New Iced Earth October 2013

[Baby_Kürsch]

From the Iced Earth Facebook page

The new ICED EARTH studio album is expected to have an October 2013 release date. It will be titled “PLAGUES OF BABYLON” and we are very excited about how killer things are sounding this early in the writing/demo process. Below are some of the song titles that will appear on the album.

1.) Plagues of Babylon
2.) Democide
3.) Among The Living Dead
4.) The Resistance
5.) If I Could See You
6.) Peacemaker
7.) Cthulhu
8.) Parasite

[Orodaran]

If it continues and improves the road taken with Dystopia I'm all for it!!!!!

[Perse]

Dystopia disappointed me. Propably my own fault because I expected that Stu would bring some variety, he can do so many different styles with his voice, but he only sticked to this deep singing. They were also kinda boring when I saw them opening for BG, maybe because it was a festival, but they did not seem so enthusiastic about playing that night.
But I always love songs about Lovecraft and all that Cthulhu stuff

[Baby_Kürsch]

If it continues and improves the road taken with Dystopia I'm all for it!!!!!

Couldn't agree with you more!

[gergor]

Well after Helloween's Straight Out of Hell, this is the album I'm mainly looking forward to!
And Stu Block is just awesome! I don't quite get why you complain about him not showing variety: The title track of the last album for example had this Iced-Earth-typical-Matt-Barlow singing as well as those high pitched Ripper-screams.
@Perse: So which show did you attend with BG headlining and IE opening?

[Baby_Kürsch]

I don't know if I agree with Stus lack of variety. The first time I listened to Dystopia I could have sworn the Ripper and Barlow were on the album. I think he really brings a lot to Iced Earth. With Iced Earth generally the 2nd album with a new singer is better than the first, so Im hoping they will knock this album out of the park!

[Frozen within]

I expect Stu to have increased freedom to actually sound more like himself this time around. Of course Schaffer determines the outcome of the whole thing in the end, if he wants Stu to sound like Barlow then Stu will sound like Barlow. Still I have pretty high expectations for the new IE as well (which means the first time since over a decade I believe).

[Perse]

I listened to Dystopia again, I completley forgot about some high parts (Especially in the title track). But yeah in the deep parts Stu sounds like Barlow and in the high parts like Owens. And the album is dominated by the deep singing. With Into Eternity he changed pitch all the time what made the songs way more interesting than deep verse, deep chorus with some high singing thrown in between. I would also like to hear some harsh vocals on the new record, not all the time, but I think it would fit because Iced Earth always sounded a little bit more aggressive than the average power metal band.
@ gergor
that was at the christmas metal festival two years ago. BG were good, I was so happy to hear Ride Into Obsession and Turn The Page. I did not enjoy IC that much, maybe because they didn't play Days Of Rage, my favourite from Dystopia, but V and Dark City which I really don't like at all. But Dante's Inferno was cool, but maybe not the best song for a festival audience that might not be familiar with it.

[Blackened]

Looking forward to it.
Their recent live album is fantastic!

[Blackened]

Album pushed back to January/February...

[Zook]

So...

Iced Earth - Plagues of Babylon (Lyric video)

... At least Blind Guardian is still making good music.

[wade-newb]

Every Iced Earth song is Jon's political ranting now.

Also Plagues of Babylon sounds like a cheesy anime intro.

[ErHaO]

Wow, this new track sucks. I liked Dystopia though, so maybe this is just a weak track.

On another note, at least Barlow is making some decent tunes with his Ashes of Ares thing (vocally, the music itself definately could use some work and a better production). What kind of break my heart though, is that Barlows return to IE was met with the worst album by Jon to date and the follow up, Dystopia was actually pretty good. I would have liked that Barlows farewell to IE was a good album... But yeah, thankfully Barlow is still active.

[Feanor l'invincible]

Hey everyone, good news about this album here!

It seems like Hansi (yea OUR Hansi) is making guest appearences in multiple tracks in "Plagues of Babylon", tracks like "Among the living dead", "If I could see You" (Ballad already played live), "Resistance", "Democide" and the final version of the title track! (I guess the song in the lyric video was meant to promote the tour since they play it first in the live setlist and it's not completely finished).

There is also a Johnny Cash cover song "HighwayMan", Russel Allen from Symphony X and the Volbeat guy along with Jon and Stu sing on it.

They played "Peacemaker" live too (so that makes 3 songs from the upcoming album played live).

Release date is January 21.

[wade-newb]

Hey everyone, good news about this album here!

It seems like Hansi (yea OUR Hansi) is making guest appearences in multiple tracks in "Plagues of Babylon", tracks like "Among the living dead", "If I could see You" (Ballad already played live), "Resistance", "Democide" and the final version of the title track! (I guess the song in the lyric video was meant to promote the tour since they play it first in the live setlist and it's not completely finished).

There is also a Johnny Cash cover song "HighwayMan", Russel Allen from Symphony X and the Volbeat guy along with Jon and Stu sing on it.

They played "Peacemaker" live too (so that makes 3 songs from the upcoming album played live).

Release date is January 21.

BEAUTIFUL. I can't get enough Hansi guest appearances.

[Twister]

Nice to hear those news! Dystopia was surprisingly good and I'm curious to hear its follower.
Happy of Hansi's guest appearances, not so much of the other guys -- I'm not sure of how those other voices might fit in the IE sound.
But we'll just have to wait and… listen.

[renegade_rocker]

As good of a singer Stu Block is, he really needs to stop with the Barlo imitation. Just listen to tracks like 3 Dimentional Aperture and Embraced by Desolation and you'll see he's more himself in those and other Into Eternity tracks.

[Feanor l'invincible]

Hello again, you can find samples of the new album in Amazon, here's the link since it's legal : http://www.amazon.com/Plagues-Babylon-I ... of+babylon

I miss Barlow, for what I've listened to, I don't think I'm gonna fall in love with this album... I hope I'm wrong


Edit : The album will be out in Europe on January 6th and in the US on January 21st.

[Darth Arrow]

Interesting, if my memory doesn't fail me, all IE albums so far have been recorded and mixed at Morrisound by Jim and/or Tom Morris in Florida. Now for Plagues of Babylon, according to the label Century Media

Recorded at Principal Studios - Senden, Germany [KREATOR, IN EXTREMO, GRAVE DIGGER]
• Mixed at NHow Studios - Berlin, Germany

And I was certain that as a patriotic-to-ridiculousness-kind-of-person Jon would never record an album outside of the USA Just curious why this change would've happened.

[Feanor l'invincible]

Hey there.

New track "Among Living Dead" available (posted by Century Media so no, it's not illegal) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... 5-RvUzUdHc

I suspect Hansi's doing the "Oh-oh-oh" part (I really liked that part) and being in some parts of the chorus.. the song sounds agressive, the riff just after the intro reminds me of BG's Ride into Obsession, I'd give it time before final judgement...

Edit : After a few more listens, I can feel Blind Guardian vibes in this song, not only because there's Hansi around, some parts of the instrumental section makes me feel like I'm listening to a BG song... IMO this song is way better than the title track "Plagues of Babylon"

[Baby_Kürsch]

Now that you mention it that totally sounds like Hansi! I like the song a lot and think Stu sounds really good so far. Ive been listening to Live In Ancient Kourion lately and I can honestly say that Stu is probably the worst thing to happen to old Iced Earth songs. Sometimes he nails them and others he just kinda butchers. Im really excited to hear what this new album brings. If Schaffer has showed us anything in the past is that the second album with a new lead singer is always way better than the first!

[Darth Arrow]

If Schaffer has showed us anything in the past is that the second album with a new lead singer is always way better than the first!

Wait, what? Are you somehow implying that Burnt Offerings would be clearly inferior to The Dark Saga? In my opinion those are both brilliant albums, they're very very different, and therefore I have a really hard time rating them, because sometimes I prefer the other and other times it's the other way around. With Owens and The Glorious Burden - Framing Armageddon I can somewhat agree with what you said. But I seriously doubt that Plagues of Babylon could top Dystopia in my books. Dystopia was clearly the best IE album in a decade but the bits I've thusfar heard from Plagues of Babylon hasn't yet really made an impression. It's not bad, but... It just doesn't kick your ass like the first songs of Dystopia I heard back before its release.

[renegade_rocker]

I couldn't agree more on the double live set. There are certain songs that were ment for barlow, like watching over me.

[Rokubota]

Every Iced Earth song is Jon's political ranting now.

Also Plagues of Babylon sounds like a cheesy anime intro.

Jon wishes he could write anime songs XD, those songs use more complex chords progressions. BTW Iced Earth were a cheesy band from the very beginning, it's just that Schaffer is even less inspired now.

[Baby_Kürsch]

My first reactions to the new album is Stu sounds way more natural on this album than Dystopia. I noticed on LIAK that there are time when Stu sounds completely different (Stormrider is one example) than he does on Dystopia. Then you go listen to some Into Eternity (to be fair Ive listened to 1 album and I dont much care for it) and he sounds different on that!!! I kinda feel like on this album he has stopped trying to emulate an older Iced Earth vocalist and decided to be himself.

And yes Dark Saga is superior to Burnt Offerings (I know IE fanboys drool over this album, and its good, but there is a reason they rerecorded half the fucking album) in several ways. So second albums with new singers seem to really knock it outta the park with Iced Earth.

[Zook]

I noticed on LIAK that there are time when Stu sounds completely different (Stormrider is one example)

Stormrider has always been sung by Jon

Then you go listen to some Into Eternity (to be fair Ive listened to 1 album and I dont much care for it) and he sounds different on that!!!

Stu sings in his natural voice with Into Eternity. With Iced Earth it's a mid range Barlow-esque voice.

I kinda feel like on this album he has stopped trying to emulate an older Iced Earth vocalist and decided to be himself.

I agree that Stu does sound more natural on PoB, but he's still doing The Barlow. He's much more tolerable though.

And yes Dark Saga is superior to Burnt Offerings (I know IE fanboys drool over this album, and its good, but there is a reason they rerecorded half the fucking album) in several ways. So second albums with new singers seem to really knock it outta the park with Iced Earth.

Burnt Offerings was never rerecorded, except that awful remake of Dante's Inferno with Stu. you're thinking of Night of the Stormrider, and while Barlow is a way better singer than John Greely, Greely does a great job on the album. Dark Saga is good, it has my favorite IE song (A Question of Heaven) but Burnt Offerings is way better, more complex, heavier, and just offers more.


Also, Plagues of Babylon destroys Dystopia.

[Gandalf de Grijze]

While I really loved the major part of Dystopia, their new album is simply a bore in my opinion. There are some really awesome ideas spread around the album, but those are never more than mere fragments of otherwise uninspired songs... I really am disappointed with this, for me this is the absolute worst album in the Iced Earth discography.

[Frozen within]

Have to agree with that. Iced Earth just keeps piling up crappy albums ... How this band managed to stay relevant and above that (still enormously) popular is beyond me. Also, Stu was so much more enjoyable with Into Eternity, it's a rotten shame he's still forced to mimic his predecessors and being denied of sounding like his genuine self. All in all POB is another stinker by captain Schaffer

[Baby_Kürsch]

Oh man I had no fucking idea that was Schaffer!! Apparently the Burnt Offering songs on the 2 disc Days of Purgatory are just rough drafts of the songs. Im still not sure if I like PoB yet. Something about Stu really rubs in the wrong way. I personally like John Greely on a few of those songs better than Barlow. And what happened to Hansi being on 5 of these songs? I cant pick him out on any of the songs other than the living dead one.

[Zook]

Oh man I had no fucking idea that was Schaffer!! Apparently the Burnt Offering songs on the 2 disc Days of Purgatory are just rough drafts of the songs. Im still not sure if I like PoB yet. Something about Stu really rubs in the wrong way. I personally like John Greely on a few of those songs better than Barlow. And what happened to Hansi being on 5 of these songs? I cant pick him out on any of the songs other than the living dead one.

Yeah, saying Hansi is a guest singer on 5 songs is a little misleading. Even saying he has lead vocals on Among the Living Dead is pretty strange since he only screams after each chorus. But you can tell Hansi is on the other songs simply because the backing vocals in the choruses sound just like old Blind Guardian backing vocals in the choruses lol

[Rokubota]

I said it with the DYSTOPIA album. D&W is dead because Schaffer is done as a songwriter and Hansi doesn't look very enthusiastic when he is singing now. I don't see another Fiddler On The Green in their future.

It's amazing how things change. I used to like the idea of another D&W album .

[wade-newb]

I said it with the DYSTOPIA album. D&W is dead because Schaffer is done as a songwriter and Hansi doesn't look very enthusiastic when he is singing now. I don't see another Fiddler On The Green in their future.

It's amazing how things change. I used to like the idea of another D&W album .

I might agree with you about Schaffer having run dry of ideas, but what do you mean Hansi "doesn't look very enthusiastic"? Do you mean during live shows? Does he sound unenthusiastic to you? I think his performances in guest appearances lately have been very interesting and involved. The guy has been working on vocals for the Orchestral album AND their new album for some years now, I think give him a break and wait for the albums to judge his enthusiasm in singing. Another D&W album could be very interesting indeed since his singing style and Schaffer's playing style have both changed quite a lot. Schaffer arguably has worsened, but it would still be interesting to hear the changes. Hansi though, has a very interesting sound lately. He can't sustain banshee screams like he used to, so he has a more powerful clean voice he uses, with some downright evil growling AND screaming (Wheel of Time shows both).

I would be very excited for another Demons & Wizards album.

[Rokubota]

I said it with the DYSTOPIA album. D&W is dead because Schaffer is done as a songwriter and Hansi doesn't look very enthusiastic when he is singing now. I don't see another Fiddler On The Green in their future.

It's amazing how things change. I used to like the idea of another D&W album .

I might agree with you about Schaffer having run dry of ideas, but what do you mean Hansi "doesn't look very enthusiastic"? Do you mean during live shows? Does he sound unenthusiastic to you? I think his performances in guest appearances lately have been very interesting and involved. The guy has been working on vocals for the Orchestral album AND their new album for some years now, I think give him a break and wait for the albums to judge his enthusiasm in singing. Another D&W album could be very interesting indeed since his singing style and Schaffer's playing style have both changed quite a lot. Schaffer arguably has worsened, but it would still be interesting to hear the changes. Hansi though, has a very interesting sound lately. He can't sustain banshee screams like he used to, so he has a more powerful clean voice he uses, with some downright evil growling AND screaming (Wheel of Time shows both).

I would be very excited for another Demons & Wizards album.

Hansi is in autopilot, he can sing very well but I don't feel the passion behind his singing anymore. He is my idol but in the last records his work sounds forced when in the past it was natural. The clean low key parts are sung in such a way that it gives you the impression that he doesn't enjoy the process anymore.

Live we all know that he always has his good nights and his bad ones. I think that in Wacken 2007 he was really into it and the performance was amazing because of that, even when his voice wasn't in great shape he was having a good time on stage.

I'm sure that his performance in the Orchestra Project will be very good and a highlight in his career as a vocalist because he looks excited when he talks about it, but with the new BG record mmmmmmm I'm not so sure.