Matt Barlow is back in Iced Earth!

[Nuclear Vampire]

I'm sure Shaffer promised the moon, but will he try to dance around and renege on some promises? Remember that Shaffer was happy to let his own sister and her kid starve rather than pay her husband (Matt) a livable wage to be in the band, much less actually share real ownership of the band. Matt left hoping to join Homeland Security, but he also said outright that he couldn't live on what Jon paid him.

:

Why should Jon give him part ownership when Jon is the chief songwriter, lyracist, visionary, etc? It's Jon's "band". Period. Everyone else is a hired gun and that's the way it's always been. Besides, it's not like I.E. is selling millions of albums and living the high life. Jon has said many times that he's barely making much of a living himself with I.E. If Matt wanted to make more money as a musician, he should have wrote more to get more $$$ from writing credit. Not that Jon would have used it anyways. After all, it's his "band". Shitty situation for Matt, for sure, but that's the way it goes in music.

[Venomboy]

I'm not thrilled. More retarded Paul Stanley sounding vocals.

[lerxstcat]

Why should Jon give him part ownership when Jon is the chief songwriter, lyracist, visionary, etc? It's Jon's "band". Period. Everyone else is a hired gun and that's the way it's always been. Besides, it's not like I.E. is selling millions of albums and living the high life. Jon has said many times that he's barely making much of a living himself with I.E. If Matt wanted to make more money as a musician, he should have wrote more to get more $$$ from writing credit. Not that Jon would have used it anyways. After all, it's his "band". Shitty situation for Matt, for sure, but that's the way it goes in music.

Right, but Jon stating that NOW I.E. is TRULY back means he's acknowledging Matt as something more than just a hired hand. Most of the fans seem to feel the same way. Jon is still a prick for dumping Tim with a backhand compliment after Tim saved his ass following Matt's departure.

I'm sure he'll fuck Matt too when he feels it's safe to do it, even though the guy is his brother-in-law and has to support Jon's sister and her kids. I am sure he promised Matt somethi8ng better to get him back, and I'm also sure he will renege when he thinks Matt will bend over and take it.

I'm happy for the fans who are happy, but I imagine they'll be bummed when Matt leaves again with a sore asshole from a good in-law fucking. At that point I'll LMAO when Shaffer can't get anyone to sing for his karaoke mafia.

[Nuclear Vampire]

I think what he meant about I.E. being truly back wasn't in the way of a "full member" or anything to do with the creative direction or output, but more of the "this is the voice that the fans like best" kind of thing. I mean, there have been 4 singers over 8 studio albums. You don't hear too many people saying Gene Adams was the "true" voice of Iced Earth. The fans told him they like Matt best and so he obliged them. I'm sure he saw the value ($$$ + cred) in getting the singer most Metal fans wanted back in the fold.

I totally agree that Jon probably did promise Matt the moon. He probably does that to everyone he hires. He probably tries his hardest to get it for them too, but Matt is a big boy and he should know better than anyone else what he's getting in to.

I just hope he doesn't get fucked over. Like Tim did. I really feel sorry for the guy. He had a good gig with them. Well, at least it seemed like he did. Who knows what went on behind closed doors.

[Freyr]

Don't forget, Matt is in Pyramaze now too... he might be able to pull in two shitty incomes now

[MartinBarre]

Barlow throws that in there to get a bit more grit / aggression, I think.

You know what is truly unnerving? Hearing Owens butcher all the old material in a live setting. His performance on the material from the albums that he appeared on was very solid (but I don't like those songs). He had zero concept of dynamics in that sense. His Halford screams were great. But honestly, his work on the mellow Iced Earth parts was really disappointing. He just can't sing in a passionate fashion unless its the balls out aggressive type of passion. I remember when I saw them play "Dracula" with Owens and he sounded like Arnold Schwarzenegger for the first 1:40 of the song!

It'll also be nice to see someone with some stage presence fronting the band again. Owens did a lot of standing there / lifting the fist in the air / walking to the side of the stage to spray some vocal ease and not much else.

Owens needs to focus on a band that is created around HIM, as opposed to stepping into a the shoes of a previous vocalist. I've not heard Beyond Fear that much. I also heard that he was good on the Wintersbane debut, but I've not heard that either.

I've heard Wintersbane but I'm not that into it, he sounds too much like Halford. I also agree with you about his stage presence - he looked completely bored in the Priest "Live in London" DVD.