Thursday, May 04, 2006

164. Iced Earth / Burnt Offerings. 1995. 3/5.

After a three year layoff, Iced Earth came back with this, their third album Along with the third album came a third singer and third drummer. In order to match the unique music, all Iced Earth vocalists have had the ability to growl, scream, and sing. Matt Barlow throws in something else to boot – an incredible power and emotion into the mix.

This is probably Iced Earth's heaviest album, but it still retains powerful symphonic sounds and great acoustic passages. Iced Earth had some long songs on the previous albums, but on this one they show their ability to create a full-fledged epic. Dante's Inferno takes you through the Nine Planes of Hell for sixteen minutes, each plane something new and demonic.

This is probably the point at which Iced Earth really became the band it is today. The acquisition of Matt Barlow in particular added a new dimension to what the band had been doing.

Rating : The start of a wonderful partnership. 3/5.

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