Manilla Road

Manilla Road – Mysterium Review

By Steel Druhm on March 3, 2013 in 2013, 3.0, American Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Shadow Kingdom Records, Heavy Metal, 8 comments

“Manilla Road has more lives than Michael Myers or Jason Vorhees and much like those respective masked lunatics, they just won’t die. Although toiling away since the late 70s, Manilla Road and founder/vocalist/guitarist Mark “The Shark” Shelton have achieved nothing more than obscure, cult status in the metal world. They are the quintessential “true” metal act and have been releasing slight variations on their mega old school, American proto metal since I was in grade school.” Steel Druhm destroyed the last album by these legends, but loved the related Hellwell project. Will he find love on the Road or will the Hammer of Judgment come down again?

Darkthrone – The Underground Resistance Review

By Dr. Fisting on February 22, 2013 in 2013, 3.0, Norwegian Metal, Peaceville, Reviews, 16 comments

My esteemed colleague, Angry Metal Guy himself, wondered aloud if Darkthrone’s recent output was perhaps an attempt at trolling the entire metal community. It certainly does take a sick sense of humor to subject black metal fans to something like The Underground Resistance, and the band has made it increasingly clear that they’re not exactly taking this seriously. But beyond the shits and giggles, it’s clear that Darkthrone exists in a bizarre musical utopia, a world where Bathory, Amebix, Motorhead and Manilla Road are all of equal merit and metal cred. And if you’re unable to summon that kind of open-mindedness within yourself, then perhaps the joke truly is on you.

Hellwell – Beyond the Boundaries of Sin

By Steel Druhm on September 29, 2012 in 2012, 4.5, American Metal, Epic Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Shadow Kingdom Records, Heavy Metal, 5 comments

Manilla Road is an institution in the metal world and deserve many accolades. However, their last album bummed Steel Druhm out bigtime. Now, Hellwell, the Manilla-fueled side project of Mark Shelton is here to right the wrongs and kill with songs. Steel Druhm is happy again and back in the Cthulhu cult where he belongs. Join him…

Manilla Road – Playground of the Damned Review

By Steel Druhm on July 29, 2011 in 2.5, 2011, American Metal, Doom Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Shadow Kingdom Records, Doom Metal, Heavy Metal, 9 comments

Manilla Road, thy name is cult! These aged metallers from Kansas have been keeping it “true” since before the 80’s. Over their long existence they released no less than fourteen albums of old school, vintage metal to the acclaim of a small but loyal niche following. Led by guitarist/singer Mark “The Shark” Shelton, they’ve plumbed the depths of 70’s and early 80’s metal, some albums sounding like old Cirith Ungol, some moving closer to Manowar, Doomsword and Slough Feg. They’ve always lived in that realm between classic metal and doom and their discography has its great moments (and a few missteps as well). In some circles these guys have attained legendary status and while they clearly deserve it for dedication, I never thought their material was all that consistent. However, I always find myself rooting for them to succeed. I did so again with their fifteenth album Playground of the Damned, but I’m not too thrilled with the end product. Like some prior albums, there are great moments but some cringy ones as well. Definitely an acquired taste and not for everyone, this is one of those bands you really have to hear for yourself. However, I will endeavor to do my humble best to describe what lies within as only the Lord High Protector Steel Druhm can.

Therion – Sitra Ahra Review

By Steel Druhm on September 30, 2010 in 2010, 3.0, Nuclear Blast, Power Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Power Metal, Progressive Metal, 11 comments

All aboard the Trans-Si-Therion Express! Conductor extraordinaire Christofer Johnsson will be along shortly to check your Avant-card to be sure you are worthy of the long, strange and bewildering musical odyssey he carefully prepared for you. And quite a journey it is through Therion’s fourteenth album Sitra Ahra (fourth in the quadrilogy made up of Deggial, Sirius B and Lemuria). Continuing along with his own unique vision of sympho-orchestro-gotho-metal, Johnsson may well have outdone himself here in scope and excess. If forced to describe Sitra Ahra in one word, that word would be bombastic. If granted another word, it would be pretentious. If given but three more, they would be over-the-top. How pretentious and over-the-top is Sitra Ahra you ask? So pretentious that it makes Nightwish and Epica sound like AC/DC. So over-the-top, it could only be equaled by a production of The Vagina Monologues staring both Gwar and Immortal. Now, clearly restraint was never the point here and Johnsson’s motto has always been a “more is more” and that’s great. But when is more TOO much?