RIPPER it is!!!

[Platinum Maze]

Former JUDAS PRIEST Singer Joins ICED EARTH! - Aug. 1, 2003

Former JUDAS PRIEST frontman Tim "Ripper" Owens has officially joined ICED EARTH. Owens, whose split with PRIEST was said to have been amicable, has already finished laying down vocals to the group's new album, "The Glorious Burden", tentatively due this fall through SPV/Steamhammer Records. "The album is done, and it's not just done, it rules!!" ICED EARTH guitarist/songwriter Jon Schaffer writes on the band's web site. "I have never been more pleased in all my years of recording. It came out the way it was supposed to be!" With regards to Tim's performance on the album, Schaffer says, Tim "did an amazing job! I know there were a lot of people hoping that [Owens would be the group's new singer], and [he] is . . . I can honestly tell you I've never felt better and am truly looking to the future with more optimism than ever before." ICED EARTH's web site is currently hosting MP3 clips of three songs from the forthcoming CD, including first single, "The Reckoning". Check them out: 01. The Reckoning (Schaffer) (44kHz, 3.35MB, 3:39)
02. Hollow Man (Schaffer) (44kHz, 2.98MB, 3:15)
03. Red Baron / Blue Max (Schaffer/Owens) (44kHz, 2.77MB, 3:01)
Can't wait to get home to hear these clips!!!

 

[Triumphant Apostle]

I just read this and downloaded "The Reckoning". All I have to say is it's a perfect fit, good for them!

 

[The Real Moonchild]

MUCH BETTER THAN MATT BARLOW
GONE WITH THE OLD, HURRAY WITH THE NEW
\m/ RIPPER!!!

 

[Iced In Flames]

MUCH BETTER THAN MATT BARLOW
GONE WITH THE OLD, HURRAY WITH THE NEW
\m/ RIPPER!!!

 

[PlatypusJesus]

Someone hasn't listened to A Question of Heaven lately. Listen to it, and then listen to the excerpt from Hollow Man. Now, who's better?

 

[Keogh]

Why all the fucking comparisons? God metal listeners are bitchy.

"Guitarist A is better than Guitarist B"
"Nuh uh, Guitarist A can solo too!"
"Well Guitarist B can sweep pick, how about that?"

"Singer A is much better than Singer B, listen to [insert song title]."
"That song sucks, Singer B can hit higher notes."
"Singer A has long hair, he's more metal."

How about this, BOTH Barlow and Owens are great singers. Barlow sounded great on the CD's he did, Owens sounds damn good so far. Tastes may vary, but both are qualified singers and neither is "better" than the other. It's not a contest, there's no objectional way to prove one singer is better than another, so stop trying to defend your opinion. it's silly.

Some people think Owens is better, some think Barlow is. That's all you can say. The more you try to defend your opinion, the more stupid you look.

Do you people argue why pepperoni pizza kicks the shit out of sausage pizza, I mean just compare this slice to this slice, how can anyone like sausage better???

 

[[KOTNO]Narrot]

wow...you got a hugh problem for sure!!

 

[PlatypusJesus]

"Do you people argue why pepperoni pizza kicks the shit out of sausage pizza"

No, I argue why bacon pizza kicks both their asses.

 

[|ngenius]

Owens, whose split with PRIEST was said to have been amicable

Yes, Tim Owens was amicably asked to put his ass away because it would be economically advisable to re-join Halford. Possibly K.K Downing and Glenn Tipton are in permanent contact with the Iron Maiden's financial assessor.


|ngenius.

 

[AjDeath]

wow...you got a hugh problem for sure!!

You know, Keogh doesn't have a problem, he has a point, and who the fuck is Hugh?

 

[Iced In Flames]

It wouold be like Sentenced with Bruce Dickinson and Savatage with Abbath from Immortal. IT JUST DOESNT WORK!!

 

[PlatypusJesus]

To me, Ripper doesn't convey any emotion in his vocals at all. All that I hear when I listen to him is a high wail. When Barlow sang, I listened, because I felt it. With Ripper it's just "Oh, he sure can sing high." When I first heard Burnt Offerings, and when the song first came on, and when the line "Offer me good omen" first blasted through my stereo, I knew that Barlow had that *something* that very few vocalists have. I don't know, maybe the new songs will grow on me, but right now, I can't help but imagine Barlow singing them. And there is nothing wrong with comparing Barlow and Ripper, because Ripper replaced Barlow. It makes sense to me to compare the two.

 

[Iced In Flames]

The chorus in Burnt Offerings is GREAT! And Question of Heaven kills. I always loved Matts singing on I Died For You

 

[Lies and Perfidy]

Both fucking great singers, in different ways...the new stuff is pretty promising. Gimme a sec to find my earlier comments on them and copy & paste...

The Reckoning: That chorus has annoying Horror Show-ish choir effects, but the underlying riff and the similar one at 0:41 BRING THE THRASHIFICATION. The main riff is okay. Tim (gotta stop calling him Ripper) has good shrieks here, and they don't sound too Halford-esque...they're not as clean, more of an edge and a snarl. The interlude at 2:15 sounds like Desert Rain, with a kewl bassline. It goes on for a little too long, and Tim's vocals start a little weak, but his shriek is flawless. Just needs to be trimmed a bit around the middle; otherwise, pretty cool power tune.

Hollow Man: Tim does great ballad vox...I mean, I knew he could after "Cathedral Spires," "Beyond the Realms of Death" live, and "Close To You," but he's got the emotion down. Chorus would SLAY if not for that annoying acoustic guitar hovering in the background...IT'S A POWER BALLAD. NO FUCKING ACOUSTICS IN THE CHORUS. THE CHORUS BRINGS THE POWER PART. GET IT, JON? That aside, Jon seems to be letting Richie get a little more dynamic on the drums. The last couple lines of each verse have a weird style, but Owens just goes EPIC at 2:38. Some good lead shit in the background at that point. Best ballad I've heard since Melancholy, but still not up to old-school quality.

Red Baron/Blue Max: No matter the historical context, that title sucks. But the song...YEE-HAW! This actually sounds a lot like Winter's Bane, with Tim cutting loose like he did on "The Horror Glances" and "The Sillhouette." Jon does some great varied riffage here, almost like the awesomeness of the Stormrider days. However, I could dig a solo over the rhythm break, but at least he's doing some really cool riffs. The ending bit of the clip is a great build-up to YET ANOTHER good riff. Definitely the best of the songs so far...even if it has the words "Blue Max" in the title.

Overall, it's not exactly a stunning return to form, but it certainly beats hell outta Horror Show. Jon came up with some pretty inventive riffs, and Tim does great justice to them. All seems to be going fairly well.