(Rated this album with 10 out of 10) Reviewed by
daniel knouse
from vancouver, washington United States
I was seriously reluctant to buy this album after hearing it was a concept album based on the comic-book character "Spawn." I thought, "How incredibly cheesy!" But I stand corrected. As Samuel L. Jackson says in Pulp Fiction, "Allow me to retort!" There are many moments here that remind me of "Operation:Mindcrime" by Queensryche, if only in spirit. This is Iced Earth at their creative peak, and it is no wonder that it continues to be their best-selling album at many music sites. The critical reviews for this album are loaded with praise, and I look back and shake my head when I remember my reluctance to buy this excellent album. The production is actually...amazing!!! This is inspiration incarnate, with the entire band exploding with energy amidst excellent songwriting. Highly recommended. I mean, "HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!"
