as I hold closed your side
I fear this wound your last
Mighty earth
now doth drink your blood
And I remember days long past
Your sacrifice so great
rest now take thy sleep
For you shall not awake
let revenge be sweet
For when we march
your sword rides with me"
One Word Review: Epic
If I had to pick one Manowar album among all their releases, which I would announce as my favorite, then this would be it. It slays its closest competition like The Triumph of Steel, Sign of The Hammer, Battle Hymns and Hail To England with its epic nature and ferocious delivery. There is something primal about Into Glory Ride that is very convincing. Recorded in four days, this album is a triumph in every way. The performance of every band member is not flawless but it is inspired and imbued with an essence, I would venture to call magical.
The album feels really fresh and the whole band sound like they are filled with power, ready to explode. And that is exactly what they do in one song after another. Almost every song builds a momentum and releases it with such force, that I'm blown away every time I hear it. Even after hundreds of listens, I still feel the power of the songs running through me with the same excitement, as the first time I heard them. How they were able to record this symphony of epic heavy metal in only four days is beyond me and a true example of the band's strength and devotion. Amazing! There is just so much feeling that runs through the entire album.
The funny intro sets the perfect mood for Warlord. Scott Columbus is the one making out while Joey plays the upset father... Warlord is a fast and furious, in your face Manowar hymn and my least favorite song of the album. Not a bad song at all, it just misses some of the huge epic moments that surround all the other songs. What it has, is a pair of very muscular biker balls.
One of the most atmospheric and epic songs in the history of Manowar is Secret of steel. The song has a slow moving, bombastic rhythm, incredible singing by Eric Adams and an atmosphere that is transcending. The way the line "There stood he, on his chariot made of gold. He did reveal, the trinity of secrets old" is delivered, always gets me. This feeling is really special and has not been captured since by anyone I have heard and that is what makes me love this album so much; with simple means Manowar create a masterpiece of a song that will transport the listener to another place.
Gloves of metal is another great Manowar hymn and on a side note, this is one of the funniest videos I have ever seen for a song.
New drummer Scott Columbus (R.I.P.) sounds like a beast, hitting the drums with pure force and will. The guitar notes that spring forth from Ross’ guitar, feel like they are improvised and magically summoned on the spot. They have this special feeling that they don’t feel rehearsed or anything. They just fit.
Gates of Valhalla really shows the genius of Joey DeMaio's composition skills. Eric's divine singing in the intro part along with Joey's melodic bass playing is magic, pure and simple. The power that comes with the following parts makes it almost impossible for me not to stand up, bang my head and sing along to this wonderful music. Right from the magic start to the adrenaline inducing end, with Eric's ear splitting screams, this song is a masterpiece in metal history.
"Valhalla
the gods await me
open wide thy gates embrace me
great hall of the battle slain
with sword in hand
All those who stand on shore
raise high your hands
to bid a last farewell to the Viking land"
Hatred is probably the best definition of anger being delivered through a song if there ever was one. Eric's vocal performance here is simply put, mindblowing. That this guy still has a voice left must be a blessing from the almighty Nordic Gods of Metal.
Revelation (Death's Angel) was my favorite song of the album for a long time, before being passed by March for revenge. This song is very melodic with an infectious rhythm section and excellent chorus. Eric's voice gives this song so much power and atmosphere. The way he sings "Die with the beeeeeeaaaaeeeeeeeeaaeeeeiiii-iiiist" will haunt me forever, but in the good way...
March for revenge (By The Soldiers Of Death) has all the elements of a Manowar classic. The epic feel of the song is so huge and by the time the band reaches the emotional middle part, I feel like dropping to my knees and thanking the higher powers for bringing this powerful music to my ears. The slow middle part leads up to a triumphant last part, where I cannot help but scream along with Eric's god-like vocal performance. Those who are unlucky enough to be around when that happens know what I'm talking about.
Even today I still feel this album is as good as it has ever been. A timeless and important part of history. I feel the power and devotion in the band's brilliant performance every time I hear it. Be sure to get the re-release that was put out in 2001 with better sound and very interesting liner notes.
A timeless classic!
Written By Steen
Online: Saturday, August 4, 2012
Updated: Monday, October 4, 2012 - Added music video for Gloves of Metal and Secret of Steel Live
Video Section
Gloves of Metal
Gloves of Metal
Secret Of Steel
Comments
Legacy Comments
Friday, November 29, 2013 - Luís
Not just Manowar's best record or Heavy Metal in its purest form, to me this album is the greatest music that was ever recorded. This says it all: "The performance of every band member is not flawless but it is inspired and imbued with an essence, I would venture to call magical."