HAIL TO ENGLAND (1984, 2001) METAL BLADE (Silver Edition)

Manowar's third effort, is nothing short of a masterpiece! All the songs are true metal classics. Even the cover-art is overtly cool on this one. The high standard the band set with 'Battle Hymns' and 'Into Glory Ride' was not easy to follow up. But with better production, and a bunch of out-of-this-world metal tunes, these guys did it! 'Hail To England' might be the blueprint for Manowar's music, and today it is the album that all other Manowar albums are compared to. Songs like "Blood Of My Enemies", "Each Dawn I Die", "Kill With Power" and "Army Of Immortals" are all huge fan-favorites, and almost obligatory at any Manowar show. But the fat is that all of the other tracks are just as good! If you are going to buy just one true metal album, this is the one I would recommend! I own the remastered re-issued Silver Edition of this album, released with revamped art, an extensive booklet, filled with cool liner notes, brought to us through Metal Blade in 2001.

Killer tracks: All of them.

FIGHTING THE WORLD (1987) ATLANTIC/ATCO

Manowar gained more and more success with each release. So in time for their 5th full-length album, they were signed to Atlantic Records. Anyone with a little metal knowledge knows what usually happened when this company signed a metal band. They wanted them to change. They urged their bands to write more radio friendly songs. And that is what happened with Manowar also. The everlasting debate in hindsight is whether or not they succeeded. There is no doubt that 'Fighting The World' sports better production, and an overall "nicer" sound. But no one can claim that songs like "Blow Your Speakers", "Violence And Bloodshed" and "Black Wind, Fire And Earth" were written to get them more radio-play (although "Blow Your Speakers" did get some MTV rotation)? Luckily I was oblivious to the heated discussion about whether or not Manowar had sold out back then. So I loved every second of this album. It is first Manowar album I ever heard, and it made me a fan of the band. Songs like "Fighting The Earth", "Blow Your Speakers" and "Carry On" were waving the heavy metal banner high for me back then, and they still do to this day. And let's not forget the magical "Defender". Originally released as a 7" single release in 1983, the band finally found place for it on this album. The narration by legendary Orson Welles gives me the chills even today, over 20 years later. 'Fighting The World' remains one of my all time favorite albums, and was very instrumental in my heavy metal upbringing during the 80's. It is the very definition of a true metal album.

Killer tracks: I love them all!

KINGS OF METAL (1988) ATLANTIC

Manowar return with another true metal masterpiece. There is no denying that these guys rule this style of metal. Heck, they practically invented the genre! Titles as "Hail And Kill" and "Kings Of Metal" say it all; other bands play - Manowar KILL! If you like bass-driver, macho metal, then you love 'Kings Of Metal'.

Killer tracks: Kings Of Metal, Heart Of Steel, Kingdom Come, Hail And Kill, The Warriors Prayer

Rock trivia: A rumor has it that the song "Heart Of Steel" originally was meant to be sung in Norwegian. Manowar, being the Viking fans they are, wanted to pay homage to the Viking land. But Eric Adams just could not learn to pronounce the words, so Manowar released a version in German instead! It's called 'Hertz aus Stahl', and is available as a 7" vinyl-single.

THE TRIUMPH OF STEEL (1992) ATLANTIC

4 years had gone since the last Manowar album, and the fans was eager to hear something new. So I think many fans was disappointed at first. Manowar sounds a bit more mellow on it, and people cried sell-out. This is NOT the case, though. The opening track alone should have fought back all those rumors. I mean what radio-station would play an almost 30 minute heavy metal epic?!! The album is not as good as the last 2 from the self-acclaimed Kings Of Metal, but it sure isn't a bad one either. Songs like "Metal Warrior", "Spirit Horse..." and "Master Of The Wind" have all become classic Manowar songs, and the album will get regular air-play in my car-stereo, now that I've got hold of a CD-copy. I also saw Manowar live on the Agony and Ecstasy tour, in Oslo 1994, and it was my first concert with an international band.

Killer tracks: Metal Warrior, Spirit Horse Of The Cherokee, The Demon's Whip, Master Of The Wind

THE HELL OF STEEL (1994) ATLANTIC

Fighting The World Kings Of Metal The Demon's Whip The Warriors Prayer Defender The Crown And The King Blow Your Speakers Metal Warrior Black Wind, Fire And Steel Hail And Kill The Power Of Thy Sword Herz Aus Stahl Kingdom Come Master Of The Wind

Manowar was looking to get out of their deal with Atlantic, and agreed to put out this compilation. It contains material from the 3 latest albums, and has enough snacks to get you through a metal evening! All the songs are excellent, and as a bonus they include the German version of "Heart Of Steel". I only wish they had included both versions. As this was a cop-out to get out of a record deal, the band no longer counts this as an official release.

LOUDER THAN HELL (1996) GEFFEN

It took another 4 years in waiting before Manowar unleashed 'Louder Than Hell' upon the fans. Rhino and David Shankle are replaced by returning drummer, Scott Columbus, and new guitar-player, Karl Logan. So this is the first album with all the current members in the band. Joey and company are such perfectionists, and that is why it takes them longer and longer to deliver each album. Lucky for them, the fans are loyal, and can't wait to hear more metal madness from their favorite true metal act. However, if I am not mistaken, this album did leave the die-hards a bit disappointed. I'm not sure what al the complained were, but I kmow I read some lukewarm reviews when this album was brand new. Well, maybe it's the time between then and now, or maybe it's nostalgia (can't believe that this puppy is 12 years already, as of writing this!), but fact is I really like this album. And many of the songs present are considered classics today. Tunes like "Return Of The Warlord", "Brothers Of Metal Pt. 1" (Pt. 2 has yet to see the light of day) and "Number 1" are just blueprint Manowar. And most of the other are just as good too. The only real downers here are the 2 instrumental tracks, put right next to each other. And when the first one is close to 10 minutes long, you have no need for another one right away. I also notice that 'Louder Than Hell' is a bit more streamlined than most other Manowar CD's. There are no grand epic songs here, and you get a very obligatory (it seems) ballad. Even the performances, be it the song or the instruments, is a bit "dry", almost uninspired. But one has to remember this was recorded when metal was still a foul word in the music industry. All in all I find 'Louder Than Hell' to be one of the bands most underrated albums. And it is a blast to revisit every time.

Killer tracks: Return Of The Warlord, Brothers Of Metal Pt. 1, Number 1, The Power

HELL ON WHEELS LIVE (1997) UNIVERSAL

CD1: Manowar Kings Of Metal Kill With Power Sign Of The Hammer My Spirit Lives On Piano Interlude Courage Spirit Horse Of The Cherokee Blood Of My Enemies Hail And Kill Warriors Of The World - clips
CD2: Wheels Of Fire Metal Warriors Army Of Immortals Black Arrows - instrumental Fighting The World Thor The Power Head King The Gods Made Heavy Metal Black Wind, Fire And Steel Return Of The Warlord Carry On Battle Hymn

The editor of the German metal magazine, Rock Hard, called this the ultimate set-list. And who would disagree? Manowar releasing a double live-album, is like a kid getting to buy all the candy that he wants at the candy-store. It's the closest thing you can come to a heavy metal Christmas. This double-album sold for nearly 35$ (the price of 2 single releases) in the regular record-stores. So I was very reluctant to buy it. But to my pleasant surprise I found it brand new for about 13$!!! The store had not seen that it was double, and charged the price on a regular CD for it. Lucky me! But all those other things aside, it's the music that counts. And Manowar deliver a live-album that holds up good, but not one to really write any metal-history. It's great for those who are fans, but there are many other live albums that are far better. The first CD is amazing, but the second just doesn't cut the mustard. I hate the instrumental parts as well. They bore me.

WARRIORS OF THE WORLD (2002) NUCLEAR BLAST

After a looooooooooong time in waiting, the new album is finally here. And what do we get served? 2 instrumentals, 1 opera-track, 1 ballad and a cover of Elvis Presley's medley!!!!! This sounds outright outrageous, but still Manowar manages to pull it of. I've read some fans being very disappointed. But most people seem to like it. The opener "Call To Arms" is pretty much the best Manowar song, EVER! And the Pavarotti-cover, "Nessum Dorma", is sung very convincingly. Even "An American Trilogy" seems justified after the 9/11 incident. Who would have thought we'd ever were going to hear the phrase "Glory, Glory Hallelujah" being sung on a Manowar album!?! And Eric sing the track VERY close to how Elvis performed it. The only complaints I have, are the 2 instrumentals. "Valhalla" is sort of an intro to the great "Swords In The Wind" (got to love a track dedicated to my homeland of Norway!!), and it's OK because it's short. But the take on Richard Wagner's "The March" is dull, at best. It sounds like the whole thing is played on a keyboard, but the liner-notes mention some orchestral arrangements. But the rest of the album is Manowar through and through, and I wouldn't lay the album to rest the first week of getting it. Even my wife likes this album, but I'm not sure if this is a good thing or not! :-)

Killer tracks: Call To Arms, The Fight For Freedom, Swords In The Wind, Warriors Of The World United

THE DAWN OF BATTLE (2002) NUCLEAR BLAST (CD-S)

MAN, what an awesome CD-single this is. The only reason for owning these kind of items are if there is included exclusive material on them. And this CD has 2 unreleased tracks on it! And what fantastic tracks they are! "The Dawn Of Battle" is a fast and heavy track, borderline thrash. It is one of the best Manowar songs EVER, IMO!! "I Believe" is a slower, more doomy track, ranking alongside the style of songs like "Defender". Another great song. "Call To Arms" is one of the best tracks from Manowar's last effort. Thus making this CD a killer listen!

GODS OF WAR (2007) MAGIC CIRCLE (Limited Edition Tin Box)

A lot of old fans complained over 'Warriors Of The World'. Not only did it take over 7 years for the album to come out, the result was an album packed with lots of stuff the fans weren't expecting on a Manowar album, like the Elvis tribute, and the opera track. Now it's been another 5 years, and the fans are once again waiting for something special. The EP released prior to the full album showed some promise, and the thought of Manowar finally making a concept album about Northern Mythology sounded intriguing. It soon became clear though, that the boys might have just took the concept a little too far. The finished album holds 16 tracks, but not half of them are proper songs. The rest are intros, outtros, interludes, preludes, narrations etc. etc. This is pretentious, pompous idiocy, and it is ridiculous to think that any fan is content listening to a 6 minute classical into, only to hear it go into a 2 minute plus classical interlude with narrations, just to get to the first proper song!! That is friggin' 9 minutes of wasted time right there!! But behold; it doesn't end there!! Because this crap is repeated after almost each track!! And believe me, it gets boring, REAL QUICK! In Manowar's defense though, the songs that are proper songs are in fact quite good. "King Of Kings", "Loki God Of Fire" and "Blood Brothers" will all become future classics, and amongst my favorite Manowar tracks. And the band have never sounded better, both production wise, and as musicians. So it is really too bad that they have taken the epic features too far, and let the story rule the music, instead of vice versa. And the irony of it all is that the story line isn't that well written either. It is very much an outlining of bits and pieces of Northern Mythology, but it does in no way present it the way the people here in Scandinavia used to believe in it. It's more of a re-written story, using familiar names, rather than a concept written about these ancient gods. Track number 16 is listed as a bonus track. But I've read this song is listed as such because it doesn't fit in with the concept of the album, and it is in fact present on all the versions of the album. The DVD is a short glimpse into the making of this album, and much of the surrounding stuff, like t-shirt designs, motorcycles and photography. It's refreshing to not have Joey doing all the interviews. He is in fact not featured on the DVD at all.

I bought the tin case, leather digi-book version of the CD. The packaging is killer with the leather digi-book being wrapped in a metal box with the Manowar logo embossed in it. The package also comes with a bonus DVD. All of the text in the booklet is written using the old Rune-alphabet (the Futhark), but liberty has been taken in adding symbols/letter that were never there in the old alphabet (the letter Q for example was never part of the Viking's language). And even though a translating alphabet has been added, there is no way to actually read the credits for the CD if you don't memorize the alphabet first. Another stupid idea, if you ask me.

Killer tracks: King Of Kings, Loki God Of Fire, Blood Brothers, Gods Of War

THUNDER IN THE SKY (2009) MAGIC CIRCLE (2CD/EP)

CD1: Thunder In The Sky Let The Gods Decide Father Die With Honor The Crown And Te Ring (Metal Version) God Or Man	Line-up: Eric Adams: Vocals Karl Logan: Guitars and Keyboards Donnie Hamzik: Drums and Percussion Joey DeMaio: 4 String, 8 String, Piccolo Bass an Keyboards
CD2: Τaτκo (Bulgarian Version) Otac (Croatian Version) Isä (Finnish Version) Mon Père (Frensch Version) Vater (German Version) Πατερα (Greek Version) Apa (Hungarian Version) Padre (Italian Version) 父 (Japanese Version) Far (Norwegian Version) Ojciec (Polish Version) Pai (Portugese Version) Tatǎ (Romanian Version) Padre (Spanish Version) Baba (Turkish Version)

It feels as though Manowar have slowly become the "metal elite's" favorite chopping block. Much like Metallica and HammerFall it is now uncool to say that you like Manowar. Still they are packing in it at their concerts and festivals, and the band is now a multimedia concern, aiming to release not only music, but also movies, books and video games. I, for one, is not ashamed to say that I still love Manowar, as I have found plenty to enjoy on all of their releases.

'Thunder In The Sky' was first released as a download only. Then the band brought a special edition CD to sell on their concerts. But now they have finally released a retail version as well. And what a package this is! Not only do you get the EP complete with a thick booklet containing all the lyrics, and the story-line, but you also get a bonus disc with song, "Father", sung in 15 different languages, in addition to the English version found on the EP. This is something the band has talked about doing ever since they decided to record "Heart Of Steel" in a German version, back in 1988.

"Father", and all the different version of it, will "steal" most of the attention regarding this EP. Naturally my anticipation was directed towards the Norwegian version. Sure, Eric sings with a thick accent. And naysayers will argue that it sound rather silly, if not downright stupid. But you gotta take into consideration that Eric doesn't speak the language, and he has taught himself the words to this song, just to record it this one time. With that in mind, I think he is doing a phenomenal job. And after several spins, I actually prefer the Norwegian version over the English one, as the translated lyrics are more passionate and powerful than the original. "Father" is a very touching ballad, probably the best of it's kind from Manowar. As a side note I can mention that I played to Polis version to a couple of my Polish co-works, and they said it sounded more like he was singing in the Czech language!

The other 4 tracks on the EP are all trademark Manowar songs. Much like the 'The Dawn Of Battle' single from 2002, this new EP contains some of the best song from this band in a long time. "Thunder In The Sky", "Let The Gods Decide" and "Gods Of Man" are all very heavy, albeit with faster and mid-paced parts intertwined here and there. An edited version of "Die With Honor" was given out as a freebie single CD, to all the visitors at the Magic Circle Festival in 2008. This is a slower epic track, again in true Manowar fashion. The last track on the EP is a rerecorded version of "The Crown Of The Ring", that originally appeared on 'Kings Of Metal'. The new version is supposedly a Metal Version. It does contain more guitars and bass than the original, but as a whole it comes across as an even more orchestrated version.

I really liked all of the songs on 'Thunder In The Sky'. The Norwegian version of "Father" mesmerized me, and I am really satisfied with the extensive package. All in all this is a great buy, from a great band!