FAVORITE ICED EARTH ALBUM

[The Fiddler]

1. Dark Saga : Matt's best, and most emotional performance, IMO.

2. Something Wicked This Way Comes : A close second, and the most diverse IE disc, IMO.

3. Horror Show : Incredibly intense from start to finish, (as much as Burnt Offerings, IMO). A great disc to listen to at the gym while working-out.

 

[General Zod]

As I continue to frequent this forum, I'm continuously surprised how similar many of our tastes are, Zod. At first, I imagined you as a potential mortal enemy.

My tastes are pretty wide ranging. I enjoy everything from Burzum and Drudkh to Vanden Plas and Pink Cream 69. For me, it's all about quality.

Zod

 

[Dark One]

WTF? "mortal enemy"????

 

[General Zod]

1. Dark Saga : Matt's best, and most emotional performance, IMO.

If I wanted to demonstrate to someone the greatness of Matt Barlow, I would definitely reach for Horrow Show. Be it the opening hellish screams of "Wolf", the emotion and intensity of "Dracula" or the variety of "Phantom", Horror Show (IMNSHO) is his finest work.

Zod

 

[DoomsdayZach]

WTF? "mortal enemy"????

*cue kirk vs spock fight music*

 

[Dark One]

If I wanted to demonstrate to someone the greatness of Matt Barlow, I would definitely reach for Horrow Show. Be it the opening hellish screams of "Wolf", the emotion and intensity of "Dracula" or the variety of "Phantom", Horror Show (IMNSHO) is his finest work.

Yeah, while I wouldn't consider Horror Show to be even close to my favorite IE, Barlow does indeed sound great on the album and "Dracula" is among his best, no doubt about it.

Jason

 

[Kenso]

If I wanted to demonstrate to someone the greatness of Matt Barlow, I would definitely reach for Horrow Show. Be it the opening hellish screams of "Wolf", the emotion and intensity of "Dracula" or the variety of "Phantom", Horror Show (IMNSHO) is his finest work.

Zod

agreed totally

also the sheer power of iced earth kicks for me in the song damien, although the middle part with all the evil whispering is kind of unnecessary haha, but the guitars are so heavy driving and in your face powerful.

 

[Bryan316]

Here's my gripe.

Love the Stormrider songs, hate the disc's production and the singer. Love Dark Saga, especially A Question of Heaven and Vengeance Is Mine, but the rest of the disc is quick songs without much guitar noodling. DANTE'S INFERNO should have its own entrance in this poll! The Something Wicked Trilogy is Jon's crowning achievement in brutality. Gettysburg is a masterpiece of emotion and feeling. Wolf, Damien, and Phantom Opera Ghost are so damned good, and so EEEEVIL.


But I still say Alive In Athens is my favorite of all Iced Earth's works, because I get all the older songs played with a superior drummer, excellent guitar tone, even volume levels, some intense live energy, and BARLOW'S VOICE. Every time I listen to Purgatory or Stormrider or Dark Saga, I gotta go throw in AIA because that performance captured the true spirit of the older songs with such flawless sound quality.


IF... IF I were to pick one album from the poll, I'd have to say Something Wicked, because of the closing trilogy.

 

[DoomsdayZach]

agreed totally

also the sheer power of iced earth kicks for me in the song damien, although the middle part with all the evil whispering is kind of unnecessary haha, but the guitars are so heavy driving and in your face powerful.

Damien is a fantastic song. If you haven't, watch the original Omen trilogy on which the song is based (not just the first one, and definitely not the remake!). The part in the middle is based on a monologue that Sam Neill as Damien delivers in the third film. The entire speech is below:

Nazarene, charlatan, what can you offer humanity? Since the hour you vomited forth from the gaping wound of a woman, you have done nothing but drown man's soaring desires in a deluge of sanctimonious morality. You've inflamed the pubertal mind of youth with your repellent dogma of original sin. And now you absolve in denying them the ultimate joy beyond death by destroying me ? But you will fail, Nazarene, as you have always failed. We were both created in man's image, but while you were born of an impotent god, I was concieved of a jackal. Born of Satan, the desolate one. Your pain on the cross was but a splinter compared to the agony of my father. Cast out of heaven, the fallen angel, banished, reviled. I will drive deeper the thorns into your rancid carcass, you profaner of vices. Cursed Nazarene. Satan, I will avenge thy torment, by destroying the Christ forever.

To me, watching those movies (though they get progressively worse) really brought about a whole new level of awesomeness to the song. That speech, the chorus being the prophecy from the original film... really cool stuff Jon did with that song.

 

[Iced Dog]

(IMNSHO)

In My No Shit Honest Opinion?

 

[DarkOne]

Yeah, while I wouldn't consider Horror Show to be even close to my favorite IE, Barlow does indeed sound great on the album and "Dracula" is among his best, no doubt about it.

Jason

I always wondered why Horror Show is given a bad rep. I didn't rate it as my fav, but it is an intense disc, and one of the ones I reach for when I want something heavy. Zod is right in that it is Barlow at his best (I've also listed Dracula as one of my all time favorite songs, and I hoping I get to hear Barlow perform it).

The Dark Saga is also amazing, and it's the most solid album start to finish. I chose SWTHW for the poll, and I think that has some of their best work, but all three of these albums could have been a top pick.

Steve in Philly (That's DarkOne, no space)

 

[Dark One]

I always wondered why Horror Show is given a bad rep.

Different strokes. I find most of it uninteresting enough to want to revisit with the major exceptions of "Wolf" and "Dracula". That's not to say it sucks, because it doesn't, it just isn't what I usually want to hear when I'm in an IE mood.

Zod is right in that it is Barlow at his best (I've also listed Dracula as one of my all time favorite songs, and I hoping I get to hear Barlow perform it).

Yeah, I pretty much already agreed with those assertions. While I wouldn't list "Dracula" that high on my all time favorite list of songs, I still think of it as an awesome song.

The Dark Saga is also amazing, and it's the most solid album start to finish.

Solid, but as a whole I prefer the less simplistic sound showcased on the earlier albums. The shift in styles was pretty significant on The Dark Saga. (BTW I love the anthemic title track, it definitely gets my blood pumping, plus I came up with my screen name from The Hunter. IE is without a doubt one of my all time favorite bands, so while I may enjoy some releases more than others, it's all IE and it's all good).

I chose SWTHW for the poll, and I think that has some of their best work

Yeah, I definitely understand where you're coming from here.

Steve in Philly (That's DarkOne, no space)

Jason in North Port (the spacious Dark One)

 

[skyrefuge]

If I wanted to demonstrate to someone the greatness of Matt Barlow, I would definitely reach for Horrow Show.

Agreed. Due to this thread, I was popping around the IE discography last night, and it's clear that 'Horror Show' is far and away his best vocal performance.

Even just the throwaway, not-even-quite-sung part in "Jekyll & Hyde" is brilliant:

"I can feel you inside me / You're not stronger than me! / I won't let you... / NOOOO! You can't have me!!! (scree-wwooo-widdly-widdly-soloooo!)"

So he left at the top of his game, which makes me a bit sad that he wasn't on TGB/FA, but it bodes well for the next album.

Neil

 

[DADRocks]

Can't vote on this poll, I haven't listened to all their cds.

 

[Kimavir]

WTF? "mortal enemy"????

You'll have to forgive me my ridiculous imagery. My talent for exaggeration knows no bounds I just thought we'd knock heads a lot, since he's pretty vocal about his tastes and, it seemed at the time, we didn't share too many of those tastes. I was pretty darn wrong.

Horror Show get a bad rep because a lot of the songs just feel like filler. Even the cover of Transylvania is kind of bleh. However, when that album hits a high point, it hits a high point. Dracula, Phantom, Damien... there's only 3 or 4 songs worth checking out on the 11 track disc.

 

[EDVANTASIA]

Is it gay to say "Watching over me" is one of my favorite Iced Earth songs?

 

[General Zod]

Even just the throwaway, not-even-quite-sung part in "Jekyll & Hyde" is brilliant...

As is that slow part in "Jack":

I've seen the rain wash over you a thousand times
Your flesh summons me
God knows why
Repent your sins to me



Zod

 

[SavaVIDude]

I HATE that quote from The Omen. I can't listen to that IE song.

Chris

 

[Kimavir]

Is it gay to say "Watching over me" is one of my favorite Iced Earth songs?

Borderline, but we'll forgive it this time.

 

[General Zod]

Is it gay to say "Watching over me" is one of my favorite Iced Earth songs?

That song really speaks to me. I lost my closest friend when he was 22. It seems that every lyric in that song is applicable.

Zod