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.
Friction In Mass
Manilla Road Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Inside this tortured frame
Scrying the past
Visions in broken glass
Riding The Wave
To bring back The Ancient Ways
Rune Spells be cast
Dark secret of Holy Mass
The Magik is inside The Well
The Triad's flames
Doth cover all the planes
Fight to the last
Be more than war Friction in Mass
Black hail and rain
Nightmares outside the brain
Unholy wrath
Friction that lights The Path
Knights of the Flame
Defenders in Odin's name
Life comes to pass
The Magik of Hallowmas
Oh can't you see
The Fire is inside of thee
The Triad's flames
Doth cover all the planes
Fight to the last
Be more than war Friction in Mass
Sacred Laws of old
And ancient spells
Are never lost to those
Born of The Well
The icey wastes of home
Bred into me
A taste for the unknown
A hate for blasphemy
The waters of The Lake
Purify The Soul
But wisdom of The Fates
Always has its toll
The Fires of Mars have burned
Inside of thee
The tides shall soon be turned
By destiny
Evil lords of war
Drunk on virgin blood
Ram through the door
Letting loose The Flood
Titons rise again
Gorgons of Light
The wars now begin
'Tis time to fight
Warriors rise from the grave
Longships sailing The Wave
Bloodshed on every shore
Friction massing from war
Knights of The Flame
Rise from the grave
Fight to the last
Friction In Mass
Too wild to tame
Setting the world ablaze
Bards of the craft
Burning the midnight wax
Breaking the chain
Avenging the wrongly slain
Lords of The Axe
Servants of Candlemas
Oh can't you see
The Magik is inside of thee.
The lyrics to "Friction in Mass" by Manilla Road are a call to arms for fighting against evil using magic and ancient knowledge. The song starts by talking about feeling the pain inside the tortured frame and trying to scry the past through visions in broken glass. The next line speaks about riding the wave to bring back the ancient ways and casting rune spells to uncover the dark secrets of the Holy Mass. The song goes on to say that the Magik is inside the well and can be felt by those who look for it. The Triad's flames cover all the planes and one must fight to the last and be more than war to come out victorious.
The song then goes on to talk about the knights of the flame who defend in Odin's name and the magic of Hallowmas. The lyrics say that the fire is inside of thee and the Triad's flames cover all the planes. One must fight to the last and be more than war to win. The song ends by speaking about sacred laws of old and ancient spells that are never lost to those born of the well. The warriors rise from the grave, longships sail the wave, and bloodshed is on every shore. The friction massing from war is too wild to tame, setting the world ablaze.
Overall, Manilla Road's "Friction in Mass" is a song about fighting against evil using ancient knowledge and magic. It is a call to arms for those who are willing to fight to the last and be more than war to win.
Line by Line Meaning
Feeling the pain
Experiencing physical or emotional discomfort
Inside this tortured frame
Within one's own suffering body and mind
Scrying the past
Gazing into history for insight or knowledge
Visions in broken glass
Images seen through shattered fragments of a mirror or window
Riding The Wave
Following and adapting to the flow of events and circumstances
To bring back The Ancient Ways
Resurrecting traditions or customs from an earlier time
Rune Spells be cast
Incantations using the ancient alphabet of runes
Dark secret of Holy Mass
Mysterious and possibly sinister knowledge related to religious rituals
Oh can't you tell
Attempting to get someone to understand or perceive something
The Magik is inside The Well
Powerful supernatural forces reside within the depths of a well
The Triad's flames
Three-fold burning energy, perhaps symbolic of a religious trinity
Doth cover all the planes
Extending across all dimensions or spheres of existence
Fight to the last
Persisting and battling until the very end
Be more than war Friction in Mass
Conflicts and confrontations create sparks of change or transformation
Black hail and rain
Dark and foreboding precipitation from the sky
Nightmares outside the brain
Horrific and unsettling dreams that seem to come from an external source
Unholy wrath
Extremely intense and unrighteous anger or fury
Friction that lights The Path
Disagreements or struggles that point the way towards enlightenment or progress
Knights of the Flame
Warriors dedicated to an intense and passionate cause
Defenders in Odin's name
Protectors who serve a Norse god associated with wisdom and war
Life comes to pass
Existence is fleeting and temporary
The Magik of Hallowmas
The mystical forces present during a holy holiday
Oh can't you see
Trying to communicate the existence of something to someone else
The Fire is inside of thee
Each person contains a spark of passion, fury, or creativity
Sacred Laws of old
Ancient rules or commandments regarded as holy or venerable
And ancient spells
Magical incantations that have been used for generations
Are never lost to those
People who are connected to their heritage or tradition will always remember its practices
Born of The Well
Created by the power or energy that emanates from a natural source
The icey wastes of home
The cold and barren regions where one is from
Bred into me
Instilled or developed within one through upbringing or environment
A taste for the unknown
A craving for exploration and discovery
A hate for blasphemy
Intense loathing for those who speak or act sacrilegiously
The waters of The Lake
The liquid within a natural body of water
Purify The Soul
Cleanse one's inner self by exposure to a natural element
But wisdom of The Fates
The insights and knowledge granted by the powers controlling one's destiny
Always has its toll
Even beneficial or necessary actions or decisions will have negative consequences
The Fires of Mars have burned
The passionate and aggressive side of one's nature has been ignited
Inside of thee
Within one's mind or soul
The tides shall soon be turned
Significant and dramatic changes or events are forthcoming
By destiny
As predetermined by the forces controlling one's life path
Evil lords of war
Villains who use warfare to further their nefarious agendas
Drunk on virgin blood
Intoxicated or empowered by the blood of an unblemished person
Ram through the door
Forcefully enter or innovate past barriers or conventions
Letting loose The Flood
Releasing a massive and overwhelming force or entity
Titons rise again
Giants or beings of great size and power return to prominence
Gorgons of Light
Angel-like or radiant creatures that possess great strength
The wars now begin
Conflict and struggle are beginning once again
'Tis time to fight
Now is the right moment to engage in battle or opposition
Warriors rise from the grave
Those considered dead or buried return as heroic fighters
Longships sailing The Wave
Large boats or sea vessels traveling on the open ocean
Bloodshed on every shore
Violence and death occurring all along coastlines and waterways
Friction massing from war
Tension, hostility, or strife rising from armed conflicts
Knights of The Flame
Warriors dedicated to an intense and passionate cause
Rise from the grave
Suddenly returning to a state of strength or power
Too wild to tame
Unruly and uncontrollable, unable to be subdued or dominated
Setting the world ablaze
Causing widespread and intense excitement or upheaval
Bards of the craft
Masterful creators of artistic or literary works
Burning the midnight wax
Staying up late to work hard and be productive creatively
Breaking the chain
Breaking free of obstacles or constraints that limit progress or growth
Avenging the wrongly slain
Seeking justice or revenge for someone who has been unjustly killed
Lords of The Axe
Powerful wielders of weapon known for its destructive force
Servants of Candlemas
Those who offer service or devotion to a particular religious holiday
Oh can't you see
Attempting to get someone to understand or perceive something
The Magik is inside of thee.
The ability to create wonder and enchantment exists within each person
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind