No self-respecting band could pull off a DVD in such a self-absorbed, pompous manner. Here, unintentional homoeroticism, faulty claims, chest pumping, and the same song re-written over and over again fills up a whopping 2 DVD’s. And so is the way of Manowar’s fourth DVD installment to feature the Hell On Earth tag. For those who haven’t had the ‘pleasure’ of seeing the previous three installments, Hell On Earth Pt IV will serve as a nice introduction into the world of the so-called ‘Kings Of Metal.’ As for the many of us who have had to bare witness to yet another Manowar DVD, nothing has changed, maybe some receding hairlines and dwindling crowds in the states, as if Manowar would notice.

Filmed during the tour in support of 2002’s clunker Warriors of the World, Manowar pillages practically every corner in Europe and the US. Shown is the band in various party situations, whether it be celebrating a triumphant gig or doing the ‘ole womanizing thing, either way, Manowar give everything 100% to a tiring extent. The manner in which female fans throw themselves at the band is certainly admirable from a male standpoint, but when viewed from a rational viewpoint, all of this seems a little too staged.

Musically, Manowar have never dug themselves out of the creative rug they found themselves in after the Kings Of Metal album. Guitarist Karl Logan is easily the best thing the band has going for himself, as proven in his flawless and technically precise shredding. One would hope Manowar would give Logan more of a platform in which to shine, but bassist Joey Demaio seems to be in love with himself and the spotlight, shoving the same power chord progression down our throats over and over again. Luckily for the Manowar diehard, staples like ‘Brothers Of Metal,’ ‘Kings Of Metal,’ ‘Call To Arms,’ and ‘Swords In the Wind’ are displayed in full song format throughout the DVD.

Here in the States, relevance has never been an issue for Manowar because, well, they haven’t been since the early 90’s. In Europe they are treated like royalty, proving that our Euro pals have a higher tolerance threshold for such comical and comic book-like behavior. Hell On Earth Pt IV is pure, unadulterated Manowar, the band that made the loincloth fashionable and proved every negative stereotype about our beloved genre true.

» manowar.com