Search - Iced Earth :: I Walk Among You (CDS)

The Rock and the Flame

Dark Saga 66 | Bay Area, CA | 06/11/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I've been a devoted Iced Earth fan even since a chance discovery of the 1998 "Something Wicked This Way Comes" album. I was lucky to see the "Glorious Burden" show in Providence, RI and have been waiting for another chance ever since. The vocals of Barlow and Owens are very distinct and to me they feel like stone vs. fire. Barlow's voice is strong, dark and steady. Owens' reaches out and grabs you. As far the new "I Walk Alone" single it gets 5 stars. Pure Iced Earth. I give the CD 4 since I personally enjoyed the Owens versions of "Setian Massacre" and "The Clouding" more. I played both versions one after another, again and again, but the Framing Armageddon versions felt more alive and tore harder at me. Still, I expect the new full length album will be another brilliant piece of art."

The Return of the Ultimate American Metal Band

HeavyMetalCamaro | Atlanta, GA | 06/11/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Wow, I don't know what the author of that previous review is talking about. Perhaps he is a disgruntled Ripper Owens fan. This is the penultimate Iced Earth sound. As soon as I heard Barlow's distinctive growl fronting Shafer's complex, beautiful, and ultimately brutal melodies I got chills. This is Iced Earth. Perhaps it was just his absence, but I swear Barlow's vocals sound better than ever. Don't get me wrong, Owens is a remarkable vocalist, and I think it's unfortunate that he just keeps landing replacement spots in major bands. I would love to hear him fronting his own band. And I still think that if anyone could replace Barlow it's him. However, while it could easily be argued that he is just as good a vocalist as Barlow, he just did not produce the distinctive Iced Earth sound. The Glorious Burdon was an amazing album, and Framing Armageddon was also excellent (though not as remarkable as Burdon). But in just these three songs it is immediately apparent what we missed with Barlow's departure. I cannot stress this enough. Whatever sacrifices we need to make to keep Barlow in the band, fewer shows, more sporadically released albums, whatever, it is worth it. There is a reason that Iced Earth is so often compared to Iron Maiden, and just like Bruce Dickenson with Maiden, Barlow is an integral part of the chemistry and magic that is Iced Earth. Buy this album now."

Fantastic, but enough with comparing vocalists already!

Chase Breedlove | 06/12/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Iced Earth are my favorite band, and it seems they can do no wrong. They top themselves every time. Something Wicked, Pt. 1 to me is probably their best yet with it's rich and metaphorical storyline, the bombastic sound effects and atmosphere, and best of all, Jon Schaffer's impeccable rhythms. I absolutely love Tim Owens' vocals, and I find it frustrating that it's become such a big deal to the point where fans are focusing more on who was a better frontman than the music itself. After all, it is Schaffer who started and runs the band, and he is what makes Iced Earth what it is.



This new single is a valued entry in my extensive Iced Earth library, but in all honesty, it's simply because it has their name on the front. Don't get me wrong, "I Walk Alone" is an incredible track, and Barlow sounds better than ever. But the remaining two exist solely to show us how much better of a singer Barlow is than Owens, which I think is unfair and redundant, much like the revamped, Owens-fronted "Wicked" trilogy on the "Overture of the Wicked" EP last year.



Owens and Barlow are two completely different artists, and in comparing them we are losing sight of the incredible music they front.



As I said, though, "I Walk Among You" is a beautiful track, and makes me thirst for "Something Wicked Part 2" even more. It's going to be an incredible album, and I am very happy Barlow is back with my favorite band, if anything just to shut people up so we can focus on why we listen to Iced Earth in the first place.







"