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.
Hack It Off
Manilla Road Lyrics
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So here you are lift your head
You fed on dawns early light, you're so right
I'm a puppet on a string
You're a thing
Unreal you rise like coiled diamond surprise
I'm wed to you
What can I do, I could
[chorus]
Hack it off and find a way
Start another life today
Grease the guillotine, make it pay
Bye bye baby, bye bye
Iron studded icon you molten lead music
Into the greedy ears of America
So they can swallow every drop
Of your cathode ray amor'e
A moray eel steals into a thousand hearts of darkness
While Cupid's bow snaps like the spine of love
And he pulls out his bazooka instead
So many dead
[repeat chorus]
Mirror windshield shards fly like fractured facts
I ain't no saint so paint me black
And send me somewhere
I don't care
If I made a point it's just afly in the ointment
Anoint me holy mother of maggots
For I have sinned against love
What's love ? I think I love it, but I want to
Hack, hack
The song "Hack It Off" by Manilla Road is a complex, multi-layered piece that explores several themes, including the struggle for independence, the nature of love, and the corrosive effects of power. The opening lines "So here you are lift your head, You fed on dawn's early light, you're so right" sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer feels trapped and controlled by someone who sees themselves as superior. He compares himself to a puppet on a string, highlighting the imbalance of power in their relationship.
The chorus of the song, "Hack it off and find a way, Start another life today, Grease the guillotine, make it pay, Bye bye baby, bye bye", reflects the singer's desire for freedom and his willingness to do whatever it takes to achieve it. The use of violent imagery and the repeated phrase "hack it off" suggest a growing sense of desperation and a need for radical action.
The second half of the song takes a darker turn, with the lyrics focusing on the destructive effects of power and the inevitable consequences of violence. The lines "Iron studded icon you, Molten lead music, Into the greedy ears of America, So they can swallow every drop" describe the way in which musicians and celebrities are worshipped by society, often at a great cost to their own well-being.
Overall, "Hack It Off" is a powerful and thought-provoking song that tackles a range of complex issues. It highlights the dangers of allowing others to control our lives and underscores the importance of standing up for ourselves and fighting for our own independence.
Line by Line Meaning
So here you are lift your head
The singer is addressing someone and telling them to lift their head up.
You fed on dawns early light, you're so right
The person addressed is self-certain and confident, having gained confidence from some accomplishment.
I'm a puppet on a string
The singer feels controlled by someone else's will.
You're a thing
The person addressed is not seen as a human being with emotions and feelings but an object.
Unreal you rise like coiled diamond surprise
The person addressed has an unexpected rise to prominence that seems unreal.
You make my bed
The person addressed has become an instrumental part of the singer's life.
I'm wed to you
The singer is committed to the person addressed in a deep and unbreakable way.
What can I do, I could
The artist is aware of their inability to control the situation but feels like they could do something about it.
[chorus] Hack it off and find a way Start another life today Grease the guillotine, make it pay Bye bye baby, bye bye
The chorus is about cutting ties with the person addressed and starting a new life without them, even if that means hurting them.
Iron studded icon you molten lead music
The person addressed is seen as a powerful icon in the music industry.
Into the greedy ears of America
The person addressed has gained popularity by catering to the wants and desires of the American public.
So they can swallow every drop Of your cathode ray amor'e
The American public has consumed everything that the person addressed has produced.
A moray eel steals into a thousand hearts of darkness
The person addressed has managed to garner support from a dark and mysterious fanbase.
While Cupid's bow snaps like the spine of love
Romantic love has failed to keep the singer and the person addressed together.
And he pulls out his bazooka instead So many dead
Instead of using love as a way to bring people together, violence and destruction have been used, causing destruction and loss.
[repeat chorus]
The chorus is repeated to emphasize the importance of severing ties and starting anew.
Mirror windshield shards fly like fractured facts
The artist is surrounded by chaos and destruction and is making an observation about it.
I ain't no saint so paint me black
The singer isn't pretending to be perfect or innocent and accepts their flaws as a part of them.
And send me somewhere I don't care
The singer is indifferent to where they are sent, conveying a sense of hopelessness.
If I made a point it's just afly in the ointment
The artist's opinions or contributions are insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
Anoint me holy mother of maggots For I have sinned against love
The artist has committed an unforgivable sin against love, asking for absolution from a higher authority.
What's love ? I think I love it, but I want to Hack, hack
The artist is unsure of what love is, but they know they want to sever ties with the person addressed, emphasized by the repetition of 'hack.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
asklipiadas
ahead of its era!
T-Rex
2:45 Headbang