Open The Gates

Description

"Open the Gates" was originally released by Black Dragon Records in 1985. It was the first contract signed by Manilla Road with a label outside of their own structure, Roadster Records. The atmosphere within the band at the time of the original album release was electric. Mark "The Shark" Shelton remembers it well: "We were in a whirlwind of excitement. A kind of musical frenzy, if you will. All the band members got along really well, and everything seemed to flow very naturally, with good prospects for the future in mind." The original vinyl version released by Black Dragon came with a bonus 12-inch maxi. This was due to the duration limitations of vinyl records at the time. Sales were more than satisfactory during the initial release of the album in Europe. Over the years, Manilla Road has become quite known for its conceptual albums, but "Open the Gates" is only partially one. The album is primarily inspired by the legend of King Arthur.