MANOWAR — Kings of Metal

MetalMusicArchives.com — the ultimate metal music online community, from the creators of progarchives.com

MANOWAR - Kings of Metal cover
3.49 | 40 ratings | 2 reviews
Buy this album from MMA partners

Album · 1988

Filed under US Power Metal
By MANOWAR

Tracklist

1. Wheels of Fire (4:10)
2. Kings of Metal (3:45)
3. Heart of Steel (5:10)
4. Sting of the Bumblebee (2:49)
5. The Crown and the Ring (Lament of the Kings) (4:50)
6. Kingdom Come (3:56)
7. Pleasure Slave (5:38)
8. Hail and Kill (5:58)
9. The Warrior's Prayer (4:20)
10. Blood of the Kings (7:29)

Total Time: 48:09

Line-up/Musicians

- Eric Adams / vocals
- Ross the Boss / guitar
- Joey DeMaio / bass guitar
- Scott Columbus / drums

About this release

Release date: November 18, 1988
Label: Atlantic Records

Thanks to Pekka, adg211288, diamondblack for the updates

Buy MANOWAR - KINGS OF METAL music

More places to buy metal & MANOWAR music

MANOWAR KINGS OF METAL reviews

Specialists/collaborators reviews

Kingcrimsonprog
Kings Of Metal was the self-produced classic sixth full-length album by the legendary US Heavy Metal veterans Manowar, released on Atlantic in late 1988. It is one of the fan favourite Manowar albums that contains some of their most beloved and best known tracks that still endure in the setlist to this day.

If you aren’t familiar with Manowar, this album would make a fine first step on the journey towards fandom. It is a powerful, grand and impressive sounding ‘80s Heavy Metal album that contains elements of Thrash and Power Metal at different times, but more or less serves as the distillation and perfection of the original Heavy Metal ideals.

Its got a mix of fun and serious lyrics. Sometimes boastful and silly, sometimes story-telling and evocative. Its got a mixture of all sorts of speeds. Its got aggression and restraint. Its also got a fair deal of variety on here, its not just the same type of thing over and over again.

“Sting Of The Bumblebee” is on there for example; which as you’ve probably heard is Joey DiMaio’s frantic bass solo/instrumental track (even though its essentially a bass solo there are drums in there too at times) based on the famous Classical Music piece “Flight Of The Bumblebee” by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.

There are also three different ballads/slow tracks/orchestral tracks in the form of “The Crown And The Ring (Lament Of The Kings),” “Heart Of Steel” and “Kingdom Come.” They are all very different versions of the whole Metal band being quiet theme. Normally three such tracks on one album would be overkill, but somehow the variety and difference in style between them lets it work.

Then there’s also “The Warrior’s Prayer,” which is essentially a four-minute intro. It’s a spoken word story, with some sound effects. No music. Overlong in my personal opinion, but I can’t knock them for variety.

“Pleasure Slave” is a slower number. Heavy, but slow. Kind of Sabbathy. The lyrics are beyond ridiculous to the point, I assume, of parody. Still, it’s a strong track that’s got a nice doomy mood going on. Just not one to listen to with any feminists in the room.

All of these of course augment the faster, livelier, more bombastic tracks on the album: “Wheels Of Fire,” “Kings Of Metal,” “Hail And Kill,” “Blood Of The Kings.” These are some of the finest tracks on the album, the band’s career, or the genre overall. These are catchy, enjoyable, impressive tracks that are really impactful. The sort of stand-up-and-take-notice “did you hear how awesome that was?” Heavy Metal that you’ve been longing for since you first got into this sort of music. You want to know if you should listen to Manowar? Give one of those a listen!

If like me, you weren’t recommended Manowar straight away, or stayed away from the band out of fear that their internet-meme status was ill-deserved and their death-to-false-metal war cries would either ring hollow or obnoxious, then you should right that mistake as soon as possible and fill this clear and obvious gap in your collection. If not, you’d be missing out on some of the finest Metal music ever released.

Do you sometimes get an album and listen to it for a few weeks then sort of forget about it, and most of the time get an album and keep it in regular rotation for a few months then let it slip out slowly too? This is one of those ones that you can constantly hammer for half-a-year or more without getting even slightly bored with. This is the bee’s knees. Do yourself a favour and at least give it a try.
Warthur
On Kings of Metal, Manowar continue the disturbing trend begun on Fighting the World whereby they begin to resemble the dreaded False Metal they so often warned us about. When they are playing metal, that is - the album includes piano dirges that outstay their welcome as well as an utterly momentum-sapping four minute (!) spoken word bit. Manowar's claim to be the Kings of Metal might have held water in 1984, but coming from them in 1988 it's as pretentious as the various distracting embellishments and bits of filler they choke the album with.

Competent but forgettable commercial pap, just like the old Manowar warned us about. The good news is that Kings of Metal doesn't quite have any songs as spectacularly cheesy as the worst of Fighting the World. The bad news is that it doesn't have any songs as intense and exciting as the best picks from that album, so I feel I have to mark it down lower than its predecessor, and then mark it down further again because good golly, that filler is just dreadful.

Members reviews

No MANOWAR KINGS OF METAL reviews posted by members yet.

Ratings only

  • MagnusPrime
  • Bourbon
  • karolcia
  • LORDOSOLIVAIS
  • GWLHM76
  • Vim Fuego
  • Jack Revelino
  • Psydye
  • Nightfly
  • ian
  • sauromat
  • progcoon
  • michelandrade
  • TerryDactyl
  • Beyonder
  • DippoMagoo
  • Unitron
  • KatiLily
  • milosshomi80
  • Jan
  • Nergal131
  • contempt80
  • jsorigar
  • albertobevi
  • jose carlos
  • enosis1924
  • spitf1r3
  • Bartje1979
  • luanpedi
  • aecht
  • stefanbedna
  • Tlön
  • Fantacide
  • bratus
  • snowman1980
  • irregardlessly
  • LoFreeDig
  • slow man

Write/edit review

You must be logged in to write or edit review

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

Nova Atlantis Power Metal
KINGCROWN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Deep Down The Tides Melodic Death Metal
PRECIPITATION
Buy this album from MMA partners
Deviance Deathcore
ASHES INTO BLOOD
Buy this album from MMA partners
Equilibrium Atmospheric Sludge Metal
BESRA
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us