Manowar, live at The Academy

Almost 25 years since they last invaded these shores, the self-proclaimed ‘Kings of Metal’ have finally returned to town. And when these guys turn up, speakers explode! As subtle as a licked love pump, Manowar nonetheless possess unapologetic self-belief in embodying the bombast and theatrics of metal and engender diehard devotion.

Playing their classic 1982 album Battle Hymns in its entirety, the stage is set for the crash of thunder and the clash of steel. However, the anticipated battle field onslaught is more schoolyard skirmish and stolen lunch money than epic sword and shield slaughter. Looking somewhat disinterested and disengaged, a flat and somewhat static run through of the album tracks is delivered in a ‘lets get on, get it done and get off’ mode. More Men At Work than Man O War.

‘Shellshock’ is plodding and the heaviness and atmosphere of ‘Defender’ is only rendered through Orson Welles playback narration. ‘Battle Hymn’ finally gets the anthemic fist punch response it warrants before guitarist Kenny Logan performs an atrocious solo spot full of dropped notes and guitar shop shuffles. The second half of the show sees our metal warriors finally inject some energy. ‘Hail And Kill’ sends arms aloft, ‘Warriors Of The World’ drives the hordes wilfully into battle and ‘Kings Of Metal’ reclaims the pyrrhic throne. Warrior-in-chief Joey DeMaio then steps forward with a bass solo that includes a mangling of ‘Danny Boy’, tells us how great we are and how delighted the band is to be back, before downing a pint of Guinness and sacrificing his axe on the theatrical altar of the bruising ‘Black Wind, Fire And Steel’. And just as the winds of war start to warm, they’re gone. ‘Good night Sprungfeld. There will be no encore.’