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Hir Or Miss The Glorious Burden
Hit 50%  50%  [ 16 ]
Miss 50%  50%  [ 16 ]
Total votes : 32
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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 10:24 pm 
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Eyesore wrote:
Ross21 wrote:
Well, there is no denying IE is an awesome band, and a fav of mine. But I just feel that something was lost with GB, though a few songs were great but nothing really jumped out and kicked my ass like on Stormrider, or Angel Holicaust, or The Hunter. Every IE album has had one song at least that totally owned, and if asked I could not pick one on GB. Not counting Gettysburg, which is in its own world!!

"The Reckoning" is a standout track, no doubt. I would say that this album, not including the trilogy, consists of songs that are for the most part very subtle. "Attila" and "Waterloo" being perfect examples. They're really, really good songs, but you actually have to pay attention to them or else they just blend in to the background. It's definitely not as immediate as the rest of IE's material. I still think it is a great CD, though.


Bull. Attila is easily one of the best tracks on the album. It just kicks the whole way. The thundering double bass, Ripper's damn fine job on vocals, especially with the "uuyaaaaaaa!!" in the middle and at the end.
I'll agree the Reckoning kicks ass and you cant go past Red Baron/Blue Max as one of the best as well.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 12:07 am 
Trooper Of Steel wrote:
Eyesore wrote:
Ross21 wrote:
Well, there is no denying IE is an awesome band, and a fav of mine. But I just feel that something was lost with GB, though a few songs were great but nothing really jumped out and kicked my ass like on Stormrider, or Angel Holicaust, or The Hunter. Every IE album has had one song at least that totally owned, and if asked I could not pick one on GB. Not counting Gettysburg, which is in its own world!!

"The Reckoning" is a standout track, no doubt. I would say that this album, not including the trilogy, consists of songs that are for the most part very subtle. "Attila" and "Waterloo" being perfect examples. They're really, really good songs, but you actually have to pay attention to them or else they just blend in to the background. It's definitely not as immediate as the rest of IE's material. I still think it is a great CD, though.


Bull. Attila is easily one of the best tracks on the album. It just kicks the whole way. The thundering double bass, Ripper's damn fine job on vocals, especially with the "uuyaaaaaaa!!" in the middle and at the end.
I'll agree the Reckoning kicks ass and you cant go past Red Baron/Blue Max as one of the best as well.

Agree on "Red Baron/Blue Max," disagree on "Attila." Now, I didn't say the song was bad, did I? I actually like the song very much, the same with "Waterloo." I just don't think they're as immediate (i.e. instantly catchy) as most IE songs.


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 3:48 pm 
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Definitely a miss. One can only listen to constantly over-layed, palm-muted triplets for so long before saying.... "Okay, this is it?". I will say though that I really think "Waterloo" is a kick ass song. "Hollow Years", the great "Century Media cant have it" song, is completely useless (as is the random screaming during "Atilla"). The "Gettysburg Trilogy" is okay, no where near SW Trilogy, but okay. I forget where in the trilogy it is, but one of those marching style drum beats sounds like a direct rip off of Iron Maiden's "Alexander the Great". The chorus to "Greenface" makes me cringe.

I posted in another thread that Iced Earth is dead. Having just gone through another spin of the second D&W album however, I might be willing to change my stance on this a little. I really like the musical direction on that album, and if Jon can pull that off, surely he can make up for "The GLorius Failure" with a great continuation of Something Wicked This Way Comes. I just really wish he would use some else other than Ripper for the vocals. I could think of many vocalists (I won't mention Barlow since he isnt singing metal anymore) that I'd prefer signing on the next album. The first that comes to mind (though it wont ever happen), is Hansi Kursch.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 4:28 pm 
Jon's style of playing since as early as 1986: "...over-layed, palm-muted triplets..."

It is what it is, what it's always been.


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 8:14 pm 
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afeigel wrote:
This debate generally gets pretty heated. I voted hit. Its definitely not their best, and it gets overly pretentious at times (When the Eagle Cries), but Greenface and the Reckoning are kickass songs. And I second that the Gettysburg trilogy is f'n cool.


Yeah right on the money there. I'm certainly not one of those rejecting everything after Burnt Offerings as crap for being too non-thrashy or anything (seeing as Dark Saga is in my top three for Iced Earth and quite possibly above BO), meaning this one is another cool release in my book, but it's certainly not without its flaws. Specifically, Schaffer's songwriting has turned more than a little dull lately (the new D&W is supposedly a new low in uncreativity), the vocals aren't quite as well fitting and unique as with Barlow and the ballads blow ass as usual. But there are enough highlight songs on there to rank it somewhere in the middle of their catalogue.

I remember back in autumn of 2002, what an Iced Earth fanboy I was there for a while...downloaded one mp3 from each full-length album and became so hooked. Fallen a bit out of them lately, I must admit, though - could be due to Schaffer's rhythm work becoming repetitive with repeated listens, but I dunno. Iced Earth's strength lies mostly in great songs rather than great riffs anyway.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 10:58 pm 
I think the new D&W is excellent. The version with the three bonus tracks is more well-rounded than they 10 track version, though.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 11:08 pm 
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Eyesore wrote:
I think the new D&W is excellent. The version with the three bonus tracks is more well-rounded than they 10 track version.


Yes the special edition of the new D&W is a better buy. However, I find that only two of the three bonus tracks are really worth it, those being Lunar Lament and Spatial Architects. The other one is a slower version of The Wicked Witch, my least favorite song on the album, and the slower version doesnt help any.


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PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 12:01 am 
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Its not that the new D&W is bad, per se... Its just, bar a few songs, pretty boring and uneventful.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 12:04 am 
Natas wrote:
Eyesore wrote:
I think the new D&W is excellent. The version with the three bonus tracks is more well-rounded than they 10 track version.


Yes the special edition of the new D&W is a better buy. However, I find that only two of the three bonus tracks are really worth it, those being Lunar Lament and Spatial Architects. The other one is a slower version of The Wicked Witch, my least favorite song on the album, and the slower version doesnt help any.

How do you justify putting "(Slow Version)" after a song that is already slow?? :D I actually like the song, but twice is overkill. A fast version and a slow version would have been nice. The edit of "Beneath The Waves" is also pointless. But yeah, "Lunar Lament" and "Spatial Architects" are two killer tunes! Personally I think those should have been on the regular album and the "slow version" of "Wicked Witch" and "Immigrant Song" should have been bonus tracks. I can be more forgiving of bonus tracks. The "Beneath The Waves" edit shouldn't have been on anything, but maybe a promo radio single.


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PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 3:08 pm 
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I cant believe people are using such trivial reasons like a guitarist's own style to dislike an album. It's really laughable. I understand...maybe....with songwriting, but does it really matter what a band writes about...really?
People are so picky


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PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 3:24 pm 
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Trooper Of Steel wrote:
I cant believe people are using such trivial reasons like a guitarist's own style to dislike an album. It's really laughable. I understand...maybe....with songwriting, but does it really matter what a band writes about...really?
People are so picky


I think it does. Afterall, who wants Iced Earth (or other random metal band of your choice) to pull a System of a Down and start signing about Pogo sticks?


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PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 3:36 pm 
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Lol, i have no fear of that happening, cause none of my fav metal bands are System Of A Down. That wouldnt surprise me, that shitty crappy awlful band singing about pogo sticks.
A true metal band would never sing about anything like that, so i'm safe. I just dont understand the big deal about songwriting. What makes it good in one person's eyes, while another person would hate it?
If its metal, you usually have a good idea on what most likely a band would write about.


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PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 3:44 pm 
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Trooper Of Steel wrote:
Lol, i have no fear of that happening, cause none of my fav metal bands are System Of A Down. That wouldnt surprise me, that shitty crappy awlful band singing about pogo sticks.
A true metal band would never sing about anything like that, so i'm safe. I just dont understand the big deal about songwriting. What makes it good in one person's eyes, while another person would hate it?
If its metal, you usually have a good idea on what most likely a band would write about.


Not necessarily different bands tend to write about very different stuff. Its rare for an Iced Earth track to cover the same thing that a Blind Guardian (my favorite band, btw) would cover. Same goes between say a Slayer track or a Symphony X track. You dont necessarily have a good idea of what is being covered just because its metal, you might have a good idea however, if you understand the band's primary song writer's style.


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PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 3:49 pm 
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And for the record ....
I absolutely hate System of a Down. Had to deal with that shit playing in the background during 3 of my 4 college years as I shared an apartment with 4 guys into that crap. Merely mentioned System of a Down as an example of what happens when no one cares about the song writing. I think I'd rather listen to Unearthed (Gene Adam's, the worst Iced Earth singer, current band).


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PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 3:59 pm 
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Quote:
you might have a good idea however, if you understand the band's primary song writer's style.


exactly

And if you are listening to a band for the first time, but you know about the band, its pretty safe to say that you'd know the extent of what songs would be written about.
Say if its a power metal band with fantasy influences e.g: Rhapsody, Dragonland

Gothic metal band, sing usually about depression, and human feelings, dark side of things. You know what they are going to write about e.g: Sentenced, Entwine & Charon, etc


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PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 4:31 pm 
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Trooper Of Steel wrote:
Say if its a power metal band with fantasy influences e.g: Rhapsody, Dragonland


*SHUDDERS* Rhapsody? Ah man, I was hoping I could get away with pretending that Rhapsody just never existed.


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