Manowar is an American heavy metal ban from Auburn, New York. Originally formed in 1980, they are known for writing lyrics with an emphasis on fantasy, (particularly Swords and Sorcery) themselves and mythological topics, particularly Norse mythology. Manowar's sound is loud and bombastic; 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 tried to break several times since.