Many bands claim to be the loudest in the world, but Manowar alone is featured in the Guiness Book of World Records at 122db. (A record they will hold forever, since Guiness has retired the category.) It seems to be lost on these guys that their "death to poseurs" stance is as much of a pose as the bands they ridicule. However, they ARE true to their word, and despite their lack of talent, their music has remained loud, heavy, brutal...and consistently pretentious. :)

"Fighting the World"

1. "Fighting the World" (3:53)
2. "Blow Your Speakers" (3:43)
3. "Carry On" (4:18)
4. "Violence and Bloodshed" (4:00)
5. "Defender" (6:05)
6. "Drums of Doom"--instrumental (1:15)
7. "Holy War" (4:44)
8. "Master of Revenge" (1:34)
9. "Black Wind, Fire and Steel" (5:16)

Their MTV breakthrough!! :) "Blow Your Speakers" was the big smash hit off this album (sort of), and "Carry On" is a typically Manowar-ish anthem; the rest is okay, but heck, by Manowar standards, I guess you could say it's pretty good...

"Kings of Metal"

1. "Wheels of Fire" (4:11)
2. "Kings of Metal" (3:43)
3. "Heart of Steel" (5:10)
4. "Sting of the Bumblebee"--instrumental (2:45)
5. "The Crown and the Ring (Lament of the Kings)" (4:46)
6. "Kingdom Come" (3:55)
7. "Pleasure Slave" (5:37)
8. "Hail and Kill" (5:54)
9. "The Warrior's Prayer" (4:20)
10. "Blood of the Kings" (7:30)

Probably the best of Manowar's albums, and certainly my favorite. "Wheels of Fire" rages forth at a blistering pace, and the heavy-metal anthems "Kings of Metal" and "Kingdom Come" truly fill up the speakers. Absolutely the best track here is "Blood of the Kings", a 7-minute epic which ends with the longest flourish in history!

"The Triumph of Steel"

1. "Achilles, Agony and Ecstasy in Eight Parts" (28:37)
   Prelude
   • i. Hector Storms the Wall
   • ii. The Death of Patrocius
   • iii. Funeral March--instrumental
   • iv. Armor of the Gods--instrumental
   • v. Hector's Final Hour
   • vi. Death Hector's Reward
   • vii. The Desecration of Hector's Body--instrumental
     • Part 1
     • Part 2
   • viii. The Glory of Achilles
2. "Metal Warriors" (3:59)
3. "Ride the Dragon" (4:30)
4. "Spirit Horse of the Cherokee" (6:00)
5. "Burning" (5:08)
6. "The Power of thy Sword" (7:49)
7. "The Demon's Whip" (7:44)
8. "Master of the Wind" (5:27)

Manowar continues to improve musically on every album, however they still seem to think that mindless, freneticly bashing drum solos count as music...but I will forgive them, since I have a weakness for 28-minute epic songs. :) "Metal Warriors" is yet another "death to posers" anthem, and "Ride the Dragon" is also a fine song; the rest, I can't remember very well, which ought to speak for itself...

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