Iced Earth Preview

[symphonyXjapan]

Someone posted this link over at the Pyramaze forums recently.

http://www.spv.de/icedearth/octophon/

It is a preview for what I think is a single for the upcoming IE album; however, all 3 songs are full track previews. Anyway, there is a new song featuring Matt Barlow and 2 songs from the last album that have been re-recorded/remixed with Matt on vocals as well.

Wanted to post this here because I am interested in what people here think of it since there are so many varying opinions on the matter of Matt Barlow and Iced Earth. Do old IE fans that didn't like the last couple albums find these tracks promising because they think Matt sounds way better than Tim? Or maybe you think the new IE material still isn't good even with Matt singing?

Me? I actually somewhat enjoyed FA but still find its material better with Matt from what I have heard in this preview. The Clouding is so much more emotional with Matt singing I think.

 

[Swabs]

I personally think the new song is awesome. I also enjoyed Framing Armageddon, a lot actually. And like the typical Iced Earth fan I prefer Barlow on vocals, but Tim Owens still did a great job.

 

[Horus]

The song was definitely already written for Owens to sing. But it still sounds pretty balls.

 

[Soulforged2358]

i liked both albums with owens on vocals, in fact, i loved glorious burden, gettsyburg just rocked!! but..barlow has always been the best singer for iced earth, (the same as how bruce dickinson is and always will be the best singer for maiden, as much as i enjoy both di'anno and blaze's vocals on their albums.) and new song is pretty damn good, his voice is as good as ever. looking forward to the new album.

 

[Black_Sheep]

Sounds great! Iced Earth is one of my all time favorite bands, and they have never disapointed me. Im also really happy that Matt is back with them. Framing Armageddon was an awesome album, and my expectations for the new album are really really high

 

[Phanto]

The new song doesn't suck.

 

[symphonyXjapan]

Even though the new song was ok, I think what I really enjoyed listening to most were the two FA songs with Matt's vocals. I would really like to hear a Matt version of the song Framing Armegeddon, that would blow my brains out!

 

[EyeballKid]

I would like to hear a Matt version of the whole Framing Armageddon album, because then I might actually listen to it.

I like the new song.

 

[DoomsdayZach]

the same as how bruce dickinson is and always will be the best singer for maiden, as much as i enjoy both di'anno and blaze's vocals on their albums.

Personally, i greatly prefer the Di'Anno era over the dickenson stuff. I've told the story before, but my band says Dianno is like Star Trek and dickinson (number through seventh) is like Star Trek: TNG. both are basically the peak of excellence, but it comes down to personal preference on which is "better"

I think bruce sounds like shit on the old maiden songs compared to how Di'anno sang them, and i know di'anno couldn't touch bruce's stuff. Kind of my take on Matt and Tim, but i've yet to listen to the tracks so i may be proven wrong. I'll check it out when i get home.

 

[EyeballKid]

I think bruce sounds like shit on the old maiden songs compared to how Di'anno sang them, and i know di'anno couldn't touch bruce's stuff. Kind of my take on Matt and Tim, but i've yet to listen to the tracks so i may be proven wrong. I'll check it out when i get home.

Although I do prefer Dickinson, I definitely agree with you there.

But no, all Iced Earth sounds better with Barlow. That's just fact.

 

[DoomsdayZach]

Not even Barlow could save "When the Eagle Cries".

 

[EyeballKid]

Ok, I will grant you that.

 

[dew]

Ripper owns Framing Armageddon. Sorry, but Barlow will never touch his performance on any of it.

And since Ripper was able to make the Something Wicked trilogy his own, rather than just singing the other guy's parts like Barlow did in those samples, I think it's pretty clear who the better vocalist is.

I'm not saying Ripper belongs on Iced Earth's old stuff, because he doesn't, but Schaffer's style has evolved and Ripper suits the band the best right now. Schaffer sold out to some Europeans, so we're stuck with Barlow, but nothing can be done about it now.

 

[EyeballKid]

And since Ripper was able to make the Something Wicked trilogy his own, rather than just singing the other guy's parts like Barlow did in those samples, I think it's pretty clear who the better vocalist is.

You're right...because Barlow sang something written during a time when he wasn't in the band, Ripper is obviously the better singer! This makes so much sense it literally hurts the realistic nerve impulses in my brain. Ouch.

It's not like Barlow sang music written for (or even, by golly, written by) him on 4 previous IE releases (compared to Ripper's 2 albums, and 2 co-songwriting credits).

Also, the way that Ripper sang all of the vocals on The Glorious Burden, even though it was written for Matt, proves his superiority!

 

[_Gentleman of_the Snow_]

New song = snooze-fest

When I was a Maiden fan, I always thought Bruce was the best. Seventh Son was my fave album by them.

 

[dew]

You're right...because Barlow sang something written during a time when he wasn't in the band, Ripper is obviously the better singer! This makes so much sense it literally hurts the realistic nerve impulses in my brain. Ouch.

It's not like Barlow sang music written for (or even, by golly, written by) him on 4 previous IE releases (compared to Ripper's 2 albums, and 2 co-songwriting credits).

Also, the way that Ripper sang all of the vocals on The Glorious Burden, even though it was written for Matt, proves his superiority!

It shows Matt's lack of creativity more than anything. Ripper did a fantastic job re-inventing the old material, while Matt just basically tried to do exactly what Ripper did and it didn't work at all.

I absolutely think Ripper is a better vocalist than Matt, but don't get me wrong, Matt suited the band well back when he was a member. Schaffer's style has evolved since then into repetitive power meedly meedly Blind Guardian-esque repetitive "metal", and Ripper suits that sort of high-layered vocal style than Matt Barlow.

 

[DoomsdayZach]

Completely disagree. I think Ripper is great at what he does, but he doesn't do iced earth well at all. In fact, when i saw him on the GB tour, he flat out raped the old material so bad that my friend (who drove all the way from canada just to see the show) and i flat out left in the middle of prophecy. Ripper SUCKS on the old stuff.

GB had a few moments that were good, but the stuff wasn't written for him. Most of it probably would have been better with barlow, though some songs couldn't be helped. FA is just a horrific album. Can't fault ripper for bad writing since that's Jon's deal.

 

[dew]

Completely disagree. I think Ripper is great at what he does, but he doesn't do iced earth well at all. In fact, when i saw him on the GB tour, he flat out raped the old material so bad that my friend (who drove all the way from canada just to see the show) and i flat out left in the middle of prophecy. Ripper SUCKS on the old stuff.

GB had a few moments that were good, but the stuff wasn't written for him. Most of it probably would have been better with barlow, though some songs couldn't be helped. FA is just a horrific album. Can't fault ripper for bad writing since that's Jon's deal.

Ripper isn't Matt and he never tried to be. I can only imagine what he sounded like live on most of the old material, but I liked the Something Wicked re-recordings, I think he did a good job with them.

Though I have to admit, I was never a big Iced Earth fan before Ripper. I had Something Wicked This Way Comes and Night of the Stormrider (though I liked both, never bothered to get more), so I don't suppose I ever really missed Barlow.

 

[schenkadere]

Personally, i greatly prefer the Di'Anno era over the dickenson stuff. I've told the story before, but my band says Dianno is like Star Trek and dickinson (number through seventh) is like Star Trek: TNG. both are basically the peak of excellence, but it comes down to personal preference on which is "better"

I think bruce sounds like shit on the old maiden songs compared to how Di'anno sang them, and i know di'anno couldn't touch bruce's stuff. Kind of my take on Matt and Tim, but i've yet to listen to the tracks so i may be proven wrong. I'll check it out when i get home.

Maiden's first 2 albums are my favorites...I always consider Dianno Maiden and Dickenson Maiden 2 different bands.

What are some of Iced Earth's best releases? I had The Glorious Burden, but never really got into it...I've sampled Burnt Offerings and think that may be more to my liking.

 

[Phanto]

Maiden's first 2 albums are my favorites...I always consider Dianno Maiden and Dickenson Maiden 2 different bands.

What are some of Iced Earth's best releases? I had The Glorious Burden, but never really got into it...I've sampled Burnt Offerings and think that may be more to my liking.

Something Wicked This Way Comes is definitely their best album. Although it has a few filler tracks, "Prophecy", "Birth of the Wicked" and "The Coming Curse" are some of the best heavy/power metal songs ever made.

1. Something Wicked This Way Comes
2. Night of the Stormrider
3. The Dark Saga
4. Burnt Offerings
5. Horror Show

Alive in Athens is also a very good live album.