Iced Earth albums ranked

There's no group for Iced Earth. Do we not have any Iced Earth fans here?! You know, Iced Earth! One of the best metal bands to emerge after the golden age of metal in the '80s? Their frontman Jon Schaffer was busted for his participation in the storming of the US capitol? Ugh, whatever...


[center][b]12. The Crucible of Man: Something Wicked Pt. 2[/b][/center]
The sequel to [i]Framing Armageddon: Something Wicked Pt. 1[/i] and the final album to feature Matt Barlow as vocalist following his short-lived return to Iced Earth after a four-year (and two album) absence. Many fans rejoiced after the announcement that Barlow was coming back and expected nothing short of a triumphant return. Unfortunately, Barlow's comeback was far from triumphant. More like a major disappointment. [i]The Crucible of Man[/i] has a decent enough start, but after the first few tracks, it goes downhill from there with maybe or two other high points. "Behold The Wicked Child", "I Walk Alone" and "Come What May" are highlights, but the rest of the album is completely forgettable. It's funny how [i]Framing Armageddon[/i] was one of the band's best and then its sequel is one of their worst, if not their absolute worst. It's not a bad album, but when it comes to their usual high quality standards, [i]The Crucible of Man[/i] misses the mark more than any other.

[center][b]11. Something Wicked This Way Comes[/b][/center]
First album to introduce both the band's long-running Something Wicked Saga and their mascot Set Abominae on the cover. Fans are quite divided on this one. Some consider it one of their strongest, some consider it one of their weakest. I am definitely in the latter camp. It's really an average at-best album that sounds uninspired most of the time. It's considerably heavier than its predecessor [i]The Dark Saga[/i], perhaps in response to some fans' criticisms that that one wasn't heavy enough (even though it was critically acclaimed and is still hailed as one of their best.) It seems that with [i]Something Wicked This Way Comes[/i], the band were attempting to find a compromise by having a mix of fast aggressive tracks and softer ballady tracks. Maybe this is where what I said about it sounding uninspired comes from - the band are trying to compromise and not simply channeling their passion into their songwriting. But the album does have its strong points. "Melancholy (Holy Martyr)", "Burning Times", and "Watching Over Me" are all great tracks. Some of their best, even! And of course, the Something Wicked trilogy that makes up the last three songs. Overall, [i]Something Wicked This Way Comes[/i] is not one of Iced Earth's better albums. What highs it does have are indeed high, but they're greatly outnumbered by the lows.

[center][b]10. Iced Earth[/b][/center]
The band's self-titled debut and their only album with original singer Gene Adam. There's not much power metal to be heard like on their later works as it's more of a traditional metal album with thrash elements, but it does have the band's vintage dark and atmospheric tone and of course, their signature guitar gallop that can be heard in almost every track. Some consider this one among their best, but it's more run-of-the-mill for me. The songs are good and all, but I seldom find myself going back to listen to any of them. The title track and "When The Night Falls" are two tracks that stand out the most. But my biggest complaint with [i]Iced Earth[/i] has to be Gene Adam. His voice would be right at home in a thrash metal band, but in Iced Earth where there's more melody and actual singing involved, Adam just wasn't the right choice. The re-recorded [i]Days of Purgatory[/i] versions of this album's songs with Matt Barlow singing makes them sound much better. But we have to go by the original here and Gene Adam's vocals are where this record falls short. While it's not one of their best, it's still a decent start to the band's career and laid the foundations for their trademark sound.

[center][center][b]9. Plagues of Babylon[/b][/center][/center]
With this album, they made one half a concept album and the other half stand-alone songs. The concept portion marks the conclusion of the band's Something Wicked Saga. I didn't much care for this record when I first listened to it. I initially found it quite forgettable, but it ended up growing on me. While it may not be as good as its predecessor [i]Dystopia[/i], it's still a decent record. I personally favor the second half of the album - the stand-alone songs. The concept half is good and all, especially the title track and "Democide", but the whole Something Wicked Saga just feels tired by this point. Like these songs are the band scraping the bottom of the barrel for ideas not wanting to let their beloved saga go, but at the same time realizing it has gone everywhere it can possibly go, so they have to give it an ending (which they still leave open-ended, interestingly enough). Meanwhile the later half is where the band sound like they're more of where they should be: exploring new territory by writing songs that each tell their own separate story. Many fans consider [i]Plagues of Babylon[/i] one of the band's weakest albums, but it's really not that bad.

[center][b]8. Incorruptible[/b][/center]
The most recent from Iced Earth (that will more than likely be their last) and their first album since [i]Burnt Offerings[/i] more than 20 years before not to be a concept album in any way. One thing about its predecessor [i]Plagues of Babylon[/i] was that its first concept half wasn't as good as its second stand-alone half. It appears the band themselves realized this issue and decided to base their next record entirely on the "stand-alone" formula. If so, it's a good thing they did because [i]Incorruptible[/i] is an improvement over [i]Plagues of Babylon[/i] that feels like the band are fully back in their element this time around. Songs like "Raven Wing", "Great Heathen Army" and "Clear the Way (December 13, 1862)" are easily some of the best songs from the band's later years. It's too bad[i]Incorruptible[/i] is almost certainly going to be Iced Earth's final album considering their current situation. Its non-concept approach could have very well been the first in an ongoing line of quality records consisting of unique one-shot songs.

[center][b]7. Horror Show[/b][/center]
The band's only straightforward power metal effort and the last to feature Matt Barlow before his first departure from the group, though he would return for [i]The Crucible of Man.[/i] As its title suggests, its theme focuses on classic horror films and icons. [i]Horror Show[/i] is another one of their stronger releases and has some of their best tracks. The album's horror theme fits perfectly for the band as they explore the sinister aspects of the lore the songs are based on in tracks like "Damien", "Jack" and "Dragon's Child" while also maintaining an emotional touch when they delve into the anger and frustrations experienced by certain monsters in "Wolf", "Jekyll& Hyde" and "Dracula". The band brings something new to the table with this release by adding multi-layered vocals for Matt Barlow's singing. Some criticized this as being a bit overproduced, but I think it's done to great effect and gives Barlow's voice a more chilling feel appropriate to the album's concept. It also features the only Iced Earth track with a guest vocalist in the duet "The Phantom Opera Ghost". The middle tracks are where it gets somewhat weak, but the early and later parts of the album are solid. All in all, [i]Horror Show[/i] is one of the group's better records for sure.

[center][b]6. Dystopia[/b][/center]
First album with their final vocalist Stu Block. Like most of their records, it's a concept album and as the title suggests, this one is inspired by dystopian themes and films, with two of its songs revisiting the Something Wicked Saga from previous albums. When it was announced that Block was to be the new singer for Iced Earth, I had never heard of him before, but after hearing his vocals from other projects, I wasn't impressed and didn't think he was a good fit for the band. Not many did, really. But once [i]Dystopia[/i] was released, me and virtually everyone else who doubted Block were quickly silenced. It was a solid return to form and Block proved to be a more than suitable replacement - like all the best qualities of their previous vocalists packed into one individual. "Anthem", "Boiling Point", "Anguish of Youth" and the title track are the best songs. Each feature some of the best lyrics the band had written in years. The later portion of the record starts to get a little weak and one can hear some recycled elements from previous Iced Earth songs throughout the album. But maybe that was the point - to bring a bit everything the band has ever done to show that Block had what it took to roll with the band, all in response to the low expectations everyone had about him (that's my theory, anyway.) [i]Dystopia[/i] isn't the most original effort from the band, but it's still one of their best and the very best from the Stu Block era.

[center][b]5. The Glorious Burden[/b][/center]
First record to feature Tim "Ripper" Owens on vocals as Matt Barlow's replacement following his first departure from the band.[i]The Glorious Burden[/i] explores themes of war and consists of songs about various historical battles and war figures. It's arguably the band's most epic-sounding album as many of the songs have a more cinematic feel to them which is fitting for the record's war theme. It has one of their best ballads "When The Eagles Cries" and also one of their angriest songs "The Reckoning (Don't Tread on Me)". But the real highlight of the album is the Gettysburg (1863) trilogy which takes up the last three songs on the record. It is the best song trilogy the band has ever done, even better than the Something Wicked trilogy from [i]Something Wicked This Way Comes.[/i] Iced Earth has never been able to match the pure majesty of those three songs. Owens as the replacement singer for Iced Earth is another thing fans are divided on. Some didn't agree with the decision because he has a higher, more melodic voice than the rough edged voice of Barlow fans had become accustomed to. If you ask me, what Owens lacked in an edge, he made up for in the sheer power in his voice. For this fan, Owens was a welcomed addition to Iced Earth and this record just goes to show (if his second with the group [i]Framing Armageddon[/i] doesn't already.)

[center][b]4. Burnt Offerings[/b][/center]
This marked a new beginning for the band as [i]Burnt Offerings[/i] was released after a three-year hiatus and it was the first album to feature their most prominent singer Matt Barlow. It's considered by many to be the band's darkest and heaviest album, which Jon Schaffer explained was a result of his frustrations with the band's record label and the problems they faced which nearly resulted in the group's demise. This also translated into the seething passion that can be heard in the songwriting throughout the record. It starts off strong and only gets better as the album progresses, with the later half featuring some of the best songs of the band's career. It culminates to the final track "Dante's Inferno", the sixteen-minute masterpiece that's the ultimate climax to this intense record. What truly carries this album is the introduction of Matt Barlow. Whether he's singing haunting melodies or bellowing like the bowels of hell, Barlow demonstrates his vocal versatility to perfection and establishes himself as the voice of Iced Earth on this record. If Iced Earth didn't have a name for themselves in the metal scene before, you can bet [i]Burnt Offerings[/i] was the record to put them on the map.

[center][b]3. Night of the Stormrider[/b][/center]
The band's second album, their first of many concept albums and their only one to feature John Greely on vocals. [i]Night of the Stormrider[/i] has more power metal than its predecessor while still maintaining a strong thrash presence, making this record the first to feature Iced Earth's signature blend of power and thrash metal. Some consider it a masterpiece and while I wouldn't go that far, I can say it is definitely one of their best. It is packed with rip-roaring guitar riffs, easily some of their most creative. There's really not a single low point; even the two that are less than a couple minutes long are good. It's hard for me to even name tracks that stand out because all of them do! The story it tells isn't anything remarkable, but when the rest of the album is as excellent as it is, it doesn't need to be. To top it all off, Greely was an excellent replacement for original vocalist Gene Adam. It's almost a shame this was his only album with the band, his voice was a great fit for them! It may be easy to overlook [i]Night of the Stormrider[/i] since it's pre-Matt Barlow, but that would be a terrible mistake for any Iced Earth fan because this album is brilliant and absolutely essential to their work.

[center][b]2. The Dark Saga[/b][/center]
You see this album placed at #1 on many other fans' rankings. And for good reason: it's one of their finest records! [i]The Dark Saga[/i] was the first in a long run of concept albums the band would make for the next 20 years after its release. The concept for this one was based on Todd MacFarlane's comic book character Spawn. Its style was less complex and aggressive than previous releases, favoring more melody, ambience and variety. But this shift worked out extremely well as it gave us some of the best songs Iced Earth has ever done. It features the band's first true ballad "I Died For You", the ferocious "Violate", harmonic songs like "The Hunter" and finishes with the beautiful epic "A Question of Heaven". There are fans who consider [i]The Dark Saga[/i] a disappointment for its simpler, less heavy sound. But that's part of what makes it so great! It has variety, it has soul. Iced Earth showed that they're not afraid to break the mould with their songwriting and can even show some emotion from time to time. This would become a defining feature for the band from then on and [i]The Dark Saga[/i] was their first record to set that standard, so any naysayers can go find themselves a generic extreme metal band whose albums all sound the same. Iced Earth has many albums where there's not a single weak song, but not all of them quite reach the same level as [i]The Dark Saga[/i] does. It may not be my #1 choice from the band, but it's very easy to understand why it is for so many others.

[center][b]1. Framing Armageddon: Something Wicked Pt. 1[/b][/center]
The second and last to feature Tim "Ripper" Owens as singer. In [i]Framing Armageddon[/i], the band revisit their Something Wicked Saga first introduced in [i]Something Wicked This Way Comes[/i] and would do so again for their next four albums, though this was one of two to focus solely on the story. This album is very special to me. When I first heard it, I was just starting to really get into Iced Earth's music and this one completely blew me away and became my obsession for a long time. The songs are so incredible! Powerful and soulful, paired together with a story that's just as compelling as the music. From triumphant numbers like "A Charge to Keep" and "When Stars Collide (Born Is He)" to ferocious songs like "Setian Massacre" and the amazing "Ten Thousand Strong" which is easily top Iced Earth song material. Sure the album has several filler tracks too, but they're not just mere filler as they actually help progress the story being told. Just like he did in [i]The Glorious Burden[/i], Owens is able to carry the record with his fantastic vocal range and powerful singing which is right at home with Iced Earth's style. There are plenty of fans who dislike this album for its filler and because they believe Owens was a poor choice for Iced Earth, but I couldn't disagree more. [i]Framing Armageddon[/i] marks the peak of Iced Earth's vocal, instrumental and storytelling prowess. It's too bad it was Owens' last album with the group and that the sequel to this fantastic album was nowhere near on par even with Matt Barlow on vocals again. At least he was able to go out on a masterpiece.