•
Rating:
For those who may not know, Manilla Road is devoted to epic metal, recognizable from the first listen thanks to the unique nasal voice of singer/guitarist Mark Shelton. The band was formed in 1976 in Wichita, Kansas by the singer and bassist Scott Park. In July 1979, the talented drummer Rick Fisher joined the band. This album was released in 1983 following the first "Invasion" and "Metal," and was launched onto the music market by the Iron Glory label.
Those familiar with Manilla Road will know very well that this album has significantly contributed to the development of epic. A magnificent album, composed of songs hard to assimilate on a first listen: so don't expect AOR tracks or simple and predictable heavy metal. Crystal Logic is something more.
It's hard to find adjectives for the superb metallic ride known as "Necropolis" (in my opinion among the best in the epic realm ever), with its compelling chorus that rocks us to the forgotten and lost tombs of ancient kings. But the album is very varied, containing flashes of hard rock like the fast "Feeling Free Again" and even venturing into doom shores with the decadent "The Veils Of Negative Existence". The pair "The Riddle Master" and "The Ram" are also worth mentioning. The former is stamped with heavy metal and seems to contain two different songs within it: it starts off slow and dark, followed by Shelton's solo (numerous throughout the album and all quite long), while the second portion becomes direct and with tight rhythms. "The Ram" is more straightforward in its form and features an excellent refrain.
Lastly, one cannot remain indifferent in front of the sonic splendor of the title track, which in 6 minutes captures the essence of the epic. Additionally, there's the final suite "Dreams Of Eschaton": a slow initial arpeggio, Mark's great vocal performance, granite riffs, and a stunning solo give this song a magical aura, crowned by lyrics speaking of dreams and legends tied to worlds and peoples now vanished...
Moreover, the reissued CD version contains the excellent bonus track "Flaming Metal System."
Crystal Logic is an album belonging to another era, a fundamental record for the genre's development, a must-have piece for heavy metal enthusiasts at all costs...
To those who disdain epic? ...well, too bad...
Thank you, Mark Shelton, for gifting us with this wonder...
"...In the misty jungles of the Styx
Hides the lost city of the dead
The tomb of ancient kings
The forgotten graveyard of Volusia..."
Loading comments slowly
