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.
Do What Thou Will
Manilla Road Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You've got to free yourself
Is your cup empty or filled
Wisdom is the true wealth
Through science, man has evolved
Into the master race
Embracing the eight fold law
If you believe
That all your dreams
Shall be fulfilled
You will achieve
What you can be
Do what thou will
Reaching out unto the muse
Searching for the lost chord
Seeking the metal that's true
Scream out and raise your sword
If you believe
That all your dreams
Shall be fulfilled
You will achieve
What you can be
Do what thou will
The lyrics to Manilla Road's song "Do What Thou Will" speak to the idea of free will and personal empowerment. The song urges listeners to take control of their own lives and pursue their dreams without fear or hesitation. The first stanza states that one's true wealth lies in wisdom, rather than material possessions or wealth. The second stanza acknowledges the advances made by science and technology, but emphasizes the importance of individual willpower and the belief that one's destiny is within their own control. The final stanza encourages listeners to embrace their creativity and passion, symbolized by reaching out to the muse and seeking true metal (authentic passion and power), in order to achieve their dreams.
Overall, the song is a call to action to listeners to seize their lives and not be afraid to take chances in pursuit of what they truly desire. It is a message of personal empowerment and encouragement to live life to the fullest.
Line by Line Meaning
You have to do what thou will
You must follow your own path and desires
You've got to free yourself
You must liberate yourself from societal expectations
Is your cup empty or filled
Are you in need of knowledge or have you already gained it?
Wisdom is the true wealth
Knowledge and understanding are more valuable than material possessions
Through science, man has evolved
The advancements in science and technology have allowed humans to progress
Into the master race
Humans have elevated themselves to a superior status through their scientific developments
Embracing the eight fold law
Following the principles of Buddhism's Eightfold Path for right living
Your will is your own fate
The choices you make determine your destiny
If you believe
That all your dreams
Shall be fulfilled
You will achieve
What you can be
Do what thou will
If you have faith in your goals and aspirations, you can accomplish anything when you follow your own path
Reaching out unto the muse
Reaching for inspiration and creativity
Searching for the lost chord
Seeking the essential, missing piece that will bring it all together
Seeking the metal that's true
Searching for the pure essence of metal music
Scream out and raise your sword
Taking a bold stand and fighting for what you believe in
Contributed by Gabriel E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@carloscoelho6463
Great track ⭐⭐⭐⭐.