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22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Today's torchbearers of classic heavy metal., November 22, 2001
Iced Earth has their fair share of detractors who accuse them of being unoriginal. It's impossible to deny that they are not a groundbreaking band, but at the same time they are entirely unique. A combination of 80s thrash Metallica and Iron Maiden's storytelling and melodic songwriting, they work for me on many levels. For one thing, there are not many bands around making this kind of music...that is, down-to-earth heavy metal. Furthermore, no band of comparable style can compare to Iced Earth's stellar songwriting ability, passion, and integrity. Jon Schaffer's soul is in this music. Also, there is no rhythm guitarist who can match Schaffer's unique style, which is bone-crushingly heavy with intricate use of triplets and 16th notes. Awesome stuff! But is Iced Earth a genre-smashing, innovative band? Not really."If you don't do it first or better, you shouldn't do it." So Iced Earth didn't do it first. What becomes important is how Iced Earth -- in pretty much every way -- transcends the music of their influences. Credit guitarist Jon Schaffer, who merges muscular, dense, thrash-inflected riffery with a melodic subtlety that few metal bands in history have matched. The thick, fiercely heavy grooves are inescapable -- the devastating thrash-driven "Stand Alone"; the machine-gun like riffing of "My Own Savior." However, that melodic quality persists, especially on dynamic tracks that balance big riffs with quiet acoustic moments. "Watching Over Me" layers clean notes of electric guitars over soft acoustic chords. For the chorus, it kicks into high gear with massive, anthemic power chords. For music with such brutal power, it's amazing how the songs possess hooks that snag your ears. Then there's vocalist Matt Barlow, whose sonorous baritone voice is unique, ferocious, and powerful. If you don't think he's one of the best, most dynamic voices in metal, you must come from another planet. (A planet I won't be visiting any time soon!) When you compare the emotive, soulful performance of "Watching Over Me" to the nigh-feral screams of "Disciples of the Lie," it's difficult to imagine that this is the same singer. This dynamic quality, along with the sheer richness of his tone, is incredible. "Watching Over Me" also shows that Iced Earth is a metal band capable of showing human warmth, which is due in no small part to Barlow (Schaffer's personal lyric -- about the death of a close friend -- helps, too). The songs soar, and they're indelible too. Rarely can music so heavy be coupled with choruses you want to sing along with. "Stand Alone" has a hook that's impossible to resist, with the kind of rousing chorus that makes you want to raise your fist into the air. "Blessed Are You" is one of the many songs balancing quiet acoustic passages with massive, concentrated riffing. I never thought a song that talks about "children of the night" could have such an inspiring chorus. ("Blessed are you | Blessed am I | Children of the night...") "Disciples of the Lie" is pure, unadulterated thrash...something I haven't heard in a long time! The lyrics to "Consequences" read out more like a speech than poetry (subtlety, Schaffer, subtlety!), but the music is incredible, a powerful rock ballad. "1776" is a Maiden-esque instrumental, but with way heavier guitars. Big, anthem-like riffing, nuance-filled drums, and delicate overlays of flutes make for one of the finest straight metal instrumentals in years. "The Reaping Stone" reminds me a bit of Metallica's "The Thing That Should Not Be," but with an explosive fast & heavy section that hits you like a derailed train. Some bands like to save the best for last. Iced Earth arguably does so here, concluding the album with a trilogy of songs that tells the possible story of "something wicked" that will bring about the downfall of the human race. (Uh oh!) Part 3, "The Coming Curse," brings forth Schaffer's progressive leanings. The 9-minute track starts with a harrowing piano overture setting a dismal tone. This mood is shattered by mammoth, aggressively-paced riffing. A quiet interlude brings back a theme from part 1, "Prophecy," and melds it with male & female opera vocals for atmosphere. You have to hear this song. Well, take that recommendation further. You have to hear this album...and this band. If you were into heavy metal in the 80s and are disgusted with the corruption of the genre, don't walk, RUN and buy this album. Iced Earth may become your bastion of hope for the survival of true, uncompromising heavy metal.
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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
THE Definitive Iced Earth!, February 18, 2003
This is, without a doubt, THE definitive Iced Earth album. Heavy, fast, intense at times; light, slow, quiet at others. This is the album to buy if you're first getting into Iced Earth. It shows the best of everyone's abilities; band leader/rhythm guitarist/songwriter John Schaffer's heavy riffs and melodies, not to mention his superb songwriting skills, are among their best here. Matthew Barlow shows off the best of his vocal ranges on this album, hitting such high screeches and deep growls...one of the best vocalists alive, that's for sure. And Larry Tarnowski's lead guitar riffs are superb, as always. This album is full of unpredictable moments of heaviness and melody, except in the way the songs were arranged: heavy-soft-heavy-soft-heavy-soft-heavy-swaggering-heavy...and then there's the "Something Wicked" trilogy at the end. I'll get to that later. Meanwhile, a song-by-song review:BURNING TIMES--"It doesn't matter what you've done, in my words you are a sinner..." I get chills every time at Matthew Barlow's growls in the chorus. A fairly fast-paced riff masterpiece, (with bells chiming at the beginning and end, similar to NIGHT OF THE STORMRIDER's "Angel's Holocaust", this is a great album-starter. MELANCHOLY (HOLY MARTYR)--At first I was somewhat unimpressed by this song, mostly for the gentle, quivering, almost weak vocals at the beginning, but since then I've learned that this is a song about Christ on the cross, and his resulting sorrow--and I realized the vocals couldn't have been better. Soft acoustic passages in the intro and verses are nice breathers before heavier, lingering riffs and a beautiful solo. DISCIPLES OF THE LIE--WOW! Probably one of the heaviest songs on the album, not to mention most intense. Starts off fast, ends fast. Matthew's howls of fury in the chorus...mindblowing. Drums really stand out in this song, too. Instead of a guitar solo, there is a haunting keyboard solo over the rhythm section, and then the vocals and guitars kick back in behind it...ooooh, good stuff. WATCHING OVER ME--A good breather after "Disciples", this is a wonderful tribute to a late friend of John Schaffer's, who died in a motorcycle accident shortly before Iced Earth's first album came out. Quiet acoustic passages and a wonderful solo (performed by producer Jim Morris). Excellent stuff. STAND ALONE--Far better than Godsmack's recent song of the same name (no relation otherwise), and with a better message: "Listen not to ones who preach/ Those who feel you're a freak...". This is a good song to listen to when depressed from peer torment. Excellent, heavy, angry, but soothing. Gotta love the little post-chorus solos! And whoever said this ... Metallica's "Blackened" should see a psychiatrist. CONSEQUENCES--And back to the mellow...wow...this is a song that deserves lighters held high. Sad, quiet choruses, acoustic/clean electric guitars...the whole song is quiet for the most part, until the bridge, where heavier riffs come in to back a powerful and climatic solo. Matthew Barlow's screeches at the end of the bridge are perfect. My favorite slow song on here. MY OWN SAVIOR--Great headbanging song. Fast, intense, and a good "... off" chorus to shout at while blaring this from your stereo. I love the quieter pre-chorus parts; sort of a place to take a breather before screaming your head off. Yeah, DEFINATELY a good headbanging song. REAPING STONE--This is the only song on the album that I'd give less than 5 stars to. It's Iced Earth, don't get me wrong, but...it seems to "swagger" too much. The lyrics start off interesting, with a woman lost in the woods who runs accross some cursed "reaping stone", but then the rest of the song seems too focused on the seductive words of the reaping stone, as sung to her. It might have been better if the song described just what was happening to her. Good music though; the bridge is reminiscent of Metallica's "The Thing That Should Not Be"--NOT a ..., but SIMILAR. I like it like that. Okay song, but my least favorite on the album, possibly out of all Iced Earth's stuff. 1776--INSTRUMENTAL TIME! This song is fast, intense, amazing! Furiously lightning-paced, and a beautiful flute solo over a good drumroll in the bridge. Excellent instrumental, one of my all-time favorites from Iced Earth! BLESSED ARE YOU--This is a song dedicated to all the millions of fans of Iced Earth out there; heavy yet melodic, with a great opening of clean guitars and singing. A great way of saying thanks--YOU ARE VERY WELCOME! ------SOMETHING WICKED (trilogy)------- PROPHECY--My favorite song out of the trilogy, quite possibly on the whole album. Good 'n' heavy, nice guitar solo, and a couple sweet bass solos! Best part of the song would have to be just before the bridge, where the tempo rears up like some gigantic beast, then launches into this ultra-heavy and fast thrash monster. While the song is generally heavy throughout, the chorus riffs are so heavy and perfect...OOH! ...and then there's the plot. Ages ago, a race of beings foresaw the coming of the human race, which would threaten to wipe them extinct. They seek to create a savior for their kind, who will be born aeons later to wreak havoc on mankind. A chilling, Lovecraftian plot, this song ends with an honestly frightening (to me, anyway) sound: the tick-tock of a clock, signifying the passing of time as they prepare to bring about our doom. BIRTH OF THE WICKED--The Watcher has been born! The story continues through this fast thrash piece, but not as chilling (to me) as "Prophecy". THE COMING CURSE--The Watcher has begun his wreaking of havoc upon all! Here we find that he has begun the absolute apocalypse. John Schaffer stated that this trilogy of songs is sort of a precursor to a whole other story, one which we can assume will be a future concept album as the Watcher brings about the end of mankind and the return of his own kind. Can't wait!
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Adding my voice to the chorus..., June 29, 2002
This album has garnered a great deal of praise from metal fans, and with good reason. Iced Earth keep the banner of old-school metal waving up high, and have been doing so under the radar of popular consciousness for quite some time. This was my first Iced Earth album, and in the six months or so since I got it this band has been getting some pretty good rotation in my collection.
The talents of this band are obvious pretty quickly. Matt Barlow is a terrific singer, with a very rich baritone that's rather unique in the metal world. At times he sounds like Bruce Dickinson with a deeper voice, but on songs like "Disciples of the Lie" he spits out his vocals with a vitriolic tone that calls to mind James Hetfield or Dave Mustaine. Jon Schaeffer's riffs pack a punch with the best of 'em, and Larry Tarnowski's solos are sharp, if not especially innovative. The drumming isn't the most technically advanced, but it's downright surgical in its precision. The bass isn't always as much of a presence as I'd like it to be, but in its better moments it thumps along very well. The playing is tight, and perhaps most importantly, the band members play for the song rather than trying to wow you with their technical advancement.
Songwise, "Something Wicked" starts off terrifically. "Burning Times" was a good choice for an opener, as it got my attention right away with its aggression and heaviness. "Melancholy" slows things down at the start, but starts to hit harder as it goes on. This tendency to start a song slow before picking up the intensity crops up often, and was definitely a good idea as it keeps the album from becoming monochromatic. My favorite song here, "Disciples of the Lie," however, dispenses with any urge toward slowness; it rocks hard and fast from beginning to end. I don't normally go for ballads, but the mournful and emotive "Watching Over Me" is a cut or two above most and fits the mood of the album very well. "Stand Alone" is another strong heavy tune, made especially effective by its relative brevity at under three minutes. After "Stand Alone," most of the songs are good, not great (hence the four stars). The album gets really interesting again with the last track though, as "The Coming Curse" brings a sense of foreboding that fits its concept of the coming of evil. I've gone on way too long, so I'm gonna wrap up now: this album is good. Get it.
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