Black Wizard
Pleb Hunter
I think he always was nuts.
ICED EARTH SURVIVOR 2018: Results -> A Question Of Heaven wins!
- Thread starter Night Prowler
- Start date
Credits:
Jon Schaffer - rhythm guitar & vocals - 7th album with the band
James MacDonough - bass - 2nd album with the band
Richard Christy - drums - 2nd album with the band
Tim "Ripper" Owens - vocals - 1st album with the band
Guests:
Ralph Santolla - lead guitar on 4 songs
The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra - orchestra on 3 songs
Matt Barlow - backing vocals
- The Star-Spangled Banner - Blatant rip-off of US anthem. John Stafford Smith should sue them!
- Declaration Day - One of the best Ripper era songs. He actually does pretty well here, but I prefer the screaming verse as sung by Barlow and even Stu. I feel like they put more strength in it.
- When The Eagle Cries - Most underrated IE song. Many people actually misinterpret this song as 9/11 condemnation, whereas it's actually an autobiographical Schaffer song about the day when Barlow left IE because of 9/11, with Schaffer as the metaphorical eagle. Anyway, it's a great ballad with awesome lyrics. Ripper kills it on this one, especially on the chorus, and the solo is pretty good too.
- The Reckoning (Don't Tread On Me) - Ripper is awful during the verses, but the awesome riffs almost make up for it.
- Attila - Solid song with a pretty cool chorus, and an inspired Ripper performance for once.
- Red Baron/Blue Max - Cool song, dunno why y'all hate it so much. Ripper is also in good form, except during the chorus, and the music is very cool too. One of their heaviest songs ever, actually.
- Hollow Man - This one just fucking sucks. Worst IE song ever. (Now that I think about it, very similar beginning to End Of Innocence, except that song is way better).
- Waterloo - Very cool song with a super catchy chorus.
- Valley Forge - This one is OK, I'm not really feeling the chorus.
- Greenface - This one isn't really good, but it's a bonus song so didn't expect much.
- The Devil To Pay - Weakest in the trilogy. I think it kinda drags and lacks something compared to other 2 songs, plus there's too much repetition. Still a pretty good song though.
- Hold At All Costs - Best one in the trilogy. Barlow did this one way better live tbh though
Btw. I only just now found out that Schaffer did all the guitars on the trilogy, pretty impressive. Chorus is epic as fuck, and so is the instrumental-solo-replacement section. - High Water Mark - This one is epic as fuck. Especially the 2nd part of the song and the ending, Ripper is awesome there.
Overall: Solid album. Actually it's way better than I remembered it, there are only 2 real stinkers here and most of the other songs are at least good. Dunno where I'd rank this album, but it's way better than its successor.
Best song(s): Gettysburg, Declaration Day, Waterloo
Detective Beauregard
Leviathan of Doggerland
Ripper’s best moments with Iced Earth are the end of Framing Armageddon, the third verse of Declaration Day, and the “We’re almost there my boys, I’ve never served with finer” part near the end of Gettysburg.
Anyone care to argue?
Anyone care to argue?
Ariana
Black-and-white leopard
I agree with the Gettysburg one, that's the only actual time in the trilogy when I get something like chills. It's very questionable from the content, because this is the part where the Confederacy is glorified the most, but if I detach myself from that and just listen to the delivery, it really is very strong. I entirely dislike the third verse of Declaration Day, because I'm not a fan of the shrieking, but I guess that from a technical standpoint, it's done well.
The difference being that TGB was written for Barlow. Owens came in as a replacement without many songwriting adjustments. Framing Armageddon is much better, because it was written with Owens in mind.
It's just a soulless quota ballad that confuses multi-layered vocals with emotion. "Hollow" is actually quite a fitting adjective to describe it. When the Eagle Pukes, as shitty as it is, is at least inspired by true emotion.
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I asked the guy on FB and he confirmed it to me that the recording exists and he has it, but gave his word to Schaffer he won't share it or sell it.It was recorded with Barlow at first. If you recall, few years ago, there was this Brazilian fan club dude who said he'll post a demo of the album with Barlow online if he gets enough likes on Facebook, but Schaffer forbade it
Actually, found the post.
Here's to hoping it'll be released one day as a bonus to the original album. Schaffer should just sell that version instead of re-recording another one, it'd sell just as well as a new album
Plus, with both Ripper out of the band, it wouldn't be that disrespectful...Or I should make my own Iced Earth fanclub and spam the bandmembers until they give in and get me one copy too
I was thinking about that. I’m assuming they’re redoing the albums so they have complete rights over the new recordings (or maybe Jon said that himself idk) so I think it would work the same if they released a different unreleased version.Here's to hoping it'll be released one day as a bonus to the original album. Schaffer should just sell that version instead of re-recording another one, it'd sell just as well as a new album
Stop ruining my dreams!!!!!
Voted for Great Heathen Army, V, The Star-Spangled Banner, When The Eagle Cries, The Reckoning (Don't Tread On Me), Hollow Man, Valley Forge and Greenface. Update incoming!
Voted for Great Heathen Army, V, The Star-Spangled Banner, When The Eagle Cries, The Reckoning (Don't Tread On Me), Hollow Man, Valley Forge and Greenface. Update incoming!
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
I did not know it when it came out and now I don't care.
That's not how I judge albums. The idea of making this such an important criterium is too silly to take serious.
I guess one needs to like the melody enough to like it. For me that is good and important enough to not trash it.
Black Wizard
Pleb Hunter
He did say that, but it's for the first six albums, so everything up to and including 'Horror Show'.
I didn't mean that you should be bothered by it, only that the comparison isn't entirely apt.
I'm not sure I understand what you mean here. I dislike TGB for a myriad of reasons, one of them being that I think the vocals don't fit and I don't like the majority of Owen's performances. I felt his singing flows a lot better on Framing Armageddon. How is this silly?
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
Alright, I (also) thought this was important in the judgement.
I guess I have trouble with understanding why (a lot of) his vocals don't flow. Especially a vote for Declaration Day I find hard to understand. The vocals make that song so great. Absolute phenomenal work.
I guess I have trouble with understanding why (a lot of) his vocals don't flow. Especially a vote for Declaration Day I find hard to understand. The vocals make that song so great. Absolute phenomenal work.
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Eliminated after Round 11:
The Star-Spangled Banner - 11 votes
Greenface - 11 votes
When The Eagle Cries - 9 votes
Hollow Man - 9 votes
The Reckoning (Don't Tread On Me) - 7 votes
Voted for Great Heathen Army, V, Red Baron/Blue Max, Valley Forge and The Devil To Pay.
I can say the exact opposite. I find it hard to understand how someone can like the song. The vocals, among other things, make the song shitty. Absolutley crappy work.
Black Wizard
Pleb Hunter
Perun is out Foro-ing Forostar.
V
Dark City
Red Baron/Blue Max
Waterloo
Hold at all Costs
V
Dark City
Red Baron/Blue Max
Waterloo
Hold at all Costs
Bump.
Eliminated after Round 12:
Waterloo - 7 votes
Attila - 6 votes
Promoted after Round 12:
Declaration Day
Red Baron/Blue Max
Valley Forge
Horror Show joins the game!