Iced Earth

Dark Genesis

One of America's most consistent and passionate metal bands

Review Score:

(10/10)
When I first heard Iced Earth, I wasn't impressed. I was into more melodic "happy metal" bands like Rhapsody, Stratovarius, HammerFall, Kamelot and other more upbeat groups...and I thought Iced Earth offered little more than bone-crushing, rapid-paced riffs in the vein of Metallica (a band I loathe with every cell in my body).

Yet, I kept hearing about them from trusted friends (such as Lord Chimp). I kept seeing Iced Earth's name pop up in connection with other bands I DID like. So I bought a couple of their CDs (Horror Show was the first...then Alive in Athens, the 3-CD set). But I still wasn't getting it.

So I kept trying. And kept buying their CDs. The next one was Dark Genesis. Then Something Wicked This Way Comes. Then The Dark Saga. There was something there that I knew I was missing. I wanted to find out what it was!

Know what finally did it for me? It wasn't so much the music as was the words of Jon Schaffer found in the outstanding Dark Genesis liner notes. I finally "got" what Iced Earth was all about reading Jon's words! It was there -- for all to read -- that I discovered his fierce devotion to Iced Earth, his single-minded, driven passion to succeed. This guy was astounding in his clarity of vision. I may not have liked all of his music, but I was drawn to his passion.

The only other guy in a band I know of with that kind of vision is Steve Harris, bassist for Iron Maiden (one of my all-time favorite bands). Once I realized Jon had that same crystal-clear, unwavering vision (and wasn't just riding Metallica's coat tails as I at first suspected), I was hooked. In fact, I was compelled to listen. Jon still holds true to his youthful vision of the band -- even after all these years. He -- like Steve Harris -- passionately walks his talk, keeping his band (and himself) true. I found Jon's words to be inspiring and I enjoyed gaining a glimpse into the man's heart and soul.

Now I listen to Iced Earth daily, and wear my Tribute to the Gods concert shirt around the house like it's the only article of clothing I own.

Frankly, I'm still learning to like Matthew Barlow's vocal style. I prefer vocalists such as Jorn Lande (ARK), Roy Khan (Kamelot), Steve Perry (Journey), Geoff Tate (Queensryche), Bruce Dickinson (Maiden), Paul Rodgers (Bad Company), Dio, Russell Allen (Symphony X), etc. In other words, I'm a sucker for a powerful, pure, clear voice. Matthew's vocals are certainly powerful. But he has a habit of turning one syllable words into two -- all of which end in "ahh" (as in "see-ahh," "me-ahh" or "name-ahh") that kind of gets on my nerves.

But I'm sure I'll get more used to Matt's style the more into the band I get. He voice is quite good, actually, and he sings Jon's songs with the same intensity in which they're written. It's just that "ahh" stuff I'm having a hard time with. Oh well. I'll get over it.

One of the biggest reasons -- aside from Jon's killer liner notes -- that I gained such respect for Iced Earth is because of the fifth disc of the Dark Genesis box set: Tribute to the Gods. Why? Partly because Jon's "gods" are the same as mine. I grew up listening to KISS, Alice Cooper, Blue Oyster Cult, Black Sabbath, AC/DC and Maiden. And partly because Matt's voice is amazing when he drops the "ahh" stuff and just belts 'em out in this awesome collection of cover tunes. For the record, the songs on Tribute are:

1. Creatures of the Night - KISS
2. Number of the Beast - Iron Maiden
3 Highway to Hell - AC/DC
4. Burnin' For You - Blue Oyster Cult
5. God of Thunder - KISS
6. Screaming For Vengeance - Judas Priest
7. Dead Babies - Alice Cooper
8. Cities On Flame - Blue Oyster Cult
9. It's A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock n' Roll) - AC/DC
10. Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
11. Hallowed Be Thy Name - Iron Maiden

In a word, this CD is F-U-N. Not only is the selection of songs fantastic, but they're played -- and even sung -- faithfully to the originals. I love this disc and listen to it more than any other in the boxed set. The Maiden songs, especially, are well done. (Hey, I wasn't that far off in my review of Horror Show. Barlow DOES sound like Paul Stanley when he sings "Creatures of the Night.")

Another reason I became hooked on Iced Earth is because of the entire look and feel of Dark Genesis. The boxed set design is very cool. Lots of rare photos. Lots of cool graphics. And four more CDs worth of material that I'm just discovering for the first time -- the band's first three albums remastered, as well as remixed, to sound even better than the originals...plus their demo Enter the Realm. This is a first-rate package and it's obvious Iced Earth cares a lot about its fans to offer something this well done.

As I said, I wasn't a fan of Iced Earth from the beginning, so I'm working backwards chronologically in my understanding and apreciation for the band, starting with their most recent material, then Burnt Offerings, then Night of the Stormrider, Iced Earth and finally their Demo CD, Enter the Realm.

I takes a lot to impress me when it comes to music. I'm one of the world's biggest music snobs. I can spot a poseur a mile away. And, since I'm a guitarist myself, I always listen to hear how complicated or clever or melodic a riff is. That said, I have to tell you that Iced Earth won me over -- as much for Jon's passion for the band as for his music.

I gained a world of respect for Iced Earth thanks to Dark Genesis. If you've never heard this amazing metal band before, Dark Genesis would be the perfect place to start. Flip directly to the liner notes and see why the music is the way it is. If you're someone -- like me -- who appreciates passion and devotion, you'll be blown away by Jon Schaffer's vision for his band...and that will make the music that much sweeter.

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