Iced Earth - The Melancholy EP
Century Media Records - 2001
By Rodrigo
/images/covers/IcedEarth-MelancholyEP.jpg
A couple of years ago, Century Media Records released the Iced Earth Melancholy EP in the USA. Only 1,500 copies were released, and it has become an extremely hard-to-find item that occasionally appears on eBay. Well, this January Century Media released the Melancholy EP in Europe in a much wider release, with the addition of two tracks not found on the USA version: "The Ripper" and a live version of "Colors" from the Alive In Athens sessions.
"The Ripper" can also be found on a Judas Priest tribute album, and it was a bonus track for the limited edition of The Dark Saga. Let me just say this: I am not the biggest Judas Priest fan, but I like this cover song a lot. It has its own unique Iced Earth flavor; excellent vocals by Matt Barlow, and great rhythm guitar work by Jon Schaffer. The biggest reason I decided to get the Melancholy EP was for the live version of "Colors." (When Alive In Athens came out, I was a little disappointed that "Colors" was not included, but how can one complain when the European version of this live album has three CDs with over 30 Iced Earth songs?) As soon as I found out that "Colors" would be on this version of the Melancholy EP, I had to get it. This live version is just as powerful as the studio version, and it features all the excellent qualities that made Alive In Athens one of the best live albums ever.
The rest of the songs are "Melancholy (Holy Martyr)," and "Watching Over Me" from the album Something Wicked This Way Comes, and "I Died For You" from The Dark Saga. These three are probably the softest songs from Iced Earth's last two albums, but they are all excellent emotional songs. "Electric Funeral," a Black Sabbath cover, and "Shooting Star," a Bad Company cover, round out the EP. "Shooting Star" really shows a softer side of Iced Earth, and it's a good song. "Electric Funeral" is a also a good cover song, to which Iced Earth once again adds its own unique qualities.
I really leave it up to the fan to decide whether or not to buy this EP. If some of you are really dying to get the USA version, this is your opportunity to get it much cheaper and with two extra songs. While this is not a limited release as the original version was, it is still a cool addition to the Iced Earth catalog.
Century Media Records - 2001
By Rodrigo
/images/covers/IcedEarth-MelancholyEP.jpg
A couple of years ago, Century Media Records released the Iced Earth Melancholy EP in the USA. Only 1,500 copies were released, and it has become an extremely hard-to-find item that occasionally appears on eBay. Well, this January Century Media released the Melancholy EP in Europe in a much wider release, with the addition of two tracks not found on the USA version: "The Ripper" and a live version of "Colors" from the Alive In Athens sessions.
"The Ripper" can also be found on a Judas Priest tribute album, and it was a bonus track for the limited edition of The Dark Saga. Let me just say this: I am not the biggest Judas Priest fan, but I like this cover song a lot. It has its own unique Iced Earth flavor; excellent vocals by Matt Barlow, and great rhythm guitar work by Jon Schaffer. The biggest reason I decided to get the Melancholy EP was for the live version of "Colors." (When Alive In Athens came out, I was a little disappointed that "Colors" was not included, but how can one complain when the European version of this live album has three CDs with over 30 Iced Earth songs?) As soon as I found out that "Colors" would be on this version of the Melancholy EP, I had to get it. This live version is just as powerful as the studio version, and it features all the excellent qualities that made Alive In Athens one of the best live albums ever.
The rest of the songs are "Melancholy (Holy Martyr)," and "Watching Over Me" from the album Something Wicked This Way Comes, and "I Died For You" from The Dark Saga. These three are probably the softest songs from Iced Earth's last two albums, but they are all excellent emotional songs. "Electric Funeral," a Black Sabbath cover, and "Shooting Star," a Bad Company cover, round out the EP. "Shooting Star" really shows a softer side of Iced Earth, and it's a good song. "Electric Funeral" is a also a good cover song, to which Iced Earth once again adds its own unique qualities.
I really leave it up to the fan to decide whether or not to buy this EP. If some of you are really dying to get the USA version, this is your opportunity to get it much cheaper and with two extra songs. While this is not a limited release as the original version was, it is still a cool addition to the Iced Earth catalog.
