It’s really hard not to laugh out loud while I’m writing this, but the band were deadly serious about this way of life that they lived honouring the metal. When they toured Europe, they even openly encouraged women to be in their “harem” of sex slaves to tour with them. Ridiculous! Was it a PR stunt, or was it real?
Anyway, it’s the music what we are here for and opening track, Death Tone, is what the band were all about – both musically and lyrically. Pretty straightforward hard rock with a very metal singer. Metal Daze is next and it’s more of the same really. It’s worth pointing out that guitarist Ross The Boss came from the Dictators when they were a noise/punk hybrid band – they weren’t that metal at all. Fast Taker is quite an average tune. Last track on this Side, Shell Shock, is about war and the riff reminds me of one of Ross’s side project’s, the French band, Shaking Street – its an ok tune.
Side 2 starts off with the band’s theme song, Manowar, and it feels a bit Twisted Sister, which is quite ironic as they hated each other. Who remembers Dee Snider calling out Manowar for a fight outside Shades record store in London? It’s just a good hard rock song. The metal would be more evident later, especially with albums like Hail To England. Dark Avenger has the rather dulcet tones of Orson Welles as narrator, and is probably the most metal song here, both in sound and execution. Williams Tale is just a show off piece for bass player and band leader, Joey DeMaio. Final track is the title track, Battle Hymns, and we have waited for the best track on the album. Very medieval sounding, full of swords and sorcery – this is how the band garnered their reputation and image. The production is not that great as the band did it themselves, arrogantly thinking they knew best when a known producer would have given it the treatment it so needed. Not bad, but a fun listen anyway.
7/10 from The Grooveman.
