Description
2014 press on yellow and black splatter vinyls with poster. Limited 300 copies
Well, what can you really say about Manilla Road which has not already been said? They are indeed a legend in their own right. Hailed as US Metal pioneers (their debut album Invasion was released on their own Roadster label in 1980), the band from Wichita (Kansas) has set the trend for the current renaissance of Epic Power Metal (despite being at best ignored and at worst derided by mainstream Metal magazines around the globe for some 25 odd years). The original Manilla Road folded back in 1990 after The Courts Of Chaos, only to return with a rather lacklustre comeback album in 2001 called Atlantis Rising. However, on their latest longplayer Gates Of Fire Mark The Shark Shelton and his (new) boys truly show that they are back with a vengeance. The album is divided into three parts, Trilogy I: The Frost Giant’s Daughter (consisting of three individual tracks), Trilogy II: Out Of The Ashes (consisting of another three numbers) and finally Trilogy III: Gates of Fire (making up the closing three compositions), the album is 72:16 minutes of sheer Epic Metal glory. Gates Of Fire is a real masterpiece in the typical traditional Manilla Road style and in contrast to Atlantis Rising and also Spiral Castle experimental passages are kept to an absolute minimum. Somehow, compositions like the outstanding up-tempo opener Riddle Of Steel are going back to the very early albums (Invasion and Metal) – an absolute must for every 80’s Manilla Road maniac. Mark Shelton is sharing the vocals (with Bryan Hellroadie Patrick) on a couple of tracks, which works absolutely fine and adds another dimension to the sound of the band. Mark’s guitar work is as unique as ever.
Track list:
1. Trilogy 1: The Frost Giants Daughter
a) Riddle Of Steel
b) Behind The Veil
c) When Giants Fall Out Of The Ashes
2. Trilogy 2: Out Of The Ashes
a) The Fall Of Iliam
b) Imperious Rise
c) Rome Gates Of Fire
3. Trilogy 3: Gates Of Fire
a) Stand Of The Spartans
b) Betrayal
c) Epitaph To The King