I'd be onboard until Horror Show. Don't really know the albums following that enough to vote and no reviews I have ever read or heard have ever given me a reason to change that, I'm afraid.
The Glorious Burden - Replacing Matt Barlow is certainly a difficult task, but Ripper handled what he was given like he'd been singing for IE for years. Sure the lyrics sound like he's reading a history book set to music, but the songs are mostly solid. Hollow Man and the Ripper penned Red Barron/Blue Max are the duds of the album. Especially Hollow Man. The Gettysburg Trilogy is a masterpiece *waits for Adami to say it's mediocre* and Schaffer still sounds inspired. Stand out tracks include Declaration Day, The Reckoning, Greenface, Attila, Waterloo (UK version of the album) and Gettysburg
Framing Armageddon - Ripper is amazing on this album. Brent Smedley sounds a bit robotic unlike Richard Christy, and overall this album is pretty good. I was really excited for Ripper being in the band once I heard this album. He delivers an epic performance and most of the songs are awesome with no duds, but some uninteresting tunes. By duds, I mean shit like Hollow Man. Stand out tracks are Something Wicked Part 1, Setian Massacre, Ten Thousand Strong, The Clouding, The Domino Decree, Framing Arageddon, When Stars Collide
The Crucible Of Man - This album can be summed up in one quote: "The destruction of mankind shouldn't be in mid-tempo". The album isn't bad, but there is so much missed potential, that it's just disappointing. It sounds rushed, and some songs just end with repetitive rhythm parts instead of expanding the song to make it even more awesome like The Revealing. That song is all kinds of bad ass, but it's not complete. Jon didn't know what to do with it I guess. Throughout the whole album, Set Abominae says how much he's going to destroy mankind, but when we get to the epic closer, Come What May, which is an amazing song by the way, it appears Set has changed his mind or something, and he's just going to let man destroy themselves. Also, although Matt sounds great, I really wish Ripper could have sang on this one, just for continuity's sake. Stand out tracks: In Sacred Flames/Behold The Wicked Child, A Gift Or A Curse, I Walk Alone, Sacrificial Kingdoms, Come What May
Dystopia - LOL
Ok, so this album isn't entirely bad, but Jon definitely phoned it in, and Stu's Barlow impression is cringeworthy at times, although not as bad as what he's doing live. The songs are just so uninspired, and everyone sounds asleep at the wheel. The title track is decent, Dark City as well. The two bonus tracks Soylent Green and Iron Will are better that the actually album songs, and Tragedy and Triumph is decent too. Days or Rage is a bad Disciples of the Lie knock off, and the lyrics are just bad. Same with Boiling Point.
I'd say at least check out the good songs I listed. There's definitely some great post-Barlow Iced Earth songs to be heard.