Review by JD on December 30, 2014.

Shadow Kingdom Records 2012 re-release. Originally released in 1980 on own label Roadster Records.

When veteran metalheads release some of their old albums again, magic comes forth. You can see where they have come from, and how they had began crafting the power and passion from the start, and forging what we have today. Manilla Road is of those cornerstone bands, that never became hugely big, yet it is their influences that has ended up being the titanic force that now fuels thousands of bands all over the globe.

Formed back in 1977, Manilla Road probably had not have one clue that they were going to be one of the few prototype acts that would end up inventing what we know and love as Heavy Metal. Melodically sound, intensely in spots heavy and just a whole lot ‘o’ fun, many of the founders of metal past and present have taken their cue and many of the ideas right from Manilla Road.

The release Invasion is more Hard Rock than it is metal, yet the album ends up showing quite nicely that metal was being born. With amazing melodies, engaging and unforgettable hooks packaged up with a whole whack of talent, this was a band that should have been so big across our tiny planet but ended up going not as far. Each song is a crafted masterpiece that shows the process of metal being born for our world.

It does sound like a late 70's, early 80's album, but its bold talent and musical power shows itself to transcend time effortlessly. It is a album that will surprise many, despite being first released more than thirty years ago, because it clearly stacks up with many hard Rock/Metal albums of today... and teaches us all just how it should be done. It was sad that they Manilla Road were not a big thing over here in North America or even in Europe, but that was one of music’s greatest tragedies... they were one of metals finest cornerstones.

Rating: 8.8 out of 10