My Review Of Iced Earth's The Glorious Burden
Holy Crap! This album was awesome. I know it sounds cliché but this is my new favorite album! Previously Burnt Offerings was, but Im digging this album more than I ever dug Burnt Offerings.
First off, I gotta say I love Tims vocals! In my opinion, hes much better off with Iced Earth than Judas Priest. Ive always loved his vocals though, so I wasnt disappointed. It was great to hear him sing some truly emotional songs and I think he showed he has talent on many different ranges.
Now, I gotta admit Im a very patriotic person and always have been since I was a little kid and learned about the USA fighting back against the English. The rendition of The Star Spangled Banner was very moving for me, and I thought it was quite a heavy piece too. I loved hearing this heavy metal rendition of my national anthem.
I really liked how it (Star Spangled Banner) led up into Declaration Day and all, but perhaps thats more due to me having always found that fascinating. Still though, I found Declaration Day thumping and quite enjoyable, giving a vivid picture of what was going on during the time.
I guess many Euros out there dont like the American patriotic stuff going on, but I really dig this.
When The Eagle Cries was good, I dig the full band over the unplugged version. It has some good melodies, but somehow feels weak compared to just about every track following it. We all feel bad about 9/11, and this song is a good tribute to it but I think an extra hour or two invested into better lyrics really couldnt have hurt all that much.
The Reckoning (Dont Tread on Me) is very solid and chunky with a driving beat. Yet somehow when listening to it, I cant help but feel Ive heard these riffs before. Also, I really cant get into the chanting vocals during the chorus. A very good track though, and sounds much better after following When The Eagle Cries
Greenface is a real thrasher when compared to the rest of the album. It has a feel to more of Iced Earths more early thrashier stuff. I also have to say I love the chanting on the chorus on this track and when Tim spews Ill be where The Metal Meets The Meat thats just hardcore right there. Also digging the high pitch scream at the 1:20 mark, great stuff.
Attila this is my favorite track out of the whole album, I love every part of it. It may not have the time down, but this track just screams epic! It really gets you into it, with driving guitar, inspired lyrics and great vocal execution my Tim.
Red Barron/Blue Max is a decent track, but overall my 2nd least favorite of the album. It has the riffs, it has the vocals, but the lyrics just strike me as a bit silly compared to everything else on this album. It just doesnt seem to flow for me, and seems slightly out of place for me.
Hallow Man is another Balled and in my opinion a very well done one. I enjoyed this track and although it didnt directly have to do with the theme of the album, it was still fitting.
Valley Forge is another favorite of mine on the album. I cant quite put my finger on it bout this track, but I really love it. I like how the starting guitar work is used for the intro and the chorus in this song is my favorite of this whole album (as far as choruses go).
Waterloos telling of Napoleon and his downfall is another highlight to this album. Tim shows us again he is a fine replacement for former vocalist Matt Barlow. I especially liked the bridge on this track and think its the highlight of Tims vocals on the first disc of the album; it shows his ability to do stuff not just screaming.
When The Eagle Cries Unplugged was like we get it already, your sad about 9/11. Us too, but lets not dwell on this anymore. This track is basically like a less heavy version of a balled weve already heard on this album. But hey, its a nice emotional piece none the less.
GETTYSBURG (1863)
This Im just counting as one really big song thats 30+ minutes long. I know its really 3 songs, but the whole thing tells one big story, and is so good it shouldnt be heard unless in its entirety. The Devil To Pay opens out with a much more traditional version of The Star Spangled Banner and then just blows you away with battle. Its a great starter and really pushes you into the feeling of what is going on in the events were hearing about. Hold At All Costs really is dramatic and shows you the torment of brother against brother, the fall and rise of an army. High Water Mark (July 3ed, 1863) is the conclusion to this masterpiece of a trilogy and is the most emotional of the three. Overall, this trilogy is not only a stunning success, not even the high mark in Iced Earths career, but the most complex, emotional and rewarding piece of music Ive ever heard.
Im not even counting the trilogy as in my favs list cause its so damn overwhelming that it cant really be one track to say a high point of the album, but cant be split into pieces because it dose the music injustice. Overall though, this album not only lived up to the hype I gave myself in anticipation of it, but it surpassed it (I didnt exspect it to be THIS good) and Ive now found a new fav album.
Holy Crap! This album was awesome. I know it sounds cliché but this is my new favorite album! Previously Burnt Offerings was, but Im digging this album more than I ever dug Burnt Offerings.
First off, I gotta say I love Tims vocals! In my opinion, hes much better off with Iced Earth than Judas Priest. Ive always loved his vocals though, so I wasnt disappointed. It was great to hear him sing some truly emotional songs and I think he showed he has talent on many different ranges.
Now, I gotta admit Im a very patriotic person and always have been since I was a little kid and learned about the USA fighting back against the English. The rendition of The Star Spangled Banner was very moving for me, and I thought it was quite a heavy piece too. I loved hearing this heavy metal rendition of my national anthem.
I really liked how it (Star Spangled Banner) led up into Declaration Day and all, but perhaps thats more due to me having always found that fascinating. Still though, I found Declaration Day thumping and quite enjoyable, giving a vivid picture of what was going on during the time.
I guess many Euros out there dont like the American patriotic stuff going on, but I really dig this.
When The Eagle Cries was good, I dig the full band over the unplugged version. It has some good melodies, but somehow feels weak compared to just about every track following it. We all feel bad about 9/11, and this song is a good tribute to it but I think an extra hour or two invested into better lyrics really couldnt have hurt all that much.
The Reckoning (Dont Tread on Me) is very solid and chunky with a driving beat. Yet somehow when listening to it, I cant help but feel Ive heard these riffs before. Also, I really cant get into the chanting vocals during the chorus. A very good track though, and sounds much better after following When The Eagle Cries
Greenface is a real thrasher when compared to the rest of the album. It has a feel to more of Iced Earths more early thrashier stuff. I also have to say I love the chanting on the chorus on this track and when Tim spews Ill be where The Metal Meets The Meat thats just hardcore right there. Also digging the high pitch scream at the 1:20 mark, great stuff.
Attila this is my favorite track out of the whole album, I love every part of it. It may not have the time down, but this track just screams epic! It really gets you into it, with driving guitar, inspired lyrics and great vocal execution my Tim.
Red Barron/Blue Max is a decent track, but overall my 2nd least favorite of the album. It has the riffs, it has the vocals, but the lyrics just strike me as a bit silly compared to everything else on this album. It just doesnt seem to flow for me, and seems slightly out of place for me.
Hallow Man is another Balled and in my opinion a very well done one. I enjoyed this track and although it didnt directly have to do with the theme of the album, it was still fitting.
Valley Forge is another favorite of mine on the album. I cant quite put my finger on it bout this track, but I really love it. I like how the starting guitar work is used for the intro and the chorus in this song is my favorite of this whole album (as far as choruses go).
Waterloos telling of Napoleon and his downfall is another highlight to this album. Tim shows us again he is a fine replacement for former vocalist Matt Barlow. I especially liked the bridge on this track and think its the highlight of Tims vocals on the first disc of the album; it shows his ability to do stuff not just screaming.
When The Eagle Cries Unplugged was like we get it already, your sad about 9/11. Us too, but lets not dwell on this anymore. This track is basically like a less heavy version of a balled weve already heard on this album. But hey, its a nice emotional piece none the less.
GETTYSBURG (1863)
This Im just counting as one really big song thats 30+ minutes long. I know its really 3 songs, but the whole thing tells one big story, and is so good it shouldnt be heard unless in its entirety. The Devil To Pay opens out with a much more traditional version of The Star Spangled Banner and then just blows you away with battle. Its a great starter and really pushes you into the feeling of what is going on in the events were hearing about. Hold At All Costs really is dramatic and shows you the torment of brother against brother, the fall and rise of an army. High Water Mark (July 3ed, 1863) is the conclusion to this masterpiece of a trilogy and is the most emotional of the three. Overall, this trilogy is not only a stunning success, not even the high mark in Iced Earths career, but the most complex, emotional and rewarding piece of music Ive ever heard.
Im not even counting the trilogy as in my favs list cause its so damn overwhelming that it cant really be one track to say a high point of the album, but cant be split into pieces because it dose the music injustice. Overall though, this album not only lived up to the hype I gave myself in anticipation of it, but it surpassed it (I didnt exspect it to be THIS good) and Ive now found a new fav album.
![[0hr]Sunlapse](/data/avatars/l/12/12972.jpg?1086073981){kind=avatar}
