Man, this is a tough one. It reeks of all the vital Manowar cheese, but adds bold elements rarely seen in power metal. And if you can get by the overbearing, persistent preaching, Warriors Of The World is a moving record, leather, bikes and all. 'Call To Arms' is a driving opener pledging the band's allegiance to the core while 'The Fight For Freedom' is a marching epic that leads to the Italian operatic 'Nessun Dorma', which causes an immediate double-take with its grandiose feel. And this is where WOTW manages to stand alone in this overcrowded realm where power and progression become blurred with mediocrity and repetitiveness. But frontman Eric Adams takes it to yet another level as 'Swords In The Wind' is a haunting battle cry decreeing "the sons of Odin" to "fight to die." 'An American Trilogy' is a puzzling ditty craving for Dixieland, leaving you to wonder if Manowar have steroids on the brain. 'The March' is a full-on instrumental that signals the more metallic second side, crashing into the first single 'Warriors Of The World United', a track that is garnering great success overseas and will have enduring appeal to the shallow. 'Hand Of Doom', 'Fight Until We Die' and 'House Of Death' are angry, double-kick-led bruisers (courtesy of Scott Columbus) that close the record in an aggressive fashion. Well orchestrated and over-the-top, WOTW is an album you'd love to hate, but there's a certain magnetic effect that draws you closer. It's a daring, barbaric soundtrack more than anything else. But instead of having a theatrical backdrop to fill in the blanks, you're forced to imagine and decipher each overblown scenario that leader/bassist Joey DeMaio is embellishing. The stitching is uneven and the concepts have worn thin. However, there's part of you that craves this fuel injection.