REST IN POWER: Mark Shelton's journey through Manilla Road & Beyond

By: Richard Maw

Once again, one of the metal world’s heroes has passed on into the next world- whatever that may be. Mark Shelton is gone at 60 years old. Mark helmed Manilla Road through the years from the late 70s onwards; give or take a hiatus here or there. This warrior of true metal stayed active and creative throughout his musical life and is one of the very, very few musicians to reactivate a band that went on to greater success and recognition after their comeback.

Always the main man in the band- much like Lemmy was in Motorhead- Mark was ably and loyally assisted by a cast of stalwart brothers like Bryan Patrick, Rick Fisher, Scott Park, Randy Foxe, Phil Ross, Josh Castillo,  Harvey Patrick and Andreas “Neudi” Neuderth to name but a few. From early hard rock infused records such as “Invasion”, through the true metal breakthrough of “Crystal Logic” and on to bona fide underground classics such as “The Deluge”, “Open The Gates” and “Mystification”, Manilla Road continued to evolve and progress.

After a period of diminishing returns, Shelton put the band on hiatus for a couple of years in the 90’s but in the end the muse proved too strong and Manilla Road came back up from the crypt to create multiple more entries into the band’s prolific musical canon. The comeback albums pulled in influences from modern metal such as death growls and furthered the progressive element of the band. Each album was different from the last and the creativity on display on “Voyager” was matched by the intensity of “Playground of the Damned” and so on.

Right up to the end, Mark Shelton refused to lay down the sword and it is my view that the last few years produced some of his very best work. Manilla Road went back to metal basics on “Mysterium” and then made an absolute masterpiece with “The Blessed Curse” and consolidated that progressive metal approach with the superb “To Kill A king”. Unbelievably, Mark also found time for the deliciously dark side project Hellwell and the hard rocking “Riddlemaster”- with a release from each of those bands AND Manilla Road in 2017 alone! I cannot claim to have known the man, but the fact that he bothered to get in touch after I reviewed “To Kill A King” in 2017 is testament to a kind and caring man who was very gracious to me about a review I felt absolutely compelled to write- such was the high quality of the record I had bought. Neither he nor Bryan Patrick had to pass comment at all- but they did and it made my day that they were so positive about what I had written.

Manilla Road are a band that almost all underground doom and trad metal bands will name as an influence and that is testimony to the quality of the music that Mark produced. The albums were always idiosyncratic, always varied and featured production quirks, unique vocals and incredible songs. Mark Shelton will be missed as a man (a friend, a father, a relative, a band mate and so on) as well as a musician, but his musical legacy will live on. I would like to think that Mark’s quest continues beyond the veil and that somewhere in the halls of Valhalla he still searches for the lost chord, the next song, the perfect solo and prepares to do battle on stage again for all eternity. Rest in power.

The following is a statement from the band. 

It is with a very heavy heart that we announce the passing of our beloved brother Mark (The Shark) Shelton, founder and lead guitarist for Manilla Road. Mark passed away suddenly, while at the Headbangers Open Air Festival in Germany. His brothers and band mates are making arrangements to bring Shark's remains home. All money donated will go directly to Mark's Mother Janet Elliot for the hospital and mortuary expenses.

Thank You for all your support and loving facebook messages. Thank you for your generosity and May the Lords of Light be with you!

https://www.gofundme.com/mark-shelton-rip

or you can donate through our paypal account: booking@manillaroad.net

TOP 16 ALBUMS: THE SOUR 16 (November 2017)

As we enter the countdown to Christmas and with a mere 17 days to go it is time to present 16 of the best albums from September, it is time for your SOUR 16. 

You know the drill by now, each month you the reader are unwittingly compiling a list of the top16 records of the month, covering all genres of metal.  Is it not a chart, in which reviewers or contributors extol their opinion about their favourite music.  To put it simply, THE SOUR 16 are the records that have been trending the most at SLUDGELORD HQ.

The results are compiled based on the amount of page views the reviews have received and are then calibrated into the list below.  All reviews can be viewed by clicking the artwork and we have included album streams wherever possible. (Total views since their publication are highlighted in the red)

16). Sect – “No Cure for Death” (823)

Sect have set the standard for hardcore music and what it should aspire to in 2017. If you’re looking to heavy music with a message, look no further than “No Cure for Death”.

15). Slabdragger & Wren - “Mothers Of The Beef And The Magic Of Invention” [Split] (874)

Both bands deliver the best kind of cover version; one that takes the source material and imbues it with their own unique spirit to create something new and exciting.  An essential purchase for any fans of the UK heavy underground and maybe it’ll turn some old Zappa and Beefheart heads towards the sludgier side of life too

14). Cannibal Corpse - "Red Before Black" (938)

Once again, Cannibal Corpse have crushed all in their wake and returned as conquering anti-heroes of the death metal genre.  Cannibal Corpse remain the death metal band by which many other death metal bands are judged and remain my go-to band of choice if I want to listen to something extreme, violent, uncompromising and also oddly, inexplicably, insanely listenable.

13). Hooded Priest - "The Hour Be None" (959)

This is doom metal that will appeal to anyone with a sense of theatre and anyone who wants to bang their head as well; there is some great metal on offer here. Huge and sprawling in its ambition, “The Hour Be None” is a doom tour de force and I recommend it highly.

12). Amenra - "Mass VI" (1054)

Amenra’s music is real and comes across as brutally honest. The formula (sonic + emotional heft) = (a heavy album) is one that’s been done many times before, but what Amenra does that sets them apart from the pack is the diligence they use when drinking from the well of inspiration. Amenra makes their listener feel and live with them. This keeps Amenra in touch with why they started making music in the first place. It’s this artistic integrity that helps make “Mass VI” what it is. 

11). Pale Horseman - "The Fourth Seal" (1084)

Pale Horseman offers a special sort of heft to their music, with mesmerizing guitars convulsing, vocals crunching  and the drums creating a war beat that is stifling in weight.

10). Fister & CHRCH – “Fister/CHRCH” (Split LP) (1120)

Over the course of nearly forty minutes, CHRCH and Fister, employing different sonic palettes and lineups, craft a perfect split for the moment: unholy, polluted, funereal and dismal – a requiem for humanity’s end times that is as beautiful as it is ugly.

9). Manilla Road - "To Kill A King" (1205)

In summary, To Kill A King is a superb and epic metal album, forged from the finest steel.

8). Dead Quiet – “Grand Rites” (1255)

All of the nuance and balance on this record really make it an experience that never bogs the listener down. It is for these reasons, that Dead Quiet’s “Grand Rites” is one of the best Canadian Metal records of the year.

7). Purple Hill Witch - "Celestial Cemetery" (1256)

From the Deep Purple-indebted organ intro, to the bluesy pentatonic riffing, there’s no doubt that the latest LP from Norway’s Purple Hill Witch is pure retro-metal worship.  The pervasive garage metal swagger elevates some pretty raw material and proves that they have the chops to be a really excellent outlier in the doom metal underground

6). Clouds Taste Satanic - "The Glitter of Infinite Hell" (1381)

Clouds Taste Satanic’s blend of doom, stoner and sludge chords, capacious basslines and drums set an imposing climate that sets them  apart from their peers. Each cut here feels distilled down to the pitched greatness of its many influences. Guitars simmer like the hunt during a horror movie and by the albums conclusion, chances are your mind will be thoroughly mashed.

5). Converge - "The Dusk In Us" (1897)

Today, with random acts of violence, anger and pessimism dotting our timelines, maybe Converge just now seems like a soundtrack to our contemporary apocalypse

4). Godflesh - "Post Self" (2301)

It may be a disturbing, challenging last will and testament of humanity’s futurist hopes and dreams, but “Post Self” is an invigorating, complex, and honest piece of industrial metal.  Perhaps most importantly, in a genre that can be glutted with repetitive speed metal riffs and samples of shouting despots, Godflesh stands as one of the smartest bands working today.

3). Norilsk - "Le Passage des Glaciers" (2752)

French canadian doom duo Norilsk return from a two-year layoff with a surprising new album, one that gives a reengaged sound to the pair's signature style.  Norilsk manages to be bold without being alienating, and that is indeed refreshing.

2). Electric Wizard - "Wizard Bloody Wizard" (9121)

 “Wizard Bloody Wizard” transcends whatever the in-thing of the moment is, and focuses instead on musicianship, the album's all-analog approach creates a warm, vintage sound for the songs and on the whole Electric Wizard feels re-energized, whilst  remaining true to their seedy pedigree

1). Morbid Angel - "Kingdoms Disdained" (28760)

This album is a statement of intent, placing the focus on convulsive rhythm changes and dissonant, jagged riffs over accessibility.  ‘Kingdoms Disdained’ is Morbid Angel's most uncompromising album of their career and their best album in nearly twenty years, and I don’t consider that light praise.

A big thank you as always to our amazing writers, your dedication knows no boundaries and for that I am truly grateful.  Novembers 2017’s “SOUR 16” features reviews by:  Richard Maw, Ernesto Aguilar, Daniel Jackson, Mark Ambrose, Victor Van Ommen, Charlie Butler & Mark Tremblay

ALBUM REVIEW: Manilla Road - "To Kill A King"

By: Richard Maw

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 30/06/2017

Label: Golden Core Records (ZYX)

In summary, To Kill A King is a superb and epic metal album, forged from the finest steel.

“To Kill A King” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. To Kill A King
2. Conqueror
3. Never Again
4. The Arena
5. In the Wake
6. The Talisman
7. The Other Side
8. Castle of the Devil
9. Ghost Warriors
10. Blood Island
11. The Books of Skelos Pt. 1 (The Book of Ancients)*

The Review:

Incredibly, this is the first time this legendary band has been featured on THE SLUDGELORD, but their influence on the metal underground- trad/doom/thrash, even prog- is so great that this album simply had to be reviewed. I wanted to review this when it was released earlier in the year, but finances were tight and no promo copy made its way to SLUDGELORD HQ, so I had to wait until I had the funds to buy it. I am glad I did, as for the last week; this has been in constant rotation.

Manilla Road have been putting out records since 1979(!), barring a break for much of the 90's, and each one has been different from the last. From the trad metal of “Crystal Logic” and “Open The Gates” to the chaotic and progressive “The Deluge” to the thrashier material of “Mystification” through to the mix of metal genres that has permeated everything from “Atlantis Rising” onwards, Manilla Road are a unique band. With Mark Shelton still at the helm, Bryan Patrick's perfectly matched vocals, Neudi- a German drummer with unusual and capable technique- and Phil Ross holding down the low end, the band are tight and very focused.

Honestly, I came to the band late- I first heard “Crystal Logic” after hearing the cover of “Necropolis” by Visigoth- and then went through a few of the key albums before buying “The Blessed Curse” back in 2015. I rate that very highly indeed- I love the drum sound, love the writing, the playing and the themes. A fantastic album on every level. It was with high hopes, then, that I pressed play on “To Kill A King”.

The title track is first up and it is an epic. The sound is not dissimilar to “The Blessed Curse”- a huge bonus for me as I love the production on that one. It seems that some fans complain about Manilla Road's productions, but not me. I like albums to sound different from one another and to have quirks; it makes the music come alive a lot more. The tom sound is particularly excellent- it has real tone and depth to it. The snare is tight (maybe a piccolo?) and the cymbals are very bright and clear. The guitar has the usual distinctive Shelton tone and the bass has warmth and depth. As per recent releases, the vocals are reverb drenched and almost laid back in delivery. With Hamlet re-told in the title track the ten minute playing time flies by- lots of guitar workouts, several different sections and a few interesting production approaches (overlay of acoustic in the verses, for instance).

“Conqueror” blasts out of the speakers with a killer riff and some shredding leads early on and makes for a very direct second track. Good time changes, too. The much more melancholy “Never Again” is a great change of pace and a fine rumination on the nuclear threat. I really like this track and find it extremely catchy as well as being oddly relaxing- despite the unsettling subject matter.

“The Arena” finds the guitars mixed front and centre as bass drums roll and the none-more-metal subject matter of gladiatorial combat is brought to life through the music. This is rousing stuff and features some great harsh vocals to go with the more operatic delivery through the verses. Once again, the lead work is superb and the band is really firing on all cylinders. By the time of “In The Wake”, the pattern of the album becomes clear- the band have made a very dynamic record; epic songs, all out metal assaults, more mellow and introspective material and some serious hooks. “In The Wake” certainly features the latter and represents the more commercial side of Manilla Road; strong riffs, catchy vocals and mid tempo pacing. It is also rather melancholic as per “Never Again”.

“The Talisman” represents one of the album high points and offers up an excellent main riff and a very focused vocal performance- a fantastic track. The band take things down a few notches for the intro of “The Other Side”, but then switch to a strong central refrain and a great vocal from Bryan Patrick (please excuse me if I have confused him with Mark Shelton, but I think this is right) with evocative lyrics about visions of doom and manifest destiny this would not be out of place on any classic Sabbath album.

The final three tracks are balls to the wall heavy metal. “Castle Of The Devil” has great rhythmical riffing and the bass pulls the track along superbly. As ever, you are never too far from a lead break and they are all expertly delivered. Time changes also abound, just for good measure. “Ghost Warriors” has a surprisingly catchy vocal line and the central riffs are just as memorable. The historical theme is delivered with the universal message of how glorious it can be to fight against tyranny and stand up for yourself.

By the time “Blood Island” roars out of the open gate the album is close to an hour long. Truthfully, it does not feel like it to me- it just feels like an immersive listen with no one track like another. The alternating heavy track/mellow track dynamic is dispensed with in the record's final stretch, but this is fine with me- the band finish strong and go for the throat down the home straight.

Honestly, I thought was going to like this album as soon as I saw the Paulo Girardi artwork- but it has been great to hear it and really get into it. I think Manilla Road are in something of a purple patch of their career here; “The Blessed Curse” and the “Hellwel” records are great and I also really liked “Mysterium” as a straightforward metal album. In summary, To Kill A King is a superb and epic metal album, forged from the finest steel.

“To Kill A King” is available here

Band info: official || facebook