The Official Iced Earth Thread v. "Tastes Like Treason!"

[Adami]

Aren't Cthulhu's tentacles pretty powerful though?

It never came across as silly to me.

Maybe you're used to coming across Cthulu's tentacles, but it's still a new thing for me.

[Zook]

Are you suggesting a creature of that size wouldn't have powerful tentacles?

[Adami]

Fair point! Those tentacles definitely deserve a passionate epic vocal delivery.

[Adami]

Also the tentacles are his beard! Who sings about their mighty beard?



Besides Nick Offerman.

[wolfking]

What an interesting conversation to walk in on.

I never really gave the lyrics to Cthulhu much thought, but I also think it's one of the better songs on the album from what I recall.

[Zook]

There was no reason for Iced Earth to re-record material that was already well done on their earlier albums. Fans of the new singer, Matt Barlow, prefer his voice on the tracks as opposed to the old singers, but why did Iced Earth re-record an entire two disc set? Isn't the live performance the place to hear the new singer's take on the old songs? What if every band did this when they hired a new vocalist? We'd have hundreds of unnecessary albums stealing attention from the originals. Annihilator would have an extra half dozen albums alone. The entire concept of releasing this CD is incredibly stupid and I'd have to conclude there was some major lapses in judgment over at Century Media to let this project get approved.

And that's just the concept. The actual result turned out pretty well musically and fans of Matt Barlow probably love this. I personally think Barlow is Iced Earth's worst singer, not so much on his own faults, but because the other guys were better. He does a good job with the stuff from Stormrider, but he almost ruins the tracks from the self-titled album. A lot of people seem to dislike the band's first singer, but he had the most unique voice of all of them, primarily due to his killer falsetto. Barlow's voice just doesn't measure up, despite the fact that he's the better 'singer.' His voice just isn't metal enough to pull off the classics.

This album's high points are the inclusion of songs that haven't been done since Enter the Realm (the new version of "Nightmares" is awesome) and the rare track "Winter Nights." The album's low point is the new lyrics and altered music of "Written on the Walls", now entitled "Cast in Stone." I liked the original a lot better. In fact, don't bother with this release at all, unless you're an Iced Earth die hard. Having their first two albums is more than sufficient enough to make up for not owning this.

Bitter Gene Adam or a fan with very weird opinions and taste?

[wolfking]

Where was this posted?

[Adami]

Eh, I don't mind when they re-record material, mostly because I can ignore it if I want.

I really didn't like any of the Stu Block re-recordings at all. So I am free to ignore them.

Loved the Barlow re-recordings.

[Samsara]

What an interesting conversation to walk in on.

I never really gave the lyrics to Cthulhu much thought, but I also think it's one of the better songs on the album from what I recall.

Agreed. The album as a whole was a bit of a bummer, but that tune stood out.

[Zook]

Where was this posted?

Metal Archives review back in 2006.

[wolfking]

Where was this posted?

Metal Archives review back in 2006.

Eh, could be legit, I suppose.

[Grappler]

So I gave the Something Wicked albums a listen after a long time not doing so aside from a few songs. Framing Armageddon still holds up, but Crucible of Man got worse. I still hold the same criticisms of it, mainly that it's an uninspired and unfinished album. I understand why Jon keeps the songs out of the set. What happened? He said he wrote all the music before booting Ripper, so why is FA so much more inspired than CoM? And then the story itself by the end makes no sense. The Setians' intent is to wipe out humanity as an act of revenge so they create a god who can do it, the god accepts his fate, and is fully on board with destroying mankind, but then suddenly changes his mind, and is all like "nah, you guys just be on your best behavior and all's good." Ripper could not have saved this album, and I really can't hear him singing any of these songs. Of course Matt wrote some of the lyrics, so if he also wrote the vocal melodies, they'd be much different if Ripper was still in the band.

Jon has stated in interviews over the past handful of years that he lost 3 family members during the period where he was writing those records and admitted that his heart just wasn't into writing it and the songs and albums suffered because of it.

Jon also writes the vast majority of the vocal melodies for Iced Earth, and he doesn't write FOR anyone, except for some archetypical voice in his head that is the way that an Iced Earth singer should sound.  When they're tracking, the singer may suggest changes here and there to see what works better, but Jon's the one with the vision and the songs are going to come out the way he wants them to at the time.   

I love Crucible more than FA, though the title track to FA is awesome (triplets!  gallops!). 

[MirrorMask]

I understand the need for a closing kind of song and an outro and all that theatrical stuff, but the title track for Framing Armageddon would have been a badass way to close the record. All the story unfolds and as "season finale" before part II what do you get? the wailing and unholy screams of FRAAAAAMIIIING ARMAGGEEEEEDDDDON, FRAAAAMING ARMAGEDDDOOOOOOOOOOOON and them bam, the album suddenly and abruptly ends 

[Zook]

So I just listened to the original unaltered debut, and I gotta say, it's really underrated. Yeah Gene Adam is horrendous, but surprisingly he fits. Matt Barlow's renditions are infinitely better, but Adam doesn't ruin it. If anything he makes it more enjoyable in an ironic way. The music is great. Schaffer and Shawver were all about the instrumentals on the first 2 albums. Even with Gene Adam goofifying (holy shit that's a real word) it up, Iced Earth is a tremendous debut. If you haven't heard it yet because of the horror stories of Gene Adam, I highly recommend the Days of Purgatory versions with Barlow. To make it a complete album, put Nightmares where Curse the Sky should be since it wasn't re-recorded. It fits surprisingly well. I edited the songs in Audacity lowering the bass, and doing all the fade outs like the originals just to complete the experience. The only inconsistency is the drums, since some of the songs were re-recorded with Brent.

[wolfking]

I never really had a problem with the debut, it's a cool listen.  I never thought Adam was as bad as everyone said.

[Madman Shepherd]

I never really had a problem with the debut, it's a cool listen.  I never thought Adam was as bad as everyone said.

I also liked him on the 2 song demo with the band Unearthed (that had several other former Iced Earth members).  Too bad that never went anywhere. 

As far as rerecordings go, I dont mind if it is a special thing like Kiss rerecording some stuff for a Japanese compilation or Iced Earth for their comp.  But for an artist to actually replace the original version like Ozzy did is absolute bullshit. 

[Adami]

Not directly IE related, but has anyone else heard about the new project with Barlow and the dude from Pyramaze? Apparently it's orchestral based.

[Samsara]

I saw it. I dig movie scores, so i am thinking this will be along those lines with Barlow contributing vocals as they make sense. Looking forward to it.

[MirrorMask]

I'm excited as well, but it was announced now for the end of 2017, with no snippets whatsoever. Thanks for the info but by summer I will have forgotten about this 

[Grappler]

Not directly IE related, but has anyone else heard about the new project with Barlow and the dude from Pyramaze? Apparently it's orchestral based.

https://www.facebook.com/wearesentinels/

If you listen to Pyramaze's "Legacy in a Rhyme" from the Immortal record, you may get a feel for what it could be like, though that song is just a piano ballad with Matt singing. 

The new project will be a full on orchestral score.  It should be interesting to hear him sing over a non-Jon Schaffer/metal riff for a change.

[Zook]

Not directly IE related, but has anyone else heard about the new project with Barlow and the dude from Pyramaze? Apparently it's orchestral based.

https://www.facebook.com/wearesentinels/

If you listen to Pyramaze's "Legacy in a Rhyme" from the Immortal record, you may get a feel for what it could be like, though that song is just a piano ballad with Matt singing. 

The new project will be a full on orchestral score.  It should be interesting to hear him sing over a non-Jon Schaffer/metal riff for a change.

Did you not like Ashes or Ares? I thought it was OK. Nothing special.

[Grappler]

Not directly IE related, but has anyone else heard about the new project with Barlow and the dude from Pyramaze? Apparently it's orchestral based.

https://www.facebook.com/wearesentinels/

If you listen to Pyramaze's "Legacy in a Rhyme" from the Immortal record, you may get a feel for what it could be like, though that song is just a piano ballad with Matt singing. 

The new project will be a full on orchestral score.  It should be interesting to hear him sing over a non-Jon Schaffer/metal riff for a change.

Did you not like Ashes or Ares? I thought it was OK. Nothing special.

I like the record, but I had to listen to a few times and get the expectations out of my head before I could start to enjoy it.  There's some kickass songs and some clunkers.  Aside from Ashes of Ares, we'd only really heard Matt sing on Iced Earth tunes, and the Pyramaze disc.  Pyramaze beefed up their sound on that record too, so it wasn't too drastically different from Iced Earth, with the exception of the songwriting and riffing styles.

[Zook]

I decided to torture myself and listen to the Overture of the Wicked re-recording of the Something Wicked Trilogy. Still as bad as I remember it. Thing is, it could have been great. Jon just decided to suck the intensity out of every aspect of the recording, right down to Ripper's singing. Seriously, it sounds like Ripper is bored or just woke up. You have Ripper Owens and the Something Wicked Trilogy and you don't have him go all out, AND you palm mute some of your most bad ass riffs and make them sound boring?  I know Jon wanted to try something different, but he failed with flying colors.

[Adami]

Actually I prefer the re-recording to the original. I think it's insanely awesome, while the original is pretty watered down and generic.

[Zook]

Actually I prefer the re-recording to the original. I think it's insanely awesome, while the original is pretty watered down and generic.

I can't tell if you're serious.

[Adami]

Actually I prefer the re-recording to the original. I think it's insanely awesome, while the original is pretty watered down and generic.

I can't tell if you're serious.

Of course I'm serious. In fact, those re-recordings are probably the best thing IE has ever done, right next to the re-recording of Dantes Inferno. Way superior to the original and especially the live version.



That help?

[Zook]

Actually I prefer the re-recording to the original. I think it's insanely awesome, while the original is pretty watered down and generic.

I can't tell if you're serious.

Of course I'm serious. In fact, those re-recordings are probably the best thing IE has ever done, right next to the re-recording of Dantes Inferno. Way superior to the original and especially the live version.



That help?

Well when you put it that way.

HOW CAN YOU LIKE THOSE HORRIBLE REMAKES OVER THE ORIGINALS?! ESPECIALLY DANTE'S INFERNO! THAT'S THE WORST ONE!

[wolfking]

I decided to torture myself and listen to the Overture of the Wicked re-recording of the Something Wicked Trilogy. Still as bad as I remember it. Thing is, it could have been great. Jon just decided to suck the intensity out of every aspect of the recording, right down to Ripper's singing. Seriously, it sounds like Ripper is bored or just woke up. You have Ripper Owens and the Something Wicked Trilogy and you don't have him go all out, AND you palm mute some of your most bad ass riffs and make them sound boring?  I know Jon wanted to try something different, but he failed with flying colors.

I don't have a problem with Ripper, I think he sounds pretty cool, but those riffs, still don't know what Jon was thinking.  He just strangled them to death.

Can't stand the Dante re-recording though, Stu sucks on that one IMO.

[jjrock88]

I never heard the Dante re-recording, not much interest in doing so.

But I always thought Ripper did a good job with his vocals on the Wicked trilogy.  I really liked the live version too.

[Grappler]

The one thing I like about the Overture of the Wicked re-recordings is that Jon made the SW Trilogy sound completely different than the original version. 

[Adami]

I remember hearing the Dante re-recording for the first time. It was their first release with Stu and I was so excited to see what he brought to the band.

Then he started singing and it was....okay....then he growled the "ABANDON ALL HOPE!" part and I was so pumped.

Then the rest of the song happened. 

[Mosh]

It was pretty cool seeing it live that year though.

[Zook]

Check out the track-list for the upcoming Iced Earth studio album titled Incorruptible. Due out in mid June. More news will soon follow.
1.) Great Heathen Army
2.) Black Flag
3.) Raven Wing
4.) The Veil
5.) Seven Headed Whore
6.) The Relic (Part 1)
7.) Ghost Dance (Awaken the Ancestors)
8.) Brothers
9.) Defiance
10.) Clear The Way (December 13th, 1862)

[MirrorMask]

Wasn't there a title track? I could have swore there was.

Anyway, where's The Relic part 2? 

[wolfking]

Disappointed that the title The Judas Goat is nowhere to be seen.