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.
Venusian Sea
Manilla Road Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To come to this place
A wild envisioned dream of mine
Tolive deep in space
A course that I have set myself
I will be strong
For however long it takes
To reach my final destiny
And now unto me
Venusian Sea
I've got to it alone
There'll be no help
In the danger zone
I've got to give it my all
Everything that I've lived for
Venusia my dream
I traversed through the galaxy
To come to this place
A wild envisioned dream of mine
Tolive deep in space
A course that I have set myself
I will be strong
For however long it takes
To reach my final destiny
I will be free
And now unto me
Venusian Sea
Just like a dream
Now I believe
A city beneath
Venusian Sea
What do you see?
What do you care?
Have you found it?
Is it really there?
I your own mind
For the rest of all time
Have you lost all of your pride?
In your life
Venusia my dream
The lyrics to Manilla Road's "Venusian Sea" speak to a sense of adventure, determination, and self-reliance. The singer describes traversing through the galaxy in pursuit of a wild and visionary dream to live deep in space and ultimately reach their final destiny. There is a clear sense of grit and resilience in the lines "I've got to it alone / There'll be no help / In the danger zone / I've got to give it my all / Everything that I've lived for / Venusia my dream."
The "Venusian Sea" itself seems to be a symbol of the unknown, yet alluring possibilities of life in space. It is described as a city beneath the sea, perhaps representing hidden depths of one's own psyche and the discovery of unexplored parts of oneself. The final lines, "What do you see? / What do you care? / Have you found it? / Is it really there? / I your own mind / For the rest of all time / Have you lost all of your pride? / In your life / Venusia my dream," suggest a questioning and introspective reflection on the pursuit of this dream and the sacrifices that may come with it, all ultimately leading back to a personal connection to the dream itself.
Overall, "Venusian Sea" is a powerful and evocative song that captures a sense of adventure and self-discovery through the metaphor of space and the unknown. It speaks to the universal theme of pursuing one's own dreams with determination and resilience, while also grappling with the personal and emotional costs that come with such an endeavor.
Line by Line Meaning
I traversed through the galaxy
I journeyed through the vast universe
To come to this place
To arrive at this destination
A wild envisioned dream of mine
An imaginative dream that I conceived
Tolive deep in space
To live in the depths of the cosmos
A course that I have set myself
A self-directed course that I have chosen
I will be strong
I will remain resolute
For however long it takes
No matter how long it may take
To reach my final destiny
To achieve my ultimate fate
I will be free
I will attain liberation
And now unto me
Now I possess
Venusian Sea
The vast ocean of the planet Venus
I've got to it alone
I have reached it without assistance
There'll be no help
No aid will be given
In the danger zone
In the perilous area
I've got to give it my all
I must exert all my energy
Everything that I've lived for
Everything that has given my life meaning
Venusia my dream
My dream of living on the planet Venus
Just like a dream
Like a surreal experience
Now I believe
I now have faith
A city beneath
A civilization located below
What do you see?
What is your perception?
What do you care?
What is your concern?
Have you found it?
Have you discovered it?
Is it really there?
Does it actually exist?
I your own mind
Within your own psyche
For the rest of all time
For all eternity
Have you lost all of your pride?
Have you relinquished all of your self-respect?
In your life
Within your existence
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dr. Phibes
I traversed through the galaxy
To come to this place
A wild envisioned dream of mine
Tolive deep in space
A course that I have set myself
I will be strong
For however long it takes
To reach my final destiny
I will be free
And now unto me
Venusian Sea
I've got to it alone
There'll be no help
In the danger zone
I've got to give it my all
Everything that I've lived for
Venusia my dream
I traversed through the galaxy
To come to this place
A wild envisioned dream of mine
Tolive deep in space
A course that I have set myself
I will be strong
For however long it takes
To reach my final destiny
I will be free
And now unto me
Venusian Sea
Just like a dream
Now I believe
A city beneath
Venusian Sea
What do you see?
What do you care?
Have you found it?
Is it really there?
I your own mind
For the rest of all time
Have you lost all of your pride?
In your life
Venusia my dream
Domenico De Simone
one of the best songs i've ever heard, thank you MR
Christopher Robin
I concur. Magnificent track.
alex
Agree
SpandoSpando
Same here,man... R.I.P. Mark
Dr. Phibes
I traversed through the galaxy
To come to this place
A wild envisioned dream of mine
Tolive deep in space
A course that I have set myself
I will be strong
For however long it takes
To reach my final destiny
I will be free
And now unto me
Venusian Sea
I've got to it alone
There'll be no help
In the danger zone
I've got to give it my all
Everything that I've lived for
Venusia my dream
I traversed through the galaxy
To come to this place
A wild envisioned dream of mine
Tolive deep in space
A course that I have set myself
I will be strong
For however long it takes
To reach my final destiny
I will be free
And now unto me
Venusian Sea
Just like a dream
Now I believe
A city beneath
Venusian Sea
What do you see?
What do you care?
Have you found it?
Is it really there?
I your own mind
For the rest of all time
Have you lost all of your pride?
In your life
Venusia my dream
Pentagramofon
Can we expect a reissue of this, on any format? I really like this album and I'd like to hear it on a physical medium. Eternal support to Manilla Road!
Darnelle Schwarz
Arttu Whiskars hey its been rereleased as dreams of eschaton lp they sell it at their gigs and its probably online!
Simon Miles
I want this played at my funeral.
Like Nothing else Matters by Metallica, they'll be played when the coffin is carried to the longboat.
Simon Miles
@jeremiasz rebelka well, a large open Woven Coffin, with full armour!
jeremiasz rebelka
all perfect ! but why a coffin - you should wear armor and hold your sword man!