MANOWAR To Play Entire 'Battle Hymns' Album At Birmingham Show

MANOWAR will play its classic debut album, 1982's "Battle Hymns", in its entirety during the band's headlining performance on March 27, 2011 at O2 Academy in Birmingham, England.

The vinyl picture disc, limited-edition version of "Battle Hymns 2011", the "reinterpretation" of "Battle Hymns", can be personalized with your name and autographed by the band. Available for $199.95, it includes a numbered certificate of authenticity. According to a posting on MANOWAR's official webstore, The Kingdom Of Steel, if you order now, you will also get the digital download immediately "for free," with a 16-page PDF booklet.

If you do not wish to spend $200 on the "autographed" version of the picture disc, the standard edition can be yours for "only" $49.95. This item can also be ordered and includes the immediate "free" digital download as well as the 16-page PDF booklet.

MANOWAR has 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.

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" is said to be "another jewel in the crown of the Kings Of Metal."

"Battle Hymns 2011" features 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)

Rough-mix samples of the new versions of six songs from "Battle Hymns 2011" can be streamed below.

"William's Tale" audio sample (new):

"Dark Avenger" audio sample (new):

"Manowar" audio sample:

"Metal Daze" audio sample:

"Shell Shock" audio sample:

"Fast Taker" audio sample:

In a recent video message, MANOWAR bassist and producer Joey 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.

Joey DeMaio explaining the band's decision to re-record "Battle Hymns":