ICED EARTH ( + demon and wizzard)
http://www.demonsandwizards.de/
Iced Earth is an American heavy metal band from Tampa, Florida that combines influences from thrash metal, power metal, progressive metal, opera, speed metal and NWOBHM. Iced Earth has been known to have a volatile and oft changing line-up. Founding member, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist Jon Schaffer being the only original member who has remained, handling nearly all of the songwriting and leading the band. Current vocalist Matt Barlow and former lead guitarist Randall Shawver are the next longest-tenured members, the only people besides Schaffer to have spent a full decade in the band. Shawver, the first lead guitarist to record with the band, joined in 1988 and remained until 1998. Barlow joined in 1994 and remained until 2003, when he was inspired by the September 11, 2001 attacks in the U.S. to leave the band and become a law enforcement officer. However, he returned to the group in late 2007. In 1999 Jon Schaffer teamed up with Blind Guardian vocalist Hansi Kürsch to form a side project called Demons & Wizards and have released two albums to date.
History
The central figure of Iced Earth is rhythm guitarist and songwriter Jon Schaffer. He first had the idea when taken to a KISS concert. Schaffer formed the band under the name "Purgatory" in Indiana in 1984. After moving to Florida Schaffer was forced to change his band's name by another group called Purgatory. He settled on "Iced Earth", a name that had been suggested by a longtime friend who was killed in a motorcycle accident. The group's Enter the Realm EP was popular enough that they released an eponymous debut LP with Century Media Records. Vocalist Gene Adam was originally going to perform on the follow-up record, Night of the Stormrider but was fired from the band after refusing to take singing lessons. He was replaced by John Greely, with Schaffer himself also providing some lead vocals on the album.
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Since then, the band has gone through numerous lineup changes, with only Jon Schaffer and ex-guitarist Randall Shawver lasting at least 9 years with the group. Greely was kicked out of the band after allegedly stealing money from other band members and making Anti-semitic comments on the European tour with Blind Guardian while in Germany. Vocalist Matt Barlow joined the band (after a three-year band hiatus following Night of the Stormrider) for Burnt Offerings, largely based on Dante's Inferno[citation needed]. Barlow's vocals proved extremely popular, even though he was not vocally trained until 1996. Barlow remained with the band for many years, recording the albums The Dark Saga, Days of Purgatory, Something Wicked This Way Comes, Alive in Athens, Horror Show and Tribute to the Gods. Barlow eventually parted amicably with the band in June 2003 to pursue a career with the United States Department of Homeland Security. Schaffer wanted him to try and see if he could do The Glorious Burden before leaving, but he soon realized that Barlow had lost his enthusiasm, so he let Barlow go
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Conveniently, singer Tim "Ripper" Owens soon left Judas Priest (to make room for returning original vocalist Rob Halford) and became Iced Earth's new vocalist - Owens is not credited with his "Ripper" nickname while performing with Iced Earth. His first album with the band, The Glorious Burden, is an examination of many aspects of warfare and military figures who have shaped the modern world. Its topics range from the Declaration of Independence to 9/11 to Napoleon Bonaparte, and there are three songs dealing with the Battle of Gettysburg. While Owens is a talented vocalist, many Iced Earth fans have yet to embrace him as a member of the band. There is a limited edition where the Gettysburg Trilogy is moved to a second disc and the songs Waterloo and the unplugged version of When the Eagle Cries are added to the first disc. The album's theme became the centre of a controversy after Schaffer gave an interview to Canadian heavy metal magazine Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles. After the interview was published, Schaffer accused the magazine of taking him out of context and of pushing an anti-American bias, and subsequently announced that the band would boycott the magazine in the future. However, Schaffer granted Mark Gromen, also of BW&BK and a friend, an interview in issue 101 (Jan/Feb '07) effectively ending the boycott.
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Together with Hansi Kürsch - lead singer and former bass player of Blind Guardian - Schaffer is also part of a side project called Demons & Wizards. In 2005, lead vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens and some friends of his started a new heavy metal band called Beyond Fear, which features future Iced Earth bassist Dennis Hayes as well.
In June 2006, Ernie Carletti became the new guitarist, and was to handle most of the guitar solos on Iced Earth's upcoming album. However, he was arrested a few months later under rape charges. In October 2006, Schaffer announced that Carletti would not be participating in Iced Earth, and would be replaced by Tim Mills. At the same time, drummer Brent Smedley was re-hired for the recording and touring of the new albums, replacing Bobby Jarzombek.
On December 11, 2007, Schaffer announced that Barlow had returned to the band. He revealed this would considerably push back the release date of Something Wicked Part 2, due to an addition in Matt's family; but that when the band released the album, they were planning to tour and make an appropriate DVD release of live footage from it. This marks the end of Tim Owens's tenure with Iced Earth. While Owens is a talented vocalist, many Iced Earth fans did not embrace him as they had with Matt Barlow. Dennis Hayes's name was removed from the band's bio, signaling a bassist change as well.
As a result of Barlow's return, Iced Earth's live playing schedule has been drastically altered. Schaffer has stated that Iced Earth will probably no longer do massive tours. Instead they will focus on large scale music festivals and small tours. Though many fans doubt this is the right course of action, Schaffer has stated that "these upcoming Iced Earth shows will be the best in the band's history, and having the band's schedule like this is the best way for it done."
Iced Earth headed two tours in 2008. Progpower USA IX and Chicago Powerfest in Mokena, Illinois from May 1 to May 3 in 2008. Chicago Powerfest was the first show with vocalist Matt Barlow. They also now held bassist auditions to fill in for touring line-up and Something Wicked Part 2. Recently, Schaffer and former Iced Earth guitarist Ralph Santolla teamed up to auction off two Gibson Les Paul guitars that were painted with the United States Of America and Confederacy flags. These two guitars were used by Schaffer and Santolla when the Gettysburg trilogy songs were played live. The profits of the two guitars will go to the wounded warriors fund. Gear-Box Records LTD. will release a 10-track career retrospective in 2008 limited to 2,000 copies.
On March 16, Iced Earth confirmed the release date for their new single, I Walk Among You. The release dates for the single were June 13 for Germany, June 16 for the rest of Europe, and June 17 for the United States. The band also stated that their follow-up to Framing Armageddon, will be released in Autumn 2008. A few days earlier, Iced Earth also announced that Freddie Vidales would be joining the band for their upcoming tours in 2008. On April 5, 2008, Iced Earth released samples from all four songs appearing on the band's single I Walk Among You.
In several interviews, Schaffer has stated that Iced Earth will re-record 2007's Framing Armageddon with Barlow on vocals and be packaged as a box set along with a slightly expanded 2008's The Crucible of Man and a live CD/DVD of the upcoming 2008/2009 tour. Schaffer has not confirmed a release date as of yet, he plans for a 2009 release at the earliest. In February 2009, the band announced that they were cancelling the final three dates of their European co-headlining tour with Saxon, due to scheduling conflicts.
Sound
Iced Earth's music is often described as Iron Maiden combined with 1980s thrash metal. The most distinctive element of the band's sound is the stuttering right-hand gallop of rhythm guitarist Jon Schaffer, which sounds something like the 'eighth-note, two-sixteenth-notes' gallop made famous by Iron Maiden's bass player/songwriter Steve Harris, sped up tremendously and varied rhythmically. Strong melodic hooks are typically laid over the top of this gallop, sometimes doubled by two guitars playing in harmony. During Barlow's period in the band, the vocals were often low-pitched but with occasional high-pitched screams, however after Owens joined the band the emphasis has shifted to the higher-pitched spectrum. A common element of the band's sound is the frequent usage of double-bass-drumming. Iced Earth's drum work is often highlighted by frequent use of drags and flams on the bass drum, usually intended to complement Schaffer's rhythm guitar.
Iced Earth lyrics tend to deal with theological issues such as punishment and sin, destiny, heaven and hell, the Antichrist and the apocalypse. Many of the band's recent albums have been concept albums written around a theme, e.g. the antihero Spawn (The Dark Saga), horror movies (Horror Show), and historical wars (The Glorious Burden). Jon Schaffer also created original stories for concept albums, most notably on Night of the Stormrider, and the band's upcoming "Something Wicked" albums.
In some songs (such as "Dante's Inferno," "Angels Holocaust," "Damien," and "The Coming Curse") Iced Earth uses the technique of Gregorian chant. Three Iced Earth songs contain female vocals: "A Question of Heaven", "The Phantom Opera Ghost" and "Something Wicked Part 1", in addition to a remake of "Burnt Offerings" on the Days of Purgatory album.
Current members
Matt Barlow - lead vocals (1994–2003, 2007–present)
Troy Seele - lead guitars (2007-present)
Jon Schaffer - rhythm & lead guitars, backing vocals (1984-present)
Dennis Hayes - bass (2007-present)
Brent Smedley - drums (1996-1997, 1998-1999, 2006-present)
Former members
Lead Vocals
Matt Barlow - lead vocals (2007-present)
Tim "Ripper" Owens - lead vocals (2003-2007)
Matt Barlow - lead vocals (1994-2003)
John Greely - lead vocals (1991-1992)
Gene Adam - lead vocals (1985-1991)
Lead Guitars
Bill Owen - (1985-1987)
Randall Shawver - (1988-1998)
Larry Tarnowski - (1998-2003)
Ralph Santolla - (2003-2004)
Ernie Carletti - (2006)
Tim Mills - (2006-2007)
Bass
Richard Bateman - (1985-1986)
Dave Abell - (1987-1996)
Keith Menser - (1996)
James MacDonough - (1996-2000, 2001-2004)
Steve DiGiorgio - (2000-2001)
James "Bo" Wallace - (2006-2007)
Drums
Greg Seymour - (1984-1989)
Mike McGill - (1989-1991)
Rick Secchiari - (1991-1992)
Rodney Beasley - (1992-1995)
Mark Prator - (1995-1996, 1997-1998)
Richard Christy - (2000-2004)
Bobby Jarzombek - (2004-2006)
Studio albums
Iced Earth singer/ Gene Adam
November 1, 1990
Night of the Stormrider singer/John Greely
November 1, 1991
Burnt Offerings singer/Matthew Barlow
April 1, 1995
The Dark Saga singer/Matthew Barlow
May 20, 1996
Something Wicked This Way Comes singer/Matthew Barlow
July 17, 1998
Horror Show Matthew Barlow
June 25, 2001
Tribute to the Gods singer/Matthew Barlow
October 16, 2002
The Glorious Burden singer/TIM REAPER OWENS
January 12, 2004
Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked Part 1) singer/TIM REAPER OWENS
September 11, 2007
Revelation Abomination (Something Wicked Part 2) singer/Matthew Barlow
2008
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DEMON AND WIZARD
Demons & Wizards is a power metal band conceived as a side-project of the metal bands Blind Guardian and Iced Earth. It is made up of the vocalist for Blind Guardian, Hansi Kürsch, and the guitarist of Iced Earth, Jon Schaffer. Schaffer writes the music and Kürsch writes the lyrics. The band's line-up during the recording of their first album in 2000 also featured Mark Prator, who was the drummer on a few Iced Earth albums, and Jim Morris doing most of the guitar solos, Morris also having worked with Iced Earth in the past.
Band name
The original goal of the band was to forge the different musical styles of both Iced Earth's dark melodies and Blind Guardian's powerful vocals into one sound. In fact, according to the musicians, the band name is meant to describe the two styles: the self-proclaimed demon-like themes and sounds of Iced Earth and wizard-like themes and sounds of Blind Guardian (the moniker "Demons & Wizards" was inspired by Schaffer's wife always referring to him and Hansi as "Demons and Angels". Hansi always corrected her that it is more properly stated "Demons and Wizards", in reference to Uriah Heep's album of the same name). The band met with a fair deal of commercial success, though not as much as either of their individual bands.
The idea for the band arose in the spring of 1997 when Kürsch and Schaffer wanted to make music together, after being friends for several years.
Album information
The band's first full-length release was in 2000, with the self-titled album Demons & Wizards. In 2005, the band released their second album entitled Touched by the Crimson King. Touched by the Crimson King is partially based on the The Dark Tower series of books written by Stephen King in which the Crimson King is the main antagonist.
Current plans for the band
In recent interviews with Jon Schaffer, it has been noted that sometime in 2008 (when touring for Iced Earth and Blind Guardian's new albums are finished) he would like to do an official US tour and record a live album. This has led many to believe a new Demons and Wizards album will not be seen until at least 2009.
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Current lineup
Vocals: Hansi Kürsch
Guitar: Jon Schaffer
with:
Drums: Bobby Jarzombek
Bass: Rubin Drake
Guitar Solos: Jim Morris
Other members
Drums: Mark Prator (studio)
Drums: Richard Christy (live)
Backing Vocals and Piano: Howard Helm
Backing Vocals: Kathy Helm
Backing Vocals: Tori Fuson
Backing Vocals: Jesse Morris
Cello: Krystyna Kolaczynski
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Discography
Demons & Wizards (2000)
Touched by the Crimson King (SPV 2005)
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