Playground of the Damned 2011

"Manilla Road have been rocking the world since 1977 (with a longer break in the 90s, but never mind that), and now they are back with their 15th full-length release.

The listener will probably find that there are not that many surprises on this album in terms of new stylistic directions, and most listeners will probably be happy to hear that, given that Manilla Road's dark and heavy style of traditional metal and unique way of using the conventional elements of traditional metal really is quite unlike anything else. And dark heavy metal is what Manilla Road deliver on this album.

There are plenty of kick ass guitar riff and solos on this album, and Manilla Road make great use of the classic acoustic introduction on a couple of tunes as well. The drumming, I think, has more facets that you hear in the music of many traditional metal bands with roots in the 80s, and that is something I really appreciate.

Unfortunately, the drums sound a bit flat production-wise, and I also think that the overall mix is a bit unbalanced, and a bit too unpolished for Manilla Road's style. The problem is that the production quality makes the music sound a bit too un-epic (and Manilla Road's style calls for a really epic sound). I mean a bit of reverb and a booming drum sound would make a track like the metal ballad 'Art of War' sound like a massive epic masterpiece.

While the production could be better, there certainly is nothing wrong with the music. This is dark, heavy and massive traditional metal, and fans of traditional metal should check it out.

(review originally posted on metalmusicarchives.com)"