Manowar
(w/ Bludgeon)
27.11.2002 Ice Hall, Helsinki Finland
Review & Pics by
Marko Syrjälä & Arto Lehtinen
The kings of metal started their worldwide crusade in Europe once again
and dropped by to delight the Finnish Manowarriors by giving a show filled
with masculine power and spirit. The New York metal warriors had brought
along an entire unknown death metal combo named Bludgeon to open up for
Manowar on the whole European tour…
Bludgeon, who were discovered by Joey De Maio for his own label, kicked
the night off by giving an approximate 35-minute set of technical death
metal. What they offered was routine and an obvious death metal cliché
more or less influenced by the old Florida death metal monsters Death and
Deicide. The four-piece went through the material off from their debut
album Recrucify The Priest.
For obvious reasons the audience wasn't that keen and anxious about the
death metal complex presented by the Chicago boys. In general, being an
opening band for any classic metal name is always more than uncomfortable
situation in order to win the attention as well as some kind of audience,
but mostly the result is every band is forced to play to a half empty hall
no matter how good they are.
After the depressive long roadie break the quartet with the tight
leather pants literally attacked the stage and showed the real sign of the
hammer by setting such a metallic maelstrom in the first part of the set
as the first four tracks were played in a row without any ridiculous
speeches by DeMaio expect a small break interrupted by Joey DeMaio (of
course) when giving a small lesson to the security for their harsh and
treatment toward the kids coming over the security wall.
The sound had been turned to the maximum level with the goddamn crystal
clear and head blowing volume that ears were about to blow up and the
heart to start jumping up and down with the accelerating pulse. The whole
band was in the finest strike compared their previous visit in 99 when the
whole show was quite pathetic and had Spinal Tap impressions.
After the great set of four killer battle hymns it was about time for
Logan's guitar solo demonstration lasting approximately 10 minutes. In the
wake of Logan's solo performance the well known riff of "Army Of
Immortals" roared from the loudspeakers and ended after four tunes to
Demaio's bass solo. Another rather interesting point was Adams' method to
make the audience sing during the higher tunes and occasionally his voice
turned to be the growling even though Adams' voice is definitely a real
metallic trademark of the whole Manowar concept with the higher tunes and
his ability to sing on the lower level as well.
As usual the typical amusing mandatory speech being the tradition on
every god damn Manowar gig held by Joey DeMaio literally interrupted the
diamond brilliant gig with DeMaio's ridiculous praises and the old used
phrases and above all the whole Spinal Tap event was crowned with the
request of asking a "better days seen" looking chick on the
stage to help DeMaio to transcript a few Finnish absurd sentences after
which they ended up doing some insane passionate looking kissing.
Then Gods Made Heavy metal returned to the stage by hailing and killing
with their Harley Davidson bikes and let the wheel of fire spread around
the ice hall and then started an unusual part of the show by doing a
acoustic set of immortal ballads consisting "Sword In The Wind",
"Master Of The Wind" and "Courage".
Before the classic "Black Wind Fire And Steel" the newer and
even fastest material of Manowar powered the house of death with a bit
chaotic sound. For some bizarre reason Scott Columbus occasionally had
some problems to keep the pace in the faster Manowar tunes though handling
the drumming job perfectly after all.
In general, this was a damn good show even though prejudices toward
what to expect from the gig were quite non-existent in the first place.
Fortunately the whole Metal-Rules.com Finnish staff could leave the hall
with the satisfied feeling even though the remainder part of the gig took
a lot of positive feedback and especially DeMaio's everlasting funny
speeches…. Hail And Kill !!
Manowar's set list
Manowar!
Brothers of metal
Spirit horse of cherokee
Warriors of the world united
Kill with power
(guitarsolo)
Army of immortals
Call to arms
Kings of metal
Sign of the hammer
("vocalsolo" + basssolo)
Gods made heavy metal
Hail and kill
Sword in the wind / Master of the wind / Courage
Outlaw / The power / House of death
Black wind fire and steel