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.
Death by the Hammer
Manilla Road Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The Vikings came
Dealers of death
In Odin's name
Barbaric lust
Born of the soul
One way to crush
Death By The Hammer
God Of Thunder
Thor be thy name
Son of Odin
Breaker of chains
Valkyries fly
The Hammer falls
On every plane
Ragnarok calls
Death By The Hammer
Valhalla's fires
Burn through the night
Einherjer
Storm to the fight
The funeral pyres
In Nifleheim
The Demon'?s lair
Ichor burns bright
Death By The Hammer
Manilla Road's song "Death By The Hammer" is a tribute to the Norse religion, culture and legendary heroes. The lyrics of the song portray the Vikings as ruthless dealers of death who were inspired and driven by the gods Odin and Thor. The chorus, "Death By The Hammer", is a reference to Mjolnir, the hammer of Thor, which was believed to unleash thunderstorms and lightning bolts, as well as to bring death to the enemies of the gods and their followers. The Vikings were known for their savage raids and battles, but also for their bravery, loyalty and devotion to their gods and their vision of an afterlife in Valhalla.
The verses of the song describe various aspects of the Viking world and beliefs. The first two lines, "Through frost and fire, the Vikings came", suggest that the Vikings were warriors who were fearless and determined, no matter what conditions they faced. The next two lines, "Dealers of death, in Odin's name", suggest that the Vikings saw themselves as agents of the god of war and death, and that they believed that their killings and conquests were part of a divine plan. The lines "Barbaric lust, born of the soul, one way to crush, all of thy foes", suggest that the Vikings had a deep-seated desire to dominate and conquer, which was not only a matter of external power, but also of internal passion and motivation.
The chorus of the song, "Death By The Hammer", repeats the main theme of the song, and reinforces the idea that the Vikings saw themselves as instruments of the gods' wrath and justice. The lines "God of Thunder, Thor be thy name, son of Odin, breaker of chains" describe the deity who was regarded as the protector and patron of the Vikings, and as a symbol of their strength and courage. The lines "Valkyries fly, the Hammer falls, on every plane, Ragnarok calls" suggest that the Vikings believed in an apocalyptic scenario in which the final battle between the gods and their enemies would take place, and that their ultimate destiny was to die on the battlefield and be chosen by the Valkyries to go to Valhalla. The last verse of the song, "Valhalla's fires burn through the night, Einherjer storm to the fight, the funeral pyres in Nifleheim, the Demon's lair, ichor burns bright", suggests that the Vikings saw death not as an end, but as a beginning of a new adventure and a new life, in which they would join the ranks of the great warriors who had fallen before them.
Overall, "Death By The Hammer" is a song that celebrates the heroic and mythic qualities of the Viking culture, while also acknowledging its brutal and violent nature. It portrays the Vikings as warriors who were driven by a deep sense of purpose and identity, and who regarded their killings and conquests as part of a spiritual quest. The song also reflects the fascination and admiration that many people still feel for the Viking legacy, which has inspired numerous works of art, literature and popular culture.
Line by Line Meaning
Through frost and fire
The Vikings endured extreme weather conditions and overcame dangerous obstacles to conquer their opponents.
Dealers of death
The Vikings were relentlessly aggressive and brutal when it came to battle, showing no mercy to their enemies.
In Odin's name
The Vikings believed that their success in battle was attributed to their god, Odin.
Barbaric lust
The Vikings had an insatiable desire for war and conquest, driven by their primal instincts and warrior culture.
Born of the soul
The Vikings' thirst for battle was deeply ingrained in their identity and being, shaping their character and actions.
One way to crush
The Vikings saw warfare as the only means to achieve their goals and defeat their opponents.
All of thy foes
The Vikings aimed to completely vanquish any enemy they encountered, leaving no survivors.
God Of Thunder
The Vikings revered Thor as a powerful and divine figure that aided them in battle.
Thor be thy name
Thor was the most respected and honored deity in Viking mythology, and his name was invoked for strength and victory.
Son of Odin
Thor was the son of Odin, the chief god in Norse mythology, further elevating his status.
Breaker of chains
Thor was known for his strength and ability to overcome any obstacle, symbolized by his power to break chains.
Valkyries fly
The Valkyries were mythical female figures who chose warriors to die in battle and brought them to Valhalla.
The Hammer falls
Thor's weapon, the hammer Mjolnir, was believed to strike down enemies with great force, and its power was invoked to aid the Vikings.
On every plane
The Vikings believed that Thor and his hammer had power over all aspects of the physical world.
Ragnarok calls
Ragnarok was a prophesized apocalypse in Norse mythology where gods and warriors would fight their final battle and the world would be destroyed.
Valhalla's fires
Valhalla was a paradise for fallen warriors, and the fires were symbolic of the constant feasts and festivities that took place there.
Burn through the night
The festivities in Valhalla never ceased, representing the eternal rewards awaiting those who died honorably in battle.
Einherjer
Einherjer were warriors who were chosen to live in Valhalla and aid Odin in Ragnarok.
Storm to the fight
The Einherjer were ready and willing to participate in the final battle, serving as a formidable force on Odin's side.
The funeral pyres
The Vikings honored their dead by burning their bodies on funeral pyres, a symbolic gesture of sending them to Valhalla.
In Nifleheim
Nifleheim was a cold and dark underworld in Norse mythology, symbolizing death and decay.
The Demon's lair
The Vikings believed that demons lived in Nifleheim, adding to the danger and mystique of the underworld.
Ichor burns bright
Ichor was a mythological fluid that ran through the veins of the gods, and its fiery quality symbolized the intense fighting spirit of the Vikings.
Death By The Hammer
This repeated phrase is a declaration of the Vikings' unwavering commitment to victory in battle, which they attributed to the power of Thor and his hammer.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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Stelios F
RIP Legendary Mark "The Shark" Shelton.
Forever with us through your lovely music. Farewell!
BrockSamson18
This is AWESOME!
Luis Pelayo
This is so epic! Greetings from Mexico! Up the hammers !!
Vreidicus
Manilla Road is a conduit to the gods.
Wintercold
Nostalgie trip, a true awesome old classic masterpiece!
Raziel redeemer and destroyer , peon and messiah
Pure raw and power
alessio zazzarino
this is great
MultiTotten
Great !!
David Silva
Song Fantastic!!!!
bassistdave109
Through frost and fire the Vikings came dealers of death in Odin's name barbaric lust born of the soul one way to crush all of thy foes DEATH BY THE HAMMER!