Highlights from the Revenge of Odysseus
| Highlights from the Revenge of Odysseus | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP by | ||||
| Released | June 22, 2022 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 14:17 | |||
| Label | Magic Circle | |||
| Producer | Joey DeMaio | |||
| Manowar chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metal Digest | 20% |
| Hellfire Magazine | 4/10 |
Highlights from the Revenge of Odysseus is the sixth EP by American heavy metal band Manowar, released digitally on streaming services on June 22, 2022. The EP is based on the Odyssey, Homer's tale of the great hero Odysseus and his long and perilous quest to return to his wife and son, and is a sampler of a bigger work to be released.[1][2] The songs were premiered at the Release Athens festival in Greece on June 22, 2022, which is also where the band started their Revenge of Odysseus anniversary tour.
Composition
For the EP, Manowar stayed true to the historic tale of the Odyssey, similar to what they had done to the 28-minute track "Achilles, Agony and Ecstasy in Eight Parts" in 1992.[3][4][5]
Reception
The release garnered generally negative reviews from critics. A review in the German webzine Hellfire Magazin called it "a poor EP wearing crackerjack clothes" and stated that they felt cheated, with two of the five tracks being just under a minute. While they enjoyed Chiara Tricarico's powerful voice on "Where Eagles Fly", they deplored Eric Adams limping for six and a half minutes on "Immortal". "Does this EP make the listener want to don their helmet, breastplate, shield, and grab their hoplite spear? Does it make them want to defend Ithaca with all their might? The answer is no. This is a piss-poor EP, and if you see wimps and posers wearing crackerjack clothes... it is no bloody wonder. This is literally for completionists only".[6] The review further stated that "Athena's Theme" was ultimately dispensable, and "Telemachus – Part I" is nothing more than a radio play passage written in ancient Greek. After the cheesy ballad "Where Eagles Fly" and another radio-play track preparing the listener yet again (in Greek), they mention the final track, "Immortal", as a 'high point'. The review concludes that Highlights from the Revenge of Odysseus "isn't any better than The Final Battle I and rather confirms that it is time for Manowar to step down before fans of their first six/seven albums are completely sold out pissed off.[6]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Athena's Theme" | 0:57 |
| 2. | "Telemachus – Part I" | 2:42 |
| 3. | "Where Eagles Fly" | 3:27 |
| 4. | "Odysseus and Calypso – The Island of Ogygia" | 0:45 |
| 5. | "Immortal" | 6:26 |
| Total length: | 14:17 | |
Personnel
Manowar
- Eric Adams – vocals
- Joey DeMaio – bass, guitars
Guest/session
- Dave Chedrick – drums
- Michael Angelo Batio – guitars (track 5)
- Kostas Kazakos – narration (track 4)
- Konstantinos Kazakos – narration (track 2)
- Sakis Tolis – narration (track 2); lyrics (tracks 2, 4)
- Chiara Tricarico – vocals (track 3)
References
- ^ Mark Zapata (June 24, 2022). "Manowar unveils 'The Revenge of Odysseus (Highlights)' EP". Metal Insider. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
- ^ Alexandra Michels (June 23, 2022). "Manowar – Digital EP "The Revenge of Odysseus (Highlights)" released". Rock Hard. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
- ^ "Manowar Releases 'The Revenge of Odysseus (Highlights)' EP". Blabbermouth.net. June 22, 2022. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
- ^ "Manowar Releases 'The Revenge of Odysseus (Highlights)' EP". Metal Invader. June 23, 2022. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
- ^ Lothar Gerber (December 7, 2021). "Machen Manowar als nächstes ein Album oder eine EP?" [Are Manowar doing an album or an EP next?]. Metal Hammer (in German). Retrieved October 20, 2022.
- ^ a b Adam McCann (July 14, 2022). "Manowar – 'Highlights from the Revenge of Odysseus' (EP)" (in German). Retrieved October 20, 2022.