In celebration of their forthcoming UK/Ireland tour in November (see dates below), MANOWAR will be releasing a Special Edition of their Battle Hymns MMXI album, featuring four bonus live songs, recorded during Leg One of the Battle Hymns 2011 World Tour:

'Call To Arms' (Recorded Live at O2 Academy in Birmingham, England, March 27th, 2011)

'Hand Of Doom' (Recorded Live at La Riviera in Madrid, Spain, April 10th, 2011)

'House Of Death' (Recorded Live at O2 Academy in Birmingham, England, March 27th, 2011)

'Thunder In The Sky' (Recorded Live at Campo Pequeno in Lisbon, Portugal, April 2nd, 2011)

The album is only available as part of the Manowar Battle Pack UK, which also includes Metal Hammer's 25th Anniversary Special Manowar Edition packed with exclusive features from Metal Hammer's 25 year history and featuring the full story behind this new CD.

The Manowar Battle Pack UK is available in limited quantities and can be ordered immediately online for worldwide shipping at this location.

For the best value possible, those who wish can purchase the Manowar Battle Pack UK along with a ticket for the Battle Hymns 2011 UK/Ireland Tour by going to http://www.metalhammer.co.uk/manowar . And if you choose to buy your CD in conjunction with a ticket you'll also receive a download of a brand new, unreleased new studio track straight from Manowar's upcoming album as an extra bonus.

Asked what made this Battle Hymns 2011 tour so special compared to previous ones, bassist Joey DeMaio explained: “With this tour we are paying tribute to our beginnings. It's very important to not forget where one starts. We are playing in venues similar to the ones of our first tours. They bring band and fans closer together. We love playing big halls and stadiums as well as festivals, and we are looking forward to doing this next year again. But these more 'personal' gigs have a very unique atmosphere. And like with the re-recorded Battle Hymns album, we give the fans the best of both worlds: The atmosphere of the past with the best technology of today.”

Manowar had recently re-recorded their debut album, since finally technology had caught up with Manowar's custom-built touring and recording equipment. The classic hymns now feature the massive sound and production that has become Manowar's signature over recent years and records, and also include a narration by screen legend and heavy metal brother Sir Christopher Lee on 'Dark Avenger'.

Battle Hymns MMXI Special Edition tracklisting:

'Death Tone'

'Metal Daze'

'Fast Taker'

'Shell Shock'

'Manowar'

'Dark Avenger' (feat. narration by Sir Christopher Lee)

'William's Tale'

'Battle Hymn'

Live Bonus Tracks:

'Call To Arms' - Recorded Live at O2 Academy in Birmingham, England, March 27th, 2011

'Hand Of Doom' - Recorded Live at La Riviera in Madrid, Spain, April 10th, 2011

'House Of Death' - Recorded Live at O2 Academy in Birmingham, England, March 27th, 2011

'Thunder In The Sky' - Recorded Live at Campo Pequeno in Lisbon, Portugal, April 2nd, 2011

Manowar UK dates:

November

1 - 02 Academy - Glasgow, Scotland
4 - 02 Academy - Leeds, England
5 - 02 Academy - Brixton, England
6 - The Great Hall - Cardiff, Wales
9 - The Academy - Dublin, Ireland
10 - Mandella Hall – Belfast, Ireland

A video announcement from Joey DeMaio can be seen below:

Metal Hammer - Manowar Tour Announcement Pt 2 on MUZU.TV