Manowar
Sign Of The Hammer

THE REVIEW

The discography of Manowar can ideally be divided into two quite distinct parts. On one side, the dark Epic Metal of their beginnings, on the other, the Heavy Metal of their success, which is much more accessible.
"Sign Of The Hammer" was released in 1984, after "Hail To England" and before "Fighting The World", thus positioning itself between these two extremes. The production, as was always the case with the early works of Manowar, is rather rough, but in my opinion, it doesn't manage to detract in the slightest from this masterpiece, nor do the first two tracks, real fillers.

The first, "All Men Play On Ten" is an anthem to the label of the moment, 10 records, and to not lowering themselves to a more commercial level to sell more, something the four Kings would eventually do with "Fighting The World", not long after. Meanwhile, the second, "Animals", is another anthem, this time to wild life, of which I think no one felt the need. Once past the hurdle of two not particularly exciting tracks, the show begins and "Thor (The Powerhead)" arrives, where De Maio is inspired in the lyrics by Norse mythology, a certainly recurring theme in Metal, and in Epic Metal in particular. Thor battles the giants in what seems to be the final battle where, according to Norse mythology, the Gods will meet their demise and the world will end, the Ragnarok. Adams showcases an impressive vocal and interpretive performance, culminating in a final note lasting 31 seconds, which likely represents the death scream of the god.
"Mountains" is a majestic ballad, characterized by several tempo changes, from an atmospheric slow to mid-tempo up to a march. Adams demonstrates he also has a warm voice, in addition to strong lungs, and here too he gives the song an excellent rendition. A thunderclap followed by De Maio's bass and Adams' scream introduces the title-track, a gallop marked by a chorus that, despite being rather simple, remains among the most beautiful ever written by the band, where keyboards draw a choir that adds an incredible boost and epicness to the whole.
After the gallop, the pace continues to accelerate with "The Oath", a track of excellent American speed metal, perhaps a bit less dramatic and epic than the previous three tracks, but still very compelling, with great screaming from Adams. The following "Thunderpick" is the usual bass solo by De Maio, providing a definitive stop to the frantic speed of "The Oath", serving, if you can say so, as an interlude, a brief pause where you can catch your breath before the grand finale, "Guyana (Cult Of The Damned)". This last track, the true masterpiece of the album, talks about the mass suicide of the reverend Jim Jones’ cult in 1978: convinced that the end of the world was near, or simply eager to test his charisma on the masses, Reverend Jim Jones ordered the 911 members of his cult, gathered in the sanctuary of Guyana in the forests of South America, to commit suicide by drinking a concoction based on cyanide. Not only consenting adults brainwashed by the reverend's persuasive voice, but even children received the concoction and died as well. The grim final march, opened by a bass arpeggio, adorned with dramatic choruses and mournful keyboard effects, perfectly fits the role of an adept about to carry out the last macabre order, and manages to send shivers down your spine by perfectly conveying the horror of those events, thanks especially to the always inspired Adams, who plays the role of the adept, and the lyrics, which, it must be said, are truly beautiful and almost moving.

In conclusion, "Sign Of The Hammer" represents the end of an era for Manowar, but also its greatest expression. The band has reached a high level of maturity, evidenced by the mix of slow and fast tracks that characterize the work and manage never to fall into banality.
An album recommended to lovers of the most classic sounds of epic and heavy metal, but it might prove less accessible to newcomers of the genre and the band.