Search - Iced Earth :: Days of Purgatory

Yes, yes, yes!

D. Knouse | vancouver, washington United States | 04/07/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Matthew Barlow sings all the songs from the first two albums with inspired power, oftentimes sounding like an amalgamation of Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden, Geoff Tate of Queensryche, and Rob Halford of Judas Priest. Yes, he has an amazing voice! I own the 2-disc version, which has 21 tracks, and I think it is the ideal first purchase for the beginner. For those who came in late, like me, the 2-disc version of "Days of Purgatory" is truly magnificent. But for those who already own "Burnt Offerings" this single disc is the way to go; or if you have the first two albums and are reluctant to buy this one, that's your loss. The music here is excellent, principle songwriter Jon Shaffer shining the most brilliant and riffing like a madman. If you are interested in superb Heavy Metal you should own this. If you are a new fan, get the 2-disc version. Some reviewers here have even suggested buying the 3-disc version of Iced Earth's live album "Alive in Athens" as a first purchase. That's not a bad idea, either. They sound fantastic live. Anyway, I'm hooked on Iced Earth now. If you love Iron Maiden with touches of Queensryche and Judas Priest, then you should get to know these guys real soon. Later."

Cool Iced Earth fans will want this.

Lord Chimp | Monkey World | 12/15/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Days of Purgatory breathes new life into older Iced Earth songs from the self-titled debut and concept album Night of the Stormrider. Vocalist Matt Barlow adds his killer voice to the music, and one can't help but lament the fact that he wasn't with the band all along. All the songs here are re-mixed and in some cases the drums and bass have been re-recorded. Also included are three songs from the band original six-track demo, Enter the Realm. These songs are: "Enter the Realm," a brief electric/acoustic instrumental piece; "Winter Nights," a thrashy metal cut with dynamic changes; and "Nightmares," which is melodic and aggressive. "Cast to Stone" takes 98% of the music from "Written on the Walls" and replaces Adam's old lyrics with sociological/mythical ones by Barlow. The transition into the acoustic section slays me.This is a great compilation, best suited to established Iced Earth fans. Even if there was no remix, just being able to hear Barlow's take on old songs in stunning. Listen to the added viciousness his voice gives "Pure Evil" -- that'll make my case. The epic "Travel in Stygian" gets the vocal treatment it deserves, and the chorus sounds fookin' incredible with Barlow. I am slain by his singing on "When the Night Falls" -- it gives me chills. On "Angels Holocaust," he's (***) intense, baby. The chorus of "Desert Rain" sounds like it's from a different song altogether, and it's grand. What am I trying to say? Matt Barlow is a god. His massive, dynamic voice destroys the puny Gene Adam and John Greely and...well, nearly every metal vocalist alive. You're going to think I'm crazy, but I prefer the original version of the song "Iced Earth" to one in this set. It's nuts, I know, but Gene Adam's terrible singing on the original are part of why it's so good. The audio remix makes for good improvements, especially on the Stormrider songs. My biggest problem with Stormrider is that the drums sound absolutely terrible, but they've definitely got more punch here. The drums from the debut still sound like the drummer is hitting a cheese grater instead of a snare, but ah well.Note: If you get the 2CD version of Days of Purgatory, you get additional songs. Added to the bunch are "Before the Vision," and "Life and Death." Additionally, you get four re-mixed cuts from Burnt Offerings ("Burnt Offerings," "Creator Failure," "Brainwashed," and "Dante's Inferno"). The Burnt Offerings songs sound great with bigger drums and bass, and the guitars sound a bit clearer. "Burnt Offerings" itself is a bit different, because it starts with anthemic guitar lines instead of the piano.All fans should definitely want this, but I strongly recommend that newer Iced Earth fans hear the original versions of the songs first. Otherwise, hearing Barlow's awesome iterations of the same tunes will spoil your appreciation for the originals."

Excellent!

The Wickerman | Austin, TX | 07/27/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is truly a great album, though it is a bit long. I've only heard a few of the original songs, but they are definitely improved on this recording. "Colors", "Angels Holocaust", and "Desert Rain" seem to stand out the most for now, but every song is great. Randy's solos are awesome, but the new guy, Larry Tarnowski is better. I rank this album second, behind "Something Wicked", mainly because of the addition of Larry, and the improvement of songwriting. Of course, I can't accurately say this, because I haven't heard all of their albums, but I can tell this beats the first two (it's the same songs, just re-recorded), and it blows "The Dark Saga" away (as great as that album is). I haven't heard "Burnt Offerings", it may be better, but either way this is an excellent display of Iced Earth's talent. And, I diagree that it's derivitive, maybe just influenced, but either way it doesn't matter, as they are the greatest band there is, and any similarities to other stuff doesn't hold them back a bit. Besides, how many different individual sounds could each band make? Inevitably, something will sound like something else. So, if you're looking for great thrash metal with melody mixed in, this is the album for you. Buy it and get ready to rock!"