Warriors of the World (Warriors Of The World - Manowar)

Member Name: Frankingsteins

Product:	Warriors Of The World - Manowar
Date:	31/12/08 (6 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A couple of decent heavy songs.

Disadvantages: The band's delusions of grandeur really get in the way.

Continuing the trend of increasingly disappointing and increasingly self-aggrandising albums, Manowar's first offering of the new millennium reinvents the band's sound slightly, and experiments with genres that are really stretching their credibility as Metal Kings.

Released in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks, this album from the New York band mixes modern patriotism with their ever-present Viking complex, leading to a bizarre and never particularly satisfying blend of old and new. There are a few heavy metal songs on here, but only a few: roughly half of the album is consumed by interludes ('Valhalla' and 'The March'), well-performed but unnecessary covers ('An American Trilogy' and 'Nessun Dorma') and initially pleasant but ultimately tedious anthems ('Fight for Freedom' and 'Swords in the Wind'), and this is arguably the band's cheesiest release since 'Fighting the World.'

The heavy metal itself is particularly disappointing for its generic sound, not helped by a polished production job that focuses on the background orchestration and robs the guitars of their power. 'Fight Until We Die' is perhaps the best offering, merely for providing simple respite at the end and concluding the album on an energetic note.

Summary: Manowar's ninth album (2002).