The thing I like about these guys is the obvious influences of Maiden and Priest and a few of the other giants of the NWBHM. In particular Rob Halford. It's Melodic, heavy and touches on themes the masters exploited for a generation. The highlight of this band for me is the guitar work and the background vocals.

Of course it won't take long for the "these guys suck because more than 8 people listen to them and you're not in my cool metal nerd fraternity" folks to arrive but fark that. This stuff rocks your face off. Have a great day metal Farkers and enjoy this week's metal fest! I'm going skiing today at beautiful Mt. Snow Vermont... on New England's Iced Earth of course!

Thanks Teddy

I'm looking out for new music at the moment, nice to see a metal band new to me that doesn't include the death metal growling (which IMHO ruins a perfectly good melody)

The Priest/Maiden combo works well here!

Sounds good, but isn't that Richard Christy (of Howard Stern Show) on drums? I think these guys have been around for awhile

Niiice. I like it. I hate to say it, though as much as I rail against growlers, but the vocals could use a little mud. The guys can sing awesomely, but its too...I dont know...clean.

The musicianship is great.

Nice submission.

TeddyBallGame: Of course it won't take long for the "these guys suck because more than 8 people listen to them and you're not in my cool metal nerd fraternity"

Nah, today's criticism will probably be that these guys are pussies because the singer isn't a shouting, pissed off grease monkey and that they have actual solos, riffs, etc. instead of being "brutal."

I'm not terribly familiar with Iced Earth, but this was a pretty good track.

I first got into Iced Earth back in the mid 90's. They have a killer concept album based on Todd McFarlane's "Spawn" comics! I encourage you to check it out.

Yes it is, yes Richard plays some wicked drums and YES this song RAWKS.

Matt Barlow has some pipes.

I do so love sunday mornings. For your thrashing....I submit
Link Highland Glory...From the Cradle to the Brave...click if you are ready for some power metal...1:17 is where it kicks in

DFWPhotoGuy:
Matt Barlow has some pipes.

Is that Barlow on this track? I thought this was from Owens' first album with the band.

Not that I am disagreeing with you about Barlow - I'm just more familiar with him from his work w/ Pyramaze (Danish power metal).

Ghost Light (new window)

I need to listen to Iced Earth more.

If you like Iced Earth, you will probably like Demons & Wizards
Demons & Wizards: Winter of Souls (new window).

Iced Earth's Drummer and Guitarist
Blind Guardian's Vocalist

/If you think Iced Earth needs more growl, I wouldn't click the link...

These guys do kick ass, but Owens, as usual, doesn't mark any band's high point. Glad that Barlow is back in.

Nice, nice. I've been listening to both of these guys a lot lately. I only found out about them because I stumbled across a couple cover songs they did:

Burning for you

White Room

/poppies

I like both Iced Earth and Blind Guardian individually, but for some reason I am not too keen on Demons and Wizards...I can't explain.

Here are about 100 metal videos. Im waking up the neighbors. Jesus im farking metal right now. Im drinking a beer, im cleaning my guns in my living room before i head out to the range and im trhashing to metal.

If i could only awaken a demon or battle a dragon i would be set for the day.

Link (50 metal videos)


Link 20 more

Link (30 more)

Tell me that's ironic. Please.

Crapweasel: I'm looking out for new music at the moment, nice to see a metal band new to me that doesn't include the death metal growling (which IMHO ruins a perfectly good melody)

check out the following for good music without the death metal vocals:

Sonata Arctica
Kamelot
Nocturnal Rites
Nightwish
Nevermore
Into Eternity (ok...a bit of growling with lots of singing, a really good band)

Crapweasel: Thanks Teddy

I'm looking out for new music at the moment, nice to see a metal band new to me that doesn't include the death metal growling (which IMHO ruins a perfectly good melody)



Agreed. I'm not normally one for this kind of metal, but it's fine as long as there's no emphasis on the growling.

Who the fark started the growling "movement," anyway?

GypsyJoker: Who the fark started the growling "movement," anyway?

a lot of folks typically credit to the death metal scene that sprung up in Florida during the late 80s and early 90s. Bands like Obituary and Cannibal Corpse (who moved from NY) were some of the first. Then there's the late Chuck Schuldiner, who is largely recognized as the father of "death metal."

I love music that is its own self-parody.

Seriously,this sounds exactly like a skit from Mr Show or Kids in the Hall or some other comedy making fun of this genre.

GypsyJoker: Crapweasel:
Who the fark started the growling "movement," anyway?

Some wonderful, wonderful human being.

That being said I never really got into anything from NWOBHM, even though I can respect it, this track just doesn't do it for me. As a Megadeth fan for 16 years now, i've taken advice from other MD fans on bands to listen to and it was always Iced Earth and Nevermore. Bought a Nevermore album once and it lasted about a month. I learned from that mistake and sampled some Iced Earth through downloading. Both those bands are no longer in my collection.

Sorry, just not into it.

This was going to be my pick this week: Carcass - Heartwork

Not a fan of the vocals. I like Maiden and Priest, but Iced Earth would sound better with a Metallica or Megadeth style vocalist. But that's my opinion, and I'm wrong. They are extremely talented though.

I'm all for some melody in my metal. Not shreiking.

Carcass are awesome, thank you for that. I just got into them recently. Heartwork is awesome.

That's a fast rif. Sounds old school.

Great_Milenko: Nah, today's criticism will probably be that these guys are pussies because the singer isn't a shouting, pissed off grease monkey and that they have actual solos, riffs, etc. instead of being "brutal."

Really who would criticize them for that? Everyone I know that is into bands with a "shouting, pissed off grease monkey" as their lead singers like Iced Earth too. What do I know though? I could just hang out with very accepting metal heads.

Thanks for the video Subby. I love these threads.

My dad used to be in a local band with Tim Owens back in the 80's. He even showed up for my uncle's wedding back when he was still with Judas Priest. Real nice guy, would recommend meeting him.

godiluvbeer: Crapweasel: I'm looking out for new music at the moment, nice to see a metal band new to me that doesn't include the death metal growling (which IMHO ruins a perfectly good melody)

check out the following for good music without the death metal vocals:

Sonata Arctica
Kamelot
Nocturnal Rites
Nightwish
Nevermore
Into Eternity (ok...a bit of growling with lots of singing, a really good band)

I'll ad a couple to the list - probably my two favorite bands of the past year:

Communic - They Feed on Our Fear (new window) (everyone says they sound like Nevermore - but I've never really listened to Nevermore, so I have no idea)

Anubis Gate - Beyond Redemption (new window)

Holy fark. I work with Matt Barlow's brother. Bro has a couple pics of the band on his wall. That's just.....random.

/other than that, got nothin'.

CavalierEternal: Oh, and for metal fans, here are some up-and-comers you might be into.

I love the hair tossing about--from the dreaded drummer!!

Awesome.

Awesome band, but I wish you'd picked a dif song. Barlow is teh shiat.

Travel in Stygian
Pure Evil
The Hunter
Dante's Inferno pt. 1
part 2

See them live at all costs.

The Slush: godiluvbeer: Crapweasel: I'm looking out for new music at the moment, nice to see a metal band new to me that doesn't include the death metal growling (which IMHO ruins a perfectly good melody)

check out the following for good music without the death metal vocals:

Sonata Arctica
Kamelot
Nocturnal Rites
Nightwish
Nevermore
Into Eternity (ok...a bit of growling with lots of singing, a really good band)

I'll ad a couple to the list - probably my two favorite bands of the past year:

Communic - They Feed on Our Fear (new window) (everyone says they sound like Nevermore - but I've never really listened to Nevermore, so I have no idea)

Anubis Gate - Beyond Redemption (new window)

I'll add a couple as well

Therion which has a little growling that is more than made up for by their use of orchestras

Xandria whose latest album is by far their best.

Love Iced Earth. But could have gone with a better song than "The Reckoning".

This is awesome!

F4N0r: I like both Iced Earth and Blind Guardian individually, but for some reason I am not too keen on Demons and Wizards...I can't explain.

For me, I like Blind Guardian and Demons & Wizards, but I could never get into Iced Earth wholeheartedly. Really just not a fan of his voice, to be honest.

these guys rip. they also did or were apart of a concept album for the gunslinger chronicles.that's pretty ballsy

having your pet scratching at the door at 3am to be let in is a more pleasing sound then this crap.

Isn't Iced Earth sorta based out of Tampa?

I doubt they even have any experience with iced earth. Just thought it sounded good.

Iced Earth is really good but they only do one sort of sound. I really enjoyed all their albums up until 'Horror Show' (Dracula is a great song though). I think their best album was 'Burnt Offerings'. After awhile I got tired of them but they kick ass.

Check out the song 'Dante's Inferno' it's probably my favorite by them.

Schaefer is also good in 'Demons and Wizards'. Their song 'Fiddler on the Green' is one of the most hauntingly beautiful songs ever written.

I'm glad power metal exists, because not everybody wants to listen to heavy music with Cookie Monster vocals. The lyrics and concepts are a little...well, nerdy, but there's nothing wrong with that.

That being said, I'd take extreme death/black metal over power metal any day of the week. I've never been a fan of Iced Earth, save for the occasional song here or there, and most of my interests lie further along the metal spectrum, skipping the power metal and going into decidedly more evil areas.

I'm still happy that we Fark metalheads get this thread once a week to whine and complain about the bands and how they suck compared to our favorites. \m/

seveword: I'm glad power metal exists, because not everybody wants to listen to heavy music with Cookie Monster vocals. The lyrics and concepts are a little...well, nerdy, but there's nothing wrong with that.

I agree, Power Metal's biggest drawback is the cheese factor. Few bands can pull Power Metal off in a minimally cheesy sounding way. Symphony X, Blind Guardian, and Iced Earth are the only three that immediately spring to mind.

I just think Death/Black metal vocals go along with aggressive music more. I really enjoy bands that incorporate Black/Death and Clean vocals into thier songs. Bands like Agalloch, Amorphis, Borknagar, Opeth, Ensiferum, Wintersun, Therion, Vintersorg, and Dark Tranquility (to a lesser degree).

Contrast is good.

Aska is a great power metal band that's been around awhile. Check them out.
Link

/On a slightly personal note, the singer is a very good friend of my wife and is the Godson of her mother.
//Not why I'm posting that though. It's a great song. Been a fan since before I even knew my wife. It was just a cool coincidence.

Haha, I was going to submit Link

It must be so frustrating for these guys to be godly in Europe and total unknowns in their home country.

Ayreon is still my absolute favorite. Though I must admit: to the uninitiated, Ayreon sounds hopelessly pretentious. But IMO, the band does the best Rock Operas I've ever heard.

/puts on flame retardant suit

Wow, I don't hate it. I don't love it, but I certainly don't hate it.

that combined with some pot, and you're well on your way to nowhere.

Iced Earth is really gay, but farking awesome. I've seen Pyramaze mentioned in here, but I gotta say not enough love is given to them.
And for content: I think it was either last week or two weeks ago that someone in another SHMHC recommended Sabaton (new window) and I want to thank them for that. Here's Wolfcry - On the Edge (new window), off their last album Warfair. It's Greek Power Metal, and while the singer could use some work, it's otherwise good Power Metal.
And for those wanting to move away to something a little heavier, some Disillusion - Back to Times of Splendor (new window). German Progressive Death who have put out two of the best, in my opinion, progressive metal albums. Back to Times of Splendor should be a necessity for metal-heads.

Wow, I just got back from skiing all day and I'm shocked that there were so few "I hate this" posts! It was a great day on the slopes and I was singing Iced Earth all day, lol! All of you folks were in my thoughts as I snowed some knuckle head that wiped out in front of me... Reckoning indeed for him.

There are some great posts too:

Madadder: Iced Earth is really gay, but farking awesome.


seveword: I'm still happy that we Fark metalheads get this thread once a week to whine and complain about the bands and how they suck compared to our favorites. \m/

wildcardjack: Isn't Iced Earth sorta based out of Tampa?

I doubt they even have any experience with iced earth. Just thought it sounded good.

Miss Stein: Holy fark. I work with Matt Barlow's brother. Bro has a couple pics of the band on his wall. That's just.....random.

/other than that, got nothin'.

LOL Damn you folks are the tits! Just a great week for the SHMHC. Oh, and Miss Stein, if you can get this thread over to Matt's brother maybe they'd appreciate some of the love they got today.

of all the american power metal bands iced earth are the best.

/actually wished they were more well known
//they ought to be as big as Maiden but just aren't for some reason.

Thank. GOD. Finally, a metal band with vocals that aren't just more generic "look at me I'm so metal" shouting.

I think I like it. Thanks subby.

Satosuke: Ayreon is still my absolute favorite. Though I must admit: to the uninitiated, Ayreon sounds hopelessly pretentious.

Ayreon is my favorite too (but I agree with you that it is not for everyone).

Carol Channing sings "Hello, PCP!".