Century Media
2014
1. Plagues Of Babylon
2. Democide
3. The Culling
4. Among The Living Dead
5. Resistance
6. The End?
7. If I Could See You
8. Cthulhu
9. Peacemaker
10. Parasite
11. Spirit Of The Times (Sons Of Libery cover)
12. Highwayman (Jimmy Webb cover)
13. Outro
Iced Earth's last album Dystopia was one I enjoyed more than I expected to really. With how disastrous the switch to Tim Owens on vocals was I really didn't expect much, but I was pleasantly surprised by a much better effort. With my interest in the band somewhat rekindled I was hoping for a good second effort here. My only concern was that the band would drift away from the material that seemed like it was made for a Barlow-esque sound and into something different. Perhaps something more reminiscent of Stu Block's time in Into Eternity vocally.
Nothing of the sort happens here though I must say. The sound really doesn't drift at all as Jon keeps making the kind of songs he makes and Stu does well fitting into a familiar Iced Earth mold. I had thought maybe Jon might be tempted to try some new things with Stu's voice, but that just doesn't happen much. This is not a complaint at all as the material here is just the kind of stuff I want to hear out of Iced Earth. Plagues Of Babylon is pretty much the prototypical Iced Earth album for better of for worse. Personally, I'd say for the better. After Tim Owens' Halford cover band screaming took the band into unfamiliar waters, I'm still pretty ok with this band getting back towards the formula that made them the most successful.
The songs here are pretty much out of the Dark Saga/Something Wicked mold as there is a mix of the typical mid paced heaviness, tracks that lean on a thrashier approach, and some ballads. Pretty balanced overall and that helps to keep the album interesting. The vocal performances throughout are pretty spot on for the material and is also a highlight. I was unsure of Stu Block when I first heard he was taking over, but he can keep making me eat those doubts. That's perfectly fine by me. This new incarnation of Iced Earth seems to really understand what the bulk of their fans want. Personally, I've always favored the Dark Saga - Horror Show run and Plagues Of Babylon fits in pretty comfortably with that sound. This might not be the blast of aggression and riffs that fans of earlier Iced Earth want, but for the more middle era fans like me, this is just about right.
In terms of the songs, I find most of the tracks here pretty damn satisfying. The mid paced stuff with the epic choruses tend to be some of the more memorable and I do love an epic feel in my music. Tracks like Plagues Of Babylon and The Culling establish themselves early in this mold. The best stuff is still to come though. Cthulhu is a different one and probably my favorite track on the album. It starts off with a moody intro, but shapeshifts throughout the track between slower and faster moments. The variation is key here and makes for kind of a deeper experience. The song also reminds me of something that wouldn't be out of place on Horror Show. I have to say that I appreciate the lyrical influence as well, even if it's nothing new to metal. I've been reading a lot of HP Lovecraft lately and have become a fan of his work. Back to the music though, Peacemaker is probably the most surprising track here and one of the best. This track sounds like southern rock given the metal treatment and is also one of the best takes on this I've ever heard. I really dig the old westy feel this one conjures up. Kind of impressive considering all the bands who have tried this with mixed results at best such as Megadeth or Sinner. This riffs here are extremely memorable and a total success. Also worth noting is a version of Spirit Of The Times from Schaffer's other band Sons Of Liberty. I dig this one and it's cool to hear a version of it in Iced Earth
Overall, this album doesn't deviate too much from the formula of mid-era Iced Earth or even the last album, but the songs do have enough variation within the album to keep it interesting. Overall, I think this is a bit better songwriting session than on Dystopia and that helps this one. Some critics may bring up the old criticism of the familiarity of Schaffer's riffs, but right now I'd consider the band just reestablishing themselves as consistent to be progress and this is a highly enjoyable album. I have no complaints about getting back to the core of what made Iced Earth good and Stu Block, as well as the songwriting, make a solid case that Iced Earth is back to stay.
Highlights: Cthulhu, Peacemaker, Plagues Of Babylon, The Culling
Rating - 4.0/5
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