Okay, I know there are already 2 reviews for the new Iced Earth album, but since I disagree with both, I'm gonna write one of my own. Well first of all, I was pretty disappointed by the album. They went even further in the boring power metal style. Of course, if I think this album is so bad, I must think reasons why. I'm going to give a note on each song and give reasons why I gave this note. I'll skip the intro and I'll separate the trilogy from the rest of the album. Tim Owens did a great job though.
Declaration Day ( 6/10 ). Hmm... I miss the old days when Iced Earth began each album with an amazing song.. this one is just boring. The song lacks complexity and riffing... the main riff is just too simple! It gets boring so fast! Have you noticed that Iced Earth is using the same formula for almost 50% of their songs since Dark Saga??? Verse-chorus-verse-chorus-solo-ending chorus. How can someone get so generic?? The drumming is also quite boring.. but that'S because of the song.. not because Richard Christy sucks.. he's a great drummer. There is also a solo... but it's pretty bad too.
When the Eagle cries ( 4/10 ) Well, I listened to that song twice and that was enough. Another ballad using the same formula Schaffer uses since Dark Saga.. lyrics are pretty stupid too. You need to be a good lyrician to write about something that tragic. Uninteresting riffs again... but Tim Owens deliver a good job again.
The Reckoning ( 7/10 ) Okay, things are getting more interesting now. But there is still something lacking in that song.... I listened to Pure Evil and now I listen to this and it just sucks. Schaffer is not reinvinting himself enough ( You might find that I talk a lot about Schaffer, but he's the one that does the entire song-writing right??? ) It ressembles a lot to My Own Savior ( which I think was better ) in terms of riffing and style. Richard is okay, but not great like he was in Death.
Greenface ( 8/10 ) Finally a song that catched my interest! It's one the trashiest track on the album and also one of the best of the album ( without the trilogy ) Lyrics are weird, most people don't understand them.. especially the part " I'll be where the bullet meets the meat ". This song is about a sniper or a marine so I don't know what's so hard to figure. The riffing is pretty good on that one and the drumming follows it very well. I don't hear the bass enough to judge it. Tim has a great singing on that one. The chorus gets on my nerve though.
Attila ( 9/10 ) Now that's a great song! Lyrically okay but musically great. This one sounds more like old style Iced Earth. I also like the concept of the romans and the huns talking in the middle of the song, that was one of the best moment on the album ( I'm still excluding the trilogy ). Great singing by owens. Great drumming. A solo would have been nice, but no solo is better than a bad solo.
Red Baron ( 7/10 ) Pretty simple song but I like it! It could have been much better though. Maybe Schaffer wanted to put all his effort on the trilogy?? The song-writting is still simplistic. There's a part in the song starting at 1:30 that would have been great to place a solo but oh well... The solo after the bridge is not interesting at all. If you want good solos, go listen to Adagio's Underworld of Symphony X's albums.
Hollow Man ( 5/10 ) Well... this one is like when the eagle cries so the reasons are pretty much the same...
Valley Forge ( 6,5/10 ) Bah, typical power metal song lacking agressivity.. which is pretty funny, cause in an interview some years ago Schaffer whined about the new power metal wave ( Hammerfall, etc ) being not aggressive enough.. well look what you're lacking now Johnny! Yup, Agressivity. The solo on the song is too simple ( again ). Schaffer changed his formula a little on that song, but it still sounds like any other Iced Earth ballad.. this one is just being a little heavier.
Waterloo ( 7,5/10 ) Actually, I don't really know what to think of this song. Sometimes I think it's good, sometimes not. It sounds too much like Iron Maiden and it's one of the main reasons why I don't like it. Riffing is simple again. Big chorus that gets boring. The lead melody part is getting pretty boring, there was one on Dracula, one on Birth of the Wicked, one on Immotep... well I had enough!! Stop creating the same songs over and over again!!
When the eagle cries ( unplugged ) (5/10 ) Well this one is better than the other version...
As for the trilogy, I'll give notes without explaining them. I'm getting pretty tired lol and I don't have a lot of things to complain about them. The atmosphere is really good. The use of the orchestra is good too. Tim Owens really shine on the trilogy. So here it goes:
The Devil to Pay (8,5/10)
Hold at All costs ( 8/10)
High Water Mark ( 9,5/10)
Overall
Musicianship: 7/10 ( good musicians not showing all their potential.. except for ripper who really did a great job )
Lyrics:5/10
Production:9/10
Song-writing: 6/10 ( the trilogy gives most of the points )
Atmosphere: 8/10
Album ( without trilogy ): 5/10
Trilogy: 9/10
So that's it. I tried to be as objective as possible. I like the band! I think Horror show was pretty good.. but glorious burden just didn't work with me.
Declaration Day ( 6/10 ). Hmm... I miss the old days when Iced Earth began each album with an amazing song.. this one is just boring. The song lacks complexity and riffing... the main riff is just too simple! It gets boring so fast! Have you noticed that Iced Earth is using the same formula for almost 50% of their songs since Dark Saga??? Verse-chorus-verse-chorus-solo-ending chorus. How can someone get so generic?? The drumming is also quite boring.. but that'S because of the song.. not because Richard Christy sucks.. he's a great drummer. There is also a solo... but it's pretty bad too.
When the Eagle cries ( 4/10 ) Well, I listened to that song twice and that was enough. Another ballad using the same formula Schaffer uses since Dark Saga.. lyrics are pretty stupid too. You need to be a good lyrician to write about something that tragic. Uninteresting riffs again... but Tim Owens deliver a good job again.
The Reckoning ( 7/10 ) Okay, things are getting more interesting now. But there is still something lacking in that song.... I listened to Pure Evil and now I listen to this and it just sucks. Schaffer is not reinvinting himself enough ( You might find that I talk a lot about Schaffer, but he's the one that does the entire song-writing right??? ) It ressembles a lot to My Own Savior ( which I think was better ) in terms of riffing and style. Richard is okay, but not great like he was in Death.
Greenface ( 8/10 ) Finally a song that catched my interest! It's one the trashiest track on the album and also one of the best of the album ( without the trilogy ) Lyrics are weird, most people don't understand them.. especially the part " I'll be where the bullet meets the meat ". This song is about a sniper or a marine so I don't know what's so hard to figure. The riffing is pretty good on that one and the drumming follows it very well. I don't hear the bass enough to judge it. Tim has a great singing on that one. The chorus gets on my nerve though.
Attila ( 9/10 ) Now that's a great song! Lyrically okay but musically great. This one sounds more like old style Iced Earth. I also like the concept of the romans and the huns talking in the middle of the song, that was one of the best moment on the album ( I'm still excluding the trilogy ). Great singing by owens. Great drumming. A solo would have been nice, but no solo is better than a bad solo.
Red Baron ( 7/10 ) Pretty simple song but I like it! It could have been much better though. Maybe Schaffer wanted to put all his effort on the trilogy?? The song-writting is still simplistic. There's a part in the song starting at 1:30 that would have been great to place a solo but oh well... The solo after the bridge is not interesting at all. If you want good solos, go listen to Adagio's Underworld of Symphony X's albums.
Hollow Man ( 5/10 ) Well... this one is like when the eagle cries so the reasons are pretty much the same...
Valley Forge ( 6,5/10 ) Bah, typical power metal song lacking agressivity.. which is pretty funny, cause in an interview some years ago Schaffer whined about the new power metal wave ( Hammerfall, etc ) being not aggressive enough.. well look what you're lacking now Johnny! Yup, Agressivity. The solo on the song is too simple ( again ). Schaffer changed his formula a little on that song, but it still sounds like any other Iced Earth ballad.. this one is just being a little heavier.
Waterloo ( 7,5/10 ) Actually, I don't really know what to think of this song. Sometimes I think it's good, sometimes not. It sounds too much like Iron Maiden and it's one of the main reasons why I don't like it. Riffing is simple again. Big chorus that gets boring. The lead melody part is getting pretty boring, there was one on Dracula, one on Birth of the Wicked, one on Immotep... well I had enough!! Stop creating the same songs over and over again!!
When the eagle cries ( unplugged ) (5/10 ) Well this one is better than the other version...
As for the trilogy, I'll give notes without explaining them. I'm getting pretty tired lol and I don't have a lot of things to complain about them. The atmosphere is really good. The use of the orchestra is good too. Tim Owens really shine on the trilogy. So here it goes:
The Devil to Pay (8,5/10)
Hold at All costs ( 8/10)
High Water Mark ( 9,5/10)
Overall
Musicianship: 7/10 ( good musicians not showing all their potential.. except for ripper who really did a great job )
Lyrics:5/10
Production:9/10
Song-writing: 6/10 ( the trilogy gives most of the points )
Atmosphere: 8/10
Album ( without trilogy ): 5/10
Trilogy: 9/10
So that's it. I tried to be as objective as possible. I like the band! I think Horror show was pretty good.. but glorious burden just didn't work with me.
