MB Metal Classics: "Into Glory Ride" by Manowar
 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ogloryride.jpg

It's Monday! Time to sharpen that sword and bow down to one of the most awesome and epic metal albums of all time (do you not think that's laying it on a little thick, Batty? No? All right then: you're the boss. Oh no wait: I am. Still, I agree) - DEATH TO FALSE METAL! :D

First the cons: the opener is completely out of sync with the rest of the album I imagine because the band was nervous starting out with a song like "Secret of Steel", the album is pretty samey otherwise, and yeah "Hatred" has a novel atmosphere but is a tedious song.

Now that that's out of the way OMG THIS ALBUM GANGS AND BANGS. "Warlord" is an odd choice for an opener but it's also classic low class Manowar with the most cringe-inducingly hilarious intro (only Manowar could get away with making light of statutory rape); "Secret of Steel", "Gloves of Metal", and "March for Revenge" are god tier and most of the rest are at least awesome; and I don't think these dudes get nearly enough credit for such a unique and dare I say groundbreaking sound. They made doom metal that wasn't doom metal and was more Conan than anything other than Conan. Was also my first Manowar album so the nostalgia is strong with this one. An easy 10.

And that ****ing video for "Gloves of Metal" smh lol.

Am I just blind or is the album not on Spotify?

Found this hopefully complete youtube playlist, but the sound quality isn't great:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z98P...AtHE57Wz9Wj1YR

Yeah that's complete.

Good. Then I don't have to go hunting wabbits.

You're not blind. Apparently there's very little Manowar there. I mean, Battle Hymns is there but not Hail to England? WTF???

Rated a 1 because this is the big sux

I've never actually listened to much Manowar, and certainly not a whole album. Full disclosure: Not a fan of what I have heard. I kind of got used to thinking of them as "that ridiculously cheesy macho power metal band".

They do take that whole muscular Frank Frazetta ideal of a man to ridiculous new heights, when you pile on the lyrics about riding into battle, hardening steel, oiled up six-packs and tightening buns in loincloths and... Isn't it interesting, that when you take ideas of what it means to be manly to such extremes, it ends up being quite homo-erotic? Gays are stereotyped as being weak, feminine, slender and totally opposite what a "real" man is supposed to be, yet there's hardly anything more (un?)intentionally homoerotic than a Manowar band photo, despite (or because of) all the attempts at living up to the ideal of a real manly man. These guys should have toured gays bars in the 80's. They would have been a smash hit within that scene.

I wanna call the music on this album ridiculous, but then I played the devil's advocate with myself and asked if all metal isn't ridiculous when you really look at it honestly. Didn't have a good comeback, so I guess I can't fault Manowar for that.

This album consists, only slightly unusually, of just 7 songs. Things start of entertaining enough, and I didn't mind the first 3 tracks. There's some fun riffs and I really think that this band has a unique riffing style. Doesn't really sound like any other heavy- or power-metal act of the time. It's kind of like a more knuckle-dragging version of NWOBHM, but with some odd sequences of notes and phrasings in the riffs. It makes the music a bit more interesting than it would have otherwise been.

Then I get to track 4, "Gates of Valhalla", and this is where the album starts to unravel for me. Starts off harmlessly enough, if a bit weak in the riff department and with an overlong, kind of dull vocal intro. I hate the ending of this track. I can get along with the over the top vocal approach of this guy until we get to this point.

Track 5, "Hatred", has a really melodic musical section that comes back a few times where the singer goes absolutely bananas and ... I feel like it's kind of bad? The worst part starts at 4:25. Judge for yourself. Makes my ears want to tear themselves loose and run away.

After that, there's nothing too offensive, but nothing too memorable either. I feel like the album was fun enough to listen to and sporadically interesting, so I can't say that I hate it outright. But... not gonna be able to give a very high score either.

Voted 4. Possibly being nice, but I can't tell.
I did have fun with the first 3 tracks, so that's gotta count for something.
The singer is also good, he just chooses to be too over the top too often.
Or over the top in the wrong way, I guess.

At least it was an experience.

If you don't like "Gates of Valhalla" you must die. There just is no other option.

It's spotwise allright-ish. It's Hatred that I'd like to bury at the center of a big, dark forest.

It's kinda cool at first but it's an intro stretched into a song.

What does that even mean? And yeah, "Hatred" is puke. Low point of the album, but the only one.
Eat **** and die. GoV kills. Epic on a massive scale.

Favourite early Manowar tracks, in basic order:
Battle Hymn
Blood of My Enemies
Gates of Valhalla
Secret of Steel
Defender
Bridge of Death
Hail to England (even if I have to choke on those sentiments!)
Revelation (Death's Angel)

I meant that "Hatred" is a good idea for an intro but shouldn't be an eight minute song.

It means there are spots where it's allright or close to allright.

*Alllllllroit

Is that the proper Irish spelling?

Oh, ok. I thought you were dissing Gates.
So you're writing a new language now are you? :laughing:

I speak fluid Danglish.

Don't danglish that thing out too long: I hear it's cold up north! :laughing:

You know, what the hell? As in the case of The Number of the Beast, I'll always love Battle Hymns more, as it was the first Manowar album I ever got (and their debut) but I readily admit this is far superior. BH gives you the idea of a lot of disjointed songs, without any real common thread until right at the end, which kind of makes the ending of that album almost a prequel to this.

By Into Glory Ride though, Manowar have their shtick well and truly together. On Battle Hymns, there's little real reference to swords, sorcery or kind of even sex, with a lot of mixed metaphors, and you look at the sleeve and wonder is this some sort of neo-Nazi band? But the cover of IGR leaves no room for doubt. Sure, it's cheesy as all hell, but that's Manowar for you. They're not meant to be taken seriously.

This album reeks of quality cheese though, and while I agree "Warlord" is almost more a song that belongs on the previous album, and "Hatred" is pretty OTT even for Manowar (and little more than an excuse for Ross to wank off on the guitar in a similar way to how Joey showed us how badass on the bass he is on "William's Tale") the epic power and depth of the rest of the songs more than make up for these slight low points, and lead into the third in their "golden age", if you will, period, with Hail to England waiting to unleash a powerful salvo in support of its dark brother here.

Perfect? No, but very damn close. God tier indeed.

Pretty entertaining Metal. Not my favorite thing ever, but I'm not gonna be a bitch like Frownland and pretend that Manowar aren't fun.

7/10

What happened with Frown? Didn't he say he voted 1? I don't see any 1 votes.

That cover is the ultimate in metal garbage. :drummer:

piggy backing this

i don't really have anything else to add to be honest, so instead let's reminisce over the dubtrack session that saw batty and i listen to nothing but hours on end of manowar.

That was the Gods of War album and my **** is that an abortion of a record. Was fun.

I wish I was pretending.

I wish you were pretend.

one of my favorite heavy metal albums. It gallops triumphantly at an awesomely slowish to mid pace, the song structure is extraordinary and expansive, and the almost lo fi production is amazing.

I'd have no idea personally but Mercyful Fate have a sound that I feel could have drawn from this one heavily

it finished with that, but it started with the real tunes i think. idk. i was day drinking.

The **** you talkin' bout?! You forgot? This is the next level of Into Glory Ride.



Like one of the other ten albums of metal or something.

well I feel like that's a given. Mercyful Fate probably isn't a very widely used comparison but in my opinion it's unmistakable

Oh and I always forget that this is the most epic metal song ever.

You ever check out Wolf? They got a nice Mercyful Fate meets the NWOBHM thing going on.

This is absolutely the sickest of modern NWOBHM.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e0/3c...d7d7d0081d.jpg
There are some poseur fans of false metal holding back the overall awesomeness of this album, and its chance of being admitted to Valhalla (ie rated a classic) by voting low. You know what to do: saddle up, brave warriors, and sally forth! Actually, let Sally Forth wait until the battle is done - there's work ahead. Glory to the brave!
http://resoundingthefaith.com/wp-con...rd-in-hand.jpg

It's not my fault Manowar aren't as awesome as their reputation. Wait, their reputation is that they're "awesome" - with an ironic wink. Kinda like Hammerfall, except I think Hammerfall can be quite good when they manage to stop being so horribly bland for a moment.

I'm not opposed to cheese in metal at all, but... this album isn't really doing much for me. It was fun to listen to as a sort of exploration of metal history that I haven't paid much attention to, but I don't think they're really very good musicians or song writers / composers if I gotta be perfectly honest...

I still haven't the slightest idea how anyone could think this

They have a pretty original sound here driven by some of the most complicated and pronounced bass work ever. The bass is supposed to take precedent over the guitar too.

did you even listen to this song

Made it. Classic with an average of 8. Poll now closed.

Ross Friedman (aka Ross Funicello, aka Ross the Boss, aka Ross "The Boss" Funicello) played guitar for The Dictators. Then went onto a second career as guitar/keyboard player for Manowar.

The Dictators - California Sun
One of the greatest cover songs of all time.
Handsome Dick Manitoba is posing in the locker room with a poster of the band behind him.


Ross The Boss played a white Gibson SG back then.
http://www.furious.com/perfect/graphics/dictators.jpg

Ross also played with these guys.