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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
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│ + Iced Earth - Plagues Of Babylon + │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.Jan-16-2014 Encoder......L3.97 -V2 --vbr-new ║ │
│║ Genre........Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........2014 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........13 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.icedearth.com ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Iced Earth Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : Plagues Of Babylon Label : Century Media ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ItÆs been nearly 30 years now since Jon Schaffer ║ │
│║ first donned a guitar and began his lengthy ║ │
│║ metal career under the original moniker of ║ │
│║ Purgatory. Through the years, in the face of ║ │
│║ more line-up changes than one can even begin to ║ │
│║ count, Iced Earth has made a name for itself in ║ │
│║ the thrash/power metal realm, despite a ║ │
│║ tumultuous discography rife with inconsistency ║ │
│║ and musical missteps. Fans such as myself have ║ │
│║ long since accepted the sad fact that Schaffer ║ │
│║ will likely never again write another Night of ║ │
│║ the Stormrider, nor does he possess the lineup ║ │
│║ that made such a masterwork possible. Sure, Jon ║ │
│║ might be the captain of the SS Abominae, and ║ │
│║ maybe always was, but anyone who can in good ║ │
│║ faith say the earlier albums would have turned ║ │
│║ out anywhere near the quality they achieved ║ │
│║ without input from Randy Shawver is simply lying ║ │
│║ to themselves. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ With each new Iced Earth release, it only became ║ │
│║ more strikingly apparent that the thrashy, at ║ │
│║ times even progressive elements from years past ║ │
│║ have dwindled and nearly ceased to be under ║ │
│║ SchafferÆs near total monopoly on the ║ │
│║ songwriting credits. Dystopia was a solid return ║ │
│║ to better ways following the lackluster ║ │
│║ Something Wicked double album, with Stu Block ║ │
│║ proving to be the most versatile frontman this ║ │
│║ band has seen, but only to the standards set ║ │
│║ from æ97 onwards. Still, like-minded fans ║ │
│║ continued to hope against hope for the true ║ │
│║ successor to Burnt Offerings, that the man who ║ │
│║ once gave us ôDanteÆs Infernoö still has ║ │
│║ something truly great to offer the metal world. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Even as early as the initial announcement, the ║ │
│║ ambiance surrounding this album seemed a bit ║ │
│║ different from past efforts. The title alone got ║ │
│║ my attention, as did a few of the song titles ║ │
│║ such as ôCthulhuö, ôParasiteö, and ôDemocideö, ║ │
│║ but it was the artwork that really threw us all ║ │
│║ for a loop. A stark contrast to the ôcomic-bookö ║ │
│║ visual style of the last 3 releases, Plagues of ║ │
│║ Babylon certainly doesnÆt beat around the bush ║ │
│║ when it comes to first impressions, presenting a ║ │
│║ grittier, less romanticized vision of the bandÆs ║ │
│║ signature mascot. Were it not for the logo and ║ │
│║ the unmistakable visage of Set upon his throne, ║ │
│║ I would assume this to be the cover art for a ║ │
│║ 90Æs death metal band (perhaps this is even an ║ │
│║ intentional nod to Iced EarthÆs origins out of ║ │
│║ the Florida metal scene). The gruesome, rotting ║ │
│║ figures, blood seeping from their open wounds, ║ │
│║ shackled to SetÆs scepter as he sits there in ║ │
│║ laughter, an impaled head on a dead tree branch ║ │
│║ by his side. THIS looks different. Brutal and ║ │
│║ sickening, but undeniably a departure from ║ │
│║ tradition. It begs the inevitable question: does ║ │
│║ the music measure up to such a presentation job? ║ │
│║ The answer is a resounding yes. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ No, Iced Earth have not gone death metal (though ║ │
│║ the harsher side of StuÆs vocal capabilities is ║ │
│║ utilized a tad more this time around, and to ║ │
│║ excellent effect), but much of the music has ║ │
│║ largely taken a turn for the darker and more ║ │
│║ oppressive sound of yore. Essentially this album ║ │
│║ listens mostly like a mixture of the dark, ║ │
│║ doom-metal influenced sound of Burnt Offerings ║ │
│║ combined with the songwriting approach and ║ │
│║ multi-layered choruses of Horror Show, with ║ │
│║ several nods to various other past releases ║ │
│║ along the way. In fact, if anything, it almost ║ │
│║ seems like this is an album penned for the sole ║ │
│║ intention of melding together the best aspects ║ │
│║ of both old and new-era Iced Earth into one ║ │
│║ package. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ A fast-paced thrasher like ôDemocideö could have ║ │
│║ easily secured a spot on the self-titled album, ║ │
│║ or possibly even Stormrider. A major highlight ║ │
│║ early on in the albumÆs runtime, this song cooks ║ │
│║ faster and heavier than anything this band has ║ │
│║ put out in more than 20 years, and given a few ║ │
│║ years could very well be regarded as the new ║ │
│║ ôPure Evilö. ItÆs really that good. ôAmong the ║ │
│║ Living Deadö on the other hand puts the Burnt ║ │
│║ Offerings sound at the forefront instrumentally, ║ │
│║ at times playing out like a more upbeat ôBurning ║ │
│║ Oasisö. The rhythm constantly trades off between ║ │
│║ a quick-paced triplet attack and a slew of eerie ║ │
│║ lead breaks, in addition to a creepy harmonized ║ │
│║ solo that nearly fooled me into thinking Shawver ║ │
│║ was back in the band. Speaking of which, as of ║ │
│║ this album Troy Seele has at last graduated from ║ │
│║ ôhired gunö status, continually ripping out some ║ │
│║ flashy but tasteful solos on nearly every song ║ │
│║ featured, to the point where this is undoubtedly ║ │
│║ the most lead guitar-centric Iced Earth album ║ │
│║ since Something Wicked This Way Comes. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ One of the more noticeable steps forward in ║ │
│║ terms of songwriting is the seamless and ║ │
│║ constant manner in which some songs seem to ║ │
│║ evolve from one musical idea to the next. ║ │
│║ Examples such as the title-track, ôResistanceö, ║ │
│║ ôCthulhuö, and ôThe End?ö each build from a ║ │
│║ rather simplistic opening and drag the listener ║ │
│║ through a myriad of different tempo and rhythm ║ │
│║ changes, while at no point sounding disjointed ║ │
│║ or out of place. The opener for instance, ║ │
│║ following the evil-sounding introduction, shifts ║ │
│║ from doom metal riffing, to a slightly faster ║ │
│║ section where Stu pulls out the high vocals, to ║ │
│║ a clean interlude, followed by a tempo increase ║ │
│║ complemented by the signature galloping triplets ║ │
│║ and a maiden-inspired harmony, to a shredding ║ │
│║ solo, and so on. The same can be said for ôThe ║ │
│║ End?ö, which starts out hauntingly with a lone ║ │
│║ bass line, then moves into the main riff, riding ║ │
│║ along at a driving pace for a while, but by the ║ │
│║ 3-minute mark picks up speed and kicks into a ║ │
│║ beauty of a thrash riff, followed by a solo that ║ │
│║ brings to mind the awesome tapping lick in ║ │
│║ ôCreator Failureö. The track rounds out with a ║ │
│║ finger-picked acoustic outro, that if I didnÆt ║ │
│║ know any better I would say is a direct nod to ║ │
│║ the ending of ôTravel in Stygianö. This sort of ║ │
│║ much more dynamic songwriting than seen on the ║ │
│║ past however many releases once again feels like ║ │
│║ a throwback to the old days, and reminds of a ║ │
│║ time when there was more to Iced Earth songs ║ │
│║ than a couple of riffs beaten to death for a few ║ │
│║ minutes. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Of course, for all the improvements there are a ║ │
│║ couple tracks here and there that donÆt quite ║ │
│║ work out as strongly as the rest. ôIf I Could ║ │
│║ See Youö is essentially ôI Died For Youö Part 6, ║ │
│║ with the chorus riff of ôWhen the Night Fallsö ║ │
│║ thrown in for good measure. ItÆs not terrible, ║ │
│║ and the addition of Hansi KurschÆs choir style ║ │
│║ backing-vocals definitely help bring out StuÆs ║ │
│║ performance, but itÆs largely uninspiring and ║ │
│║ bland sounding. Likewise, ôThe Cullingö just ║ │
│║ sort of meanders about at its mid-tempo rhythm ║ │
│║ the whole time, and while it does feature yet ║ │
│║ another great solo, the song ends up going ║ │
│║ nowhere. One particular departure that ends up ║ │
│║ being surprisingly solid however is ║ │
│║ ôPeacemakerö, where Iced Earth attempts to write ║ │
│║ (I shit you not) a southern hard rock songà and ║ │
│║ somehow succeeds. Opening with a slow ║ │
│║ progression not too far off from Lynyrd ║ │
│║ SkynyrdÆs ôSimple Manö, the song breaks into a ║ │
│║ fast-paced collage of peppy yet punchy and ║ │
│║ infectious riffs by the one-minute mark, ║ │
│║ sounding vastly different from just about ║ │
│║ anything this band has put out (if pressed, IÆd ║ │
│║ have to say it falls closest to ôValley Forgeö). ║ │
│║ Honestly, I think this song might just be one of ║ │
│║ my favorites on the album. Despite having some ║ │
│║ pretty goofy lyrics and being so out of place on ║ │
│║ an album otherwise largely composed of very ║ │
│║ dark-sounding music, it features a really ║ │
│║ energetic rhythm, complete with an awesome ║ │
│║ sing-along chorus thatÆs been stuck in my head ║ │
│║ for days as of this writing. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ So, to bring us full circle, is this the long ║ │
│║ awaited true successor to Burnt Offerings weÆve ║ │
│║ all been waiting for? The verdict: ItÆs about as ║ │
│║ close as weÆve gotten so far. There are ║ │
│║ definitely still a few kinks here and there to ║ │
│║ be worked out, including a few uneventful ║ │
│║ tracks/segments and the rather underwhelming, ║ │
│║ ôby-the-numbersö performance of (already former) ║ │
│║ drummer Raphael Saini (I can only imagine how ║ │
│║ this album would have turned out had they picked ║ │
│║ up Jon Dette just a few months earlier). That ║ │
│║ said, thereÆs no denying Plagues of Babylon is ║ │
│║ still a pretty damn fun album, and manages to ║ │
│║ unseat its predecessor for the coveted 3rd place ║ │
│║ standing in the Iced Earth discography. StuÆs ║ │
│║ voice sounds better than ever, and prime cuts ║ │
│║ like ôDemocideö, ôAmong the Living Deadö, ôThe ║ │
│║ End?ö and ôCthulhuö prove that JonÆs still got ║ │
│║ some killer riffs left in him. ItÆs far from ║ │
│║ innovative or groundbreaking in any sense of the ║ │
│║ word, and likely wonÆt be cracking any top 10 ║ │
│║ lists by the yearÆs end, but this should ║ │
│║ certainly satisfy the core Iced Earth fanbase. ║ │
│║ As for me, IÆll still continue to hope for the ║ │
│║ true return to form, but with this latest ║ │
│║ release, that pipe-dream doesnÆt seem quite as ║ │
│║ distant as before. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Jon Schaffer - Guitars, Vocals ║ │
│║ Troy Seele - Guitars ║ │
│║ Stu Block - Vocals ║ │
│║ Luke Appleton - Bass ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Raphael Saini - Drums ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 01 - Plagues of Babylon [07:48] │
│ 02 - Democide [05:22] │
│ 03 - The Culling [04:27] │
│ 04 - Among the Living Dead [05:15] │
│ 05 - Resistance [05:00] │
│ 06 - The End? [07:16] │
│ 07 - If I Could See You [03:57] │
│ 08 - Cthulhu [06:04] │
│ 09 - Peacemaker [05:02] │
│ 10 - Parasite [03:30] │
│ 11 - Spirit of the Times [05:07] │
│ 12 - Highwayman [03:13] │
│ 13 - Outro [00:25] │
│ │
│ Total Length : [62:26 minn │
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│ ╔═════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│■ ■│
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘