Iced Earth interview

[Spruce Goose]

Man... I listened to Dark Saga last night for the first time in about a year. I forgot how freakin amazing the ending of A Question of Heaven is.

The whole ending section is perfect, starting with the: "I did what I thought was right, all for the love of my life" part up untill the absolutley spine tingling "Oh won't you let me die.... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH WONT YOU LET ME DIIIIIIEEEEEEE". bit. Matt fuckin nails that song. It is one of the best album closers ever. I just want to keep playing that part back when I hear it.

 

[spawn]

Best song ever!

 

[Spruce Goose]

But it is the whole ending part that makes the song so good. It is a good song up untill then, but that part just makes it amazing.

My spirit begins to rise, into the heavenly skies
Just to be shunned away by you
Now all I want is to die. No streets of gold in the sky
And I wash my hands of you

 

[spawn]

I know! Jon said that was the first song he wrote where it actually came out exactly how he envisioned it

 

[JonBonJovi]

I'm sure you realise Mr Spawn was joking?

and I am sure YOU realise I was joking also!

 

[KoichCPA]

I wasn't joking though, people with no hair are more metal.

 

[JonBonJovi]

Somehow I don't think it matters if your joking or not here many a souless twit would still take all that is said here as gospel from the mouths of gods in their own lunchboxes!

 

[Blitzkrieg]

I think I am the only IE fan that doesn't dig 'A Question Of Heaven'.

 

[Spruce Goose]

That's because you don't understand it. Or you are gay. Or you a gay homosexual that doesnt understand what makes a great song.





Hi Blitzy

 

[Blitzkrieg]

No, none of the above, I just don't find it one of their better songs. I do 'get' it, I just don't think it is that great. Give me 'Travel In Stygian', 'Dantes Inferno', 'The Coming Curse', or 'The Phantom Opera Ghost' any day as a good album closer.

 

[Spruce Goose]

Fairy muff... I was only joking about you being a gay homosexual.

I just love the way that A Question of Heaven builds up for about 4 minutes untill the end when Matt and the backing vocals climax in an orgy of awesomness that eats away at your balls untill you begin to wonder if you really are a man. Few IE songs have that particular effect on me.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

When I listen to the song, I lose interest and before I know it it is finished, and I think 'where was that awesome bit everyone mentions again'??

 

[spawn]

I just love the way that A Question of Heaven builds up for about 4 minutes untill the end when Matt and the backing vocals climax in an orgy of awesomness that eats away at your balls untill you begin to wonder if you really are a man. Few IE songs have that particular effect on me.

 

[spawn]

Ex-JUDAS PRIEST singer Tim Owens recently spoke to Electric Basement about the experience of singing for the veteran British heavy metal band and his decision to join ICED EARTH as the replacement for Matt Barlow. Asked about ICED EARTH mainman Jon Schaffer's reputation as someone who can be extremely difficult to work with, Owens said, "I think part of the reason is that many people don't understand that Jon didn't fire everybody [from the group's previous lineups]. A lot of the older members left on their own or realized they wanted to do something else. Jon has worked so hard and made that band. He's built it from the ground up — obviously Matt has been a big part of it as well — but Jon has handled most of the business from merchandising to song writing. He has been the major driving force in every aspect, and some people didn't want to get involved. I think that maybe Jon may not have even wanted that at the time either, but that was the first thing we talked about was that he said that he actually wanted somebody to help. He said that he actually wanted help on the business end, and he wanted help from others making decisions. In the end though, Jon knows what Jon wants. He's a very determined person, and he definitely knows what he wants. If you don't want that same thing or you don't agree with it, you could very well be hitting the highway. Jon just works really hard, and you should expect to be paid in relation to how much work you put into it whether it's the next record or whatever. . . He's a good guy. I mean, he may be a little hard headed, but he has his beliefs, and that's part of what's good about him. I think that's why he's built this thing up to be as big as it is."

With regards to a possible solo album, Tim said, "I've got some friends that I'm working with, and I've written all the guitar parts and everything. We've been practicing some of the stuff together to try to get a feel for it. Then, it's off to the studio to make some demos and shop them around to some labels. Depending on how long I tour with ICED EARTH next year, I'd like to get the album out by 2004." Read the rest of the interview here.

 

[MeKaChrOme]

a question of heaven rocks! Matts performance on the athens version is awesome!

stygian sucks! phantom is a pretty fuckin cool song too....
I would love to hear the Gettysberg trilogy with matt singing... still, Ripper does a pretty good job.. should sound great on the DVD

 

[spawn]

Stygian on AIA is awesome, I cant believe how fast Jon plays in that part after the second chorus

 

[Blitzkrieg]

""...trying his hand at a solo career that would be doubtlessly doomed to failure.""

That is a bit harsh, because he is going to be putting out a solo record at some stage as well! If Blaze can come out of a breakup with Maiden on top of his game the way he did, I am sure Ripper would have been able to do the same thing, even without the help of Iced Earth. I think it would have been a good move, the same as it was for Blaze.