Iced Earth
The Glorious Burden

THE REVIEW

The Nineties, unlike the previous decade, do not smile upon classic heavy metal. After the cyclone of grunge, which essentially revisits the hard rock of the Seventies, metal fragments into a thousand streams, with various extreme branches taking the spotlight: if in Europe black metal is predominant, in the United States, death metal steals the show. More traditional metal continues in the "underground," thanks to a series of bands preparing the ground for the great power resurgence at the end of the decade. Among the flag bearers of the movement are the Iced Earth of Jon Schaffer and Matthew Barlow, who manage to establish themselves as guardians of metal orthodoxy with a handful of records. "Burnt Offerings" (1995), "The Dark Saga" (1996), and "Something Wicked This Way Comes" (1998) are now regarded as classics of the genre, and the massive celebratory live album "Alive In Athens" (1999) enjoys the same esteem as an "Alive!" or a "Live After Death".

At the start of the 2000s, after yet another lineup change, Schaffer finds himself needing to replace the loyal singer Matthew Barlow, even though the recordings of the new album are practically already finished. To save the situation comes Tim "Ripper" Owens, at the time still behind the microphone for Judas Priest. Owens' hiring raised eyebrows for many at the time: accustomed to the falsettos of the Judas priest, could he handle the old Iced Earth classics characterized by Barlow's warm and deep voice? Apparently, Schaffer did not have these doubts, as he offered Owens the position full-time.

Finally hitting stores in 2004, "The Glorious Burden" sees the Tampa group tackling unprecedented historical themes, with Jon Schaffer dedicating his soul and body to bringing to life in music the war events that have marked History. The album is released in different editions, with varying tracklists and songs, depending on the market in which it is published: the version discussed here is the European one.

It starts with "Declaration Day", a strong and heartfelt piece that doesn’t push the throttle with a good chorus. "When The Eagle Cries" addresses, from a "very American" perspective, the events of September 11th and shows a band at ease even on slow and cadenced tracks. "The Reckoning (Don't Tread On Me)" is a return to old sounds, with Ripper showcasing the screams that earned him the spot in Judas years earlier and Schaffer and the others hitting hard just like in the golden days. The following "Attila" is engaging, while "Red Baron/Blue Max" is yet another demonstration of how Owens could sing even a phone book.

Comparing with the past, for this new work they move away from the tight power/thrash that had characterized the American combo’s proposals, moving towards a more expansive heavy/power but no less effective. It should also be noted how, once again, Schaffer's guitar is surrounded by top-tier musicians, considering that, besides the new addition behind the microphone, the rhythm section is entrusted to James MacDonough and Richard Christy, bass and drums, not forgetting Ralph Santolla's six strings, here present as a guest. The album has no dips, it's full of ideas, and all the musicians are enhanced by a very good production. "Hollow Man" and "Valley Forge" aim to represent the more intimate side of the record, but they do not fully convince, while "Waterloo" is on par with the previous tracks. A special mention goes to the "Gettysburg (1863)" trilogy, which closes the album. It is indeed a very long suite, over thirty minutes, on the battle fought between the Confederate and Unionist armies near, as the name suggests, the town of Gettysburg and represents the highest point of the entire album. For the occasion, Jon Schaffer himself included notes in the booklet explaining how he worked on the three tracks, one for each day of battle, the meaning of the lyrics, and how the music accompanies the events narrated at each turn. The suite also involves the participation of the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, which makes it all the more solemn and heartfelt and represents the perfect conclusion to an excellent album, certainly different from the previous ones but not of lesser value for that.

At the time, not everyone received "The Glorious Burden" favorably, perhaps because they were too attached to Barlow's voice, while others appreciated the enormous work done both for the music and the lyrics, not forgetting the performances of the individual musicians, with a group that was truly in great shape. "The Glorious Burden" thus remains a great album, one that is enjoyable even for those not too accustomed to the usual American offering, thanks to inspired writing and lyrics that go beyond the overused clichés of the genre. The over seventy minutes of length might seem too much, but with the patience to give it due attention, one finds a little gem in their hands.

Iced Earth:

• Tim Owens, vocals
• Jon Schaffer, guitars and vocals
• James MacDonough, bass
• Richard Christy, drums

"The Glorious Burden":

1. Declaration Day
2. When The Eagle Cries
3. The Reckoning (Don’t Tread On Me)
4. Attila
5. Red Baron/Blue Max
6. Hollow Man
7. Valley Forge
8. Waterloo
9. The Devil To Pay
10. Hold At All Costs
11. High Water Mark