Iced Earth - Dystopia

The only problems I have with "Days Of Rage" is it's too short, and that it sounds very similar to "Violate".

Written by Valentin B on 21.09.2011 at 10:00

Written by [user id=108863] on 18.09.2011 at 04:56

Ive just heard a song from Dystopia and i believe we are in for an amazing album.

if you're talking about "Days of Rage" then i slightly disagree, but "Anthem" imo is just amazing, probably Iced Earth's best slow epic in years.

Anthem is the one ive heard. Amazing song and Stu is awsome. Not heard Days of rage yet.

@Divide & Devour and Come What May from the last album weren't too bad !!

Written by [user id=102769] on 03.10.2011 at 16:31

@Divide & Devour and Come What May from the last album weren't too bad !!

Those 2 songs and "I Walk Alone" are the only songs from the last album I like. And "The Revealing" could have been a great song had it been fleshed out into a full proper song. Everything else on the album sends me to sleep... lol

Samples are up on iTunes. Sounds very promising.

Scene leaked it

I already listened the album. Dystopia is incredible..Iced Earth were able to join the melodic and the powerful that they became known in this album. It's just powerful from the beginning to the end, there is no bad parts in this one.
It's from far the best album released since Horror Show. Dystopia has a little of Something Wicked This Way Comes and The Dark Saga. The new singer makes a great job, making us forget about Matt Barlow and Tim Owens. The rest of the band makes a solid performance. The lyrics are agressive, the instrumental really great and the great surprise... "End Of Innocence" is a power ballad, ALMOST as good as Watching Over Me, less powerful but it fits really great in a kind of "coffe break" from all the heaviness.
Dystopia reminds us the best times of the band. Congrats to Iced Earth.

Quick Review:
Dystopia: powerful guitar and drums...really great song to start the album.
Anthem: one of the best songs (the final minute just makes you explode).
Boiling Point: a short but fast song with the drums as the main element.
Anguish Of Youth: very dramatic intro...Really well designed song from top to bottom (along with End Of Innocence this can be considered a power ballad)
V: the lyrics are amazing. The vocals are overwhelming and the solo is pretty ok (V for Victory)
Dark City: it's a gradual song it starts kind of slow but after 40 seconds the mood changes to a more agressive and heavy sound. A good song.
Equilibrium: powerful song with a powerful solo, good drums and vocals (sometimes it reminds us Halford screams in the end of the song).
Days Of Rage: the shortest song in the album. The mosh pit may be necessary in live shows (the last 20 seconds could taken off).
End Of Innocence: impressive song, a very dramatic song for the band and it shows by the way it's played.
Soylent Green (Bonus Track): massive song about the way the world is nowadays. Drums, vocals, guitar and bass make a good symphony providing a good instrumental moment.
Iron Will (Bonus Track): a very inspiring and melodic song. The vocals and guitar solo are the best in this song (positive, inspiring and motivational song).
Tragedy and Triumph: i'm not a big fan of this song in this album, it's ok but far to different from the rest, technically speaking.
Anthem (String Mix): the same Anthem song but with a different guitar piece.



Rating: 8
Total Time: 59:40 with bonus

Written by AndMetalForAll on 10.10.2011 at 23:44

I already listened the album. Dystopia is incredible..Iced Earth were able to join the melodic and the powerful that they became known in this album. It's just powerful from the beginning to the end, there is no bad parts in this one.
It's from far the best album released since Horror Show. Dystopia has a little of Something Wicked This Way Comes and The Dark Saga. The new singer makes a great job, making us forget about Matt Barlow and Tim Owens. The rest of the band makes a solid performance. The lyrics are agressive, the instrumental really great and the great surprise... "End Of Innocence" is a power ballad, ALMOST as good as Watching Over Me, less powerful but it fits really great in a kind of "coffe break" from all the heaviness.
Dystopia reminds us the best times of the band. Congrats to Iced Earth.

Quick Review:
Dystopia: powerful guitar and drums...really great song to start the album.
Anthem: one of the best songs (the final minute just makes you explode).
Boiling Point: a short but fast song with the drums as the main element.
Anguish Of Youth: very dramatic intro...Really well designed song from top to bottom (along with End Of Innocence this can be considered a power ballad)
V: the lyrics are amazing. The vocals are overwhelming and the solo is pretty ok (V for Victory)
Dark City: it's a gradual song it starts kind of slow but after 40 seconds the mood changes to a more agressive and heavy sound. A good song.
Equilibrium: powerful song with a powerful solo, good drums and vocals (sometimes it reminds us Halford screams in the end of the song).
Days Of Rage: the shortest song in the album. The mosh pit may be necessary in live shows (the last 20 seconds could taken off).
End Of Innocence: impressive song, a very dramatic song for the band and it shows by the way it's played.
Soylent Green (Bonus Track): massive song about the way the world is nowadays. Drums, vocals, guitar and bass make a good symphony providing a good instrumental moment.
Iron Will (Bonus Track): a very inspiring and melodic song. The vocals and guitar solo are the best in this song (positive, inspiring and motivational song).
Tragedy and Triumph: i'm not a big fan of this song in this album, it's ok but far to different from the rest, technically speaking.
Anthem (String Mix): the same Anthem song but with a different guitar piece.



Rating: 8
Total Time: 59:40 with bonus

agreed 8, and i don´t miss Matt Barlow to much, Stu does a great job

After first run-trough I already miss Matt Barlow (or even Tim Owens) a lot :-(

I already have it, listening to it right now...i'm in half of the album, and i'm enjoy it! \m/

Rate it 8.5! ...It's a nice album, i like the voice of that new guy! Congratulations Iced Earth!

Written by Angelic Storm on 19.10.2010 at 05:46

I actually liked "Framing Armageddon" despite its obvious flaws. (some songs having rehashed parts, and it being overlong) And I find it to be head and shoulders above "The Crucible Of Man", which was a huge disappointment to me, and is IE's worst album without question, IMO. My expectations for the upcoming album are very low, which is a good thing I guess, as I wont be surprised or disappointed if the new album isnt very good. lol

It cant really be any worse, only as bad or better. Hopefully it will be a great album, or at least a step in the right direction after the dire last album.

i have it and its absolutely perfect!!!! when comes out i'll give it 10!!!!!

Written by Prometheus on 12.10.2011 at 10:16
i have it and its absolutely perfect!!!! when comes out i'll give it 10!!!!!

It's not quite perfect for me, but it is an amazing album that nestles in quite nicely with classics like "The Dark Saga" and "Something Wicked". The latter album is a little bit better than it, but "Dystopia" shows that Jon still has what it takes as an amazing songwriter, and that's all I could ask for really! I was definitely very pleasantly surprised by how good this album is.

The title track is bloody amazing. The rest of the songs ranks somewhere in between "meh" and "quite good".

I dont like Anthem being the 2nd song. Changes the dynamic of the album so much...waters it down, I'd say.

This album is amazing. I've been a huge fan of Stu Block's vocal talent ever since he joined Into Eternity and I was very impressed and excited when I saw the news that Iced Earth chose him and my first thought was "Holy shit how did they end up choosing a guy who is not even in the genre?!" but then I quickly realized that of course they would choose someone like Stu because he's got such an amazing range and that's what they need. I'm so happy to see Stu finally getting properly recognized for his incredible range and talent.

Written by JÄY on 16.10.2011 at 02:20

I dont like Anthem being the 2nd song. Changes the dynamic of the album so much...waters it down, I'd say.

On Dark Saga and SWTWC they've putt slow songs on second place too. I don't mind, Anthem is my fav song of the record alongside Dark City.

Written by Pazu on 15.10.2011 at 19:26

The title track is bloody amazing. The rest of the songs ranks somewhere in between "meh" and "quite good".

That's the same thing i thought about the album! ...

The first time I listened to the album all the way through I would have given it a 7. But after a while, the songs grew one me. This is for sure, their strongest release in a long time.

Far better than I expected.

Written by [user id=104220] on 16.10.2011 at 18:55

Written by JÄY on 16.10.2011 at 02:20

I dont like Anthem being the 2nd song. Changes the dynamic of the album so much...waters it down, I'd say.

On Dark Saga and SWTWC they've putt slow songs on second place too. I don't mind, Anthem is my fav song of the record alongside Dark City.

From what I see, apart from some albums, Schaffer always does this:

-first song is either very heavy and mid-tempo or fast, either way with a very hard-hitting chorus (Burning Times, Declaration Day, Wolf, Dark Saga, Burnt Offerings)

-second song they slow it down: either heavy mid-tempo or a real ballad (Melancholy, When the Eagle Cries, Damien, I Died For You, Last December)

-third song is either very fast or heavy, or both (Disciples of the Lie, The Reckoning, Diary, Violate, Jack)

-fourth song is where it branches out and the trend dissipates.

-last song is epic and very anthemic, in most cases the longest on the album (Dante's Inferno, The Coming Curse, A Question of Heaven, The Phantom Opera Ghost, Waterloo)

It's clear he followed the same trend on this album too. Tbh the only album which doesn't adhere in some ways to these rules is Framing Armageddon and the second disc of The Glorious Burden.

Im listening to it for the first time right now. Title Track is great. Bit worried Stu is trying to sound like Matt. I will let you all know what i think of the rest of it.

What an amazing return too form. Well done guys.

Ummm i like this new voice.

Stu Block it's amazing!!!!

This does get 1/10 of a point taken because the chorus for Soylent Green isnt "Soylent Green is people!!!"

Never listen to Iced Earth before but I think this album is cool!

My major complaint on the album is the lack of punch and power. The new vocals work well, and there are some good tracks, but there isn't much energy imo. It's a definite improvement over the last two albums though. On par with TGB for me.

Dystopia is my favourite from the album. Stu Block kick ass!!! and that other screaming voice... is that Tim Owens or what?

Written by LichBorne on 25.10.2011 at 14:43

and that other screaming voice... is that Tim Owens or what?

Erm... Stu Block?