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Rating:
The album I am about to review is the one that for Manowar (a band founded in 1982 in New York) was the album of discord, the one that sparked rumors of a compositional decline of the band. And unfortunately, in some ways... so it was!! The album is globally good, no more, let's be clear... but it alternates between continuous highs and lows. There are perfect tracks like "Defender," "Carry On," "Black Wind Fire And Steel" and tracks with a very bland rhythm such as the very commercial "Blow Your Speakers" from which a video, I believe among the most tacky in history, was taken (but that’s how Manowar are, what can you do!), the terrible title track (repetitive to the point of fainting, just think that Eric Adams, the Manowar singer, for those who do not know him, repeats the word "FIGHT" up to 50 times!!!
In short, if these were banal and predictable tracks, imagine the useless intros like "Drums Of Doom" and "Master Of Revenge". In practice, from this disastrous pair, I only save the sufficient "Holy War" supported by a brilliant initial bass riff from the great bassist Joey De Maio. But let's move on to a more in-depth analysis through track by track: we start with the title track "Fighting The World" which, as I have already said, sounds boring and repetitive and with a drawn-out and unconvincing solo. Let's move on to the second track "Blow Your Speakers", a song I continue to consider (as written above) the most commercial song by Manowar, this time accompanied by a more convincing solo... and a great vocal work by the great Eric Adams... all of this does not suffice to save a song that is essentially banal.
Moving on, we find "Carry On", in my opinion, the most beautiful song on the album, at times poignant and moving (the fantastic initial guitar intro by Ross The Boss). Here, everyone does a great job, perhaps Scott Columbus on drums appears a bit out of breath, for the rest, an epic song. We continue with "Violence And Bloodsheed", a song that I have not mentioned before either among the acceptable pieces or among the mediocre ones because it deserves a separate analysis... I would define it as an "experiment." Because it is a very valid song from a compositional point of view (the lyrics of the song are indeed a critique of the Vietnam War), but it then gets lost with a chorus that here too, let me define it as "commercial," as always excellent bass and vocal parts.
After this failed experiment, we move on to the second masterpiece of the album, "Defender" (Manowar will not write songs like this for a long time), simply perfect. The song begins with a narrated part by Orson Welles, an English actor from the 60s (I believe) (unfortunately no longer with us today), who also lends his voice to the song "Manowar" live. The actor's voice is cadenced by the acoustic guitar arpeggios of Ross. As for the second part, we find Eric duetting with Orson, showcasing his remarkable vocal qualities to everyone (note that the song had already been written for some time, it was supposed to be published on their first work "Battle Hymns" but was not released due to contractual reasons) but let's move on. We skip the useless "Drums Of Doom" which serves as an intro to the decent "Holy War", another song "in full Manowar style," indeed it speaks of war for metal and that every good metalhead must consider metal their religion to carry to their death!!!!! (how tacky)!!!. Once past the tacky song I just mentioned, we finally reach "Master OF Revenge", the second useless intro of the disc, serving as an opener to one of the most beautiful songs by Manowar, "Black Wind Fire And Steel", which concludes "The album of discord."
In conclusion, we can say that this album did not please the fans precisely because of its "commercial" sound and because it was not like the previous masterpieces (Manowar recovered, however, the following year with their milestone par excellence, "Kings Of Metal"). Going back to "Fighting The World", it is indeed an album for those who know a good part of the "Manowarian" repertoire but are not "die-hard" fans of the group because compared to other masterpieces, it pales significantly! I am not a die-hard fan of the group; in fact, the album did not convince me right from the first listen. With that, I say goodbye to everyone!!! Bye!
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
01 Fighting the World (03:53)
Fight Fight Fight
Fighting The World Every Single Day
Fighting The World For The Right To Play
Heavy Metal In My Brain
I'm Fighting For Metal Cause It's Here To Stay
Fighting Fighting Fighting The World
I've Been Fighting The World
Fighting Fighting Fighting The World
I've Been Fighting
Fight For A Living Fighting The World
Fight For A Living Fighting The World
Fight For A Living Fighting The World
Fight
Now People Keep Asking If We're Gonna Change
I Look Em In The Eye Tell Em No Way
Stripes On A Tiger Don't Wash Away
Manowar�s Made Of Steel Not Clay
Fighting Fighting Fighting The World
I've Been Fighting The World
Fighting Fighting Fighting The World
I've Been Fighting
Fight For A Living Fighting The World
Fight For A Living Fighting The World
Fight For A Living Fighting The World
Fight
See My Brother Standing By My Side
Only Got One Thing On Our Minds
Radio Playing This Nation Wide
Turn It Up Louder �Til We All Get Fried
Fighting Fighting Fighting The World
I've Been Fighting The World
Fighting Fighting Fighting The World
I've Been Fighting
Fight Fighting The World
Fight Fighting The World Yeah
Fight Fighting The World
Fight Fighting The World
Fight For A Living Fighting The World
Fight For A Living Fighting The World
Fight For A Living Fighting The World
Fight
02 Blow Your Speakers (03:43)
Wrote a letter to the M.T.V.
What's goin' on now
Don't ya care about me|
Sent the same letter to the radio,Ha|
But my party went dead
Like a shot in the head
We all like it-Rock and Roll
We all want it-On your show
Play it loud,don't play it low
Blow your speakers with Rock and Roll
We got lots of stations
Around the nation
And the stuff they're playing
It just ain't worth my sayin'
People want music to get'em movin'
We don't want labels
We want music on the table
We all like it-Rock and Roll
We all want it-on your show
Play it loud,don't play it low
Blow your speakers with Rock and Roll
We all like it-Rock and Roll
We want it
We all want it-on your show
Play it loud,don't play it low
Blow your speakers with Rock and Roll
We got lots of stations
Around the nation
And the stuff they're playing
It just ain't worth my sayin'
We all like it-Rock and Roll
We all want it-on your show
Play it loud,don't play it low
Blow your speakers with Rock and Roll
Blow your speaker...Rock and Roll (repeated)
03 Carry On (04:18)
The north star always guides me
When winter skies are grey
And I wait for sun when all are one
I shall not betray
Calling at me
I'm waiting when all are led astray
Carry on my sons forever
Carry on when I am gone
Carry on when the day is long
Forever carry on
For as long as we're together
Then forever carry on
Darkness all around us
We don't close our eyes
No one's gonna ground us
We were born to fly
Comin' at us no stopping
Born to amplify
Carry on my sons forever
Carry on when I am gone
Carry on when the day is long
Forever carry on
For as long as we're together
Then forever carry on
Yeah, be my brother
Fight to stay alive
All the world can't change us
With all their burned-out jive
Come get us now we're waiting
We won't run and hide
Carry on my sons forever
Carry on when I am gone
Carry on when the day is long
Forever carry on
For as long as we're together
Then forever carry on
Now we're all together
Let's sing a fighting song
One hundred thousand riders
We can't all be wrong
Comin'at us no stopping
Always carry on
Carry on my sons forever
Carry on when I am gone
Carry on when the day is long
Forever carry on
For as long as we're together
Then forever carry on
04 Violence and Bloodshed (04:00)
Civilization crumblin' fast
End the world with a blast
People afraid walkin' the streets
Scums have their day
Till they run into me
Are you ready?
Livin' in fear ain't livin' to me
I'm armed with a gun defending the free
They blew it in Nam
Shot up my friends
I'm back in the street
The fight never ends
I was born with a gun in my hand
I'll die for my country
But I'll die like a man
Violence and Bloodshed
Violence and Bloodshed
Violence and Bloodshed
Now that we're back to animal law
The payback's a bitch
I'm paying all
All my life I've been waiting to see
Who's gonna win crumbs or me
Are you ready?
My brother's still in Da-Nang
Putting an ad in the back of Kerrang
We're looking for people who just wanna kill
We'll go back to Nam cause no one else will
Land of the free
Home of the brave
Now that's how it is
And that's how it stays
Violence and Bloodshed
Violence and Bloodshed
Violence and Bloodshed
05 Defender (06:05)
When you are old enough to read these words
Their meaning will unfold
These words are all that's left
And though we've never meet, my only son
I hope you know
That I would have been there to watch you grow
But my call was heard and I did go
Now your mission lies ahead of you
As it did mine so long ago
To help the helpless ones who all look up to you
And to defend them to the end
Defender
Ride like the wind
Fight proud, my son
You're the defender
God has sent
Father,father,father
I look up to you and heed thy call
This letter ends my search
I'll live your dream now passed on to me
And I now wait to shake the hand of fate
Like the dusk awaiting dawn
So wizards cast your spell
With no heart to do me well
So it's written,it shall be
Defender
Ride like the wind
Fight proud, my son
You're the defender
God has sent
09 Black Wind, Fire and Steel (05:16)
Full moon light is calling me
My kigndom lies within
The mystic soul and lions heart
Brought by the talisman
The ecstasy of battle takes me
Where the falcons fly
Immortal youth was granted me
I will never die
Born of Black wind fire and steel
Born of Black wind fire and steel
Born to teach them all to heel
Born of Black wind fire and steel
Pounded by the hammers
Of the giants of the world
I can see in darkness
I'm the overlord
Single combat I await
My shadow brings them fear
The spikes upon my chariot
Will grind them when they're near
Born of Black wind fire and steel
Born of Black wind fire and steel
Born to teach them all to heel
Born of Black wind fire and steel
I am an outcast on the path of no return
Punisher and swordsman
I was born to burn
Black Wind always follows
Where my black horse rides
Fire's in my soul
Steel is on my side
Born of Black wind fire and steel
Born of Black wind fire and steel
Born to teach them all to heel
Born of Black wind fire and steel
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By creative
Manowar sanctified themselves as Gods of metal.
'Defender' is an incredibly moving song that never grows old.
