Dragon Star - The Manilla Bros Prepare For Battles to Come...With Moonshine

Moonshine, white lightnin', blind man's booze. Welcome my friends to the end of the liquor universe. Tonight we sampled some delights to come, that is to say we listened to Vital Remains, who we are about to see at the legendary Pyramid Scheme here in our sleepy burg. We also explored Integrity and Manilla Road, who I will be checking out at this year's Maryland Deathfest this weekend. Bloodmace and I, along with our new compatriot Vecton the Bard journeyed deep into cherry flavored madness to bring you this report. Behold now, gentle readers, the swirling vortex that is METAL fucking NIGHT!

Manilla Road's 1987 opus, Mystification started things off on a high note. This was an important release for the (already) veteran band, as the thrash metal elements in their music came to the fore. They had flirted with the punkish sounds of metal's red-haired stepchild since the very first album but with Mystification they really went the full nine yards. The grace and majesty of their US power
metal days blends seamlessly with the harder and faster sounds of west coast trash and the band scores another flawless victory in their unbelievably prolific and influential career. Reflecting on the times when we have evaluated this banbd's other albums, two things always come up. One, they are criminally underrated and two, the singer/guitar player, Mark Shelton's voice is an acquired taste. I would put fourth that getting used to Mr. Shelton's nasal shriek is simply the toll that must be paid in discovering one of metaldom's greatest treasures

Adventure in Samur Part 12.1 - Malevolent Invocation

The entrance leads down a flight of concrete stairs and through a hallway where florescent lights buzz overhead. Bright primary color doors line the sides of the passage at regular intervals, each bearing an obscure symbol like the ones we saw in Keep Trawston. Jarkon motions to Bloodmace and I, who are carrying Mistress Crowbastard between us, to enter one of the side rooms. The bright red panel gives way to reveal a room with a simple, low wooden bed and plain chair. We deposit our shape shifting compatriot on to the mattress and turn to Jarkon, but before we can question our benefactor, Lars the Berserker has burst in from the hall and declares, "Jarkon! Youi remember your people on the shores of the Spirit Lake? They are dead. Slaughtered by one of your creatures." A dangerous rage begins to glow in the eyes of the vengeful warrior and Jarkon's hand moves to his laser pistol.

By the time Vital Remains' debut, Let Us Prey echoed through the halls of Jenkabala Palace, the moonshine had taken its toll. Bloodmace had destroyed the west wall with his mighty stroke and Vecton the Bard was slamming chloraseptic and port shots, chasing them with beer. The year this album came out was 1992 and death metal was the order of the day. Vital Remains had been active since the late 80's and this album was well received by fans hungry for the next brutal masterpiece to issue fourth from the fetid black earth that was the east coast DM scene at the time. Bloodmace, being the old school death metal fan that he is, was immediately transfixed in transports of gleeful fury as the Rhode Island maniacs unleashed waves of thick, evil riffs punctuated by bursts of the  atmospheric synth n' samples intros and outros so beloved to this genre. As for Vecton and I, who are power metal fans to the core, there was appreciation for the nice twin guitar work and interesting (if long) song structures. Looking forward to checking these guys out on Thursday!

 Adventure in Samur Part 12.2 - Valley of Unrest

Lars continues, "Now you pay traitor!" Lars' mighty arm swings the ferocious cudgel at the mysterious hill dweller but Jarkon sidesteps his blow and yells out to us all, "Your friend is about to die!" Undeterred, the terrible shoresman brings down another blow, but again but his nimble opponent is too fast for him. Bloodmace and I jump on Lars and are just barely able to restrain him

for a moment, long enough for Jarkon to finish his deceleration, "We can save her but we will need the power of the denim and leather" The red faced barbarian is not convinced, "Traitor! You want your master to be able to locate us. Now you die!" Breaking away from our grip, Lars leaps across the room, this time landing a blow squarely upon Jarkons side, our host doubles over and falls to the ground. Lars prepares for his death blow but Jarkon, with impressive accuracy, sends out two bolts from his rusty laser pistol. One grazes the Berserker's hand, the other hits him in the chest, deflecting off his leather armor but knocking him back against the opposite wall. As each warrior takes a moment to recover, an inky black crow flies into the room and lands upon Mistress Crowbastard's chest. Bloodmace, in a stern voice says, "Enough, fools! You see that her spirit is about to be transported away as we speak? She would already be lost to us if Jarkon had not intervened. We do as he says."

If any band might make me dip my toes in the murky stew of hardcore, groove and thrash that is metalcore, it would be Integrity. Here is a band that plays to my ears. When we jammed Seasons the Size of Days last night the air was a haze of booze and laughter, the music floated into the air without consequence, but upon the second go round I caught on to the twisted essence of this strange band. A great listen that I highly recommend.

When the dust settled, however, the winner was...

Manilla Road!

All hail the champions of metal night!

Words of the Elders
Beware children of the sun, for the black stone wielder follows close at your heels! Time has come for our heroes to decide what path to take in this strange spirit world. Turmoil reigns among them, will Bloodmace hold the band of four together in the danger zone or will Headron's forces swoop down upon them, crushing them as so many ants? Death to false grooviness! Death to the pale riders! Our cutlasses are true and shall slice you to the quick in the hour of chaos! 

Until next week, spirits of the dead, 






Horns