Much like Lars Ulrich’s consistent championing of Diamond Head over many years, Darkthrone’s Fenriz has been metal’s institutional memory regarding Manilla Road, the underrated Kansas-based band that is best remembered for its 1983 Blue Oyster Cult-ish cult classic, Crystal Logic. If you’re under 35 and are acquainted with Manilla Road and its legacy, it’s probably as of result of Fenriz’s persistence - as always, when Fenriz speaks, it behooves us to listen.  

Out Of The Abyss was originally issued in 1988 and has a markedly different outlook than the one that characterized the charming optimism of Crystal Logic. Where Crystal Logic was an almost perfect summation of where NWOBHM-obsessed heavy metal tread and dominated, Out Of The Abyss is instead a far more underground foray that relies on Bathory and speed metal as its templates. Which usually would gain all sorts of horns of support from this scribe, because Quorthon and Dave Mustaine are both metal torchbearers.  But, despite the fact that Out Of The Abyss is probably the most aggressive and forceful entry in the Manilla Road discography, the problems with this record are twofold. First, the production here is subpar, and not in the fascinating way that accompanies Bathory’s best work: Out Of The Abyss’ mix is way, way too reliant on its jittery and twitchy bass lines, just as it showcases that huge snare in far too prominent a role, making the rhythm section a disproportionate sounding mess, literally. Second, the proto-black and proto-thrash that’s found here, while well-written, feels disingenuous coming from Manilla Road, sort of like when Slayer suddenly seemed to be desperate to catch up to a younger man’s game with all that groove on Diabolus In Musica.

That said, it’s heartening to see that Shadow Kingdom has re-issued this record. Despite its faults, Out Of The Abyss is a historical peculiarity that merits more attention, especially given the praise bestowed on proto-metal bands like Ghost and The Dagger (both of which merit that praise, if you’re wondering). And, hey, taken in totality, with its warts and all, Out Of The Abyss is a record that deserves respect for its praises to the underground and all the particular idiosyncrasies that accompanied it in 1988.