One of the great cult metal bands from the eighties, Manilla Road still has a strong following, particularly in Europe. Isolated from the metal world in their home in Kansas, the trio (recently expanded to a quartet) have released an impressive array of albums over their career, all with a distinctively original sound. That sound consisted of gruff and nasal vocals, low-tuned, heavy guitar work, lyrics often delving into fantasy topics, and mostly slow to mid-paced riffing, with an emphasis on creating an epic feel to their works.
Their subsequent albums Crystal Logic, Open the Gates and The Deluge are generally considered to be classics in the field of epic heavy metal. The band was quiet for most of the nineties, but band leader Mark Shelton revived the group in 2001, and the group continues to record and enjoy cult success.