Manowar

"I believe in the fans. I believe in metal more than anybody you've ever met.
And another thing, I'm prepared to die for metal. Are you?"
- Joey DeMaio, during a 2006 interview with Rock Hard Magazine.

At the end of the film classic Conan The Destroyer, the title character sits on his throne. Though his thick muscles bear the scars of his many hard-fought battles, his steel-eyed gaze overhis vast kingdom shows how proud and mighty he remains. His enemies vanquished, the challengers to his throne dispatched, it is time for the triumphant king to rest.

This is the fate MANOWAR's members could have accepted in 2007.

Having conquered the world time and again since the band's inception, what's left for these warriors, these kings, to prove? What is the possible impetus for theband to forge ahead? No one would have faulted MANOWAR's members had they laid down their musical weapons to savor the spoils of their conquests. The Earthshaker Festival in Germany - July 23rd 2005—featured the largest heavy metal stage ever built. The inclusion of a 100 piece orchestra and a 100 piece choir as well as a legendary fireworks display timed to their final piece of music: what a way tokeep the fans wanting more!

For MANOWAR's members, however, the mission remains far from accomplished.

At a time when even bands with the word "metal" in their names dismiss the greatest rock genre ever, MANOWAR's music will never be tainted by trends or diluted by outside pressure. The band's members remain steadfast in their resolve: to deliver to their ever-growing international legionsof die-hard fans the brand of metal they demand to hear.

It is this drive—making the band so oblivious to most ignorant critics it often seems as if our heroes exist in a musical vacuum—that has helped MANOWAR create Gods Of War. The band's 10th studio album not only exceeded fan expectation, it just might be the cornerstone of a legacy of classics that includes Into Glory Ride, Kings Of Metaland Warriors Of The World.

Although MANOWAR did create the conceptual "Achilles, Agony and Ecstasy in Eight Parts" for their 1992 classic The Triumph Of Steel [the album's 30-minute lead track was a metal statement to its record company at the time, who were pressuring the band to create music friendly to the then popular musical trend], the band have never created an entire concept album. Untilnow!

Gods Of War is the first in a cycle of concept albums paying tribute to different war gods. Fittingly, the first chapter in this album series details the history and exploits of the almighty father of the Norse Gods, Odin, whose power and wisdom were unmatched among the Gods and hailed on the battlefield with human sacrifice.

This tale, which unfolds throughout soon-to-be MANOWARclassics like "Loki, God Of Fire," "The Sons of Odin", "Glory, Majesty, Unity," and the awe-inspiring epic "Hymn Of The Immortal Warriors" revolves around a central character, who is supported by four other characters.

The main character is known to us as The Immortal Warrior, who is on a quest to earn his rightful place in Valhalla alongside Odin, the God Of War. The Warrior is aided by the foursons of Odin, his elite guards, who guide him on his way. His journey from darkness into light takes listeners from the beginning to the end of this record, which is the way this record should be heard: non stop. Where the enigmatic Immortal Warrior, whose imposing figure is seen on the covers of MANOWAR's studio albums and DVDs, ultimately concludes his journey is up to the listener to discover."The Immortal Warrior's journey is a reflection of all of our lives," says bassist Joey DeMaio. "One must pass many of life's trials to achieve victory."

Although MANOWAR albums are known for their high quality productions—Fighting The World (The band's fifth release) was metal's first full-digital recording—Gods Of War is the band's most epic undertaking to date. Singer Eric Adams believes...