Manilla Road was created by Shelton in 1977 with high school friends Benny Munkirs, Rick Fisher and brothers Robert and Scott Park. After playing in local bars, the group first gained attention with their song "Herman Hill," inspired by the Herman Hill riot. Their first album "Invasion" was released in 1980 on the band's own label, Roadster Records. Between this time and their next release the band recorded material for an album to be titled "The Dreams Of Eschaton", however this was not released until 2002 (under the name "Mark of the Beast") as they were not happy with the sound. Shelton has been quoted as saying the music was "not metal enough" and "sounded like shit." Despite this "Mark of the Beast" was critically well received when it was eventually released. These early albums have more in common with progressive rock and proto-heavy metal than the band's later epic metal sound.
The next record was "Metal" in 1982, which began to define the future musical direction of Manilla Road. Their "classic" sound was solidified with the epic release of "Crystal Logic" in 1983.
The next five Manilla Road albums (along with a live release, "Roadkill") featured new drummer Randy Foxe, who had more of a thrash-oriented style than original drummer Rick Fisher. Along with "Crystal Logic" (1983), the new lineup's first two albums, "Open the Gates" (1985) and "The Deluge" (1986), are generally considered to be classics in the field of epic heavy metal. It was on these three albums that Manilla Road's style became fully formed. Lyrics typically feature fantastic elements from Norse mythology, Arthurian legend or other literary sources. These are often combined in one setting, the concept album "Atlantis Rising" (2001), for example, features a war between the Æsir and Cthulhu, centered around the city of Atlantis.
"Mystification" (1987) suffered from exceptionally poor production resulting, ironically, from the substandard equipment at a new studio the band hoped would improve their sound. The recent re-release has fixed this problem to a large extent. After Mystification came "Out of the Abyss" (1988), widely criticised at the time for its thrash metal influences. The band released one more album, "The Courts of Chaos" (1992), described by Shelton as "the first true Manilla Road masterpiece" before splitting up because of personal and musical disagreements between Scott Park and Randy Foxe.
In 1992 Mark Shelton recorded "Circus Maximus" with Aaron Brown and Andrew Coss. Despite having never been intended as a Manilla Road project, the album was released under this name at the record company's insistence.
Manilla Road re-formed in 1994 and released "Atlantis Rising" in 2001, again with Mark Shelton as the only original member. On this occasion, however, the sound was much more consistent with the Manilla Road of old and it was the band who decided to continue using the name. Their latest albums are "Spiral Castle" published in 2002, "Gates Of Fire", in 2005, and "Voyager" in 2008. In May 2009 they released their second live album called "After Midnight Live", which was recorded live, on the air, at KMUW radio studios, Wichita, Kansas in December of 1979 shortly before the release of their debut album "Invasion". The album "Playground of the Damned" was released in 2011, followed by "Mysterium" in 2013, "The Blessed Curse" in 2015, and what was their final release, "To Kill a King" in 2017.
Mark "The Shark" Shelton died in Germany from a heart attack at the age of 60. Manilla Road were on tour at the time of Shelton’s death; he had performed at Germany’s Headbangers Open Air Festival the previous night.
A Touch of Madness
Manilla Road Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Inside the mind
Mostly the madness of life
Unbalanced fission
Building inside
Melt-down of logical sight
Torment is burning
Inside the brain
To escape the pain
Here in the fire
Only the strong survive
Ashes to ashes
Minds turn to dust
Lost in the whirlwind
A touch of madness
Caught in a crossfire
Of reality and dream
No one seems to hear the screams
Lightning the funeral pyre
And living in the flame
Nothing gained without pain
Torment is burning
Inside the brain
Something is yearning
To escape the pain
Here in the fire
Only the strong survive
Ashes to ashes
Minds turn to dust
Lost in the whirlwind
A touch of madness
I'm touched
By madness
Standing before the Labyrinth
The birthing place of true torment
No time left to confess
For the wicked there is no rest
When touched by madness
Lost in a fantasy
Distorted and deranged
Wild the spirit never tamed
Taught by humanity
To cage what's deemed insane
No one wants to take the blame
Torment is burning
Inside the brain
Something is yearning
To escape the pain
Here in the fire
Only the strong survive
Ashes to ashes
Minds turn to dust
Lost in the whirlwind
A touch of madness
I'm touched
By madness
The lyrics of "A Touch of Madness" by Manilla Road delve into the state of mind of someone who is struggling with their thoughts and emotions. The song opens with the line "So little wisdom inside the mind, mostly the madness of life." This suggests that the person in question is overwhelmed by the chaos and unpredictability of existence, and lacks the clarity and insight necessary to navigate it. The following lines reference a sense of imbalance and instability building inside them, which eventually leads to a "melt-down of logical sight." The singer's torment is depicted as a burning sensation inside their brain, and they feel a desperate yearning to escape from the pain.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the idea that only the strong can survive amidst the turmoil and destruction of life. The lines "Ashes to ashes, minds turn to dust, lost in the whirlwind, a touch of madness" evoke a sense of decay and decay, and suggest that the person's struggle with their own mind has left them feeling trapped and overwhelmed. The second verse expands upon this theme, painting a picture of someone caught in a "crossfire of reality and dream" who feels unheard and unacknowledged. They are living in a state of constant torment, yet are unable to find release from it. The final lines of the song suggest that the person has reached a point of no return, where their madness has consumed them completely.
Line by Line Meaning
So little wisdom
There is a lack of knowledge or experience.
Inside the mind
Within one's thoughts and consciousness.
Mostly the madness of life
The majority of life's experiences involve elements of chaos or irrationality.
Unbalanced fission
A split or division that is unstable or uneven.
Building inside
Growing stronger and more intense.
Melt-down of logical sight
The breakdown of logical or rational thinking.
Torment is burning
Intense pain or suffering is being felt.
Inside the brain
Within the mind or one's thoughts.
Something is yearning
A strong desire or longing is present.
To escape the pain
To find relief or release from the suffering being felt.
Here in the fire
In the midst of intense or extreme conditions.
Only the strong survive
Those who are resilient or capable of enduring will persevere in difficult circumstances.
Ashes to ashes
The end result of life is death and decay.
Minds turn to dust
The deterioration or disintegration of mental capacity or functioning.
Lost in the whirlwind
Confused or disoriented due to chaos or turbulence.
A touch of madness
A slight hint or element of irrational behavior or thought.
Caught in a crossfire
Trapped or stuck in the midst of a conflict or opposing forces.
Of reality and dream
Between the actual world and the realm of imagination or delusion.
No one seems to hear the screams
There is a lack of acknowledgement or response to cries for help or distress.
Lighting the funeral pyre
Igniting the flames of destruction or death.
And living in the flame
Existing in the midst of intense or dangerous conditions.
Nothing gained without pain
Success or progress requires significant effort, sacrifice, or discomfort.
I'm touched by madness
I am influenced or affected by irrational or unstable behavior or thinking.
Standing before the Labyrinth
Being faced with a complex or confusing situation with no clear direction or solution.
The birthing place of true torment
A source or origin of severe pain or suffering.
No time left to confess
There is not enough time to admit to wrongdoing or ask for forgiveness.
For the wicked there is no rest
Evildoers will not experience peace or relief from punishment or guilt.
Lost in a fantasy
Confused or enamored by an unrealistic or imagined scenario.
Distorted and deranged
Twisted or warped, especially in reference to mental state or behavior.
Wild the spirit never tamed
The untamed or irrepressible nature of human desire or ambition.
Taught by humanity to cage what's deemed insane
Society enforces the suppression or control of that which is deemed abnormal or deviant.
No one wants to take the blame
There is a lack of responsibility or accountability for negative consequences or actions.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Manny Ruiz
I love Mark's vocals. Unique. Kind of operatic. Perfect for this doom, thrash style. I can understand why some may not like his voice. I guess it's an acquired taste. I didn't acquire a damn thing, I dug it immediately. RIP. Only the good die young.
Alex Zoris
This solo along with the backup rhythm is totally insane!! I love it
Polaris589
1990 was a good year for metal...
Adrian Åslund
3:59 "Standing before the Labyrinth
The birthing place of true torment
No time left to confess
For the wicked there is no rest
When touched by madness"
That was a hell of a part! Came out of nowhere.
Roman Greindl
ASHES TO ASHES, MINDS TURN TO DUST.... RIP Mark the Shark Shelton, you will live forever thru your music. Its a very sad day today, enter Valhalla, Farewell!!!