Iced Earth "The Glorious Burden"

[Guest OctoberBlood]

Just gotta say, I highly recommend this. I don't think theres a track on this that I don't like. They've again hooked me and pleased me with "The Glorious Burden" (Offically released Jan12th).

 

This is what I got:

 

2-CD Limited Edition

1.) Star-Spangled Banner

2.) Declaration Day

3.) When the Eagle Cries

4.) The Reckoning

5.) Greenface

6.) Attila

7.) Red Baron/Blue Max

8.) Hollow Man

9.) Valley Forge

10.) Waterloo

11.) When the Eagle Cries (Unplugged)

 

Gettysburg (1863):

12.) The Devil To Pay

13.) Hold At All Costs

14.) High Water Mark

 

Does anyone have it yet? Plan to?

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Hey, now that's a good signature, there.

[Steviekick 0]

Normally I would stay clear of Iced Earth. But for some reason, an album of them doing America-inspired songs seems to be entertaining for all the wrong reasons.

[Red Baron 0]

Are all the songs are with Ripper then? Or is the ohter disc with Barlow singing?

[Slayer 0]

After hearing the samples from "Reckoning" "Red Baron" and "Hollow Man" as well as the full single "When the Eagle Cries", I will definitely be getting this

[Dace59 0]

Both disks are Ripper. Just that Greenface is only on the Us version, Waterloo on the others.

 

That version has both and the unplugged track. meaning has to be split onto 2 CDs.

[The Metal Maniac 0]

I'll most likely be picking it up next time I can.

[Guest OctoberBlood]

Hey, now that's a good signature, there.

Thanks.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

Damn it.

 

Bestbuy doesn't have it yet.

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

I saw it at FYE today. I didn't have the money to buy it though.

[The Metal Maniac 0]

I got the single-CD version today.

 

One word: DRAMATIC. The last three tracks are EXTREMELY dramatic, with lots of orchestra.

 

Another word: Cheesy. The whole "GO US!" feel to the CD may be a bit much for some people, especially the picture of a crying eagle in the liner notes. I understand what they're trying to accomplish, I just think that some would take it as being too cheesy.

 

Overall, it's damned good, and Ripper does a capable job (even though I still would've perferred Barlow).

[Slayer 0]

Bump

 

Finally got the 2-disc version the other day (I've been busy, what can I say) and it took a bit to grow on me, but this has grown into one of my top CDs ever, seeing constant play in my car and on my comp, thus showing IMO that IE (and Schaefer himself) still has it

 

The irony of it for me though is that while it's largely supposed to be a US history themed CD, my favorite songs are the ones about European history, i.e. "Red Baron" "Waterloo" and "Attila" (sounds like it could have been on Horrow Show, which I think would be attributed to the fact that it's a Barlow penned song, and it even sounds like he did guest vocals (the "growly" parts))

 

I also have to chuckle at the fact that the SSB appears twice on the CD (the actual song and then again at the beginning of "Devil to Pay")

[The Metal Maniac 0]

For the record, I'm almost positive that is Barlow doing those backing vocals.

 

It's hard to be sure, because there's obviously a few other vocals mixed in there, but Barlow is given credit in the liner notes as a back-up singer, so he MUST have sung something, and that sounds closest to him.

 

I'm starting to wish I had bought the 2-CD set...I didn't realize it had an actual whole extra song on it, I thought it just had the acoustic version of "When the Eagle Cries". Turns out that "Waterloo" is fucking badass, but I got it downloaded at least, so that's something.

 

Oh, and I wanted to point this out...

 

thus showing IMO that IE (and Schaefer himself) still has it

 

That's a rather odd statement to make, as Schaffer has ALWAYS been THE driving force behind the band. That, and Iced Earth right now is a TOTALLY different band then they used to be. Not only did the vocalist change, but I don't think they even HAVE a lead guitarist right now (Schaffer plays mostly everything, guitar-wise, on the album except a few solos, though oddly, Icedrealm.de says Ralph Santolla is the lead guitarist, but I don't think he's listed in the liner notes as being part of the band; could just be there for live shows, I guess) and the bassist is different then the one they had for Horror Show, but he was a studio musician to begin with.

 

So really, the only members who made it from Horror Show to The Glorious Burden were Jon Schaffer, and the drummer, Richard Christy. I dunno, it just seems like an odd statement to me to say that the band, then Schaffer as if he were a side-note, still have it, especially considering that it's not the same band by any stretch of the imagination.

 

I'd say Schaffer still has it, and he's still got enough other people to back him up. That's just me though.

[Slayer 0]

Thank you Captain Semantics

 

I know Schaefer and IE are essentially one in the same

[Guest FrigidSoul]

I'd love to see Iced Earth pick up Marty Friedman if they need guitar help. Just the thought makes you salivate at what kind of music they could create together.

[Dace59 0]

Well, they have Ex Death members for Guitar and Drums, they're not doing that bad.

[Styles 0]

Bump, because I just got the album (2 DISC VERSION~!), and this is my first real introduction to Iced Earth (besides a few clips on the net) and being that Metallica and Iron Maiden are far and away my favorite bands it's no shock that I'd really like Iced Earth. I like Ripper's voice too a lot, I'm not really used to Barlow besides aformentioned clips, but just talking about this cd I love the vocals, he has the perfect mix of emotion and screaming to work. I hate bands with total screamers for vocals where you can't understand a word (it's pretty much the one thing that keeps me away from Lamb of God, who's songs I think kick ass until the vocals kick in which sounds like BWECHHHHHHBWAHHHHH!!!!)

Anyway, being a good Maiden fan I love epics, especially those about history so the whole cd is just right up my alley. The whole Gettysburg (1863) trilogy is just so tremendous, it's like a classical music symphony only with metal guitars. I close my eyes an can literally see the civil war progressing just as it's being described. Tremendous. EDIT: I Just re-listened to the trilogy reading along with Schaffer's liner notes and lyrics in the book and it's like adding a whole 'nother layer. Just tremendous. History comes alive. When the Eagle Cries is a really nice, emotional tribute to 9/11 that's just beautifully done. Especially the accoustic version on the 2 cd version. It puts the thoughts of Americans on that day perfectly into song with the right mix of sorrow, anger and patriotism. Even songs like The Reckoning and Attilla that feature industrial like chanting vocals I'm finding very catchy and I love the old-school Metallica like guitar lines that gallop and riff along. Red Baaron/Blue Max reminds me of old Anthrax or Megadeth (more favorites! This band seems to be a conglomerate of my top 5 or so favorate metal bands). Waterloo which is a bonus track on the 2 cd version is probably my favorite song. I'm studying Napolean in my Western Civ class right now so hearing about what I'm learning in metal form is awesome.

Anyway, I think I'm hooked and will be looking to get more Iced Earth (I'm gonna let Glorious Burden sink in with a few more plays though first!) I would highly reccomend that if anyone loves Iron Maiden and/or Metallica they need to get Iced Earth, and this cd especially if history and epics is your thing.