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

[Madman Shepherd]

Yeah, that was meant to be his magnum opus but he fell flat on those. Even Matt Barlow from the beginning couldn't save those albums.

Framing Armageddon is quite cool all things considered, it's a standard IE album with some fat to be trimmed here and there. Crucible of Man is plain boring, it drags on and on and the best song, Come What May, is a total wimping out storyline wise. You promise for years the destruction of mankind and the antichrist incarnated at the end says "Uh well, I guess I'll give you another chance but behave, m'kay?". D'uh.

I could barely follow the story because it was so boring.

I looked up a synopsis online and couldn't even find a very detailed one.

Jon admitted that he lost 3 members of his family during the Framing/Crucible years and that his heart wasn't in those albums.  Looking back on them and knowing that explains why the songwriting isn't up to his usual standards.

After hyping it up for 10 years, I kind of find that a poor excuse. I mean, I feel bad saying that because obviously that's a terrible thing to happen but if he just shit out what was supposed to be his signature opus, that he had been talking up for a decade, then it's gotta be more than just that.

The lineup changes really make the album suffer too.

[Zook]

[Ben_Jamin]

Should've been titled "Sons of Liberty"   

[Zook]

Should've been titled "Sons of Liberty"   

Yeah that would have been more fitting, but I wanted to reference something good.

[TAC]

Disciples Of The Lie would've been more appropriate.

[wolfking]

Disciples Of The Lie would've been more appropriate.

Gold!

[Mister Gold]

Disciples Of The Lie would've been more appropriate.

 

This is it, right here.

[Stadler]

They were talking about arrests on the NBC (national) news, and they listed a couple with their occupations.  They listed Jon Shaffer as "Heavy metal rocker". 

[MirrorMask]

And so it begins.

https://loudwire.com/iced-earth-demons-wizards-removed-century-media-online-roster/

Century Media no longer lists Iced Earth and Demons & Wizards in their roster, nor the merchandise for the bands is available.

Hansi Kursch will be very happy, I assume.

Basically 2019's tour was Demons & Wizards' farewell tour, now I regret even more not seeing the show (they didn't play in my country, ironically one of the very few that got the early D&W shows in 2000).

[cramx3]

I guess that makes their last performance at ProgPower somewhat legendary (not for the right reasons). 

[Adami]

Well, I'm glad I got to see IE on the Gettysburg tour (or whatever it was called) and SUPER glad I flew from LA to Chicago to see their first show with Barlow when he rejoined the band.

Not sad I didn't see them with Stu.

[Evermind]

I'm glad I caught D&W on their 2019 tour. Seeing Fiddler of the Green live was amazing.

[wolfking]

And so it begins.

https://loudwire.com/iced-earth-demons-wizards-removed-century-media-online-roster/

Century Media no longer lists Iced Earth and Demons & Wizards in their roster, nor the merchandise for the bands is available.

Hansi Kursch will be very happy, I assume.

Basically 2019's tour was Demons & Wizards' farewell tour, now I regret even more not seeing the show (they didn't play in my country, ironically one of the very few that got the early D&W shows in 2000).

Wow.  I wonder if Hansi will comment.

[Grappler]

Well, I'm glad I got to see IE on the Gettysburg tour (or whatever it was called) and SUPER glad I flew from LA to Chicago to see their first show with Barlow when he rejoined the band.

Not sad I didn't see them with Stu.

I was at that Chicago show too! 

I'm wondering if Century Media just quietly removed them from the website, as opposed to dropping them in full.  Iced Earth's contract was completed with Incorruptible, though CM still distributes merchandise I believe. 

Demons had re-signed for 2 studio albums and a live album. 

[ErHaO]

And so it begins.

https://loudwire.com/iced-earth-demons-wizards-removed-century-media-online-roster/

Century Media no longer lists Iced Earth and Demons & Wizards in their roster, nor the merchandise for the bands is available.

Hansi Kursch will be very happy, I assume.

Basically 2019's tour was Demons & Wizards' farewell tour, now I regret even more not seeing the show (they didn't play in my country, ironically one of the very few that got the early D&W shows in 2000).

Was to be expected. I know jackshit about the US legal system, but surely he will face time? Looking at the charges and evidence, along with his rants showing intention of violence.

I wonder what IE members are going to do.

God, this is so dumb.

And I will say that in that I did in fact really enjoy modern Iced Earth, especially their latest.

[Madman Shepherd]

I hope Jon got to watch the inauguration in prison. 

[MirrorMask]

I remembered that on the last album there's a song called "The Relic (part 1)".

WHEN ARE WE GONNA GET PART 2 NOW, JON? DIDN'T YOU THINK ABOUT THE RELIC BEFORE DECIDING TO FIGHT SET ABOMINAE'S PLAN?? 

[Ben_Jamin]

I remembered that on the last album there's a song called "The Relic (part 1)".

WHEN ARE WE GONNA GET PART 2 NOW, JON? DIDN'T YOU THINK ABOUT THE RELIC BEFORE DECIDING TO FIGHT SET ABOMINAE'S PLAN?? 

 

Hey, it's risky marketing....Builds anticipation as people will expect a Part 2. And still leaves interest in the band itself and keeps people talking about them. 

[TAC]

BAM!

https://bravewords.com/news/hansi-kursch-quits-demons-wizards-my-collaboration-with-jon-schaffer-is-over

[ProfessorPeart]

Plus, Jon is still in jail in Indiana. Still waiting on extradition to DC. Yeah, he can probably call it a career.

[ErHaO]

Yeah, I think Shaffer's career is done. I hope the Iced Earth members will be able to continue their career in some form.

BAM!

https://bravewords.com/news/hansi-kursch-quits-demons-wizards-my-collaboration-with-jon-schaffer-is-over

Well, that is clear.

I do feel for Blind Guardian as well, especially Hansi, on top of the Iced Earth members. In the BG discography cd boxset there is actually a section dedicated to Iced Earth, due to their longstanding friendship, with photos from back in the 90's of them having a good time.

As someone who has experienced that, losing friends to insanity sucks.

[jingle.boy]

BAM!

https://bravewords.com/news/hansi-kursch-quits-demons-wizards-my-collaboration-with-jon-schaffer-is-over

[wolfking]

BAM!

https://bravewords.com/news/hansi-kursch-quits-demons-wizards-my-collaboration-with-jon-schaffer-is-over

Short and to the point.  Hansi seems like a real smart, down to earth guy.  They were great friends but he seems fine with wiping his hands of him.  Great, smart move and shows Hansi's strong character.

[Madman Shepherd]

In one of Jon's last interviews he says he refuses to wear a diaper on his face (I mean, I would too...that's gross...ohhhh, wait, you mean a fucking mask?) and when the interviewer said if given the choice he would choose to try to reduce spread of covid or whatever Jon responded, "...and I choose freedom!"

What I'm saying is I so want to see him led from his cell to the courtroom in handcuffs with a "diaper" on his face and see how the freedom is treating him.

[MirrorMask]

Hansi "leaving" D&W is just a formal way to put it. The band was him and Jon and there is no sense whatsoever for Jon to do another D&W album with a different singer.

A longtime friendship built upon music and touring together, two albums, 15 damn years to wait for a new tour and a new album, and when we finally get new stuff, Jon goes full conspiracy mode and becomes a domestic terrorist. Meh. What a sad, sad end for such a cool project and great musical partnership, and I can't even imagine what it's like for Hansi to see a friend throw his carrer and life down the drain.

BTW, Iced Earth is doomed the same, we just don't know it yet... I assume the other guys in the band are waiting for a formal sentencing of Jon to announce what to do.

[Polarbear]

Hansi "leaving" D&W is just a formal way to put it. The band was him and Jon and there is no sense whatsoever for Jon to do another D&W album with a different singer.

A longtime friendship built upon music and touring together, two albums, 15 damn years to wait for a new tour and a new album, and when we finally get new stuff, Jon goes full conspiracy mode and becomes a domestic terrorist. Meh. What a sad, sad end for such a cool project and great musical partnership, and I can't even imagine what it's like for Hansi to see a friend throw his carrer and life down the drain.

BTW, Iced Earth is doomed the same, we just don't know it yet... I assume the other guys in the band are waiting for a formal sentencing of Jon to announce what to do.

Yep, all of this! I would have been very surprised if Hansi wouldn't have dropped out of D&W.

I'm not an American citizen, and perhaps I'm not qualified to answer, but I suspect Jon will be doing some serious time in prison. He's charges seem pretty serious. Iced Earth is done for good. As is he's musical career. What a damn shame...

[wolfking]

Hansi "leaving" D&W is just a formal way to put it. The band was him and Jon and there is no sense whatsoever for Jon to do another D&W album with a different singer.

A longtime friendship built upon music and touring together, two albums, 15 damn years to wait for a new tour and a new album, and when we finally get new stuff, Jon goes full conspiracy mode and becomes a domestic terrorist. Meh. What a sad, sad end for such a cool project and great musical partnership, and I can't even imagine what it's like for Hansi to see a friend throw his carrer and life down the drain.

BTW, Iced Earth is doomed the same, we just don't know it yet... I assume the other guys in the band are waiting for a formal sentencing of Jon to announce what to do.

While nothing official has been said, I think based on everything, everyone pretty much knows IE is done.

[cramx3]

Hansi "leaving" D&W is just a formal way to put it. The band was him and Jon and there is no sense whatsoever for Jon to do another D&W album with a different singer.

A longtime friendship built upon music and touring together, two albums, 15 damn years to wait for a new tour and a new album, and when we finally get new stuff, Jon goes full conspiracy mode and becomes a domestic terrorist. Meh. What a sad, sad end for such a cool project and great musical partnership, and I can't even imagine what it's like for Hansi to see a friend throw his carrer and life down the drain.

BTW, Iced Earth is doomed the same, we just don't know it yet... I assume the other guys in the band are waiting for a formal sentencing of Jon to announce what to do.

While nothing official has been said, I think based on everything, everyone pretty much knows IE is done.

He still needs to face trial, so while it all seems pretty obvious with the pictures, until he's proven guilty, it's hard to say how long he will be locked up. I do expect it to be at least a year personally, but I'm not entirely sure it'll be long enough to say he couldn't come out and make more music.  However, landing a record deal with his bad publicity may be more difficult. 

Hansi did the easy and right thing IMO, but it was pretty damn obvious for him to do that.

[Grappler]

Sad to see Hansi's statement, but everyone has to make that separation for business reasons.

iced Earth was finished with their Century Media contract, though I've read that they were still using them for distribution, such as the re-issues of the self-titled record.  I really think Jon's was going to use Kickstarter as a primary means of funding future releases, music or otherwise.  Until he makes bail, not much will happen, and even then, he has a trial and sentence to deal with.

[cramx3]

He might need a kickstarted for lawyer fees.  Going to be a very expensive defense.

[Grappler]

He might need a kickstarted for lawyer fees.  Going to be a very expensive defense.

Ha!  I was thinking of that as I typed my last post.  If he makes bail, I wouldn't be surprised to see him churn out some kickstarter projects to help fund his defense. 

[cramx3]

He might need a kickstarted for lawyer fees.  Going to be a very expensive defense.

Ha!  I was thinking of that as I typed my last post.  If he makes bail, I wouldn't be surprised to see him churn out some kickstarter projects to help fund his defense.

It'll be interesting to see how much he can raise if so.  There's definitely a set of people who like what he did and probably has their support, but what about the general masses?  It seems most don't want anything to do with him anymore, but I'm sure there's plenty who while not supporting what he did, might still support his music. 

[Zook]

The Podcast in Stone guys just called it quits.

I wonder if Jon even considered the consequences of his actions.

[Grappler]

I've been amazed at the outright support some of the people in the Podcast group have for Jon and the election fraud theories.   

They're right though...the band's future is very much in doubt right now, so what is there to talk about on a podcast? 

[Zook]

Aaaaaannd Stu's out.