Manilla Road's 1992 album "Open the Gates" saw the band experimenting with a more straightforward hard rock sound, moving away from their signature epic metal. The album features a more polished production than much of their earlier work.
- "Open the Gates" was released on January 20, 1992, by the French label Black Dragon Records.
- The album was recorded at various studios, including Sound Trax in Wichita, Kansas.
- While the band explored new sonic territory, the album still contains lyrical themes common to Manilla Road's catalog, drawing from mythology and history.
Manilla Road is a heavy metal band from Wichita, Kansas, founded in 1977 by guitarist and vocalist Mark "Shel" Shelton. They are considered pioneers of the epic heavy metal genre, known for their mythological and fantasy-themed lyrics. "Open the Gates" arrived late in the band's initial run on the Black Dragon Records label, during a period of significant stylistic shifts and lineup changes before their first hiatus.
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