Iced Earth - Iced Earth
Century Media
Thrash Metal
8 songs (44:14)
Release year: 1991
Iced Earth, Century Media
Reviewed by Storm
Archive review

It's hard to believe that Iced Earth's debut self titled album is the worst album in the entire catalog. Not because of the riffs, or the drumming, it's the vocals of one Gene Adam. Gene's voice is really annoying in most of the songs. Forget his higher register, which sounds like a screaming kid at Walmart that didn't get that Xbox 360 game he wanted.

I know that we've been spoiled by Barlow, Owens and Greely, but it still doesn't change the fact that Gene Adam is horrible on this album. He doesn't sound like he's putting his best into the songs. No passion, no emotion. He sounds like a man that came from an alcoholic anonymous class that misses his 10 shots of Jager. Schaffer and company provide some great riffing and sound to the album but Adam spoils the bunch. There are moments on songs like When The Night Falls and Iced Earth where Adam seems to be decent but on the rest of the album he is just plain bad. He tries to sing high too but that fails miserably (see above paragraph for description on what it sounds like). The only highlight of the album are the two instrumentals The Funeral and Solitude. Why? just because they're good and the fact I don't have to hear bad vocals.

Overall this album is not worth it IMHO. Some might actually like Gene's voice and this album but for me it just doesn't sound too good. It has a tiny bit of moment but it doesn't last long. If you want to hear this album the way it should have been, than get Days Of Purgatory otherwise I would just stay clear of this one Iced Earth album and just get Night Of The Stormrider onward.

Killing Songs :
When The Night Falls, Iced Earth, The Funeral, Solitude
Storm quoted 48 / 100
Other albums by Iced Earth that we have reviewed:
Iced Earth - Incorruptible reviewed by Goat and quoted 85 / 100
Iced Earth - Dystopia reviewed by Goat and quoted 83 / 100
Iced Earth - Night Of The Stormrider reviewed by Storm and quoted 99 / 100
Iced Earth - The Crucible of Man - Something Wicked Part 2 reviewed by Aleksie and quoted 90 / 100
Iced Earth - Burnt Offerings reviewed by Storm and quoted 98 / 100
To see all 16 reviews click here
6 readers voted
Average:
 70
Your quote was: 70.
Change your vote

There are 11 replies to this review. Last one on Fri Nov 21, 2008 3:49 am
View and Post comments