Iced Earth - Burnt Offerings
Century Media
Heavy / Thrash Metal
8 songs (52:39 )
Release year: 1995
Iced Earth, Century Media
Reviewed by Storm
Archive review

Shortly after Iced Earth’s second album, Night Of The Stormrider was in the minds of metal heads everywhere their vocalist, John Greely departed leaving the band without a singer. Jon Schaffer spared no expense to replace Greely and he did in the form of the legendary Matt Barlow. No one expected Barlow to make such an impact in the metal world but he did and his debut with Iced Earth’s 3rd album, Burnt Offerings was the start that would pave the way for Iced Earth to become a force to be reckon with in the metal world.

The album opens with a symphonic intro with a dark voice that breaks into full force with the title track Burnt Offerings. And from the start you can tell that Barlow was the perfect replacement. You can hear the anger and intensity in his voice in full throttle with this song.

Last December is next. It starts out as sort of a ballad, but it doesn’t last long as the song crunches into Iced Earth mode with Schaffer’s riffing and Barlow’s over the top power voice.

Next up Diary, yet another perfect thrasher. This type of song would be a blueprint for future Iced Earth songs. Brainwashed follows suit and Barlow, true to form, gives a perfect performance with powerful emotional and angry vocal combos that has to be heard up loud to appreciate it. One of the best songs on the album, Burning Oasis, shows just how high Barlow can get as he hits the highest notes ever heard on an Iced Earth album. He hits those notes again with Creator Failure. These 2 songs shows just how powerful Barlow can get. A very nice ambient but short ballad, The Pierced Spiritis up next I so wished this song was longer. It’s very soothing, something you wouldn’t expect from a heavy metal band much less Iced Earth. It's the calm before the storm which would be the epic of the whole album.

Now we get into the epic masterpiece, Dante’s Inferno. Based on the poem The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri, it tells the story of Dante traveling through 9 levels of hell. This over 16 minute epic shows everyone that Iced Earth is one of the best bands around. From Schaffer’s and Randy Sawver's thrashing riffs to Barlow’s trademark vocals, this one song finishes off the album with a bang.

Although the band has stated in certain interviews that this is their least favorite album because of the angry and dark overtones it sets, in my honest opinion Burnt Offerings is a perfect debut for Barlow and one album that has to be in the collection of Iced Earth fans around.

Killing Songs :
All of them but my favs are Brainwashed, Burning Oasis, Creator Failure, Dante’s Inferno
Storm quoted 98 / 100
Aleksie quoted 100 / 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 - Iced Earth reviewed by Storm and quoted 48 / 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
To see all 16 reviews click here
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