MANOWAR

BATTLE HYMNS MMXI

01. Death Tone
02. Metal Daze
03. Fast Taker
04. Shell Shock
05. Manowar
06. Dark Avenger
07. William's Tale
08. Battle Hymn

Bonus Tracks:

09. Death Tone (live)
10. Fast Taker (live)

Now, here is a real surprise.Twenty eight years after the release of the original, Manowar has re-recorded one of the best debut albums ever. Not only that, they have also got original drummer Donnie Hamzik back in the fold. Recent drummer Scott Columbus has recently stated he had not worked with the band since 2008. No reason has ever been given.

The reason given for re-recording the album was because of better technology than in 1982. So what differences are there? Well, the sound is IMMENSE. The sound has really been beefed up from the original. The guitars (Karl Logan) are certainly at the front of the mix and Eric Adams vocals are also beefed up. Everyone knows how good an album
this is. The only thing is, do the changes work?

Well, the album sounds fresher and a lot heavier. There are slight tweaks to the songs which are enough to make a difference. The big surprise comes on Dark Avenger, with Sir Christopher Lee voicing the narration in place of the late Orson Welles. To me this is the only thing which doesn`t seem to work. Great actor and instantaneously recognisible voice though he has, it still seems strange without Orson. Maybe it`s a grower. It does seem a strange thing for a band to do but they`re not the first to do this.

Until the new album (The Asgard Saga) this will do just fine. Both bonus tracks were recorded from some of their earliest concerts in 1982. Still a classic album but now a polished classic album. If they had left the original narration on, it would have been perfect.

Steve