Controversial opinions on metal

Just listened to the new Iced Earth album, Plagues of Babylon, and while Block's limited vocal range is executed well, and sounds well on record it doesnt match Barlow's dynamic vocal range and talent both on record and live.

Block is an absolute abomination live. Listen to him ruin one of my favorite songs, Burning Times.


Compared to Barlow:


No fucking contest. When I first was looking for songs to compare the singers, live, I wanted to see if they did A Question of Heaven for the Live in Ancient Kourion DVD. I would love to hear this fool try and sing A Question of Heaven, and fail. I would say this is the weakest Iced Earth has ever been. Even the bands material with Ripper Owns, shits on Dystopia and PoB. I respect Ripper more than Block because atleast he could throw it down live and do a fairly good job at singing the older material.

But, all of this brings me to my point. Barlow still remains the best singer Iced Earth has ever had, and ever will have. Block can go suck a fat one, fool sucks.

Iced Earth needs to stop releasing new material and just keep touring with Barlow. They have been on a steady decline after Horror Show (no suprise there) and with only hearing a few songs from their new DVD, I can honestly say, they have finally hit bottom.
 
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I'm actually happy with where iced earth are now. They've finally got away from the godawful something wicked albums and they're going in a new direction.

The crucible of man made me turn my back on Barlow. He sounded like absolute dogshit and he didn't even want to be there. That album, that particular album is my most DISAPPOINTING metal album of all time. I felt like the first girl I loved crushed my heart. I don't want Barlow back any more... Even if i would most likely begrudgingly accept it.

I have no problem with Block as a vocalist. His problem singing iced earth's older material is that he has to be Barlow, Ripper Owens, Gene Adams, and John Greely. He's the middle of the road of those five, at least. I also like his goofy high pitched vocals.
 
I can agree with you partially about Barlow's lack of involvement and huge disheartening on Part 2. It is definitely his weakest effort in Iced Earth, but there were definitely some good tracks on both parts, and with both singers.

Part 1:







Part 2:


I dont think Block needs to be any other singer, and in fact shouldnt even try because as the video I posted before, he just fails. Listening to him on record isnt bad, just not what I prefer. Listening to him sing the other Iced Earth material is where he fails, and it is his biggest weakness at filling the shoes of the current singer of Iced Earth. Barlow didnt have an issue with that. He could sing Rippers, Adams and Greelys parts better than themselves.

I couldnt find the video link for this on the DVD, but he does a good job here, singing Dystopia because I feel like hes just being Stu Block, singing his shit. Not Stu Block singing Barlows part, or Greely's part.

 
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No need to go all ultimateapathy on me. I won't be clicking stuff I already know. I've been listening to alive in Athens and live in ancient Kourion a lot lately and I really do like Kourion, I've just come to accept two things. Barlow was just the better singer, period and the recording in Athens was of a band in their absolute prime coupled with perfect sound and mastering.
 
I wish Barlow didn't sound like he was sobbing mid-song at times. That blubbering he is prone to doing put me off the band a lot.

Shame the band was writing shit when they had Owens in the band because he has a damn near unmatched set of pipes :(
 
I love Iced Earth with Barlow. Haven't heard anything with other vocalists that I like. Just staking my play on it, pure and simple.
 
Their best album (Night of the Stormrider was with John Greely who just had this incredible energy even if he wasn't actually the best vocalist overall.
 
Night of the Stormrider would be my favorite, I just cant get into Greelys vocals fully, but holy fuck, the guitar work on that album is so solid.

Id put them in this order, personally:

Something Wicked - Night of the Stormrider - Iced Earth - Burnt Offerings - Horror Show - Dark Saga - Dont really care after this point.
 
Dante's Inferno is a massive overlong shit and alone voids Burnt Offerings being ranked above the first two.
 
And the self titled is generally bad and would rank lower than some of their goofier albums for me. Hell I like the glorious burden more than that.
 
The drummer is weak and I can understand that most men lack the valor to handle Gene Adam, but otherwise it's a damn solid album.
 
Days of Purgatory is the best IE release - I miss Barlow in the band, but the new dude is pretty solid. The Two albums in the Something Wicked story were very week so i don't even rate them.

Days of Purgatory > Burnt Offerings > Dark Saga > Something Wicked > Horror Show > Plagues of Babylon > Dystopia > The Glorious Burden

From what I've heard of the new album, it's pretty cool.
 
Days of purgatory and Horror Show are my favorites of what I've heard in entirety. I do have a serious soft spot for the Gettysburg Trilogy though.
 
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