Metal (Manilla Road album)

Metal is the seventh studio album by the American epic heavy metal band Manilla Road, released in 1982. It is often considered one of the band's defining albums and a cornerstone of the epic metal genre.

The album represents a significant departure from Manilla Road's earlier, more straightforward hard rock sound. Metal showcases a more complex and progressive song structure, incorporating elements of fantasy and mythology in its lyrical content. Mark Shelton's distinctive guitar playing and soaring vocals are prominent features of the album.

Key tracks include "Metal," the title track and an anthemic declaration of the band's musical identity, and "Queen of the Black Coast," a lengthy and atmospheric piece inspired by Robert E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian stories. Other notable songs include "Cage of Mirrors," "Far Side of the Sun," and " зми (The Serpent)."

Metal was initially released independently and received limited distribution, but it gradually gained a cult following within the heavy metal underground. Its influence can be heard in the work of numerous later bands, particularly those associated with the epic metal, doom metal, and power metal genres. The album has been reissued several times by different labels, often with bonus tracks or remastered audio. Despite its initial obscurity, Metal is now regarded as a classic of its era and a highly influential album in the development of heavy metal music.