(Rated this album with 10 out of 10) Reviewed by
mysanthropyk_overlord
from USA
I got into Iced Earth on the advice of a friend, and this was one of my first albums by the band. It's a spectacular display of how metal should be made. No hip-hop-style programming, nothing to overpower the guitars, and magnificent musicianship. Jon Schaffer is a musical genius. There are more mellow songs on here than any other Iced Earth album that I can think of, but in contrast to others, the softer stuff on here is very well-executed, demonstrating Iced Earth's versatility. The vocals of Matt Barlow are half the fun of listening to it, as he sounds absolutely possessed in many of the songs. Not much more I can say, except get this album. And make sure you pick up my personal favorite, Burnt Offerings, as well!
