Manowar
Hail To England Mmxix Imperial Edition
Hail To England Imperial Edition MMXIX (Remixed/Remastered) Released in February 1984, a little over six months after its predecessor, "HAIL TO ENGLAND" arrived amid sky-high expectations, not least because by this point MANOWAR were notorious around the world as self-proclaimed guardians of an entire genre. Luckily, the album itself was more than equipped to blow peoples heads off all over again. Kicking off with the stately might of "BLOOD OF MY ENEMIES" ,"HAIL TO ENGLAND " may just be the finest record that MANOWAR made in their first decade. With a more rounded and muscular production than "INTO GLORY RIDE" and blessed with some of the finest songs the band have ever recorded, this still young band were demonstrating a fierce sense of individuality, decimating the competition in the process. Bolstered by a heightened sense of dynamics and cinematic melodrama, the likes of doom-drenched and devilish denouement "BRIDGE OF DEATH" revealed new subtleties and textures within the MANOWAR arsenal. Meanwhile, the jaw-shattering attack of "KILL WITH POWER" and the impossibly stirring melodies and might of itself confirmed that MANOWARs song writing chops were getting sharper and more effective with every passing year. Throw in one of Joey DeMaios mind-bending trademark bass solos, the truly mesmerising "BLACK ARROWS" , and album number three could hardly have offered a more complete or compelling taste of MANOWAR circa 1984. 35 years later, "HAIL TO ENGLAND" has been revived and revitalised by producer Joey DeMaio himself. It might be hard to believe that an album as righteous and monumental as this could ever be improved, but if one thing has defined MANOWARs unrelenting march to glory, it has been a tireless devotion to delivering the goods on a level that makes everyone elses efforts look pathetic. Crank up the enhanced "HAIL TO ENGLAND" to life-threatening volume and witness the sound of an immaculate heavy metal monolith erupting with newfound power and punch. This is heavy fucking metal in its purest form and no one does it better. Hail MANOWAR!