Iced Earth... Barlow.. Tim Owens..

[kunphyooshus]

Part of the reason that many people didn't like Ripper on The Glorious Burden was because most of the music was written specifically with Barlow's voice in mind. I liked the disc, but I think the next one will sound much better, being written for (and partly BY) Ripper.

This is an excellent point. Glorious Burden didn't do it for me, but I don't think it was so much because of the change in singer as it was that none of the songs really got me. I'm still confident in Iced Earth's future with Ripper, but Barlow will never be forgotten.

Nate

 

[edgeofthorns]

His voice is untouchable, not many people can convey such emotion in their words and voice (Not counting Englund, of course .)

SEE RIGHT HERE IT IS AGAIN! I'm not picking on you BlackenedDawn, but that's an observation I've made lately. See, both of the above mentioned guys sing in a low, gruff style.

 

[spag]

I like both. To me it's just a different band lineup, a change, all good. I wont' say that IE is worse for having Owens, just different. Yes, The Glorious Burden (particularly Gettysburg) fuckin rocks.

 

[DarkOne]

I'm curious about something. Why is it when a singer sings in a low range with a little gruffness people tend to say that he sings with a great deal of passion? The "ball squeezer" vocalists, as I like to refer to them, don't really get that said about them. Why is that?

It might be said, but this case is different. Barlow is by FAR the most emotional sounding vocalist. Listen to the open of Dracula (my all time fav IE song), or the song that actually turned me on to IE - Melancholy. He can sing with great power, but there is emotion just dripping from his voice.

That said, I saw Ripper live, and he handled the Barlow stuff well. I'm fine with him as a replacement, but Barlow was unique.

Steve in Philly

 

[Joe-×]

Fuck Barlow and Ripper and Greeley. Gene Adam is the man!

Everything after Purgatory sucks!

 

[Magius]

Melancholy... good song. I Died For You always makes me remember friends long lost. Barlow can evoke some serious emotion for sure. That said, Ripper never fails to take me back to that day with When The Eagle Cries. Listening to that song I can completely relive the sense of stunned disbelief and sadness I experinced 5 years ago. Watching the video will compound those feelings tenfold.

I wouldn't name one as better than the other, only different from each other. Personally I have actually liked all the IE singers in the capacity in which they were used on the albums they appeared on.

 

[biggs0072000]

When it comes to power metal, Blind Guardian and Iced Earth are what got me into the shit in the first place, so I natually have a predisposition for Barllow's vocals. With that being said, I just never liked Ripper when he sand in either Judas Priest or Iced Earth. However, I do like his work in Beyond Fear, as well as the cover tunes I've heard him do ("Flight of Icarus" is an extremely good example). Hopefully, with Jon actually writing the next album with Ripper, it'll hold my attention.

BTW, am I the only one that's slightly pissed that it's going to be a continuation of the "Something Wicked" storyline?

 

[TBJ]

When it comes to power metal, Blind Guardian and Iced Earth are what got me into the shit in the first place, so I natually have a predisposition for Barllow's vocals. With that being said, I just never liked Ripper when he sand in either Judas Priest or Iced Earth. However, I do like his work in Beyond Fear, as well as the cover tunes I've heard him do ("Flight of Icarus" is an extremely good example). Hopefully, with Jon actually writing the next album with Ripper, it'll hold my attention.

BTW, am I the only one that's slightly pissed that it's going to be a continuation of the "Something Wicked" storyline?

Why are u pissed about that? I think the story is pretty cool.

 

[General Zod]

Everything after Purgatory sucks!

[cough]cracksmoker[/cough]

Zod

 

[General Zod]

BTW, am I the only one that's slightly pissed that it's going to be a continuation of the "Something Wicked" storyline?

You may just be. Why does this bother you? Jon said, right from the beginning, that he wanted to flesh this out to an entire CD.

Zod

 

[The Invisible Guest]

Iced Earth is pretty much off the radar with me these days. I don't find myself listening to their stuff much anymore, and I don't find myself anxiously awaiting their next disc. As for the Barlow vs. Ripper thing, I'll take Barlow by a wide stretch.

Britt

 

[The Fiddler]

But Matt Barlow IS the not only the voice, but the heart and soul of Iced Earth...COME BACK TO US, BART MARLOW!

Instead of everyone hoping for Barlow rejoining Iced Earth, why not put your energy in hoping for Barlow to start his own metal band? He hasn't taken one step in doing so since the 3+ years since leaving Iced Earth. Where are his heart and soul now? :Smug: Compare that to what Jon Schaffer has accomplished during the same period of time (Glorious Burden, new Demons and Wizards, and writing the follow-up to Something Wicked), and you will find out who the real heart and soul of Iced Earth is - Jon Schaffer. Always has been and always will be. People seem to forget that Schaffer writes all the melodies and the lyrics to the overwhelming majority of the songs.

Matt had a soulful voice, no question, and it is missed. But his priorities have shifted. Nothing he's done since leaving IE has indicated that he's going to change course. He likes his new career and path in life. I wish him only happiness in his new endeavors.

 

[Magius]

Instead of everyone hoping for Barlow rejoining Iced Earth, why not put your energy in hoping for Barlow to start his own metal band? He hasn't taken one step in doing so since the 3+ years since leaving Iced Earth. Where are his heart and soul now? :Smug: Compare that to what Jon Schaffer has accomplished during the same period of time (Glorious Burden, new Demons and Wizards, and writing the follow-up to Something Wicked), and you will find out who the real heart and soul of Iced Earth is - Jon Schaffer. Always has been and always will be. People seem to forget that Schaffer writes all the melodies and the lyrics to the overwhelming majority of the songs.

Matt had a soulful voice, no question, and it is missed. But his priorities have shifted. Nothing he's done since leaving IE has indicated that he's going to change course. He likes his new career and path in life. I wish him only happiness in his new endeavors.

QFT

 

[General Zod]

Matt had a soulful voice, no question, and it is missed. But his priorities have shifted. Nothing he's done since leaving IE has indicated that he's going to change course. He likes his new career and path in life. I wish him only happiness in his new endeavors.

Well said. But I still hope his next happy endeavor is starting a kick ass Metal band or rejoining Iced Earth (though I'm not holding my breath for either).


Zod

 

[biggs0072000]

BTW, am I the only one that's slightly pissed that it's going to be a continuation of the "Something Wicked" storyline?

I just don't like it when a band takes a storyline like "Wicked", and tries to accomplish it after switching vocalists. I feel that Barllow's voice is a necessity, and that Ripper singing on it just feels...off. (Insert "Keeper of The Seven Keys" joke here)

 

[Magius]

I just don't like it when a band takes a storyline like "Wicked", and tries to accomplish it after switching vocalists. I feel that Barllow's voice is a necessity, and that Ripper singing on it just feels...off. (Insert "Keeper of The Seven Keys" joke here)

You may be proven right in the long run, although I don't have the same reservations you do. Still you might want to wait for it to be released, and judge it on its own merits. Being "pissed" prematurely can only bias you against what may turn out to be a exellent piece of work.

 

[Jasonic]

I knew someone would say that. While I agree that "Burnt Offerings" is a classic, it is theor most unique disc and not something that would necessarily be a blind buy for someone who likes the other stuff.

Zod

Agreed. I always recommend that for IE, people start with either Dark Saga or Something Wicked.

Barlow was amazing, but Ripper was a damn fine replacement as well.
Actually, though I prefer Barlow's vocals, I feel that Ripper is more entertaining to watch live than Barlow.

IE with Barlow always looked like they were in pain while playing. It seemed a little less serious and more relaxed with Ripper.

 

[enki3600]

Now to add my $0.02 to the mix...

Very different. Ripper is an excellent vocalist. Everything he does on disc, he pulls off live. His work on the "Gettysburg" trilogy gives me goose bumps every time I hear it. However, to many, he's merely a Halford clone. And perhaps even more importantly, he's not Barlow. Consequently, he gets unfairly criticized.

Barlow, had a very unique voice and that voice became integral to Iced Earth's sound. He sang with more passion and feeling than anyone I've ever heard. He had range and power. He could go from heartbreaking, smooth lows to ear-shredding shrieks at the drop of a hat. Short of Tate, he's the finest Metal vocalist ever (IMNSHO).

...

By the way, if you're new to Iced Earth, simply go buy everything from "Dark Saga" to present day and thank me later.

Zod

I couldn't have stated it better myself.
I've seen Iced Earth with both Barlow and Ripper. And were easily the two best shows I've ever seen. I've also seen Ripper w/ Priest (but have never seen Halford live on anything).
Ripper does an OUTSTANDING job, end of story. Glorious Burden was written to show off his fantastic ability, and is everything I would have expected out of Schafer. Even his covering of Barlow's stuff live was awesome.

But Barlow is just that unique characteristic that no matter how awesome the fundamentals are, without it, the whole is missing. I think any Falconer fan can understand this sentiment too... Mathias' vocals were what made that band stand out like a hawaiian shirt at a funeral, when he left, the band was just "another metal band".

As my buddy puts it:

"Listening to Barlow on the 'Something Wicked' trilogy is like having an orgasm... only instead of stopping to catch your breath afterwards, you step it up a notch and keep going for at least a dozen more orgasms."

 

[Braxil]

A little off-topic, but if First State Force are playing a gig sometime around Progpower next year we should fly up dressed in Iced Earth shirts and see if we can get Matt to sing "Violate" to the kids.

 

[General Zod]

But Barlow is just that unique characteristic that no matter how awesome the fundamentals are, without it, the whole is missing.

Yep. It's amazing how many people I've heard say this, in one way or another, since his departure. There are very few original sounding vocalists in Metal. Barlow was not only one of them, but he was among the most talented of that rather small collective. And Schaffer can try to explain to me until he's blue in the face, why Tim is better of the two, I just don't care. I know what I hear. And when I hear Matt, I hear Iced Earth.

Zod