Written by Lord_Regnier on 20.12.2009 at 20:30

Written by BrightNight on 20.12.2009 at 00:29

Also, people who complain Jon Schaffer has lost insperation....what do you think this is? The man has always been bussy with several things at once, simply because he has to many ideas in his mind. One of the most divers and hard working musicians in the buisness for sure.

I'm saying that Schaffer has lost inspiration but it has nothing to de with this project.
I'm saying it because if you compare IE's recent songs to the old ones, they feel bland, generic and mediocre.
Nothing that stands out. You listen to TCOM and, as soon as it's over, you can't remember of a single memorable riff.

Diversity my ass, since a while. It's basically the same lackluster stuff all the time.
Listen to "Alive In Athens" and you hear lots of tempo changes, variations, different (and awesome) riffs. The songs have their own identity. Miles ahead of what this band does after SWTWC.

Also, IE was Power/Thrash Metal during the 90s. Since FA, the Thrash element is gone. Listen to "Alive In Athens" and almost every song has uptempo parts, harsher and more aggressive. You don't hear anything of the sort on TCOM and the only Thrashy song on FA is the title song.
The intensity and energy of old is not present on the new stuff.

Written by Obscure on 21.12.2009 at 00:09

This is a cool project from Schaffer.
It got me interested in these things which the site presents, though I've known about some of these before. Loads of information to chew, needs time to determine what makes sense and what not. Gives some topics to think about!

I'd say that Sons of Liberty is in a way very authentic Jon-Schaffer-music.
He said in the interview (video available!) that he put this project in front of everything else because he had a "gut-feeling", an "awakening", and he just had to let it out. Thus this is an album full of honest music.
Can't say, though, that this would be as good as Iced Earth (especially older stuff), but respectable anyway. This project isn't about music, it's about opening eyes.
For me he's accomplished in the mission so far.

And for the Iced Earth's current state with music: where's all the interest in progress and development?
All progress and development can not be towards "better" (opinion thingie here), but at least it's progress and development! Besides this lad has been making music for some 20 years for a living (correct me if I'm wrong), so I don't suppose he will be quitting in a long while.
Heh, also have to say, that I'm not too much into the couple of latest albums, but I'll give 'em a try every once in a while anyway. Barlow and Schaffer still are _the_ sound of IE.

Rooock 'n roll!

Written by BrightNight on 22.12.2009 at 01:38


I have to say that i do agree with you on the Thrash element and raw uptempo of the old songs. Alive In Athens is just one of the most intenste records of all time. They where much more aggressive and in your face. I liked that style more to. But i dont agree if you say all records after that are not diverse. Fair to say they are more power/heavy metal and less thrashy although the way the songs are build up are familiar to me. They still are divers. I had to listen them more to get into it and in order to really enjoy it like the old songs (which grabbed my attention from the first second).

Written by Lord_Regnier on 24.12.2009 at 00:28

Written by BrightNight on 22.12.2009 at 01:38


I have to say that i do agree with you on the Thrash element and raw uptempo of the old songs. Alive In Athens is just one of the most intenste records of all time. They where much more aggressive and in your face. I liked that style more to. But i dont agree if you say all records after that are not diverse. Fair to say they are more power/heavy metal and less thrashy although the way the songs are build up are familiar to me. They still are divers. I had to listen them more to get into it and in order to really enjoy it like the old songs (which grabbed my attention from the first second).

The music has softened and slowed down way too much for my tastes, indeed.
I can't help it: the new songs sound very weak and dull compared to the old ones.

Same for Iron Maiden if you compare the 80s stuff with what they're doing nowadays.

Both bands have lost all aggressivity, imo. It's still heavy but not aggressive and intense. Therefore boring, imo.