Jon Schaffer Reports From Road, Reveals Name of New Iced Earth Album

[General Zod]

If ever a band needed to focus on releasing 10 or 11 kick ass tunes it's these guys. The last two concept albums were snoozers. I can deal with something thematic, but I hope they stay away from any full on concept album.

This.

 

[Palabra de Dios]

I just want them to thrash again. Pick up the damn pace! And maybe tell Jon to go back to using B.C. Rich's.

 

[nomisofsiman]

If ever a band needed to focus on releasing 10 or 11 kick ass tunes it's these guys. The last two concept albums were snoozers. I can deal with something thematic, but I hope they stay away from any full on concept album.


Britt

I think Jon's biggest problem is that it seemed like those two albums he focused more on the storyline than the actual music itself. I love the concept albums like Dark Saga, Horror Show, Glorious Burden, etc. where they are concept albums but they don't necessarily follow a storyline from song to song. If this is indeed not a concept album, then I'm more interested...though the verdict is still out on Stu's voice fitting.

 

[The Invisible Guest]

Yeah, that's what I was talking about when I said thematic. Horror Show, and The Glorious Burden were theme oriented while the latest two and The Dark Saga were straight up concept albums. The Dark Saga was great .. the other wasn't. Both the theme oriented discs worked pretty well. I personally hold Horror Show in very high regard.


Britt

 

[DEATHZILLA]

Cant tell you how many times i have listened to Night of the storm Rider, or Dark Saga Etc. But i could barely make it through the last 2 cd's.

 

[nomisofsiman]

Cant tell you how many times i have listened to Night of the storm Rider, or Dark Saga Etc. But i could barely make it through the last 2 cd's.

I think Framing Armageddon had some solid songs on it, but overall it was too long and had too much filler. Crucible of Man was mostly a bore. I'll admit I did like "Come What May" even though it was pretty slow, but nothing else grabbed me.

 

[nomisofsiman]

Yeah, that's what I was talking about when I said thematic. Horror Show, and The Glorious Burden were theme oriented while the latest two and The Dark Saga were straight up concept albums. The Dark Saga was great .. the other wasn't. Both the theme oriented discs worked pretty well. I personally hold Horror Show in very high regard.


Britt

Well, with Dark Saga he didn't have to build the whole story. It was already created by McFarlane, Jon just had to incorporate that story into the songs, whereas the "Something Wicked" stuff he had to start from scratch. In other words, he should stay away from creating a full-on story-based concept album by himself.

 

[edgeofthorns]

Iced Earth is a band that appeals to thousands of different people from all over the world

So does Zod!

but that doesn't mean people have to agree with him or even listen for that matter.

I never said that anyone did have to agree with Jon or listen to Iced Earth.

~Brian~

 

[General Zod]

I think Framing Armageddon had some solid songs on it, but overall it was too long and had too much filler.

In an odd way, it kind of reminded me of what GnR did with the Use Your Illusion two-disc set... one good album spread across two CDs.

 

[skyrefuge]

Well, with Dark Saga he didn't have to build the whole story...whereas the "Something Wicked" stuff he had to start from scratch.

Have you heard of 'Night of the Stormrider'? That's a concept album he built from scratch. And people seem to kinda like that album. Furthermore, when he started the "Something Wicked" stuff from scratch, he created three of the most-loved, always-played-live Iced Earth songs.

Trying to find a correlation between lyrical topic and overall quality for Iced Earth albums is a fool's game; there simply isn't any correlation there.

Neil

 

[The Invisible Guest]

There might not be any correlation .. just my impression based on the most recent discs. I think a part of the the problem was that the Something Wicked concept wasn't worthy of multipe discs. One disc would have been sufficient. The change in singers didn't help either.


Britt

 

[AMBR]

And PMS? I'm so stealing that.

I'll pass. That term means something totally different to me and would be characterized by whiney female vocals.

 

[Metal_Camden]

I'll pass. That term means something totally different to me and would be characterized by whiney female vocals.

That immediately changes once you cross the boarder in FL.

 

[nomisofsiman]

Have you heard of 'Night of the Stormrider'? That's a concept album he built from scratch. And people seem to kinda like that album. Furthermore, when he started the "Something Wicked" stuff from scratch, he created three of the most-loved, always-played-live Iced Earth songs.

Trying to find a correlation between lyrical topic and overall quality for Iced Earth albums is a fool's game; there simply isn't any correlation there.

Neil

Neil, that was just me thinking out loud. So, don't take it too literal. Honestly, I haven't listened to Night of the Stormrider that much. Didn't actually know it was a concept album. The original concept for "Something Wicked" definitely was great, but three opposed to a full album is very different. Bottom line that I think most of us can agree with is that the last two albums, he tended to focus more on the story, rather than the other elements.

 

[nomisofsiman]

There might not be any correlation .. just my impression based on the most recent discs. I think a part of the the problem was that the Something Wicked concept wasn't worthy of multipe discs. One disc would have been sufficient. The change in singers didn't help either.


Britt

Agreed on both counts, concept and changes in singers.