Manowar - The Triumph of Steel 12" Double Vinyl LP Album

- The 1992 epic that fused myth, power, and the unbreakable spirit of American Heavy Metal

Album Front Cover Photo of Manowar - The Triumph of Steel Visit: https://vinyl-records.nl/

Manowar’s “The Triumph of Steel” (1992) stands as one of the most ambitious heavy metal albums ever pressed to vinyl. Produced by Manowar and John Pettigrass, and mastered by Howie “Iron” Weinberg, this double LP captures the band’s mythic scale and sonic power. Featuring the 28-minute epic “Achilles, Agony and Ecstasy in Eight Parts” and anthems like “Metal Warriors,” it combines blazing riffs, symphonic depth, and Ken Kelly’s legendary cover art in a celebration of strength and defiance that still echoes through the halls of metal history.

Table of Contents

Album Description:

"The Triumph of Steel," released in 1992, marks Manowar’s seventh studio album and their most ambitious double LP to date. Driven by mythic storytelling and relentless musicianship, it captures the band at full power, uniting heavy metal might with epic scale.

The 28-minute opener, “Achilles, Agony and Ecstasy in Eight Parts,” retells the legend of Achilles and the Trojan War with operatic intensity. Its shifts in mood and tempo showcase the band’s technical range, setting a tone of grandeur for the entire record.

Songs like “Metal Warriors,” “Ride the Dragon,” and “Master of the Wind” celebrate defiance, fantasy, and the indestructible spirit of Manowar’s devoted followers. The album’s lyrical themes revolve around courage, honor, and the eternal battle between glory and doom.

Musically, “The Triumph of Steel” merges traditional heavy metal with touches of power and symphonic metal. Its clean, forceful production highlights pounding drums, thunderous guitar riffs, and Eric Adams’ soaring vocals—elements that give the album its monumental character.

Though critical reception was mixed at its release, fans embraced the record as one of Manowar’s boldest creations. Its scale and storytelling echoed through the later works of epic metal bands such as Blind Guardian and Rhapsody of Fire.

“The Triumph of Steel” stands as the only Manowar album to feature guitarist David Shankle and drummer Rhino (Kenny Earl Edwards), marking a unique era in the band’s long saga of metal heroism.

Album Key Details: Genre, Label, Format & Release Info

Music Genre:

American Heavy Metal

Manowar’s “The Triumph of Steel” embodies American Heavy Metal at its most heroic — epic in scope, muscular in execution, and fiercely loyal to mythic storytelling traditions. The album fuses power metal grandeur with classic heavy metal intensity.

Label & Catalognr:

Atlantic Records – Cat#: 7567-82423

Media Format:

Record Format: 12" Double Vinyl LP
Total Weight: 330 gram

Year & Country:

1992 – Germany

Production & Recording Information:

Producers:
  • Manowar – Producer
    Known for producing many of their own albums, Manowar maintained full creative control over "The Triumph of Steel," ensuring that the sound matched their trademark epic metal vision and uncompromising production values.
  • John Pettigrass – Producer
    John Pettigrass collaborated with Manowar during the early 1990s, contributing to the dense, cinematic sound design that characterized this record. His role helped bridge the band’s studio precision with their larger-than-life aesthetic.
  • Silvio “The Don” Bonvini – Producer
    Silvio Bonvini, affectionately nicknamed “The Don,” worked closely with Manowar in the production phase, refining arrangements and ensuring the album’s monumental tone was preserved across all tracks.
Sound & Recording Engineers:
  • Rich “The Man” Breen – Sound Engineer
    Rich Breen, an experienced sound engineer active across multiple rock and metal projects, captured the massive dynamic range of Manowar’s instrumentation. His work on this album balanced clarity with the band’s raw power.
Mastering Engineer & Location:
  • Howie “Iron” Weinberg – Mastering Engineer
    Howie Weinberg is a renowned mastering engineer whose work has defined the sound of countless legendary albums. With over 200 Gold and Platinum records, he has mastered classics from Metallica, Nirvana, and Slayer, shaping the sonic landscape of rock and metal. His expertise continues to influence generations of musicians. Learn more in the Weinberg's full biography.
Album Cover Design & Artwork:
  • Ken Kelly – Album Artwork
    Ken Kelly was a legendary American fantasy artist whose bold, muscular style defined the visual identity of 1970s and 1980s hard rock and heavy metal. His iconic cover paintings for bands like KISS, Manowar, and Rainbow fused myth, power, and spectacle into unforgettable imagery. Ken Kelly's story
  • Larry Freemantle – Art Direction
    Larry Freemantle was a prominent art director for Atlantic Records, responsible for shaping the look of numerous hard rock and metal albums during the 1980s and 1990s. His design oversight gave “The Triumph of Steel” its clean, heroic presentation.

Band Members / Musicians:

Band Line-up:
  • Eric Adams – Vocals
    Eric Adams (real name: Louis Marullo) has been the lead vocalist of Manowar since 1981. Before joining the band, he sang in groups such as “Bible Black,” “Harlequin,” “Kids,” and “Looks.” Adams and Joey DeMaio previously performed together in “Looks” before founding Manowar in 1980.
  • David Shankle – Guitar
    “The Triumph of Steel” is the only Manowar album to feature guitarist David Shankle, whose technical precision and speed gave the record its razor-edged sound.
 
  • Joey DeMaio – Bass
    Founder and bassist Joey DeMaio anchors the band’s thunderous low end and mythic vision. Before Manowar, he and Eric Adams both played in the band “Looks.”
    DeMaio is also the band’s principal songwriter and producer, guiding Manowar’s direction toward larger-than-life symphonic metal anthems that define their legacy.
  • Kenny Earl “Rhino” Edwards – Drums
    “The Triumph of Steel” marks Rhino’s debut and only appearance on a Manowar studio album, delivering a powerful percussive backbone throughout.
    After his tenure with Manowar, Rhino continued performing and recording within the metal scene, earning respect for his precise double-bass drumming and commanding live energy.

Complete Track-listing:

Side One:
  1. Achilles, Agony and Ecstasy in Eight Parts (28:38)
    Divided into eight movements — Prelude, Hector Storms the Wall, The Death of Patroclus, Funeral March, Armor of the Gods, Hector’s Final Hour, Death Hector’s Reward, The Desecration of Hector’s Body, and The Glory of Achilles.
  2. Metal Warriors (3:54)
  3. Ride the Dragon (4:33)
  4. Spirit Horse of the Cherokee (6:02)
Side Two:
  1. Burning (5:10)
  2. The Power of Thy Sword (7:51)
  3. The Demon's Whip (7:50)
  4. Master of the Wind (5:26)

Disclaimer: Track durations shown are approximate and may vary slightly between editions or reissues due to mastering or pressing differences.

Additional Notes:

“The Triumph of Steel” was recorded after guitarist Ross the Boss left the band, marking a shift toward a more technically focused sound. It remains one of Manowar’s longest and most cinematic records, with themes rooted in classical mythology and warrior legend.

Album Front Cover Photo
Front cover of Manowar’s 1992 double LP album The Triumph of Steel. The design features the band’s logo in bold, angular red lettering that dominates the upper portion of the sleeve. Beneath it, the album title appears in a stylized white serif typeface reading 'The Triumph of Steel.' The background fades from deep black to dark crimson, evoking the heat of battle or molten metal. The artwork by Ken Kelly captures the mythic tone of the album—heroic, powerful, and unapologetically epic—mirroring Manowar’s larger-than-life heavy metal persona.

This is the front cover of Manowar’s 1992 double vinyl LP album The Triumph of Steel, photographed in high resolution for collectors and archivists. The design is simple yet commanding, dominated by the band’s massive red logo rendered in sharp, gothic type across a dark, smoldering background. Beneath it, the album title The Triumph of Steel appears in silver-white metallic lettering, perfectly balanced and centered below the fiery red emblem.

The background consists of swirling gradients of black, deep burgundy, and faint red mist—suggestive of smoke, forged iron, or an approaching storm. The image’s minimalism and focus on typography convey strength, discipline, and power, all central themes of the album. Though Ken Kelly’s detailed warrior artwork is not shown in this cropped view, the color scheme and bold lettering remain faithful to his epic, battle-inspired visual language.

Every visual choice echoes the essence of Manowar’s music: the clash of myth and metal, raw energy forged into legend. The photograph captures not only a collectible record sleeve but a defining symbol of early 1990s heavy metal aesthetics—unyielding, theatrical, and timeless.

Album Back Cover Photo
Back cover of Manowar’s 1992 double vinyl LP album The Triumph of Steel. The design features a dark, storm-like red and black background with fiery streaks of yellow and orange lightning cutting across the surface. Printed in white and silver text are the complete track listings for all four sides of the 2LP set, including the epic 'Achilles, Agony and Ecstasy in Eight Parts' and songs like 'Metal Warriors,' 'Ride the Dragon,' 'Spirit Horse of the Cherokee,' and 'Master of the Wind.' A small Atlantic Records logo appears at the bottom along with copyright and production credits stating 'All songs written and produced by Manowar.' A faint retail sticker and catalog number (7567-82423-1 DE) are visible on the upper right corner.

This high-resolution image shows the back cover of Manowar’s 1992 double LP The Triumph of Steel. The layout is both functional and dramatic, featuring song listings for all four sides of the album printed in crisp silver and white text that stands boldly against a swirling red-black sky.

The background resembles molten metal or volcanic clouds, glowing with streaks of orange and yellow light, creating a fiery contrast to the dark maroon tones. Each track title is neatly arranged and grouped under its corresponding side, emphasizing the scale of this double album. The first record is dominated by the monumental 28-minute suite “Achilles, Agony and Ecstasy in Eight Parts,” while the second record features standout songs such as “Metal Warriors,” “The Power of Thy Sword,” and “Master of the Wind.”

The bottom section carries the Atlantic Records logo, copyright information, and the note “All songs written and produced by Manowar.” The catalog number 7567-82423-1 DE identifies this as the German edition. A small white retail sticker adds an authentic touch, hinting at its life as a collectible. The fiery imagery and organized typography capture both the power and precision that define Manowar’s musical aesthetic.

Close-up Photo of Record Label
Close-up of the Side One record label from Manowar’s 1992 double vinyl LP The Triumph of Steel. The circular Atlantic Records label displays its iconic green and orange split design with a black Atlantic logo at the top. The upper green half carries the text 'Manowar – The Triumph of Steel' centered in black type. The orange lower section lists the songs for Record One, Side One, including 'Achilles, Agony and Ecstasy in Eight Parts' subdivided into Prelude, Hector Storms the Wall, The Death of Patroclus, Funeral March, and Armor of the Gods. Additional text credits Joey DeMaio as songwriter and Manowar as producer. The label includes the GEMA/BIEM rights box, STEREO marking, catalog number 7567-82423-1, and the 33 RPM speed indicator.

This detailed photograph captures the Side One record label of Manowar’s 1992 double LP The Triumph of Steel, issued by Atlantic Records. The label’s classic green-and-orange color scheme instantly identifies it as part of Atlantic’s early-1990s European pressings.

The top half is a bright green background bearing the Atlantic logo in black and orange, along with the album title The Triumph of Steel printed in bold black text. Below the dividing line, the lower orange section lists the first side’s tracks — “Achilles, Agony and Ecstasy in Eight Parts,” subdivided into Prelude, Hector Storms the Wall, The Death of Patroclus, Funeral March, and Armor of the Gods.

The label also includes key production credits: “All songs written by Joey DeMaio” and “All songs written and produced by Manowar.” Additional details such as GEMA/BIEM licensing, STEREO designation, and catalog number 7567-82423-1 are printed clearly, along with the “33” RPM speed mark. Every element—typeface, spacing, and alignment—reflects the precision typical of high-quality European vinyl mastering and pressing standards of the early ’90s.

Note: The images on this page are photos of the actual album. Slight differences in color may exist due to camera flash or screen calibration. Images can be zoomed in or out (for example, pinch with your fingers on a tablet or smartphone).

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