In 2022, MANOWAR will embark on the “Crushing The Enemies Of Metal Anniversary Tour ’22”, which will be packed with fan favorites from the band’s career and will pay special tribute to six signature MANOWAR albums and their anniversaries:
* 40th anniversary of “Battle Hymns”
* 35th anniversary of “Fighting The World”
* 30th anniversary of “The Triumph Of Steel”
* 20th anniversary of “Warriors Of The World”
* 15th anniversary of “Gods Of War”
* 10th anniversary of “The Lord Of Steel”
MANOWAR bassist Joey DeMaio told Bulgaria’s Telegraph Daily about the tour: “It’s a very special tour for us. We’ll be celebrating special anniversaries of six of our albums. That occasion, of course, calls for something special and special this tour will be: killer setlist, a huge production, some world premieres and lots of surprises.”
Asked what it’s like to be “the leader of one of the most genius and powerful heavy metal bands in the world,” Joey said: “Thank you for the kind words, I will pass the compliment on to the other bandmembers. I don’t really think about my life in that way. I just know that I am charged with a great responsibility to try to write and bring to life the very best music I can. Not only for ourselves as a band but for our loyal crew and the greatest fans in the world. I just love what I do, what we do as a band, that we’ve been able to stay true to ourselves throughout the years and that we have fans all over the world who appreciate us for it. Without a doubt, I am blessed and I know and respect it.”
On March 14, 2020, MANOWAR played its long-awaited first-ever concert in Mexico, headlining the Hell & Heaven Metal Fest in Mexico City. This historic event was recorded in highest definition, with over 15 8K and 4K cameras, a drone and immersive audio setup. The resulting footage will soon be released on Blu-ray, DVD and digital platforms under the title “Hell On Earth VI” (formerly “The Final Battle”).
MANOWAR released a new EP, “The Final Battle I”, in March 2019. Parts II and III of the trilogy will arrive at a later date, inspired by MANOWAR‘s adventures on the remainder of “The Final Battle”.
In 2019, MANOWAR recruited Anders Johansson as the band’s new drummer.
The Swedish musician made his live debut with MANOWAR in March 2019 in Brno, Czech Republic.
Johansson can be heard on “The Final Battle I”, which was initially made available in an exclusive pre-sale at the merchandise booth of the band’s “The Final Battle” world tour.
Former MANOWAR guitarist Karl Logan was arrested in August 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina and charged with six counts of third-degree exploitation of a minor. He was jailed after pleading guilty to two child-pornography counts.
A few days after Karl‘s arrest was made public, MANOWAR issued a statement saying that he would no longer perform with the group. He has since been replaced by E.V. Martel, who previously played in a MANOWAR tribute band.
