On this day, 6 November 2011, American Heavy Metal band Manowar played Cardiff University on their Battle Hymns 2011 Tour.
Formed in 1980, the group is known for lyrics based on fantasy (particularly sword and sorcery) and mythology (particularly Norse mythology and Greco-Roman mythology), as well as numerous songs celebrating the genre and its core audience.
The band is also known for a loud and emphatic sound. In an interview for MTV in February 2007, bassist Joey DeMaio lamented that "these days, there's a real lack of big, epic metal that is drenched with crushing guitars and choirs and orchestras... so it's nice to be one of the few bands that's actually doing that".
In 1984, the band was included in the Guinness Book of World Records for delivering the loudest performance, a record which they have since broken on two occasions. They also hold the world record for the longest heavy metal concert after playing for five hours and 1 minute in Bulgaria (at Kavarna Rock Fest) in 2008. They also have been known for their slogan "Death to false metal".
Manowar released a re-recording of their 1982 debut album Battle Hymns. This album was released on November 26, 2010, with the narration of Sir Christopher Lee and formally entitled Battle Hymns MMXI. On July 21, 2011, the band embarked on a UK tour for the first time in 16 years in November and performed the Battle Hymns album in its entirety.
Setlist
Manowar
Death Tone
Metal Daze
Fast Taker
Shell Shock
Dark Avenger
Battle Hymn
Guitar Solo
Brothers of Metal Pt. 1
After intermission
Hand of Doom
Call to Arms
Thunder in the Sky
Bass Solo
Hail and Kill
Warriors of the World United
Kings of Metal
Black Wind, Fire and Steel