...SIŁA I PIĘKNO MUZYKI TKWIĄ W JEJ RÓŻNORODNOŚCI...


..::OPIS::..

Absolutny klasyk ciężkiego grania! Trzeci album klasyków amerykańskiego, epickiego metalu - przez wiekszość fanów uważany za najlepsze dokonanie zespołu Marka Sheltona. Dwupłytowa, zremasterowana niemiecka edycja z 2013 roku. Dodatkowo osiemnaście utworów, w tym alternatywne miksy i nagrania demo.



"Crystal Logic" to trzecia płyta amerykańskiego zespołu, który nie cieszył się zbyt dużą popularnością w Europie z powodu bardzo małego nakładu środków na reklamę. Wielu sądzi, że to ich pierwszy krążek, ale to nie prawda. Prawdą jest jednak, że na tej płycie zaczęli wypracowywać już swój własny wyjątkowy styl. To arcydzieło epickiego metalu. Płyta utrzymana jest jak na Manilla Road przystało w baśniowych klimatach, opowiada o mistycznej walce dobra ze złem, o wikingach, którzy zawsze bronić będę swojego świętego miasta.

Płyta rozpoczyna się świetnym intrem, które przenosi nas w świat baśni i magii. "Necropolis" to krótki, ale bardzo żywy utwór, który jeszcze przez długi czas pozostaje w głowie. Tak samo tytułowy "Crystal Logic", w którym zespół doskonale radzi sobie ze zmianami tempa. "Flaming Metal System" został dodany jako bonus na nowej zremasterowanej wersji płyty i po dzień dzisiejszy uznawany jest za jeden z najlepszych utworów w historii heavy metalu. Najbardziej rozbudowany ze wszystkich jest ostania kompozycja połączona z "Epilogiem". Sam "Dreams Of Eschaton" trwa prawie 10 minut! Zaczyna się świetnym akustycznym wejściem, a później przeradza się w silne metalowe uderzenie.

Według mnie najlepszym ze wszystkich utworów na "Crystal Logic" jest "The Veils Of Negative Existance", który zaczyna się niesamowitym krzykiem Marka Sheltona i wręcz perfekcyjnie dopracowanym tekstem, mówiącym o strażniku mistycznego świata, walczącego ze złem.

Jeśli jesteś fanem epickiego metalu, lubisz doskonałą muzykę i chcesz odkryć w muzyce coś niesamowitego, to polecam Ci album "Crystal Logic" Manilla Road.

Michał Martyniak


Even though Manilla Road is considered a cult band by those who know them, they haven't gained nearly as much fame as other hard rock and heavy metal bands from the 70s/80s.They started off in the space rock territory, typical of the time, but quickly found their own style and created some of the most engaging and fascinating USPM ever. The release that showcases that best is, in my opinion, Crystal Logic. All the songs on this album are memorable, and there is a surprising amount of variety, from the 3-minute rager of Necropolis to a 12-minute finale. There are faster and slower moments scattered throughout the record with great balance. Every element of this album, from front to back, feels deliberate and thought of, which is something most albums, particularly today, lack. There is a strong artistic vision, mainly thanks to the sole composer and lyricist, Mark Shelton, aka The Shark (R.I.P.). He was a true metal mastermind, and his songwriting style stands out in the sea of other heavy metal.

The Shark did lead vocals here, which are mostly mid-high range with some lower tone moments in more dramatic fragments, but his vocal style is VERY characteristic, and he can't be mistaken for any other singer, especially at the time of making Crystal Logic. His accent, intonations, overall delivery, and occasional shouts make his performance wild and captivating. He also wrote and performed all the guitars, a 6- and, interestingly, a 12-string. The guitar parts are extremely well written and performed, although (I'm not 100% sure, as I'm not a guitarist) they don't seem technical; it's mainly about the creativity and the feel. There are many solos in the album, all of which are amazingly done, my favorite ones being those in the title track, Necropolis, and Dreams of Eschaton. Speaking of Dreams Of Eschaton, this epic finale consists of an acoustic slower part, a heavy metal middle, and from the halfway point onwards, it becomes instrumental, with a 3.5-minute guitar solo, then a creepy interlude. The track's full name is "Dream Of Eschaton/Epilogue," so we can assume the epilogue, which closes out this record, is the ending sequence of Shelton manically screaming, followed by ambience of what sounds like crystals. It is also important to talk about the drumming, which is performed in a way that perfectly fits all the songs. Its standout feature would be the fills, which give Rick Fisher, the drummer, an opportunity to show off, and he definitely uses these moments well. Fisher was also responsible for backing vocals here, which definitely enhance the listening experience, even if they're not always that noticeable. Now onto the bass, which is simple but serves the songs well and is not buried under the mix. Performed by Scott Park. The overall mixing on the album is great, with all instruments on display and a classic old-school feel (it was released in 1983, after all).

Lyrically, some songs tell stories while others are a bit too cryptic, to the point that I'm not sure what the author's intention was, especially on tracks like Crystal Logic or Veils Of Negative Existence. I may also be overanalyzing, so go read the lyrics yourself, as I believe there is value in them. All things considered, this album is perfect in my belief. No classic heavy metal or USPM album compares to this. While a bit strange in the delivery, it is perfect. The highlight of this record for me is Mark Shelton's vocal and guitar performance, as well as his songwriting. He really was the soul of Manilla Road, and he will forever be missed by fans of the band.

Up the hammers and go listen to Crystal Logic !!!!!!!

Dvpamemkarakan



..::TRACK-LIST::..

CD 1:
1. Prologue 1:39
2. Necropolis 3:11
3. Crystal Logic 6:02
4. Feeling Free Again 2:46
5. The Riddle Master 4:43
6. The Ram 3:52
7. The Veils Of Negative Existence 4:34
8. Dreams Of Eschaton / Epilogue 12:02

Bonus Tracks:
9. Flaming Metal System 5:43
10. Crystal Logic (Rough Mix) 6:05
11. Dreams Of Eschaton (Alternate Rough Mix) 5:17
12. Feeling Free Again (Rough Mix) 2:51


CD 2:
1. Introduction 0:11
2. Time Trap (Studio Version, Alternate Mix) 6:53
3. Upon The Wings Of Fate (Unreleased Song) 9:24
4. Venusean Sea (Early Rehearsal) 6:14
5. Black Lotus (Early Rehearsal) 5:28
6. Aftershock (Early Rehearsal) 6:25
7. FXz 0:29
8. Time Trap (Early Rehearsal) 10:38
9. Flaming Metal System (Alternate Mix 2) 5:57
10. Crystal Logic (Live 2011) 5:56
11. Flaming Metal System (Live 2013 Feat. Marta Gabriel) 5:33
12. Dreams Of Eschaton (Live Acoustic 2013) 1:47
13. Dreams Of Eschaton (Performed by Viron) 6:54



..::OBSADA::..

Mark Shelton (R.I.P. 2018) - Guitars (6-string, 12-string), Vocals (lead), Songwriting
Scott Park - Bass
Rick Fisher - Drums, Percussion, Vocals (backing)




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6v9vGc8x94



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