(power/thrash metal) Iced Earth- The Glorious Burden

[FrailandBedazzled1979]

I posted on this in the RnM forum in the "official power metal" thread if you want to read any discussions about it. Overall i feel a strong effort and really some honest work from Jon Schaffer. Matt Barlow appears only on backing vocals to Tim "the ripper" Owens (ex-Judas Priest) who brings his Halford-ish tone into a new Iced era. Highlight tracks would be "the reckoning" "greenface" and "atilla", and the second disc has a monster titled "Gettysburg 1863" which is 32 minutes divided into 3 songs about the famous american battle, reading Jon's linear notes with this enhances the song as Jon explains in the book. Fans of old Iced Earth will still get their galloping triplets, blastbeat drumming, and show and pationate songs that have defined the band for well over a decade now, but the tone and attitude is less "violent" and more powerful than before. I suggest a few good listens to fully appriciate the feel what Jon is trying to express this time around. Americans may find the lyrics to be a repeat of high school history, and hopefully people from other nations will see a little more into how the nation was so close to crumbling at their own knees. Worth a listen if your intrested, and worth a purchase if you are a fan. -Frail

[FrailandBedazzled1979]

someone must be intrested in the new cd!!

[brucezepwhostones]

I am. I've just never got around to it yet. I thought Horrow Show was weak though.

[Kaden]

Meh, the Reckoning EP didn't do much for me. It was ok, not much more than that.

All I have to go on at the moment...

[Mekkalayakay]

Jeez... I thought there were more Iced Earth fans than this.. :( I would have replied back earlier, but I've been gone for a month.

I thought this CD was absolutely amazing. Yes, Matt Barlow is better, but I'd rather have Tim Owens perform on this CD than a Matt Barlow "that isn't interesting anymore"
singing this album.

Yes, other albums were better, but I enjoy them all. 5/5

I also own: Burnt Offerings and Night of the Stormider, and soon to get self-titled.

[Crocto]

Iced Earth - “The Glorious Burden� (SPV) (4/5)

Back in the 1970s and 1980s the “New Wave of British Heavy Metal� dominated much of the music industry. At the forefront of that movement was the band Judas Priest, which lead singer Rob Halford at the spearhead of the metal-screamer department. In 1992 Halford left the band and was replaced by, than unknown, Tim “Ripper� Owens of a Judas Priest tribute band. Recently Owens left Priest to join another metal band, Iced Earth, replacing long time singer Matt Barlow.

Guitarist John Schaffer has penned pretty much the entire album. First off “The Glorious Burden� is an extremely pro-America album, which actually is not a bad thing. The album starts leads off with a nice instrumental rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner�. The album slows down a little more with the overtly patriotic “Declaration Day� than slows down a little more with “When the Eagle Cries�, clearly penned in response to recent events. The albums than picks up speed with “The Reckoning� and does not let go, save a few small clean guitar intros, until the end. The riffs are heavy and fast with a surprising amount of harmonization between Schaffer and lead guitarist Jim Morris. The two guitarists nicely compliment each other’s style; it is refreshing to see some harmony in a metal album, just check out “Valley Forge�. The drumming is also quite good with a fair amount of double-bass, while somewhat cliché it is not overused like on most heavy metal albums. There is also “Gettysburg (1863)� a 32 minute retelling of the battle of Gettysburg. While this may sound overindulgent and excessive it’s simply amazing, broken up into three different parts that tell the stories of General Buford, Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain's defense of Little Round Top, to Pickett’s daring charge. Each of these three sections is broken up into different songs with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra breaking up the songs. Unlike Metallica’s S&M the orchestra is not used throughout the entire song merely during the slower portions of the songs.

Easily the best part, and most consistent, are the vocals of Owens. From the amazing highs reached on cuts like “Red Baron/Blue Max� to the fist pumping lyrics of “Green Face� Owens hits all of them. Owens is called “Ripper� for a reason and on tracks like “Attila� and “Green Face� he screams bloody murder, no lyrics just a raw, high-pitched, in key, wail that could easily break glass. The backing vocals are also very good; used in the right places at the right time. On “Red Barron/Blue� Owens supplies the high pitched wail of “Barron�, stretched out for effect, while the rest of the band shouts “Blue Max�.

The few flaws of the album are Schaffer’s over reliance on a galloping-chugging riff style that beings to sound similar. The double-bass seems excessive in some songs, “Attila�; it also constitutes pretty much the entire outro to a few of the cuts. While the solos were quite good they were not nearly as long or as effective as they could have been. The blatant pro-US stance of the album, except for “Attila�, may turn off a few listeners.

In the end Iced Earth’s The Glorious Burden is a very good metal album. Fast riffs, machinegun like drumming, and the excellent vocals of Owens create a memorable listen. All the songs are very consistent in quality, both lyrical and musicianship. The highlight of the CD is clearly the “Gettysburg (1863)� suite, which is simply the tour de force of the album. The pro-United States stance is something that is sure to turn a few heads. Hopefully, the Schaffer/Owens collaboration will create many fine metal albums for Iced Earth.

[sting-ray]

ther is already a review on this album. I will merge the threads.

[Crocto]

this is the 1st iced earth CD i got. i really like history, though there are some inaccuracies in a historical aspect. however the CD was really kick-*** i went right back out and got "horror" show which is almost as good.

[QMANN]

undefinedJeez... I thought there were more Iced Earth fans than this.. :( I would have replied back earlier, but I've been gone for a month.

I thought this CD was absolutely amazing. Yes, Matt Barlow is better, but I'd rather have Tim Owens perform on this CD than a Matt Barlow "that isn't interesting anymore"
singing this album.

Yes, other albums were better, but I enjoy them all. 5/5

I also own: Burnt Offerings and Night of the Stormider, and soon to get self-titled.
THERE SHOULD BE MORE FANS THEY ROCK
THEY HAVE SOME OF THE BEST DOUBLE BASS DRUM EVER.
AND THE RIPPER ROCKS REMINDS ME OF EARLY PRIEST :thumb:

[QMANN]

:wave: HAS ANY ONE HEARD THAT BAND ARCH ENEMY
DOES THAT GIRL HAVE THE DEEPEST VOICE OR WHAT?

[PoliticallyIncorrectMetalhead]

Good Reviews. I really like this album. One problem though. I have nothing against Owens, but what in gods name could compel someone to get rid of Barlow?