Manowar
The Absolute Power

It's as if those notes have been indelibly etched on me. It's as if the roar of that crowd, the energy emanating, every single musical note, every single word of the singer, have been imprinted in my mind, refusing to leave. And even though I wasn't actually there, having only seen it on a screen, I can simply imagine. Imagine the power harnessed that night, imagine the genuine desire to perform, try to understand even a fraction of the thousands of emotions each person experienced at every moment.

These, and many other emotions, I felt while watching "The Absolute Power," a concert held at the Earthshaker Festival in 2005, performed alongside the 50 members of the Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic Orchestra. The first-ever complete live performance of the band to appear in full, naturally in the form of a DVD, since previous releases in the "Hell On Earth" saga did not present complete concerts, but snippets. "The Absolute Power" represents, in about three hours of live performance, the attitude that has always represented Manowar throughout their career. Energy, power, but also nonchalance, flashiness. A peculiarity that makes this live different from all the others is definitely the production. More than twenty-five cameras were positioned within the arena to make the concert appear more epic than ever to those watching at home, like myself.

The setlist revives the best pieces of Manowar, divided into three parts. The first includes songs that have gradually become symbolic of the band, like the classic opening track of the same name, "Kings Of Metal," "Sign Of The Hammer," the latter beautifully delivered live thanks to an Eric Adams in near-perfect form, the more recent "Call To Arms," the anthemic "Brothers Of Metal," and the devastating "Kill With Power" with a truly exceptional Scott Columbus (RIP). The second part sees the return for one night only of the band's former members, including David Shankle and Rhino, respectively guitarist and drummer who participated in the composition and tour for "The Triumph Of Steel," an album released in 1992. From this album, "Metal Warriors" and "The Glory Of Achilles" are revisited, with the band in full splendor, although Shankle's solos are somewhat "empty." Last but not least, historic guitarist Ross "The Boss" and drummer Donnie Hamzik, revisiting the 1982 debut "Battle Hymns," perform the powerful "Metal Daze" and the successful "Dark Avenger," a song featuring a nice solo by DeMaio. The third part winds through tracks from Manowar's remaining albums, concluding with "Battle Hymns," where all current and former members reunite on stage to perform one of the group's battle horses, and then conclude with a recorded version of "The Crown And The Ring" accompanied by fireworks, with the crowd singing the song at the top of their lungs.

If you are among the many who disparage the band, watching this concert probably won't change your mind, but if you're a fan of the American group, "The Absolute Power" is highly recommended because it encapsulates in one night everything that Manowar is and has been, as mentioned at the beginning of the review. I know I haven't excellently explained what's contained in this live, but I still hope you'll appreciate this review. Talking about a band like Manowar is always difficult and complex, especially given the influence they have had on the music scene, both positive and negative, but one thing is for sure. This concert is the most accurate definition that the word "power" can have. Spectacular.