Metal Storm logo
Iced Earth - Night Of The Stormrider review



Reviewer:
9.0

675 users:
8.59
Band: Iced Earth
Album: Night Of The Stormrider
Release date: November 1991


01. Angels Holocaust
02. Stormrider
03. The Path I Choose
04. Before The Vision
05. Mystical End
06. Desert Rain
07. Pure Evil
08. Reaching The End
09. Travel In Stygian
10. Stormrider [live] [2008 reissue bonus]

Thrash, heavy, power. Call it what you will, Night of the Stormrider takes you on a ride from start to finish with some of the fastest charging riffs in all of metal contrasted with its dark lyrics and mood. This second offering from Iced Earth is their first stab at making a concept album and it delivers the goods. The story, in the words of John Schaffer is about "a young man who is betrayed by Christianity... and is chosen to bring about Armageddon." He goes on to say you can figure it out for yourself if you read the lyrics, which are very dark and evil and perfectly express the story's sinister vibe. This feel is also perfectly executed by the instruments, especially guitar, of which the distortion almost personifies the Stormrider and his struggle. The drumming on the album is very well written, however, not as well played. The double bass is the area which could have used the most work because it is supposed to go along with the quick riffs, but only manages to follow them closely.

The songs on the album are the darkest ones that Iced Earth has ever created, they are also the best and most epic. The album as a whole tells a story, including the two short acoustic tracks, which, although reinforce the story with melancholic episodes, to me they seem like filler that could have been filled with two better Iced Earth worthy songs. That would have pushed the album over the edge and into the territory of perfection.

Stormrider is one of the most epic albums of all time, all you have to do is listen to the first two tracks and you know you are in for a turmoil-filled ride that will leave you wanting more. It is one of the last that came from Iced Earth, though. This is because Jon Schaffer wanted to step away from that element of his music, and make songs for what they are, simply songs. This concept started with The Dark Sage, and it is evident, because the songs are much shorter and get straight to the point.

Despite its filler, Night of the Stormrider is Iced Earth's best album, and one of metal's masterpieces. It shows off Schaffer's amazing rhythm guitar skills, proving he is one of the best out there. We have not seen an album of similar style since Stormrider was released back in 1992, and it is doubtful that we ever will. But it is good to know that a 14 year old record is still relevant in today's metal scene.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 10
Originality: 10
Production: 7

Written by DIE_by_my_HAND | 08.07.2006




Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.

Staff review by
Dream Taster
Rating:
8.5
Back in the early 90's, in 1992 to be precise. The American band Iced Earth released their first concept album entitled Night Of The Stormrider. Reactions were very positive because their sound was different from any other band in the metal scene. For numerous fans, the discovery of Iced Earth started with that dark epic album, mystic lyrics and gloomy cover art. Night Of The Stormrider followed 1990's self-titled debut album and was received with immediate success in Europe and at a degree lower in the States. Japan was charmed too, which in 1992, was less common than nowadays, and by the way, that record is still the most sold of all Iced Earth's albums in Japan. So, what do we have with the CD you ask? Well, let's see!

Read more ››
published 18.09.2003 | Comments (4)

Guest review by
Zap
Rating:
N/A
So, the other day I went to this Mexican fast-food restaurant to eat some tacos.

Read more ››
published 25.07.2014 | Comments (21)


Comments

Comments: 14   Visited by: 97 users
08.07.2006 - 23:45
Rating: 10
DIE_by_my_HAND

Sorry, there is a mistake that must have been missed - instead of "Dark Sage", it should read "Dark Saga"..
----
And music: well it's just entertainment folks!!
-Devin Townsend
Loading...
08.07.2006 - 23:48
Rating: 8
Stigmatized
..........
Good review man! This album has one my favorite Iced Earth Tracks...Pure Evil.
Loading...
11.07.2006 - 00:41
Rating: 8
ylside

A good review for a GREAT album. I'm totally with your rating. Although in my opinion no IE will surpass Burnt Offerings. Night of The Stormrider is still one goddamn album.

@Dream of Hate : Pure Evil is the best NotS song imo too.
Loading...
11.07.2006 - 20:55
Rating: 9
RavenLord

Great review! I completely agree!

Pure Evil? Nah, give my Travel in Stygian any day! :p
----
Loading...
11.07.2006 - 21:32
Rating: 8
ylside

Oh yes Travel In Stygian owns aswell o_o
Loading...
12.07.2006 - 06:52
EvilOstrich
Account deleted
This is a pretty accurate review, and I agree with pretty much everything said. This is easily my favorite Iced Earth album. Pure Evil speaks for itself, but I'm also pretty partial to the neckbreaking riffs of Desert Rain. Everything about this album is awesome, and it's the one album that I would love to see Iced Earth perform live in its entirety.
Loading...
15.07.2006 - 07:27
Endoftherainbow

Great Review, I agree with it pretty much 100%. Wow I didn't even realize that record was that old. This is one of my favorite Iced Earth records not a bad song on it and one of the best concept albums ever IMO and so many memorable songs like Pure Evil, Angels Holocaust, and Travel In Stygian.
Loading...
15.07.2006 - 17:32
Rating: 8
Metalforos666

nice review man.
it has Angels Holocaust and you are talking about Travel In Stygian and Pure Evil?!
no way ;p
----
www.myspace.com/metalforos
Loading...
15.07.2006 - 17:43
Rating: 9
RavenLord

That's the brilliant thing about the album-there's not really one track that screams 'PICK ME!' more than any other. The only bits of the album I don't like are some of Schaffer's vocals on 'Stormrider' and the bizaare lyrics on 'Mystical End'. You know, the 'Everyone is in grave danger, except those who are dead'. But Greely redeems himself with a true Halford-approved scream a few bars later...;)
----
Loading...
22.07.2006 - 21:27
Rating: 9
Robstar

Yeah I give it a 9...
What a great album people, from the beggining to the end it rocks you up !
My favorite tracks are - Night oof the Stormrider - Desert Rain -
I got all their discography and it rocks ...
Iced Earth one of my favorite bands!
Great American band...
I really like this album due to its power and its vocals... So great !
----
Nothing is unreacheable
Loading...
22.05.2009 - 08:07
Uirapuru
Liver Failure
Nice album, much better than the first one. But still average to me :-/
----

----
member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
Loading...
29.01.2010 - 04:14
Rating: 10
thewall30

Good review, I love this album! My only complaint is, as a drummer, I would've wished that the drums in the background would have been louder, anyways no big deal, still an awesome album!!!
----
Loading...
30.06.2011 - 18:28
Valentin B
Iconoclast
Imo one of the best thrash metal albums ever released. it's incredibly dark yet also epic as hell, at least 200 riffs all of which are totally awesome, and of course John Greely's venomous voice going from low grunts to stuff that might just give Rob Halford a hard-on.

imo the drums are a bit too minimalistic and don't follow the (at times) extremely fast riffs like they should.
Loading...
08.02.2016 - 22:21
Rating: 10
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Written by Valentin B on 30.06.2011 at 18:28

Imo one of the best thrash metal albums ever released. it's incredibly dark yet also epic as hell, at least 200 riffs all of which are totally awesome, and of course John Greely's venomous voice going from low grunts to stuff that might just give Rob Halford a hard-on.

imo the drums are a bit too minimalistic and don't follow the (at times) extremely fast riffs like they should.


as thrash its different as bay area and an other , as UP PM it blows away all fake flower bands,,,, yesh its essential album
----
Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
Loading...

Hits total: 9404 | This month: 15