How Many More Years formed his own band in West Memphis, Arkansas, in 1948, billing himself as "The Howlin' Wolf". He began broadcasting on radio station KWEM in West Memphis, and was heard by Sam Phillips who signed him for Memphis Recording Service. He recorded "How Many More Years" at the MRS studio at 706 Union Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee, in or about July 1951, singing and playing harmonica with a band comprising (probably) Ike Turner (piano), Willie Johnson (guitar), and Willie Steele (drums). The repetitious bass-string boogie line resembles the one played in the traditional blues standard "Forty-Four". The record's original A-side, "Moanin' at
For We Are Many like a throwback to the NWOBHM at times evoking hints of Iron Maiden and Judas Priest." They also stated that the album had a good mix of "heaviness and harmony". TheNewReview.net gave the album 4.5 out of 5 saying, "The vocals and guitars are layered exactly as they should be to either draw attention to Labonte or Herbert and Martin depending on the situation while keeping the drums and bass right where they need to be to compliment the guitarists and Labonte’s excellent (for the most part) vocal work." For We Are Many For We Are Many (sometimes written as