R.I.P. Iced Earth

[horns666]

A travesty of metal has been commited. My singer Ty brought over the re-recorded versions of the Something Wicked Trilogy...

To fuck with perfection and make it completely suck balls..is indeed a travesty!

I feel, bad saying this..But Tim isn't sounding that great lately. Iced Earth is Jon's band, this must his idea..The guitarist whover-Mills is a good player. Schaffer's Uber sounds great, BUT his over-use of palm muting every fucking single note sounds ridiculous..there's no dynamics at all...he sounds like he's playing bass..which he is.

There is no emotion or "feeling" in the remake whatsoever. It sounds like a cover band doing a paint by numbers copy. Absolutely horrible, when compared to the original..WHY, is the only word that comes to mind.

Iced Earth died when Matt Barlow left..he was one half of Iced Earth's "magic"..that is gone!

My introduction to Iced Earth was in '98 when SWTWC was released. I remeber taking that fuggin' cd home and freakin' the fuck out. What grabbed me by the balls was the combination of the soulful and very powerful voice of Barlow, and the heavy guitar tones of Schaffer. That was a formula all it's own, that set a benchmark in metal. Brent Smedely, Larry Tarnowski, and James MacDonugh (great bassist), Jon Schaffer, and Matt Barlow was and always will be Iced Earth!

Barlow will be singing on the next Pyramaze, on the nightmare records roster. I'm looking forward to that. Pyramaze will sound more like the real Iced Earth. So, Basically, Iced Earth changed their name to Pyramaze IMO.

The Live in Athens show is on DVD. When you see Matt singing with all that power and emotion..it is something to behold..it is fucking absolutely killer..and a reminder of what used to be.

I can't blame Jon Schaffer for trying to keep Iced Earth on life support,..but this train has wrecked. There will be a few who think the Owens material is good, and some of it is..but it pales to what was...sound familair?...hint Judas Preist.

Buy Live In Athens DVD..Horns Up

666 Horns Down for the revamped so-called Iced Earth.

..keep an out out for Pyramaze..I predict that will kick fuggin' ass!

Bill Z Bub

BTW .."When The Eagle Whines"..Am I the only one that completely hates this fuggin' pussy song. What the fuck happened here? Metal is rebellion, strength, angst, revenge..not jumping on the victim/exploitation sympathy bandwagon..Here's a better title.."When The Eagle Fucks Your Ass"...I like that better!

[iced_earth]

I haven't listened to Overture of the Wicked as I usually don't buy CD singles. I've still been holding out hope that the new album would be great even though Glorious Burden was dissapointing. Ripper has a very good "technical" voice, but you are right in that no one can match Matt's combination of power and emotion. At least I'll always have Dark Saga and SWTWC to listen to... and I'm really looking forward to the next Pyramaze album. Their first two albums were pretty good, so hopefully Matt will bring them to the next level...

And yes, "When the Eagle Sighs" is paint by numbers slop...

[horns666]

Yep, You know exactly what I'm saying. I know Tim, I know his guitarist..good dudes. Tim is a lucky fucker. He's got a good scream. Personally, I don't care for the "tone" of his voice, he's very pitchy, and all over the place..but he can scream like a banshee and that got him playin' with the big boys. He's a decent frontman, and, he can do a good job holding down forts..I guess.

I passed on the CD single as well. My singer who knows Tim much better than I..brought it over. We actaully got angry over the damn thing..it was kind of funny. We were yelling..really yelling at the speakers!

He's bringing Live In Athens over tonight. We are going to watch the whole fuggin' thing. Then we'll bitch about Timmy, and praise Matt. I can't blame Tim, he's a great guy. He got into good circles because he is good...but he's not THAT good.

Bill Z

[pott]

I only have Horror Show and The Dark Saga. I LOVE the band but I never know what to buy as absolutely none of my friends are fans. Bill, advise me? I need some good metal, I've been listening to Blues for too long.

Also who sings on those CDs? I don't have them here with me.

Tim Mills is the owner/founder/main dude of Bareknuckle pickups. He left Iced Earth after a personal problem.


I also have Declaration Day which is a decent song, with a pretty good solo. No idea who's on this one either.

[Spivonious]

Pott, the two albums you have have Matt Barlow singing. Definitely pick up Alive in Athens if you like the Iced Earth sound. Something Wicked this Way Comes is a good album too. Burnt Offerings has some good songs but the band hadn't really gelled at that point (it was Barlow's first album).

Bill - I hear ya! Glorious Burden was a glorious POS. Tim can do the Halford, but he can't come close to touching the greatness that was Barlow.

[pott]

Well either way... I'd learnt The Phantom of the Opera Ghost after having played for a year and it's a hell of a right hand workout. I dig. Playing it right now. Absolutely awesome song.

[horns666]

Hey Pott, what's up man. Horror Show and The Dark Saga are awesome and THAT is Iced Earth with the awesome Matt Barlow. You need to get "Something Wicked This Way Comes", that is a gem!

Check out Pyramaze, Brainstorm, Symphorce, Tarot, I just discovered a awesome femal fronted band called Benedictum..If you like Iced Erath ..you won't be disappointed with these...for starters

My very fave is Nevermore..as you know..give them a shot..not everyone likes them..

Tim Mills does sound pretty good. He does note for note solos perfectly, that are very loud in the mix. Because Jon is too busy palm muting everything to death.

"Decalaration day" is actually a good song, that is Tim "Ripper" Owens. But once you establish a fanship with a band for years..such as Judas Preist, Van Halen, Savatage, Iron Maised..the replacements singers just ain't the same...

It's Gary Cherone singing Unchained, Blaze Bailey singing Number Of The Beast, Zakk Stevens singing Hall of The Mountain King, Tim "Ripper" Owens singing ..well, The Ripper...or...Melancholy (Holy Matyr)..it's like drinking the New Coke in the 80's...they tried to taste like Pepsi..but no..

[horns666]

Pott, the two albums you have have Matt Barlow singing. Definitely pick up Alive in Athens if you like the Iced Earth sound. Something Wicked this Way Comes is a good album too. Burnt Offerings has some good songs but the band hadn't really gelled at that point (it was Barlow's first album).

Bill - I hear ya! Glorious Burden was a glorious POS. Tim can do the Halford, but he can't come close to touching the greatness that was Barlow.

I know man...good advice!!! Get ALL the Matt Barlow/ Iced Earth music..that's the shit!!!

[442w30]

Eh, I think Tim is pretty good, and I don't get Horns slagging him, esp. knowing him personally. Maybe Bill is trying to push "Timmy" - ya know "tough love"?

Tim seems like a guy that loves to get into impossible situations.
It's a fact Tim can never make priest fans happy - maybe 20% of them and the same for Iced Earth fans.

I agree Iced Earth just isn't IE without Barlow, and I don't know why you'd re-record unless it's to get more money or screw the original session guys out of royalties like ShOzzy (I haven't heard Schaffer was that kind of guy...but).

I wish Tim the best, but he has got to stop putting himself in these situations where he is constantly compared to irreplaceable frontmen.

[Infernal Death]

My introduction to Iced Earth was in '98 when SWTWC was released. I remeber taking that fuggin' cd home and freakin' the fuck out. What grabbed me by the balls was the combination of the soulful and very powerful voice of Barlow, and the heavy guitar tones of Schaffer. That was a formula all it's own, that set a benchmark in metal. Brent Smedely, Larry Tarnowski, and James MacDonugh (great bassist), Jon Schaffer, and Matt Barlow was and always will be Iced Earth!

Although i haven't heard this release, i can put my signature under these lines. Bill, very well said.

Flo

[pott]

Hey Pott, what's up man. Horror Show and The Dark Saga are awesome and THAT is Iced Earth with the awesome Matt Barlow. You need to get "Something Wicked This Way Comes", that is a gem!

Check out Pyramaze, Brainstorm, Symphorce, Tarot, I just discovered a awesome femal fronted band called Benedictum..If you like Iced Erath ..you won't be disappointed with these...for starters

My very fave is Nevermore..as you know..give them a shot..not everyone likes them..

Tim Mills does sound pretty good. He does note for note solos perfectly, that are very loud in the mix. Because Jon is too busy palm muting everything to death.

"Decalaration day" is actually a good song, that is Tim "Ripper" Owens. But once you establish a fanship with a band for years..such as Judas Preist, Van Halen, Savatage, Iron Maised..the replacements singers just ain't the same...

It's Gary Cherone singing Unchained, Blaze Bailey singing Number Of The Beast, Zakk Stevens singing Hall of The Mountain King, Tim "Ripper" Owens singing ..well, The Ripper...or...Melancholy (Holy Matyr)..it's like drinking the New Coke in the 80's...they tried to taste like Pepsi..but no..

I absolutely LOVE Nevermore dude! I have Dead Heart in a Dead World. I can't find either This Godless Endeavour neither The Politics Of Ectasy :s I'll have to try to find this Iced Earth CD then!
Never heard Cherone anyway, not with Extreme neither with VH so eh... I'll check it out Thanks!

[Jack The Riffer]

Dracula from Horror Show has got to be one of the most powerful vocal performances I have ever heard.

On The other end of the spectrum, A Question of Heaven from Dark Saga shows just how versatile a singer Matt is, it's got the mellow vocals and then it blows your face off at the end..

[horns666]

Eh, I think Tim is pretty good, and I don't get Horns slagging him, esp. knowing him personally. Maybe Bill is trying to push "Timmy" - ya know "tough love"?

Tim seems like a guy that loves to get into impossible situations.
It's a fact Tim can never make priest fans happy - maybe 20% of them and the same for Iced Earth fans.

I agree Iced Earth just isn't IE without Barlow, and I don't know why you'd re-record unless it's to get more money or screw the original session guys out of royalties like ShOzzy (I haven't heard Schaffer was that kind of guy...but).

I wish Tim the best, but he has got to stop putting himself in these situations where he is constantly compared to irreplaceable frontmen.

Well, you answered your own question there..

I'm just going for straight from the heart, pure honesty.Tim is doing well, he'll prolly always do very well. He made alot of friends in the top echelons of the metal kingdom. Ripper is always going to have a job. He was in Judas Preist, and Iced Earth along with his own Beyound Fear and older bands that are still popular within his circles.

Truthfully,..My singer would be a much better fit for Iced Earth than Tim. He can get MUCH closer to Barlow than he can, and he can scream just as much if need be..but he don't rely on the scream...he's not a "scream machine"..hint hint..

Prolly just a little envy on our part..just a smidge

[Number Of The Priest]

I downloaded that "Overture Of The Wicked" single and WOW, what a flaming piece of crap. Iced Earth's drum sound gets worse and worse with each release!

Jon's rhythm tone is getting more sterile too for some odd reason. It no longer kicks me in the face like it used to on certain "peak era" songs, especially those of the "Tribute To The Gods" cover album.

There are clips of the "Alive In Athens" DVD on Youtube... now THAT was amazing! FINALLY they release the video performance of that awesome show!

[horns666]

I downloaded that "Overture Of The Wicked" single and WOW, what a flaming piece of crap. Iced Earth's drum sound gets worse and worse with each release!

Jon's rhythm tone is getting more sterile too for some odd reason. It no longer kicks me in the face like it used to on certain "peak era" songs, especially those of the "Tribute To The Gods" cover album.

There are clips of the "Alive In Athens" DVD on Youtube... now THAT was amazing! FINALLY they release the video performance of that awesome show!

eh...see?...

Dude, I know!