Album Review: Iced Earth - Iced Earth
Reviewed by Paul Hutchings
Anniversaries seem to happen every five seconds in the world of metal. Unsurprising really; the world keeps turning after all. Back in 1984 in Tampa, Florida, a young aspiring musician called Jon Schaffer began his musical journey with his band The Rose. This quickly morphed into Purgatory before Schaffer settled on the name Iced Earth. Intent on playing a muscular, traditional style of heavy metal, Schaffer quickly established Iced Earth as a genuine force in the world of metal and over the next 30 years they have proved themselves as a band that are well worth a watch and a listen.
12 albums later and the band line-up has changed significantly during that time. The current line-up features only Schaffer from the band that released their self-titled album in 1990. The metal world has rotated several times since then, genres are plentiful and choice more varied than ever, but Iced Earth have remained true to their own style, releasing some quality albums including the seminal ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’ in 1998 and their most recent album ‘Incorruptible’ in 2017.
‘Iced Earth’ was released in November 1990 and featured Jon Schaffer - rhythm & lead guitars, backing vocals, Gene Adam - lead vocals, Dave Abell - bass guitars, Mike McGill – Drums and Randy Shawver - lead guitar. For a debut album it stands alongside the best. The title track and band anthem combine killer riffs with Adam’s unique style of vocal. The track encapsulates the very essence of Iced Earth. Huge melody, elements of speed thrash metal through the pulsating middle gallop and some searing guitar solos. Holding it all together, Schaffer’s rock-solid rhythm guitar work; the foundation of everything.
Over the next 38 minutes Iced Earth embark on a musical journey which provided the blueprint of their career. ‘Written on the Walls’ blends thick crunching heavy metal with acoustic breakdowns, the use of keyboards and explosive passages which race along at high speed. The dramatic centrepiece of the album arrives in the shape of Life and Death, a track which Iron Maiden, Helloween and others would adopt in later years. There’s a bit of everything in this track including a cracking solo. The short ‘Solitude’ bridges into penultimate song ‘Funeral’, another track which is full of high paced riffing. And then we arrive at the epic final piece of work; the nine-minute ‘When The Night Falls’. A certified classic, the calm introduction makes way for a ferocious riff-heavy assault, Adam straining sinew as he enunciates those lyrics. By now it was clear that Iced Earth liked to change tempo, and the pace calms as the band expand with keyboards adding breadth, depth, and atmosphere. The track continues to unfold, built on the concrete foundations which are given new power in this remastered edition. Indeed, the sound is massive throughout thanks to the high-class remastering wizardry of courtesy of Zeuss (Overkill, Queensrÿche etc).
It’s been eight years since I last saw Iced Earth live, at 2012’s Bloodstock Festival. Listening to ‘Iced Earth’ stirs those emotions, makes me want to dig out ‘Something Wicked’ and the rest of their catalogue. Most of all, this album reminds me what a superb debut this record was. 30 years on and it still sounds as good today as it did then. As they say, form is temporary, class is permanent.
