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.
Metal
Manilla Road Lyrics
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In honored grace we shall endure
Lords of war cast down on us
Nine lives before the Incubus
We praise the blood that metal brings
The essence of creative qaulity
Is life so pure we cannot seek
Chains of steel bind us here
They seem so real till death appears
In quest of fate, of love, of life
It's not to late to know the light
We praise the blood that metal brings
The essence of creative quality
Is life so pure we cannot seek
Our hopes, our dreams to make our fantasies reality
Incisioned mind, ruined for all time
In dark of night pursues the crime
But love be true even in hell
And love of life brings us metal
Blind as ever, they can't hear the bell
They will suffer for the souls they sell
Chains will never bind us to hell
To all father we rais eour swords and ride to Valhalla
Heavy..... METAL
METAL
METAL
The song "Metal" by Manilla Road is a tribute to the blood and essence of heavy metal music. This song celebrates the pure blood of life that flows through musicians and fans alike, and asserts that metal music is a sacred form of creative quality capable of bringing fantasies to reality. The lyrics speak of the chains of steel that bind humanity to mundane existence, but also suggest that through metal, we can break free of this bondage and pursue our hopes and dreams. The chorus asserts that metal is a way of life that can offer solace in the face of darkness and crime, and can lead us to the light of love and the glory of Valhalla.
The first verse of the song sets the tone of honor and endurance. The second verse speaks of the chains of steel that bind humanity to a life of despair and futility, but holds out the promise that through metal we can break these chains and pursue our hopes and dreams. The third verse speaks of the power of metal to bring love, light, and glory in the face of darkness and crime, and culminates in the rousing cry of "Heavy...METAL!" which represents the unbridled energy and spirit of metal music.
Overall, "Metal" is a stirring and anthemic tribute to the enduring power and soul of heavy metal music.
Line by Line Meaning
Blood of life, flowing pure
We honor the power and purity of life.
In honored grace we shall endure
We will persevere with dignity and integrity.
Lords of war cast down on us
We are challenged by powerful forces of conflict.
Nine lives before the Incubus
We have the strength to face adversity again and again.
We praise the blood that metal brings
We celebrate and embrace the spirit and energy of metal music.
The essence of creative quality
The creative output of metal music is of the highest caliber.
Is life so pure we cannot seek
We hold a deep respect for the sanctity of life.
Our hopes, our dreams to make our fantasies reality
We strive to turn our visions into something real and tangible.
Chains of steel bind us here
We can be constrained by circumstances and obstacles.
They seem so real till death appears
Challenges can seem insurmountable, but it is important to remember that they are not eternal.
In quest of fate, of love, of life
We seek to understand the mysteries and complexities of existence.
It's not to late to know the light
There is always hope for greater understanding and enlightenment.
Incisioned mind, ruined for all time
Mental wounds can linger for eternity.
In dark of night pursues the crime
The nefarious forces of the night seek to bring chaos and destruction.
But love be true even in hell
Even in the darkest moments, love is a powerful force for good.
And love of life brings us metal
We find inspiration and strength in our love for the world around us.
Blind as ever, they can't hear the bell
Some remain deaf to the warning signals of danger.
They will suffer for the souls they sell
Those who deal in evil will ultimately face the consequences of their actions.
Chains will never bind us to hell
We are not subject to the forces of darkness and evil.
To all father we raise our swords and ride to Valhalla
We take up arms in defense of what we hold dear.
Heavy..... METAL
We revel in the power and energy of the music.
METAL
We declare our love for the genre and culture that has brought us together.
METAL
We celebrate and embrace the music that has given us a sense of identity and purpose.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Omen Grindowar
Blood of life, flowing pure
In honored grace we shall endure
Lords of war cast down on us
Nine lives before the Incubus
We praise the blood that metal brings
The essence of creative quality
Is life so pure we cannot seek
Our hopes, our dreams to make our fantasies reality
Chains of steel bind us here
They seem so real till death appears
In quest of fate, of love, of life
It's not to late to know the light
We praise the blood that metal brings
The essence of creative quality
Is life so pure we cannot seek
Our hopes, our dreams to make our fantasies reality
Incisioned mind, ruined for all time
In dark of night pursues the crime
But love be true even in hell
And love of life brings us metal
Blind as ever, they can't hear the bell
They will suffer for the souls they sell
Chains will never bind us to hell
To all father we raise our swords and ride to Valhalla
Heavy..... METAL
METAL
METAL
Manny Ruiz
Love Mark's voice. RIP.
J. U.
I hate to be that person, but how could there even be any thumbs down on this? Such disrespect to an underrated, but greatly appreciated, to those in the know, Legend R.I.P. Mark
MTNTXii
They were too drunk to hit the like button
Uncle Jack Luminous
@MTNTXii they were looking for a lady caca song..... 🐸
Niko the metal maniac
My favourite epic poem at the moment. And Mark Shelton, one of the greatest immortal epic poets of all time.
Alex Stephan
My favorite Metalband of all time!!!!
Francesco Laruffa
Masterpiece
Omen Grindowar
Blood of life, flowing pure
In honored grace we shall endure
Lords of war cast down on us
Nine lives before the Incubus
We praise the blood that metal brings
The essence of creative quality
Is life so pure we cannot seek
Our hopes, our dreams to make our fantasies reality
Chains of steel bind us here
They seem so real till death appears
In quest of fate, of love, of life
It's not to late to know the light
We praise the blood that metal brings
The essence of creative quality
Is life so pure we cannot seek
Our hopes, our dreams to make our fantasies reality
Incisioned mind, ruined for all time
In dark of night pursues the crime
But love be true even in hell
And love of life brings us metal
Blind as ever, they can't hear the bell
They will suffer for the souls they sell
Chains will never bind us to hell
To all father we raise our swords and ride to Valhalla
Heavy..... METAL
METAL
METAL
BunchesBundles77
i cry evrytim
Uncle Jack Luminous
⚔️ VERY ⚔️ FUGGIN ⚔️ METAL ⚔️