Annihilator to Celebrate the 35th Anniversary Of “Alice In Hell” with a Special Set a Topfest 2024


Thrash and Heavy Metal legends Annihilator will celebrate 35 years of the release of their Alice In Hell album, exclusively at Topfest 2024 in Slovakia next June. Former Iced Earth frontman and fellow Canadian Stu Block will sing the entire Alice In Hell album playthrough, along with the return of original drummer Ray Hartmann. The set will also feature some “best of” tracks picked by fans. Watch a trailer for the festival event here and read a statement from the band below.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Annihilator – Metal II


There’s a fine line between “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” and “there’s always room for improvement”, and more often than not the re-recording of old albums usually falls snugly into the former category. No matter how much more accomplished the revised version might sound from a technical standpoint, the overall results rarely change. Lightning in a bottle cannot be captured twice.

Continue reading


UPDATED: Iced Earth Members Stu Block And Luke Appleton Have Officially Quit The Band


(Since we ran this article Blabbermouth.net is reporting that lead guitarist Jake Dryer is focusing on Witherfall going forward.) Iced Earth singer Stu Block and bassist Luke Appleton have announced their effective departure from the band. Block, who joined Iced Earth in 2011 after fronting Into Eternity, issued the following statement via his social media: “Hey All, Well, there are times and events when you have to take stock and re evaluate your life, work, and trajectory for the future. That being said I have informed Jon [Schaffer, Iced Earth guitarist and leader] and his current management that I must announce my resignation from Iced Earth with immediate effect.

Continue reading


Stu Block Of Iced Earth Talks “Incorruptible” Album, Longevity In Metal Music


Ghost Cult caught up with Stu Block, the phenomenal singer of Iced Earth at The Gramercy Theatre in New York City recently to discuss his career, his time in Iced Earth, the longevity of the band, all the ways veteran bands can make things easier for their career’s over time, singing and care for one’s voice, and much more. Special thanks to Stu and Iced Earth for their time. Videography and photos by Omar Cordy of OJC Photography. Continue reading


Iced Earth – Incorruptible


Since forming Iced Earth (formerly known as Purgatory) over thirty years ago, it’s fair to say that mainman Jon Schaffer has presided over his fair share of changes in personnel. The sole remaining member of the original line-up, since 1985, the singer/rhythm guitarist is now onto his seventh lead guitarist, tenth drummer (Brent Smedley now in his fourth separate term), eighth bass player, and fifth lead vocalist.Continue reading


Iced Earth – Plagues of Babylon


Iced-Earth-Plagues-of-BabylonSixteen years and five albums have passed since Iced Earth blew me away with Something Wicked This Way Comes, a tour de force that still serves as their defining moment. Since then, while it would be harsh to say Iced Earth have been undeserving of the loyalty their fan base has shown, it would be fair to say they’ve not reached the heights of their early days. Horror Show was aptly named, Ripper Owens came in and found lightning does indeed strike twice, once again finding himself a great vocalist joining a band not at their creative peak (while not being “the guy”), “the guy” Matt Barlow re-joined to release an album that made everyone wish he hadn’t bothered, before 2011’s Dystopia saw the more-Barlow-than-Barlow Stu Block, take over the mic stand for a very credible return-to- form.

And the goodwill of the faithful continues to be rewarded as Plagues of Babylon (Century Media) picks up where Dystopia left off very nicely indeed; producing a slew of distinctive classic Iced Earth heavy metal tracks. Opening pairing of the title track and ‘Democide’ deliver chunky riffs, before ‘The Culling’ raises the bar – all ‘Disposable Heroes’ juddering staccato verse riff into trademark IE rousing chorus. Elsewhere, ‘If I Could See You’ is the natural successor to ‘Watching Over Me’, and a great example that metal ballads still exist, ‘Cthulu’ picks up the pace nicely, ‘Among The Living Dead’ could be lifted off the Anthrax album it’s title references with its lean riffage paying homage to `N.F.L.’, while ‘Peacemaker’ lifts the serious mask for a second, bringing a Wild West HM rompastomp to the table. ‘Resistance’ and ‘The End?’ could have been lifted straight from SWTWC, powerful and epic choruses sit in between crunchy, thrashy and powerful metal riffs, played out over classy melodic leads.

Full of excellent understated yet rousing choruses that stretch out over thrash-tinged heavy metal riffs and enmeshed with their traditional formula of Metallica, Priest and Maiden, on Plagues of Babylon Iced Earth relentlessly deliver powerful, convincing and epic songs throughout an album that more than picks up the baton from its predecessor.

8/10

Iced Earth on Facebook

 

Steve Tovey