So I got the new Iced Earth promo today...

[JayKeeley]

"The Blessed and the Damned".

Very cool packaging (or at least the inlay is sweet), and it's got quite a good cross-section of all their best tracks. I'm not sure what went in to selecting the songs, but the choices are well made, even if they're not listed in chronological order...

Anyway, have to say, I forgot just how good the title track to "Burnt Offerings" is. Just full on storming US heavy metal. That makes me want to pull out the album, glad I held on to it because for a long while, it was my least favorite IE album (with Barlow).

Also, maybe it's just me on the first listen, but the tracks from "Horror Show" seem to be stripped down. Certainly, Barlow's high vocals on Wolf seem as if they've been removed. I could be wrong though.

 

[Papa Josh]

I actually emailed Heather at Century Media and told her I thought it was gay. My whole theory being, if you already owned all of the albums and the box set, what purpose would this release serve....

I've known her for a few years, so I knew I could get away with doing this.

She laughed and told me the tracklisting was really cool.

 

[Tranquillian]

It's just a release to fill the contract they had with CM. I won't buy it.

 

[JayKeeley]

Yes, there is no point in owning this if you already have their previous releases. I like it because it's a convenient little compilation that was easier to receive in the mail than burn to CD-R. Even the live stuff is from Alive in Athens, so really, this is for newbies who might be interested to hear the band for the first time.

Still, how cool is that "Burnt Offerings", eh? I love when I'm reminded of how good something is - sounds fresh again. Is that Barlow on both sets of vocals?

 

[Nate The Great]

I like the most recent Iced Earth offering, but would I like the previous singer???

 

[JayKeeley]

Well, do you like Paul Stanley?

No but really, I thought Matt Barlow was an outstanding vocalist. It's a real shame he went to work for Bush.

 

[Nate The Great]

Paul Stanley? I don't know if I'd like that. Iced Earth plays great music, but a shitty singer could ruin it all for me.

 

[JayKeeley]

Nah, I'm just kidding a little. Papa Josh thinks he sounds like Paul Stanley, and so does Gene Simmons (did you read that recent Terrorizer article?).

Otherwise, die hard IE fans like General Zod will swear by Barlow. I saw this guy sing live and he put on one of the best performances I've ever heard.

It's very simple - either go to their website, or check out cduniverse, and hear a few seconds samples. I'm sure if you can appreciate Ripper, you'd like Barlow.

 

[jimbobhickville]

I don't get the Paul Stanley thing. I can't stand Kiss or Paul Stanley, but Barlow is easily one of my favorite vocalists. For that matter, I don't care much for Tim Owens and didn't bother getting the new one.

Barlow = Iced Earth
for me, at least.

 

[Papa Josh]

Because you don't listen to Kiss....

I'll bet if u asked Barlow, he'd tell u Stanley was a big influence.

Just listen to the fucking Kiss cover. It's more his harmonies when he double tracks his voice than anything else.

"I Died For You" is a perfect example, that chorus has Paul muthafucking Stanley written all over it.

I can't stand Schaeffer, but if you don't pick up the new one, you're missiong out on not only one of the bettre METAL releases this year, but you are missing out on the best Iced Earth album, in my book.

 

[J.]

Iced Earth has cool cover art. That Civil War artwork I saw somewhere was beautiful.

THat's my contribution.

 

[jimbobhickville]

Actually I listened to the entire thing and got quite bored with it. It's true I don't listen to Kiss, I generally consider them to be among the worst bands I've ever heard, but I have heard many of their songs on the radio and such and don't hear the comparison.

 

[Papa Josh]

Actually I listened to the entire thing and got quite bored with it. It's true I don't listen to Kiss, I generally consider them to be among the worst bands I've ever heard, but I have heard many of their songs on the radio and such and don't hear the comparison.

Again, you don't HEAR the comparison, because you don't LISTEN.

Ever heard the Hendrix line that distinguishes between the two verbs?

 

[JayKeeley]

Ever heard the Hendrix line that distinguishes between the two verbs?

I thought that was Simon and Garfunkel...
"People hearing without listening..."
Classic song. Worst Nevermore song ever. Anyhoo....I do hear similarities between Barlow and Stanley, although had it not been pointed out, I probably wouldn't have made a connection. If you listen for it, you'll hear it.
And for what it's worth,
Barlow > Stanley
Just listen to "Wolf" on Horror Show for some of the best vocals ever. Shite album overall, but great musicianship and vox.

I like Glorious Burden, but I can't help but think what it would have been like with Barlow.

 

[Evil C.]

dont get me started on iced earth bad vocalists. Talk about the guy they had on the first few albums, and barlow becomes godsend! Im just glad they rerecorded most of those songs with Barlow on them....

Hmm greatest hits for Iced Earth. Does any of it at least sound like they retracked it and made it sound better?

Evil C.

 

[JayKeeley]

Hmm greatest hits for Iced Earth. Does any of it at least sound like they retracked it and made it sound better?

Evil C.

Well, the old stuff pre-Barlow has been kept with its original vocalists. In other words, they didn't leverage the Days of Purgatory material, and so it sounds better remastered.

The rest of it sounds cleaner, but how much remastering can you do with IE other than with "Burnt Offerings"? The live stuff sounds exactly the same as on "Alive in Athens".

I'm really suspicious about the Horror Show material though, both Wolf and Damien seem to be lacking something - as if they stripped it down to less tracks - so I need to compare to the original. My ears might just be playing tricks on me.