Tracks
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Although rife with rumours of a new album, perhaps recorded with former guitarist David Shankle, ‘The Lord of Steel’, remains Manowar’s current offering. The sound of a mature and professional band, it lacks nothing in production, fire and grit and, somehow, offers moments of fresh brilliance despite the band’s distinguished career and reputation of record-breaking concerts.
I think this is the first album where Eric Adams’ voice shows signs of wear and tear yet this lends a maturity and depth to his performance here and comes across as battle-damage of a veteran fighter who has walked across many a stage-battlefields.
Released in 2012, the album has two different masterings, the Metal Hammer-edition which is louder and the more dynamically-diverse ‘regular’ version and the themes are from the familiar for the band. Battles, courage, the willingness to stand alone against all odds and be an Outsider – indeed, ‘El Gringo’, ‘Expendable’ and ‘Born in a Grave’ are all united by the theme of the social outcast who makes his own rules and lives by them. The songs are heavy and yet dynamic and I was surprised to hear the different production and sound of Joey DeMayo’s bass guitar which here is fuzzy and heavily distorted, featured quite prominently in the mix and creating a sense of grit across the tunes. Make no mistake, however, this is no mere accident – Manowar’s professionalism is renowned and we can be certain that all effects and production choices are well-though-out and very much intended. ‘Expendable’ and especially ‘El Gringo’, both inspired by the eponymous movies are, interesting and are tinged with a country sound, blended with almost NWBHM melody and, even though the lyrics will not break the heavy metal canon, the composition is inspired and fresh.
There are a couple of ballads worth mentioning, inspired by Nordic mythology and performed credibly and with conviction. ‘Righteous Glory’ is one of these stand-out moments, which sings of the journey which the slain warriors has to take to the other side and picks up the theme familiar from earlier songs like ‘Valhalla’ from ‘Into Glory Ride’. Yet the lyrics are emotive, poetic and the power in Adams’ delivery gives goose-bumps:
“She takes me through the clouds
To another place and time
Hold me in her arms
Immortal and divine
On hooves of thunder
Her white horse parts the sky
Take me to Valhalla
Valkyrie mine”
My favourite, however, is ‘Touch the Sky’, a pumping song about overcoming personal problems and staying true to one’s path. This song is the successor to ‘Mountains’ from 1984’s ‘Sign of the Hammer’ and a tune which can be Manowar’s business card. Melody, epic chorus (‘I was born with a hero’s soul/If you’ve got one, then you know’) – organ-filled orchestral pauses, drum-breaks, in a word, a song created for massive arena sing-alongs.
All in all, a fun and well-grounded album which promises yet another good offering from a band who has worn their hearts on their leather cuffs for several decades.
I think this is the first album where Eric Adams’ voice shows signs of wear and tear yet this lends a maturity and depth to his performance here and comes across as battle-damage of a veteran fighter who has walked across many a stage-battlefields.
Released in 2012, the album has two different masterings, the Metal Hammer-edition which is louder and the more dynamically-diverse ‘regular’ version and the themes are from the familiar for the band. Battles, courage, the willingness to stand alone against all odds and be an Outsider – indeed, ‘El Gringo’, ‘Expendable’ and ‘Born in a Grave’ are all united by the theme of the social outcast who makes his own rules and lives by them. The songs are heavy and yet dynamic and I was surprised to hear the different production and sound of Joey DeMayo’s bass guitar which here is fuzzy and heavily distorted, featured quite prominently in the mix and creating a sense of grit across the tunes. Make no mistake, however, this is no mere accident – Manowar’s professionalism is renowned and we can be certain that all effects and production choices are well-though-out and very much intended. ‘Expendable’ and especially ‘El Gringo’, both inspired by the eponymous movies are, interesting and are tinged with a country sound, blended with almost NWBHM melody and, even though the lyrics will not break the heavy metal canon, the composition is inspired and fresh.
There are a couple of ballads worth mentioning, inspired by Nordic mythology and performed credibly and with conviction. ‘Righteous Glory’ is one of these stand-out moments, which sings of the journey which the slain warriors has to take to the other side and picks up the theme familiar from earlier songs like ‘Valhalla’ from ‘Into Glory Ride’. Yet the lyrics are emotive, poetic and the power in Adams’ delivery gives goose-bumps:
“She takes me through the clouds
To another place and time
Hold me in her arms
Immortal and divine
On hooves of thunder
Her white horse parts the sky
Take me to Valhalla
Valkyrie mine”
My favourite, however, is ‘Touch the Sky’, a pumping song about overcoming personal problems and staying true to one’s path. This song is the successor to ‘Mountains’ from 1984’s ‘Sign of the Hammer’ and a tune which can be Manowar’s business card. Melody, epic chorus (‘I was born with a hero’s soul/If you’ve got one, then you know’) – organ-filled orchestral pauses, drum-breaks, in a word, a song created for massive arena sing-alongs.
All in all, a fun and well-grounded album which promises yet another good offering from a band who has worn their hearts on their leather cuffs for several decades.
Although rife with rumours of a new album, perhaps recorded with former guitarist David Shankle, ‘The Lord of Steel’, remains Manowar’s current offering. The sound of a mature and professional band, it lacks nothing in production, fire and grit and, somehow, offers moments of fresh brilliance despite the band’s distinguished career and reputation of record-breaking concerts.
I think this is the first album where Eric Adams’ voice shows signs of wear and tear yet this lends a maturity and depth to his performance here and comes across as battle-damage of a veteran fighter who has walked across many a stage-battlefields.
Released in 2012, the album has two different masterings, the Metal Hammer-edition which is louder and the more dynamically-diverse ‘regular’ version and the themes are from the familiar for the band. Battles, courage, the willingness to stand alone against all odds and be an Outsider – indeed, ‘El Gringo’, ‘Expendable’ and ‘Born in a Grave’ are all united by the theme of the social outcast who makes his own rules and lives by them. The songs are heavy and yet dynamic and I was surprised to hear the different production and sound of Joey DeMayo’s bass guitar which here is fuzzy and heavily distorted, featured quite prominently in the mix and creating a sense of grit across the tunes. Make no mistake, however, this is no mere accident – Manowar’s professionalism is renowned and we can be certain that all effects and production choices are well-though-out and very much intended. ‘Expendable’ and especially ‘El Gringo’, both inspired by the eponymous movies are, interesting and are tinged with a country sound, blended with almost NWBHM melody and, even though the lyrics will not break the heavy metal canon, the composition is inspired and fresh.
There are a couple of ballads worth mentioning, inspired by Nordic mythology and performed credibly and with conviction. ‘Righteous Glory’ is one of these stand-out moments, which sings of the journey which the slain warriors has to take to the other side and picks up the theme familiar from earlier songs like ‘Valhalla’ from ‘Into Glory Ride’. Yet the lyrics are emotive, poetic and the power in Adams’ delivery gives goose-bumps:
“She takes me through the clouds
To another place and time
Hold me in her arms
Immortal and divine
On hooves of thunder
Her white horse parts the sky
Take me to Valhalla
Valkyrie mine”
My favourite, however, is ‘Touch the Sky’, a pumping song about overcoming personal problems and staying true to one’s path. This song is the successor to ‘Mountains’ from 1984’s ‘Sign of the Hammer’ and a tune which can be Manowar’s business card. Melody, epic chorus (‘I was born with a hero’s soul/If you’ve got one, then you know’) – organ-filled orchestral pauses, drum-breaks, in a word, a song created for massive arena sing-alongs.
All in all, a fun and well-grounded album which promises yet another good offering from a band who has worn their hearts on their leather cuffs for several decades.
I think this is the first album where Eric Adams’ voice shows signs of wear and tear yet this lends a maturity and depth to his performance here and comes across as battle-damage of a veteran fighter who has walked across many a stage-battlefields.
Released in 2012, the album has two different masterings, the Metal Hammer-edition which is louder and the more dynamically-diverse ‘regular’ version and the themes are from the familiar for the band. Battles, courage, the willingness to stand alone against all odds and be an Outsider – indeed, ‘El Gringo’, ‘Expendable’ and ‘Born in a Grave’ are all united by the theme of the social outcast who makes his own rules and lives by them. The songs are heavy and yet dynamic and I was surprised to hear the different production and sound of Joey DeMayo’s bass guitar which here is fuzzy and heavily distorted, featured quite prominently in the mix and creating a sense of grit across the tunes. Make no mistake, however, this is no mere accident – Manowar’s professionalism is renowned and we can be certain that all effects and production choices are well-though-out and very much intended. ‘Expendable’ and especially ‘El Gringo’, both inspired by the eponymous movies are, interesting and are tinged with a country sound, blended with almost NWBHM melody and, even though the lyrics will not break the heavy metal canon, the composition is inspired and fresh.
There are a couple of ballads worth mentioning, inspired by Nordic mythology and performed credibly and with conviction. ‘Righteous Glory’ is one of these stand-out moments, which sings of the journey which the slain warriors has to take to the other side and picks up the theme familiar from earlier songs like ‘Valhalla’ from ‘Into Glory Ride’. Yet the lyrics are emotive, poetic and the power in Adams’ delivery gives goose-bumps:
“She takes me through the clouds
To another place and time
Hold me in her arms
Immortal and divine
On hooves of thunder
Her white horse parts the sky
Take me to Valhalla
Valkyrie mine”
My favourite, however, is ‘Touch the Sky’, a pumping song about overcoming personal problems and staying true to one’s path. This song is the successor to ‘Mountains’ from 1984’s ‘Sign of the Hammer’ and a tune which can be Manowar’s business card. Melody, epic chorus (‘I was born with a hero’s soul/If you’ve got one, then you know’) – organ-filled orchestral pauses, drum-breaks, in a word, a song created for massive arena sing-alongs.
All in all, a fun and well-grounded album which promises yet another good offering from a band who has worn their hearts on their leather cuffs for several decades.