Manilla Road

Background

Mark Shelton came out of Wichita with formal music training that began on piano in childhood and expanded to voice, trumpet, baritone, bass viol, and percussion before he shifted from drums to guitar in his high-school band Embryo. After a brief Marine Corps stint, he returned home, linked with bassist Scott “Scooter” Park, and completed the first Manilla Road lineup with drummer Benny Munkirs and rhythm guitarist Robert Park. Shelton and Munkirs coined the name Manilla Road during a late-night Monty Python’s Flying Circus session, and the band built its early local standing on original material in Wichita clubs.

A fatal accident involving head sound-and-light man Allen Denny broke that first phase. Munkirs left, Myles Sype entered on drums, and Robert Park quit during the session that produced the 1979 Manilla Road Underground demo, a small cassette run that the band sent to local radio and passed hand to hand.

Shelton and Scott Park then replaced Sype with drummer Rick Fisher, a high-school friend of Shelton. Shelton’s lyrics already drew on Robert E. Howard, H. P. Lovecraft, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and other adventure and fantasy writers. The trio’s music combined hard rock, space rock, and progressive structures. 

Invasion

Manilla Road released their debut album, Invasion, on March 20, 1980, on Roadster Records.

Invasion stretches its songs into long arcs and coats the mix with fuzzy weight and space-lit effects. “Street Jammer” opens with blippy sci-fi tones and pushes toward a harder attack. “Far Side of the Sun” gives Mark Shelton room for extended solo flights and airy tremolo detail. “Centurion War Games” cuts the motion down to short-strummed figures and a compact fantasy sketch.

“The Empire” sprawls across thirteen minutes with a chugging drive, blissed-out psych jamming, and a fantasy narrative about the lost kingdom of Manilla. The album keeps its rough basement texture throughout the set and lets the guitar carry much of the drama with whooshing tones, long leads, and sustained riff pressure. Manilla Road group-wrote all six tracks.

A1. “The Dream Goes On” (6:32)
A2. “Cat and Mouse” (8:19)
A3. “Far Side of the Sun” (8:09)

B1. “Street Jammer” (5:18)
B2. “Centurian War Games” (3:41)
B3. “The Empire” (13:32)

Manilla Road recorded Invasion at Miller Studios in North Newton, Kansas, with engineers Jon Miller and Eric Enns. Sessions wrapped in the winter of 1979 on their own dime.

Sharon Jesik designed the cover with backside photography by Len Wood. The original pressing carried a purple border on the front cover and a painted band image on the back sleeve.

Metal

Manilla Road released their second album, Metal, on August 16, 1982, on Roadster Records.

Metal hits with a rough handmade surface, tight detail, and a stronger bite across the set. “Defender” lands as a quick strike built on a deep-running bass figure. “Queen of the Black Coast” starts from a simple riff, then opens into howling leads and marching fills under images of pirates and tigresses.

“Out of Control with Rock ’n’ Roll” drives on blunt force and iron-clad resolve. “Cage of Mirrors” stretches into a simmering fantasy epic with dirt-flinging riffs, wild solos, an inward-turning chorus, and dreamy harmonics. The album keeps its force lean and direct while Shelton threads each passage with close-worked detail and long guitar arcs. Shelton wrote all seven tracks.

A1. “Enter the Warrior” (5:18)
A2. “Defender” (2:02)
A3. “Queen of the Black Coast” (4:23)
A4. “Metal” (6:10)

B1. “Out of Control with Rock ’n’ Roll” (4:15)
B2. “Cage of Mirrors” (8:40)
B3. “Far Side of the Sun” (4:55) – re-recorded from their first album.

Manilla Road recorded Metal at Miller Cave Studios in North Newton, Kansas, during February 1982 with Jon Miller and Larry Funk, who also handled the mix and shared production with the band.

Mark Shelton shared the cover-art credit with his bandmates and Stephen Pierce. 

Crystal Logic

Manilla Road released their third album, Crystal Logic, in December 1983 on Roadster Records. It marks their full embrace of modern maximalist metal with seven Mark Shelton originals, including the epic “Dreams of Eschaton.”

Crystal Logic opens with “Necropolis,” which hits at a fast clip and packs big riffs, sharp-turn phrases, and a compact surge of fantasy detail. “Crystal Logic” starts from a brief guitar prelude, lands on a crushing central riff, then pivots into slower dramatic weight and dancing, contoured figures. “Feeling Free Again” places a low verse delivery over unexpectedly fast drumming and a brighter chorus shape. “The Riddle Master” begins with slow heavy steps, drives toward an effects-soaked solo, and closes with a tempo shift that tightens the narrative arc.

“The Ram” pushes muscular mid-pace chords into a high-speed shred run full of quick fills and explosive breaks. “The Veils of Negative Existence” turns on a slow eerie riff, a dark chorus, and dramatic phrasing. “Dreams of Eschaton” opens with acoustic lines and close harmonies, darkens into a war-torn march, then stretches toward a long solo before the piano-and-noise coda of “Epilogue.”

A1. “Prologue” (1:35)
A2. “Necropolis” (3:10)
A3. “Crystal Logic” (6:00)
A4. “Feeling Free Again” (2:48)
A5. “The Riddle Master” (4:41)

B1. “The Ram” (3:46)
B2. “The Veils of Negative Existence” (4:34)
B3. “Dreams of Eschaton” (10:26)
B4. “Epilogue” (1:34)

Manilla Road recorded and mixed Crystal Logic at Miller Studio in North Newton, Kansas, from April through June 1983 with producer Mark Mazur, engineer Larry Funk, and Jon Miller on recording and mixing.

John Jinks supplied the cover art. The 2000 Iron Glory reissue added “Flaming Metal Systems,” which first appeared on the US Metal Vol. 3 compilation.

After Crystal Logic, Rick Fisher cleared out for drummer Randy Foxe.

Open the Gates

Manilla Road released their fourth album, Open the Gates, in 1985 on Black Dragon. The original package featured an eight-song LP and a bonus single with two lengthy tracks, later combined onto a ten-track CD (53:10). 

Open the Gates pushes a heavier attack across the set. “Metalstorm” leans on a long chord cycle, hammered accents, and a churning pulse. “Open the Gates” hits with a short furious charge. “Astronomica” opens with a low arpeggio and spreads into a grinding epic. “Heavy Metal to the World” rides a dusty verse figure and blunt forward motion. “Weavers of the Web” locks into a mid-tempo churn and string-scrape tension. “Road of Kings” keeps a brisk charge and a sharpened edge.

“Hour of Dragon” holds to a mid-paced burn and a harder vocal snarl. “The Ninth Wave” runs on drum drive and dense atmosphere. “Fires of Mars” stretches into a drifting epic with scorched lead work and freak-out passages. “Witches Brew” closes in the same long-form mode with a more spiritual drift and unbound guitar cries.

A1. “Metalström” (5:17)
A2. “Open the Gates” (2:20)
A3. “Astronomica” (4:59)
A4. “Weavers of the Web” (4:17)

B1. “Heavy Metal to the World” (3:19)
B2. “The Fires of Mars” (6:12)
B3. “Road of Kings” (5:46)
B4. “Hour of the Dragon” (4:44)

C. “The Ninth Wave” (9:30)
D. “Witches Brew” (6:20)

Manilla Road recorded Open the Gates at Miller Studio with co-producers Max Merhoff, Rick Fisher, and engineer Larry Funk. Eric Larnoy supplied the illustration and Nick Newbill handled the artwork. 

The Deluge

Manilla Road released their fifth album, The Deluge, in 1986 on Black Dragon.

The Deluge runs at high speed and keeps a raw, unstable edge across the whole set. “Dementia” drops with busy drum fills, sharper riff turns, acoustic accents, and a wild scream that tears open the lead break. “Shadows in the Black” opens with a hushed entrance, then snaps into acrobatic loops and sledgehammer fills under a string of lead breaks.

“Hammer of the Witches” drives a throat-cutting riff through a hard chorus. “Divine Victim” lands with bludgeoning force and a hard solo passage. “Taken by Storm” opens with war cries and charges forward on eccentric riff bursts. “Isle of the Dead” coils through an eerie entrance and a distorted vocal sting.

“The Deluge” begins with a haunted shimmer, climbs into heavier verses, and sends the lead work toward wave-crash drama before the closing sea wash. “Friction in Mass” rides a rollercoaster verse pattern, then opens into larger clean passages without losing momentum. “Rest in Pieces” closes on a blistering instrumental sprint. Shelton wrote everything apart from the miniature “Morbid Tabernacle,” performed by band associate Mike Metz.

A1. “Dementia” (3:08)
A2. “Shadow in the Black” (5:24)
A3. “Divine Victim” (3:10)
A4. “Hammer of the Witches” (2:43)
A5. “Morbid Tabernacle” (1:52) — Mike Metz
A6. “Isle of the Dead” (2:52)

B1. “Taken by Storm” (3:18)
B2. “The Deluge” (8:13)
— a. Eye of the Sea
— b. The Drowned Lands
— c. Engulfed Cathedral
B3. “Friction in Mass” (6:29)
B4. “Rest in Pieces” (1:48)

Manilla Road recorded The Deluge at Miller Studio with co-producers Max Merhoff, Jay Merhoff, Rick Fisher, Sherry Avett, and engineers Max Merhoff and Larry Funk.

Eric Larnoy supplied the illustration and shared the sleeve concept. Later reissues added a live version of “Dementia.”

Mystification

Manilla Road released their sixth album, Mystification, in August 1987 on Black Dragon.

Mystification drives on raw force, occult dread, and frantic riff motion. “Haunted Palace” opens with a punchy figure and whips that figure through twisted cycles under a hard charge. “Spirits of the Dead” starts as a crawl, then surges into mayhem while Shelton shifts from somber croons to belly-deep roars. “Valley of Unrest” keeps the pressure high with a fast attack and a darker pull.

“Mystification” begins as a haunted ballad, then erupts into an arcane rush under a chorus full of ceremony. “Masque of the Red Death” rings in with bells, then snaps into a high-energy verse pattern and a crazed central drive.

“Up from the Crypt” bursts open with a violent drum fill and keeps that momentum under a graveyard sprint. “Children of the Night” sends distorted figures through labyrinth turns, then breaks the chase with clean passages and eerie lead work. “Dragon Star” hangs on foggy verse textures and a wailing refrain. “Death by the Hammer” closes the album with a final burst of speed and release.

Shelton based each Side A track on title-sake short stories by Edgar Allan Poe. “Children of the Night” draws from a 1913 short story by Robert E. Howard.

A1. “Haunted Palace” (4:22)
A2. “Spirits of the Dead” (4:23)
A3. “Valley of Unrest” (3:40)
A4. “Mystification” (5:35)
A5. “Masque of the Red Death” (5:20)

B1. “Up from the Crypt” (3:02)
B2. “Children of the Night” (6:54)
B3. “Dragon Star” (5:54)
B4. “Death by the Hammer” (3:45)

Manilla Road recorded and mixed Mystification at Al Green Studios in Memphis, with editing and special production completed at the Miller Cave. Paul Zaleski co-produced the album, engineered by Errol Thomas and Larry Funk. Gérard Gustave mastered the release at Translab Studios in Paris.

L. Ryan Hendricks supplied the cover art from a Mark Shelton concept. The album also carried a dedication to the memory and art of Edgar Allan Poe.

Out of the Abyss

Manilla Road released their seventh album, Out of the Abyss, in July 1988 on Leviathan.

Out of the Abyss drives on tighter choppiness, harder pressure, and more intricate riff motion. “Whitechapel” bears down with a blunt, crushing push. “Rites of Blood” lands as a short, fast strike. “Out of the Abyss” hits with hammer-hard force and a clipped attack.

“Return of the Old Ones” opens the album outward with a longer span, sharper turns, and a more winding shape. “War in Heaven” follows with broader contours and a larger sweep. “Slaughterhouse” returns to a brief, violent charge. “Helicon” closes the set by stretching that same pressure across a longer arc.

A1. “Whitechapel” (7:15)
A2. “Rites of Blood” (4:15)
A3. “Out of the Abyss” (3:23)
A4. “Return of the Old Ones” (6:19)

B1. “Black Cauldron” (2:55)
B2. “Midnight Meat Train” (2:57)
B3. “War in Heaven” (4:55)
B4. “Slaughterhouse” (3:38)
B5. “Helicon” (6:36)

Manilla Road recorded Out of the Abyss at Miller Studios in North Newton, Kansas, then mixed the album at Prairie Sun Recording Studios in Cotati, California, with Steve Fontano. George Horn mastered the release at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, California, and Max Merhoff shared production with the band. David T. Chastain took executive production.

Aaron Brown supplied the cover art and Howard Eastwood took the band photograph. Mike Curtis added chimes and other effects during the sessions.

The Courts of Chaos

Manilla Road released their eighth album, The Courts of Chaos, in 1990 on Black Dragon. It features eight group-written tracks and the Bloodrock cover “D.O.A.”

Chaos leans into a more shadowed, contemplative cast, with heavier rhythm weight and a larger keyboard presence. “Dig Me No Grave” sets that mood with a bleak harmonic pull. “D.O.A.” stretches the same darkness across a longer span and slower pressure. “Into the Courts of Chaos” deepens the murk with prominent keys and a heavier central march.

“From Beyond” keeps the same ominous charge under a darker set of turns. “(Vlad) The Impaler” cuts in with a shorter, sharper burst of menace. “The Prophecy” lifts the album toward a grander scale and a more ceremonial stride. “The Books of Skelos” closes the sequence as a fearsome long-form construct and one of the album’s largest statements.

A1. “Road to Chaos” (4:44)
A2. “Dig Me No Grave” (4:21)
A3. “D.O.A.” (7:02) — Bloodrock
A4. “Into the Courts of Chaos” (5:23)

B1. “From Beyond” (5:05)
B2. “A Touch of Madness” (7:03)
B3. “(Vlad) The Impaler” (3:27)
B4. “The Prophecy” (7:01)
B5. “The Books of Skelos” (8:08)

Manilla Road recorded and mixed The Courts of Chaos at the Miller Cave Studio in Newton, Kansas, with co-producers Larry Funk and Max Merhoff. The band used a drum computer on the album.

The album closed the first Manilla Road run and the last studio phase with both Scott Park and Randy Foxe before the band’s break. Later reissues added a live version of “Far Side of the Sun.”