Manowar: Warriors Of The World (Digipak CD)

THIS IS A USED ITEM!
MEDIA CONDITION IS MINT!
PACKAGING IS MINT!
THIS IS A COMPACT DISC!

Released in 2002, Warriors of the World is Manowar operating at maximum scale. Huge riffs, martial rhythms, orchestral passages and Eric Adams’ unmistakable voice combine on an album that embraces everything excessive about traditional heavy metal without the slightest hint of restraint.

The record opens unexpectedly with “Call to Arms”, a classic Manowar battle anthem, before moving into the instrumental “The Fight for Freedom.” Things then take a dramatic turn with “Nessun Dorma,” Manowar’s interpretation of the Puccini aria. Eric Adams’ performance demonstrates a vocal range that extends far beyond conventional heavy metal singing and remains one of the most unusual recordings in the band’s catalogue.

The middle section continues the album’s grand approach with “Valhalla,” “Swords in the Wind” and “An American Trilogy.” The latter is Manowar’s interpretation of the medley famously performed by Elvis Presley, another unexpected choice that somehow fits the album’s larger-than-life character.

Then comes “Warriors of the World United.” Built around a simple, enormous riff and a chorus designed to be shouted by thousands of people, it became one of Manowar’s signature songs and remains an essential part of their live shows.

The final stretch gets considerably heavier. “Hand of Doom,” “House of Death” and “Fight Until We Die” strip away much of the orchestration and return to pounding traditional heavy metal, with Joey DeMaio’s bass and Scott Columbus’ drums driving the songs beneath Karl Logan’s guitar work.

Produced by Manowar, Warriors of the World is polished, theatrical and completely committed to the band’s vision of heavy metal. It’s an album of extremes, moving between opera, orchestration, patriotic material and crushing metal without ever sounding embarrassed by its ambition.

For Manowar fans, Warriors of the World remains one of the defining releases of their later catalogue, and the Digipak CD makes a particularly nice physical edition for collectors.