Kings of Metal
Encyclopedia
Kings of Metal is the sixth album by heavy metal
band Manowar. Released in 1988 by Atlantic Records
, it is thought by many to be among their very best releases.
The album was the last to feature guitarist
and founding member Ross "The Boss" Friedman, who later went on to rejoin punk
band The Dictators
.
Drummer Scott Columbus
left the band after this album as well, but rejoined for 1996's Louder Than Hell and remained with the band until 2008.
Since Kings of Metal, all Manowar album covers have been painted by Ken Kelly. The splash screen
of video game Turrican
is based on the album's cover.
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Manowar. Released in 1988 by Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
, it is thought by many to be among their very best releases.
The album was the last to feature guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
and founding member Ross "The Boss" Friedman, who later went on to rejoin punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band The Dictators
The Dictators
The Dictators are an American punk rock band formed in New York City in 1973. Critic John Dougan said that they were "one of the finest and most influential proto-punk bands to walk the earth." The Dictators are represented in the "Punk Wing" of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in Cleveland, Ohio...
.
Drummer Scott Columbus
Scott Columbus
Scott Columbus was an American musician and the former drummer of Manowar. Reportedly he was discovered by a female fan of the band, beating aluminium in a local foundry...
left the band after this album as well, but rejoined for 1996's Louder Than Hell and remained with the band until 2008.
Since Kings of Metal, all Manowar album covers have been painted by Ken Kelly. The splash screen
Splash screen
A splash screen is an image that appears while a game or program is loading. It may also be used to describe an introduction page on a website. Splash screens sometimes do not cover the entire screen, but only a rectangle near the center...
of video game Turrican
Turrican
Turrican is a 1989 video game programmed and designed by Manfred Trenz. It was first developed for the Commodore 64 by Rainbow Arts, but was ported to other systems later. In addition to concept design and character creation, Trenz personally programmed Turrican on the Commodore 64...
is based on the album's cover.
American, European and Japanese track listing
- "Wheels of Fire" (Joey DeMaioJoey DeMaioJoey DeMaio is an American bass player and main songwriter for the heavy metal band Manowar which he co-founded in 1980. He is also the founder and CEO of Magic Circle Music....
) – 4:11 - "Kings of Metal" (Ross the Boss, DeMaio) – 3:43
- "Heart of Steel" (DeMaio) – 5:10
- "Sting of the Bumblebee" (DeMaio) – 2:45
- "The Crown and the Ring (Lament of the Kings)" (DeMaio) – 4:53
- "Kingdom Come" (DeMaio) – 3:55
- "Pleasure Slave" (DeMaio) – 5:37 - CD version of the album only
- "Hail and Kill" (the Boss, DeMaio) – 5:54
- "The Warriors Prayer" (DeMaio) – 4:20
- "Blood of the Kings" (DeMaio) – 7:30
Asian track listing
- "Wheels of Fire" (DeMaio) – 4:11
- "Kings of Metal" (the Boss, DeMaio) – 3:43
- "Heart of Steel" (DeMaio) – 5:10
- "Sting of the Bumblebee" (DeMaio) – 2:45
- "The Crown and the Ring (Lament of the Kings)" (DeMaio) – 4:53
- "Kingdom Come" (DeMaio) – 3:55
- "Hail and Kill" (the Boss, DeMaio) – 5:54
- "The Warriors Prayer" (DeMaio) – 4:20
- "Blood of the Kings" (DeMaio) – 7:30
Cover versions
- The track "Kings of Metal" has been covered by German acappellaAcappellaAcappella may refer to:* Acapella , by Johnny Maestro & The Brooklyn Bridge* Acappella...
metal band Van CantoVan CantoVan Canto is an a cappella metal band from Germany, founded in 2006 and composed of five singers and a drummer. Although the group is often classified as an a cappella ensemble, they use real drums in their music, instead of vocal percussion or beatboxing....
on their album HeroHero (van Canto album)Hero is the second studio album by German a cappella metal band van Canto, released on September 26, 2008. It is the follow-up to 2006's A Storm to Come on Sony BMG Germany's GUN records...
, as well by German Alternative/Punk-Band BeatsteaksBeatsteaksBeatsteaks are a punk rock band from Berlin, Germany, formed in 1995.- History :Peter Baumann, Stefan Hircher, Alexander Rosswaag and Bernd Kurtzke founded the Beatsteaks in 1995. Shortly after Arnim Teutoburg-Weiß joined the band as a singer and additional guitarist...
on their album LaunchedLaunchedLaunched is the second album from German hardcore punk band, Beatsteaks. It was released in March, 2000 on Epitaph Records and follows the band's debut release 48/49 in 1997 on XNO Records. The album contains an interesting half acoustic cover version of a song by heavy metal band, Manowar, "Kings...
and the German death metalDeath metalDeath metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
band Debauchery on their album Back in Blood. - "Heart of Steel" has been covered by Finnish heavy metal band ThunderstoneThunderstone (band)Thunderstone is a Power metal band from Helsinki, Finland. The band was formed in 2000 by guitarist Nino Laurenne, and the line-up became full the following year. After the release of the band's self-titled debut album, Thunderstone, the band toured Europe supporting Stratovarius and Symphony X...
. - "The Crown and the Ring" has been covered by the Celtic folk band RapaljeRapaljeRapalje is a Dutch Celtic folk band which performs Irish, Scottish and Dutch folk music and sings in Dutch as well as in English.- Recordings :The band recorded 8 CD's, of which 3 were later compiled into 1 album, and 1 DVD.* 1998: Into Folk...
and by Italian metal band Valiance. - "Pleasure Slave" has been covered by Swedish band Svartur Dödur.
Personnel
- Eric AdamsEric Adams (singer)Eric Adams has been the singer of the heavy metal band Manowar since 1980. Before he became the band's singer in 1980, he had sung for a group, called LOOKS. In the band was also future Manowar bassist and childhood friend, Joey DeMaio.-Early life:Eric Adams was born on 12 July 1954, in Auburn,...
- vocals - Ross the Boss - guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
- Joey DeMaioJoey DeMaioJoey DeMaio is an American bass player and main songwriter for the heavy metal band Manowar which he co-founded in 1980. He is also the founder and CEO of Magic Circle Music....
- bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Scott ColumbusScott ColumbusScott Columbus was an American musician and the former drummer of Manowar. Reportedly he was discovered by a female fan of the band, beating aluminium in a local foundry...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....