Manowar

Warriors Of The World

The best Manowar album... ever

Review Score:

(10/10)
This is easily the most powerful Manowar album ever released; it may even be the best heavy metal album. Manowar shows the other bands, their fans, and themselves what Heavy Metal is all about.

Heavy Metal is not people screaming, slamming their instruments, grunting out unintelligible lyrics. At least, it shouldn't be. People need to know that Heavy Metal can have it hard spots, but it can be beautiful... powerful... majestic. This is the true Kingdom of Steel.

The album opens with a pretty typical Manowar song. From there it impresses more and more. What other bands could make Italian opera sound so beautiful? What other heavy metal band could perform it and make it sound powerful enough for a metal album, but beautiful enough to stay true to its source material? What heavy metal band could perform an Elvis song, yet make it sound like it was made for Metal? Finally, what metal band can write an original classical composition that people listen to and think is by Wagner? None. These other bands don't have a clue. They get popular by selling their music to whatever movie, TV show, deodorant or Happy Meal pays enough. Their songs consist of very little musically and nothing lyrically. Cheech and Chong's "Earache My Eye" sums up a lot of metal very well: "I only know three chords!" It's all flash and sparkle, no substance. One of the members of Manowar commented that no other band could do Nessun Dorma, because their singing was just 'dogs barking.'

But don't think it's all soft. My favorite track is "Swords in the Wind," which starts out slow and powerful and builds. It is truly the definitive Viking song. No silly nonsense like some of their Viking songs. It's all purely Viking-approved.

The power really explodes on the last few tracks. Wonderful, powerful, and hard enough for all of you.

Buy this album as an introduction to Manowar. There's something for everyone. And welcome to the Kingdom of Steel.

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