Mark of the Beast was originally going to be Manilla Road's second album. It was recorded in 1981 but wasn't met with satisfactory so it was left in the dark to make way for Manilla Road's Metal. It was reflected back 20 years later and picked up by Monster Records to clean up the sound production of the demos and provide an official release for the fans. For what was a bootlegged release back then, the outcome of the sound production has managed well. Mark of the Beast takes a more rock approach as opposed to metal, although there do exist some heavier songs, including a speed metal rocker. For the most part it's not in your face and feels laid back but despite the band scrapping this album in the early 80s, it has become a common favourite.
Teacher ups the tempo of the overall mood of Mark of the Beast and keeps on running throughout. The raw atmosphere of the song fits to make it feel very retro and despite it not seeing the light of day until 2002, this should be an early example of speed metal. Half way through the song takes a different turn but the pace remains. The song talks about a Christian teacher wanting to take advice from the lord about how to explain the prophecies of Eschaton. It feels like there's an attempt to escape from it all but in the end, there is sadly defeat. Overall, Teacher is one that stands out from Mark of the Beast. This doesn't reflect the overall energy of the album but it's songs like this that make you wonder how all 66 minutes of this album even got rejected.
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