Manowar
Louder Than Hell

Whether you're a blackster or a thrasher, a fan of Heavy or Power, a lover of Death, Glam, or Prog, if you're truly metalheads you've certainly heard at least once the "call of the road".
That spirit made of dust and sweat, asphalt and Harleys, women and beer has become music in "Louder Than Hell".

De Maio's mighty bass opens "Return Of The Warlord", assertive and beautiful in its simplicity, where the roar of the engines blends with that of the guitars. A song that screams "one more beer and Heavy Metal, and I'm just fine!".

But as beautiful as it is, it is still just an introduction to the immortal masterpiece "Brothers Of Metal": a high-pitched scream precedes an angry voice, marked by an arrogant bass, in a verse that rises in intensity every moment, reaching the chorus, raw and crude, in the best Heavy tradition, shouting: "Brothers Of Metal!".
An exhilarating, furious chorus rages in half a minute of total freedom, only to suddenly die down and give way to a short interlude that celebrates the brotherhood among metalheads. The chorus explodes again accompanying the refrain, followed by a scream that superbly overlaps with a lightning-fast guitar solo. The following verse is intense, angry... the refrains follow one another in a beautiful fading finale.
The third track, "The Gods Made Heavy Metal" is more melodic than the others, but equally engaging, thanks to a clever dosage of instrumental power and voice. In fourth position, one of the six most beautiful ballads ever written by Manowar: for the series "even metalheads cry" here is "Courage". A piano background, a soft and melodious voice, a "on the road" style solo that blend into a wonderful song.
The next track is simple but impactful: "Number One". An extraordinary vocal performance, not so much for the quality but for its ability to fire up spirits, urging them to challenge the world. The guitar work is splendid, graced by a particularly inspired Karl Logan.
"Outlaw" is perhaps the most steadfast track along with "The Power", but although both are a bit repetitive, the latter totally lacks imagination and is perhaps the only sour note of the album.
Magnificent instead are the two instrumental tracks "My Spirit Lives On" and "Today Is A Good Day To Die". De Maio works miracles, consecrating himself among the most capable bassists on the global music scene.
Slightly off theme in the context, but no less fascinating for that, is "King". An epic, dreamy beginning crashes into a guitar solo, while the voice changes resuming the usual aggressive tone. The chorus is sung by a choir similar to that of the opener and the verses, almost spoken, are interspersed with cues that hark back to the opening of the track.
A universal work, which cannot fail to be appreciated by anyone who loves Metal.

"No One Controls Our Goddamn life!"