Kev Rowland I will always have a soft spot for Iced Earth, as about 20 years ago their label sent me a metal letter opener that I still have – easily the nicest promo item I have ever seen, and also useful as a deadly weapon if I ever have the need. Also, over the years they have had some great releases so I always look forward to each new album with real interest. Of course, the major issue is that this hasn’t been a ‘real’ band for a large number of years as it is always Jon Schaffer and others, but that isn’t normally an issue as Jon has such clear direction that the band make-up is never an issue. Here he has kept the same singer as the last album, Stu Block, and it is he who turns out to be one of the highlights of this album as often it is his strong and powerful vocals that carry the song. Jon is, and always will be I am sure, an incredible guitarist, but on this album there just isn’t enough in terms of real song quality for it to be something to which I will often be returning. In fact, sometimes it is quite pedestrian and that is certainly not something that I would ever expect from Jon.

Lots of crunching riffs and plenty of solos, but not enough real action for this to be a contender and in many ways is quite a step back from the last album ‘Dystopia’. I just can’t get excited over this album, and find it hard even to summon up the enthusiasm for a lengthy review. Often not better than average, and sometimes worse, let’s hope that the next one shows a return to form.

adg211288 Plagues of Babylon (2014) is either the eleventh or twelfth full-length studio album, depending on whether one counts covers album Tribute to the Gods, by US power metal act Iced Earth. Like with all Iced Earth releases Plagues of Babylon features a different line-up to its immediate predecessor, Dystopia (2011), although this is actually the first time for some years that the group has hung onto the same vocalist for two consecutive albums, in Stu Block. Plagues of Babylon also features some guest vocal talent cropping up including Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian) and Russell Allen (Symphony X). Half of the album is related to main man Jon Schaffer's Something Wicked saga, while the rest is standalone songs, including a cover of Jimmy Webb's Highwayman.

Although the cover art looks more like it belongs to a death metal record, it's pretty much accepted what an Iced Earth album is going to sound like by this point; US power metal mixed with traditional heavy metal along with some thrash metal elements, and Plagues of Babylon is no exception. The only real difference across the previous three albums was what the vocalist sounded like. Being a vocalist in Iced Earth seems to be a tough position, in regard to winning over the fans. I remember it wasn't that many years ago when Tim Owens had a stint with the band and people complained that he was too different from the band's iconic long-time frontman Matt Barlow. I also recall that when Stu Block took over (from Barlow's brief second tenure) people moaned that he was too like Barlow. The Barlow or die mentality that seems to surround the band is a shame, because while the actual comments on what the two guys sounded like weren't inaccurate, in my view out of Iced Earth's most recent five studio albums (including Plagues of Babylon), the one Barlow was actually on, The Crucible of Man: Something Wicked Part 2 (2008), was the weakest of the lot, including vocally. I can't say that Stu Block's performance on Plagues of Babylon is going to be winning over those naysayers this time either, quality though it is to my ears and exactly what I expect to hear from a singer in Iced Earth.

Plagues of Babylon is something of a step down compared to Dystopia though, but it's still a quality work representative of Schaffer and his current bunch of cohorts doing what they do best. Or at least the first half of the album is. This is why I can't help but consider Plagues of Babylon to be one of the lesser Iced Earth releases; inconsistency. This is overall another solid bunch of songs but with the exception of Cthulhu the second half of the album fails to pack the same sort of punch as the generally top quality first; the punch I expect from an Iced Earth album and what Dystopia never failed to have. On the first half it's only really The Culling that doesn't stand out as a highlight. Tracks like Democide, Among The Living Dead and The End? are all excellent work while the title track and Resistance aren't that far behind.

This may be a slightly unfair assessment, as the second half of the album does include two cover songs. Although with the first, Spirit of the Times, it's kind of like Jon Schaffer cheated; this song was originally by his solo project Sons of Liberty, so in a sense he covered himself. I'm not really sure what the point was, as it's easily the weakest moment of them the album. The other, Highwayman, is originally by Jimmy Webb and is a country song. Iced Earth have rocked it up a bit, but it still retains its country vibe, and also features several voices including Schaffer as well as guests Russell Allen and Michael Poulsen (Volbeat). This is pretty different for Iced Earth and while not the highlight of the second half, it is perhaps the most interesting moment of the whole release.

While the conceptual section of the album stands as a continuation of the return to form that was Dystopia, serious falloff in the general quality in the second half ultimately drag Plagues of Babylon down to sit more on the level with the two Something Wicked albums that directly preceded Stu Block's arrival; solid, but lacking the complete dominance of works like Night of the Stormrider (1991), Burnt Offerings (1995) or Horror Show (2001). A four star range rating is deserved. At a stretch it is arguably a low-end four and a half, however I can't objectively go that far for an album whose flow is disrupted this badly halfway through.

84/100

(Originally written for Heavy Metal Haven: http://metaltube.freeforums.org/iced-earth-plagues-of-babylon-t3290.html)

arcane-beautiful Another band who I haven't gotten around to reviewing an album of. And it's odd, because I've been a very big fan of these guys for a good few years.

For those who never have heard Iced Earth before, my best description of the band is the perfect middle ground between Metallica and Iron Maiden. Basically a mixture of thrash metal with melodic power metal.

Having released one album already with new vocalist Stu Block, the band are back with a pretty solid affair. Musically the band have stuck to their own melodic style of thrash/power metal, but I do notice that this album is probably one of their more darker and heavier releases since “Burnt Offerings.”

The first half of the album is also a concept “suite” with songs relating to Schaffer's ongoing Something Wicked saga. The concept is based around a zombie apocalypse. So basically it's like “The Walking Dead”. Lyrically the band haven't been the best, but whenever concept material is set on the band, that is where their strengths shine.

One of the slight criticisms I have with this album is from new vocalist Stu Block. Now, this also goes pretty hand in hand with another similar story and a similar styled band Kamelot. Both bands lost their lead singers respectively. Both bands got new lead singers from 2 active but slightly less then heard of bands (Stu coming from Canadian prog metal band Into Eternity and Kamelot getting Tommy Karevik from Swedish prog metal band Seventh Wonder). Both singers did an absolutely amazing job in their old bands, with their talent pretty much driving the bands to some cult success. In fact, their talent was what won them over to the bands they are currently in. But...sadly, because Kamelot and Iced Earth are pretty big bands with pretty big shoes to fill when their old singers leave, both Stu and Tommy almost mimic the old vocalists. Now, I know Matt Barlow (Iced Earth's previous and most prominent lead vocalist) was a massive part of the bands sound, Stu would have some big shoes to fill. But in Into Eternity, Stu's vocals where completely out of this world, showing off a mad high register with a great use of death metal growls and screams. In the band, Stu seems to stay in the same register for most, which usually is a quite high baritone, rather than the high tenor he is used to. I do admit, he pulls it off very well, but I would prefer a little bit more presentation and variation in his vocal stylings for Iced Earth's material. The mixing of the vocals is also a little low, and should be turned up just a little.

The opening title track is a pretty great and epic feeling intro. Some nice bombastic moments with some nice arrangements throughout. The mix on Stu's vocals are also pretty kick ass too, showing off some of his hidden abillity.

Hansi Kürsch also makes an appearance on the album on the song “Among The Living Dead”. Sadly his vocals are rather low in the mix, but the man is pretty hard to miss. A pretty great tune too.

One of the album's more epic songs would have to be “The End?” With a lot of interesting twists and turns, it ends of the concept part of the album pretty well.

“If I Can See You Now” is very much an almost sequel to the Iced Earth classic “Watching Over Me.” Pretty cheesy obviously, but I actually suprisingly really like it. In fact it's one of my personal favourites.

The album's strongest moment has to be “Cthulhu.” With Lovecraftian themed lyrics and some of Block's best vocals on the album, it really is a paragon moment for the band.

Another ballad on the album is “Spirits Of The Time” is another suprisingly enjoyable moment on the album. Originally a track by Schaffer's solo outing Sons Of Anarchy, the song is a bit sullen, but is still rather nice, with some nice vocals from Stu to add some flavour to the song.

The Jimmy Webb cover “Highwayman” was a bit of a suprise, but oddly enough it was rather enjoyable. The help from Russell Allen was also a help.

In conclusion, this definitely isn't their best album but it's not their worst either. A pretty strong and consistent album throughout. While they may not be in their “glory days” anymore, this album did prove that the band are still packing quite a mighty punch in their near 25 year tenure. Long may they live.

7.8/10