The World’s Loudest Band, Manowar Kicks It Up a Notch with Meyer Sound and Westfalen Sound

Epic heavy metal band Manowar secured a place in the Guinness World Records during the 1990s as the loudest band in the world, and sheer volume has remained an integral part of the Manowar concert experience. The band’s technical rider specifies a minimum unweighted SPL of 126dB at FOH position, a feat few sound systems can handle and still maintain the sound quality.

So when, during the sound check at the second annual Magic Circle Festival in Bad Arolsen, Germany, Manowar achieved levels in excess of 139dB through Westfalen Sound GmbH’s powerful Meyer Sound MILO® system, bassist and front man Joey DeMaio declared unequivocally, “Westfalen Sound kicks butt!”

The Meyer Sound system that Westfalen provided comprised a total of 32 MILO and two MILO 120 line array loudspeakers, with massive low end provided by 64 700-HP subwoofers. Twelve M’elodie™ line array loudspeakers covered front fill, with three CQ-1 loudspeakers handling center fill and outfill duties.

Westfalen Sound’s Dirk Maron points out that the earth-shattering sound levels were maintained throughout both of Manowar’s three-hour sets. “In spite of these exceptional levels, the sound was virtually free of any distortion,” Maron says. “After the systems arrived back at Westfalen Sound, we checked them and found that none suffered even the slightest damage. I think that speaks for itself.”

This year’s Magic Circle Festival was once again headlined by Manowar, who celebrated the 20th anniversary of the release of their seminal “Kings of Metal” album with a choir and a crowd of more than 35,000 diehard Manowar fans. The metal audiences were also treated to performances by Alice Cooper, Gotthard, W.A.S.P., Ted Nugent, Doro Pesch and HolyHell.