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

[wolfking]

I also found this one which is pretty good too;




Dammit?  The link must be broken.

You'll have to click here to see it

https://www.google.com.au/imgres?q=jon+schaffer&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1024&bih=587&tbm=isch&tbnid=3zmJqBwY3M-XRM:&imgrefurl=https://hearevil.com/happy-metal-birthdays-march-15&docid=SB8GLsT4kC8b5M&imgurl=https://hearevil.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/icedearth1.jpg&w=233&h=325&ei=4w5JUZmHCtC0iQfcxYHwCg&zoom=1&ved=0CFsQrQMwAw

[Zook]

Wow, he's totally wasted in that pic.

[wolfking]

The funny thing is, it's the fourth pic that comes up on google images when you type in 'jon schaffer.' 

[Madman Shepherd]

Exactly, he sounds goofy, and really sounds like a try hard.  Watching more of the Wacken performance last night, I'm still amazed at how good Ripper fitted with the bands sound, and especially on the old material, he just made it work really well.  Him trying to sound like Barlow would have been a train wreck, and I don't understand why Ripper was Ripper but Stu has to be like Barlow.

I just laugh back at the whole Ripper era.  Jon was all like "Ripper is the voice I've been hearing all along with Iced Earth music."  "Holy fuck." I thought.  Then they released the Reckoning, and it was like "Shit, this isn't Barlow but it pretty fucking good."  The two album Ripper did were really good and for the band to come back after losing Barlow like that was incredible and props to Tim. 

Then Jon comes out with "I've spoken to the fans and they all want Barlow back."  Really Jon, I never recieved your phone call.  I would have gladly told you otherwise. Since that point Iced Earth has become redundant IMO, and that move has blown up in Jon's face, and Stu isn't putting this band back at where they were in 2004/2005.

I agree Ripper was a pretty damn good fit but I didn't like the Something Wicked albums at all.  That is why the fan interest was lessening, IMO...not because of Ripper. 

Ripper never had very good stage presence and right from the start Ripper wasn't too impressed with Jon Schaeffer's attitude.  Right off the bat, Jon was being defensive of being the only consistent band member and that he had written all the music and lyrics.  He kept saying that Ripper wasn't a songwriter.  Well, Glorious Burden was recorded with Ripper coming in at the last minute so he only had time to write lyrics for one song.  Jon offered him the other Barlow songs but Ripper said that was too much in too short of a time.  Then Something Wicked came and that was all Schaeffer's thing so again, Ripper didn't have anything to add and Jon used the excuse that Ripper isn't a writer.

Pretty shitty.  Barlow came back and I bought the album they did but it really didn't do anything for me and I thought...."Holy crap, I might be done with IE"

Then Barlow left and I was like, "Well....yeah, thats all I needed was one last reason to not give a crap."

For the record I actually like Sons of Liberty for the MUSIC....the lyrics were dumb and paranoid but I could look past it because I really dug the music. 

Then again, I got it as a free download and when he released the second one I was like, "Meh....don't wanna spend the cash to support a weird conspiracy theory"

[Zook]

I guess he didn't have faith in Ripper to write any good lyrics for Something Wicked although I don't blame him. That's probably it considering Matt wrote half the lyrics on Crucible.

[wolfking]

Exactly, he sounds goofy, and really sounds like a try hard.  Watching more of the Wacken performance last night, I'm still amazed at how good Ripper fitted with the bands sound, and especially on the old material, he just made it work really well.  Him trying to sound like Barlow would have been a train wreck, and I don't understand why Ripper was Ripper but Stu has to be like Barlow.

I just laugh back at the whole Ripper era.  Jon was all like "Ripper is the voice I've been hearing all along with Iced Earth music."  "Holy fuck." I thought.  Then they released the Reckoning, and it was like "Shit, this isn't Barlow but it pretty fucking good."  The two album Ripper did were really good and for the band to come back after losing Barlow like that was incredible and props to Tim. 

Then Jon comes out with "I've spoken to the fans and they all want Barlow back."  Really Jon, I never recieved your phone call.  I would have gladly told you otherwise. Since that point Iced Earth has become redundant IMO, and that move has blown up in Jon's face, and Stu isn't putting this band back at where they were in 2004/2005.

I agree Ripper was a pretty damn good fit but I didn't like the Something Wicked albums at all.  That is why the fan interest was lessening, IMO...not because of Ripper. 

Ripper never had very good stage presence and right from the start Ripper wasn't too impressed with Jon Schaeffer's attitude.  Right off the bat, Jon was being defensive of being the only consistent band member and that he had written all the music and lyrics.  He kept saying that Ripper wasn't a songwriter.  Well, Glorious Burden was recorded with Ripper coming in at the last minute so he only had time to write lyrics for one song.  Jon offered him the other Barlow songs but Ripper said that was too much in too short of a time.  Then Something Wicked came and that was all Schaeffer's thing so again, Ripper didn't have anything to add and Jon used the excuse that Ripper isn't a writer.

Pretty shitty.  Barlow came back and I bought the album they did but it really didn't do anything for me and I thought...."Holy crap, I might be done with IE"

Then Barlow left and I was like, "Well....yeah, thats all I needed was one last reason to not give a crap."

For the record I actually like Sons of Liberty for the MUSIC....the lyrics were dumb and paranoid but I could look past it because I really dug the music. 

Then again, I got it as a free download and when he released the second one I was like, "Meh....don't wanna spend the cash to support a weird conspiracy theory"

I agree with most of this dude, you made a lot of good points.

But really, FA could possibly be my fav Iced Earth record, and COM, is by far their weakest for me, I just find nothing redeeming about it at all.  But I don't think Ripper could have saved it.

[Zook]

Weaker than Dystopia? Come What May is better than the entirety of Dystopia.

[Madman Shepherd]

But really, FA could possibly be my fav Iced Earth record, and COM, is by far their weakest for me, I just find nothing redeeming about it at all.  But I don't think Ripper could have saved it.

I will need to go back to and listen to both those albums.  I do love the song A Charge to Keep.  It really reminds me of Glorious Burden (which is when I was at my height of love for Iced Earth due to being a history teacher and that I love Ripper and was bummed he was out of Priest)

By the way, I only started reading this thread in the last few days and haven't gone through all the pages but have you guys discussed Sons of Liberty?  What about Unearthed (which Gene Adam and some other members of the original Iced Earth lineup were in)?

[Zook]

Sons of Liberty is horrible and Unearthed from what I remember was pretty bad too. End of discussion

[Zook]

Framing Armageddon Round 1 is online!

[Madman Shepherd]

Sons of Liberty is horrible and Unearthed from what I remember was pretty bad too. End of discussion

The Unearthed album was not very good but I liked the two demos they released. 

[Zook]

I was unaware they made it that far as to release an album, but now Gene as all Christified so we wont be hearing any metal from him anymore.

[Madman Shepherd]

I was unaware they made it that far as to release an album, but now Gene as all Christified so we wont be hearing any metal from him anymore.

Yes he left before they recorded the album.  I think the guitarist took over the vocals and it is pretty much death metal style. 

BTW, I was the one asshole that voted for Gene as the best vocalist.  I don't honestly think that, though I do like his style. 

[wolfking]

Weaker than Dystopia? Come What May is better than the entirety of Dystopia.

Yeah, I really can't get into it at all.

[Lowdz]

I was listening to TGB the other day - and it's a decent album, not great- and Ripper just sounds like a generic metal singer to me... then he unleashes those high pitched screamy bits and he becomes awesome.
I've never rated Ripper really, but that's more to do with the material I've heard him on than any fault of his vocal ability.

I've never heard Stu in his previous job so can't comment on him not sounding like himself. He is certainly trying to do a Matt voice in IE but it's fine as far as I'm concerned.

[GuineaPig]

Although I have zero interest in Iced Earth anymore, it still appears that Schaffer knows how to put together a live album.  On paper, that's a great live album, even with the more recent tracks.

[Jaq]

By the way, I only started reading this thread in the last few days and haven't gone through all the pages but have you guys discussed Sons of Liberty?  What about Unearthed (which Gene Adam and some other members of the original Iced Earth lineup were in)?

Somewhere in this thread there is a post talking about some Iced Earth dates where Sons of Liberty were the opener, and since that meant that the opener was Iced Earth minus Matt Barlow, did that mean the changeover would consist of Matt just walking out on stage.

To me that sums up the silliness of Sons of Liberty perfectly. 

[Madman Shepherd]

By the way, I only started reading this thread in the last few days and haven't gone through all the pages but have you guys discussed Sons of Liberty?  What about Unearthed (which Gene Adam and some other members of the original Iced Earth lineup were in)?

Somewhere in this thread there is a post talking about some Iced Earth dates where Sons of Liberty were the opener, and since that meant that the opener was Iced Earth minus Matt Barlow, did that mean the changeover would consist of Matt just walking out on stage.

To me that sums up the silliness of Sons of Liberty perfectly. 

Have you seen any videos on youtube?  It was disastrous.  Jon didn't play guitar so he had nothing to do on stage.  Between songs he would rant about the government and just ramble.  He had a huge "Don't Tread on Me" flag and so he had something to do he just waved it around like he was in the color guard.

I still dig the music though. 

[Jaq]

You know, I figured he would have played guitar. That makes it even crazier. 

[Zook]

SLAVERY!

I once thought Schaffer would make a great thrash metal vocalist. Then I heard Sons of Liberty.

[wolfking]

I was stupid enough to pay money for the SOL CD, and I don't think I have ever made it through the whole thing once.

[Zook]

I almost bought a used copy just for the hell of it. I'm glad I decided against it.

[Madman Shepherd]

Zook, if you find a cheap copy or download it for free, give it a listen.  It sounds a little bit like a less melodic Iced Earth.  I can't believe NO ONE likes it.  I'll be honest, I'm pretty left wing but even I like it. 


Now I'm going to shit on everything I just said because I will give you the examples that make this band a joke. 

Listen to Jon work the crowd.  He actually sounds kinda nervous.  I bet hes thinking, "God I should really just say, 'ARE YA HAVING A GOOOOOOD TIIIIME TONIIIGHT?!?!?!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_1G8Yq7L9k

You ready for the color guard?  I think the marching band at the high school I went to did a similar routine with the flags. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4waJOEvdF_8

[Zook]

Actually, there was more going on in Don't Tread on Me than anything on Dystopia. Still, (and I have sampled the album a couple years ago) the lyrics are terrible, and Jon just doesn't cut it as a singer. And besides the above song, the other ones were meh musically.

[GuineaPig]

The only half-decent thing about Sons of Liberty is that Schaffer was wise enough to keep most of his batshit ideology from seeping into Iced Earth.  I mean, it's definitely there, but at least he didn't put the Iced Earth brand on those songs.

[wolfking]

Fuck it gets worse.  Click and go down for a stream of I Died For You.

https://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=187940

[Zook]

What's worse than that is the comments saying how great he sounds.

[wolfking]

What's worse than that is the comments saying how great he sounds.

Yeah I did read those.  What did you seriously think of that?  I thought it was a trainwreck really.  Don't know what he was doing in the verses and the choruses and especially the highs were really weak.

Much worse than Damien.

I wonder how Tim sounded on I Died for You, considering they played it with him.

EDIT:  Can't find a version with Tim, they mustn't have played it with him.

[MoraWintersoul]

I'll say one positive thing - Dream Theater could learn a lot from Iced Earth when it comes to reminding the world you'll have a DVD out shortly.

[Lowdz]

...

 

for a live performance it sounds ok to me. Guess we're gonna have to agree to disagree 

The band don't sound powerful at all. The vocals are fine to me.

I guess one of us will be picking this up.

[wolfking]

The thing is, I'll still spend my money on this, despite how much I bitch about it.

[Zook]

Not me. My Iced Earth collection is strictly CDs. And I didn't think Stu was half bad in the verses, but the choruses were back to goofytown. It sounds like he's doing a purposly shitty Barlow to make fun of him. Yeah, his highs might be great in Into Eternity, but not in Iced Earth.

[Madman Shepherd]

Ugh, yeah that does sound goofy

[wolfking]

Not me. My Iced Earth collection is strictly CDs. And I didn't think Stu was half bad in the verses, but the choruses were back to goofytown. It sounds like he's doing a purposly shitty Barlow to make fun of him. Yeah, his highs might be great in Into Eternity, but not in Iced Earth.

I have most stuff but I haven't got the Gettysburg DVD.  What the fuck was the point of that DVD? 

Yeah, he sounds goofy as fuck.  I personally didn't like the verses either.

[obscure]

I think Jon hasn't got a direction anymore.. he seems to be going with the flow... and tries to control everything... he is like micro-manager rather than a leader... so....