Metal Reviews

Iced Earth have never been a thrash band. Never.

I ama actually ashamed someone would call iced Earth thrash, especially on Night of the Stormrider!! nonsense, rubbish, tom foolery, and other such stupid comments...

You can't hear thrash on NOTSR??? Really? in just about every song there are like 1-2 minute long rhythm sections of just pure thrash metal. IE are generally regarded as being like Iron Maiden and 80's thrash put together, you'll find that description of them almost anywhere you care to look. And like Pasqua said, Travel In Stygian is thrash. Just take a listen to the Part after the chrous in that song, if that is not thrash metal then what the fuck is?? All through IE's early work there is thrash riff after thrash riff. I think its perfectly legitimate to call IE's early work thrash, I'm ashamed that you can't hear any of the thrash in IE, especially on Night of the Stormrider!!

Some early riffs sounded somewhat thrash, but there have always been other decidedly non-thrash elements in IE that separated them from that genre. While it's easy to say Iron Maiden + thrash, it's more like heavier Maiden.

I think its thrash but a lot more epic, like maiden. Certainly, synths and acoustics are not very thrash metal, as are the vocals, but the guitar parts are without a doubt thrash. And considering that Jons guitar parts are the highlight of the band (certainly in the early days, the songs were structured around the guitar parts) I think of their early stuff as thrash.

When I first listened to IE, I called them Maiden + Thrash without reading any review anywhere in the web. I think their early work DOES qualify as thrash. But only the first two albums. Then I agree they became more like heavier Maiden. But I can still spot some thrash riffing in Dante's Inferno and Diary. From the Dark Saga on, I think the thrash elements were pretty much gone.

Anyway ... they rule.

It took a while for the genre to take root after the Keeper albums, but I would have to say that a good number of the albums released in 1998 would qualify as classics of the genre.

Edguy - Vain Glory Opera
Labyrinth - Return to Heaven Denied
Gamma Ray - Somewhere out in Space
Nightwish - Oceanborn
Rhapsody - Symphony of Enchanted lands
Virgin Steele - Invictus

...although, the latter being powermetal is in dispute.

Look Stuart, youre not so wrong, U.S. Power Metal and early Power Metal was a mix between thrash and Heavy Metal, so if you listen to bands like Jag Panzer, Metal Church and early Iced Earth, all of them U.S. Power Metal, you will definitely hear some thrash elements, check out Mystical End of Night of the Stormrider, thats like a thrashier version of Iron Maiden.

Those are good, especially Invictus. Oceanborn is...bleh. I realize this question has got a lot to do with personal taste.

I havent heard that Labyrinth album, maybe i'll have to check it out. I've heard some good stuff about it.

Aw C'mon, The Pharaoh Sails To Orion is one the the best power metal songs ever!

I never been much of a Jag Panzer fan or Metal Church for that matter but i know my Iced Earth! I think much of that album is thrashtastic.

Ok so maybe there is some thrash to be found in Iced Earth, but I have never called them a thrash band and never will because thrash is my genre of choice and there is more similarities between Iced Earth and other power metal bands then Iced Earth and some thrash band. Lets just agree to disgree?

Exactly. I've seen many people label Iced Earth a "thrash metal" band. In all fairness, they do have some thrash influences. But they only really have a handful of songs that I'd consider "thrashy."

Oh Fuck! I confused Oceanborn with Once somehow. Im really stupid. 1+1=me stupid

Yes...

oceanborn is a hell of an album. And yes thats a good song, as is The Devil and the Deep Dark Ocean.

Yes, they are definitely U.S. Power Metal.