Iced Earth
Horror Show

THE REVIEW

The seventh work from the Americans, Iced Earth, does not disappoint the expectations set by the previous "The Dark Saga" and "Something Wicked Comes This Way," works that brought the long-desired success.

An album that differs from the previous ones for various reasons. In the line-up, there are Richard Christy on the drums and Steve DiGiorgio on the bass in the rhythm section... names that make a difference!
And indeed, the true difference is made by the aforementioned, with a wall of double bass drum pounding eardrums and a stunning bass foundation, engineered by that genius DiGiorgio, who delivers horror atmospheres through his fretless.

Another difference is some melodic parts and atmospheric situations, linked to the album's theme. In fact, in this "Horror Show," many evil creatures are mentioned (from Frankenstein to Dracula), and the songs are connected by a single thread, following the album's theme. The album at times assumes a certain cadence, in a Demon & Wizard style, only to then proceed violently and directly into a hard sound with truly thrash elements! The presence of John Schaffer is the cause of this effect, which fades into suggestive arpeggios, before launching back into the usual old-style gallops.

Matthew Barlow's great performance offers the listener a evocative and lyrical voice, ready to explode into wicked high notes and powerful choruses! The singer is the band's crown jewel, due to his chameleonic adaptability to every single situation.
Many tracks feature very intense acoustic pieces. The characteristics of almost all the episodes are extremely epic ballads that dissolve into aggressive and derailing rhythms! Among the most beautiful and significant songs of the album, I mention: "Damien" with a dark bass arpeggio, the lyrical choirs, going through pure violence, to end with a chilling piano piece! "Dracula" with its spine-tingling start and terrifying explosion! The opening track "Wolf" gives us unheard-of power thanks to the Christy-DiGiorgio factor. The last track "The Phantom Opera Ghost" is made enchanting by Barlow's duet with a female voice, making it all highly in line with the lyrical concept.

To the joy of headbangers, the limited-edition version features a cover of "Transylvania" by Iron Maiden, where the sublime Steve gives us a great emotion, retracing the instrumental and unforgettable song by the "Iron Maidens," in pure thrash-metal style.