MANOWAR: More 'Battle Hymns 2011' Details Revealed

Finally, technology has caught up with MANOWAR's custom-built touring and recording equipment. The band decided that its fans deserved to hear the songs from its debut album, 1982's "Battle Hymns", with the massive sound and production that has become the group's signature over recent years and records.

Due for release at the end of November 2010, "Battle Hymns" will soon be available with the unbridled power of today's technology: "Battle Hymns 2011".

With the decision to reinterpret the music came the need to revisit the famed narration of the legendary Orson Welles. There was only one obvious choice and that was Sir Christopher Lee. Recorded at the famed Abbey Road Studios in London, his own inspired interpretation of the late, great Orson Welles on "Dark Avenger" will be another jewel in the crown of the Kings Of Metal.

MANOWAR bassist and producer Joey DeMaio stated: "My personal admiration for Sir Christopher began many years ago while watching his films. It increased when I was honored to produce him as a singer and as a narrator and we became friends instantly. Immediately after hearing the sheer power and range of his voice I thought I should write a narration; I never imagined we would ever re-record 'Battle Hymns' — but here we are and it is massive."

"Battle Hymns 2011" will feature two never-before-released live versions of "Death Tone" and "Fast Taker" recorded during the band's very first concerts in 1982. These are the rarest bonus materials ever released to date in MANOWAR's career.

"Our fans can be sure that we have squeezed every drop of power into 'Battle Hymns 2011' that today's technology allows," said vocalist Eric Adams.

"Battle Hymns 2011" track listing:

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)

In a recent video message, DeMaio explained the band's decision to re-record "Battle Hymns":

"We've had a couple of people ask why re-record a record like 'Battle Hymns' when it's perfect... I didn't say it's perfect, but other people said it's perfect, and we thank you for that. We're not trying to make it better, because it is what it is, but there's a lot of technology now that we didn't have when we made the record and we're gonna take advantage of it to make it as loud as we possibly can. So it won't be better; it'll just be different. And the songs themselves deserve to be recorded again because they're great songs and the fans have actually requested a lot of this to happen. And also, Donnie Hamzik, our original drummer, is back in the band, and he wanted to have another go at it. We're all together and we're gonna have a fucking great time."

Video footage of DeMaio talking about the decision to re-record "Battle Hymns" and laying down bass tracks in the studio can be viewed below.

MANOWAR's new album, "Hammer Of The Gods", which is the first installment of "The Asgard Saga", the band's unique multimedia fantasy adventure with best-selling author Wolfgang Hohlbein, is due next year.

MANOWAR's latest DVD in the "Hell On Earth" series was released on November 27, 2009. "Hell On Earth V" covers MANOWAR's recent world tours, including Germany, Norway, Spain, Finland, Russia, Romania, Turkey, USA and Canada. It features live performances of old and new classics such as "Gloves Of Metal", "The Crown And The Ring", "Hand Of Doom", "Hymn Of The Immortal Warrior", "Father", "God Or Man" and many others.