Dark and powerful. You'll forget all about "Hell Awaits".
(Rated this album with 10 out of 10) Reviewed by
the_wickerman
from Purgatory
I think it's no coincidence that this album came out on the tenth anniversary of that legendary Slayer album. It's has that same dark, hellish feel. But, as great as that album might be, this is a far superior masterpiece. Let me start off by saying that this album is a bit different from other Iced Earth albums. It's a bit darker and more experimental. You may have heard that this album is a bit death metal-ish, and if that turned you off because you thought it would sound like Cannibal Corpse or something, let me tell you right now that it does not. There are some blast beats, and more hard-edged vocals, but this is undeniably Iced Earth. Most of the songs are pretty long, at least five minutes, and are very well structured, and every song has a pretty good amount of melody in it. There is some really awesome songwriting in here, too. The Romeo and Juliet type story "Last December" is really cool, and "Brainwashed" has some great commentary on religion. But, the real brilliance of the album lies in the final track, "Dante's Inferno". There is truely nothing more incredible than this song. The Crazy Trains, the Masters of Puppets, the Angels of Death, all brilliant songs, but they pale in comparison to this. Imagine if you took all the best material from Metallica, Slayer, and Iron Maiden, and combined it into one song. This is what it would sound like. "Dante's Inferno" is a 16 and a half minute ride through the nine plains of Hell, with layers upon layers of brilliant musicianship, and staggeringly incredible vocalization. If you hadn't figured out by now that Matt Barlow would go on to be their classic vocalist, this confirms it. And, as if the recording wasn't incredibe enough, it is even better live, as is evident on "Alive in Athens". Listening to the recording, it's hard to believe that any improvements could be made, but Matt adds a bit more aggression on a couple of parts, like when he says "all the sinners cry" and "queen of vipers, queen of serpents, cast their souls to stone", and I think it sounds better that way. Even if the rest of the album had nothing to offer, "Dante's Inferno" could easily carry it by itself. That song alone crushes the entire careers of all those trendy nu-metal bands out there. But, the fact that all of the other songs on here are great only adds to the sheer brilliance. It may not be as accessible as other Iced Earth releases, but I think that with time, any true fan of the band could appreciate it. Every fan of thrash, death, or power metal should buy this album. Come, and feel its dark power!
