Van and Barlow...match made in heaven?

Pitiless Wanderer

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Jun 14, 2002
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This definitely sounds promising:

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=176694

Former ICED EARTH, NEVERMORE Members Join Forces In New Project - July 13, 2012 Former ICED EARTH members Matt Barlow (vocals) and Freddie Vidales (bass, guitar) have joined forces with ex-NEVERMORE drummer Van Williams in a brand new project which is currently working on original material. A short taste of what is to come can be heard in the YouTube clip below.

Commented Barlow: "Well, though we are still in the early stages of progress, we are really excited about what we are hearing thus far. We hope that you have patience with us as we continue with this creative process and search for a record label that will help us bring our music to you all in the best way. Thanks for all your support.... More to come!"

Barlow announced his retirement from ICED EARTH in March 2011, citing his commitment to his family and the need for the group to tour more as the reasons for his exit.

Vidales left ICED EARTH earlier this year for reasons which were not disclosed. He says, "I know from the outside it seems nuts to leave a band with so much going for it, but from the inside it made a lot of sense to me." He adds, "I did not leave because Matt left or so we could work on this [new project], I also did not leave because of the heavy touring. I was actually glad that the touring had picked up. My reasons are private. The guys in the band know, and that's all who need to know."

Williams and guitarist Jeff Loomis announced their departure from NEVERMORE in April 2011 due to personal differences with the band's lead singer, Warrel Dane, and bassist, Jim Sheppard.
 
Matt has time for music, but not touring. Iced Earth was about to embark on the biggest tours they had ever done and Matt couldn't/didn't want to take time off from his job and family. He's been saying since he left Iced Earth that he wasn't leaving music, he was just leaving the road.
 
i think WD is the only 'clean' singer than can meld with the kind of brutality and dissonance that loomis brings with his riffs in the metal context. i dont care much for the songs with vocals on the new loomis solo album, i think some more brutal vocals would compliment his riff-oriented style (much better than the 'shred' oriented style).
 
I really did lose my Iced Earth chubby when I heard Barlow left... again. I've never seen them in concert and was not fucking happy when I heard he had left the band. I was really hoping to get my womangs and I at one of their shows. Oh well *Shrugs shoulders*
 
I lOOooooOOove Matt Barlow. He's so awesome! Just knowing that he's making music again is awesome. Although, he never sticks with anything. But, one more album with him on it sounds great to me. One that's NOT Iced Earth. The Pyramaze record he did was so excellent.
 
you're not the only one. i dont think he is 100% cheese all the time, but there are a few songs that he ruins with the cheese. plus schaffer was pretty much out of riffs by the time he joined up anyway.
 
i will say the alive in athens versions of the old songs ARE pretty rockin awesome as far as IE goes. but odly not so much the days of purgatory versions, because barlow cheeses the fuck out of a bunch of them.
 
What's even cheesier than Barlow's vocals is Stu Block imitating Barlow's vocals. I can't believe I paid money to see that.
 
Yeah, realizing he's the guy from Into Eternity confused the FUCK out of me at first. Then I realized Schaffer probably told him that's the only way he's allowed to sing, but that he can add in a LITTLE melody and some Owens if he's a good boy.
 
Barlow is absolutely cheesy. But. Warrel sure as hell has his moments, too. At the end of the day though, I love both of them. I really want to hear Barlow with a great songwriter. Pyramaze was AWESOME with Barlow. Love Immortal.