HISTORY
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It
all started way back in 1991... We were watching a video called
"Thrash'n'Burn". There was a section on the then current music
scene in Tampa Florida, and an item on a then unknown band from the area
called ICED EARTH... I remember being particularly impressed with the
attitude of the guy they were interviewing (Jon), and my best friend, David
"Destroyer" was totally fixated with that incredible riff from the
featured track, "Colors". Now, obtaining material from such an
obscure band was virtually impossible in the culturally depraved South Africa
we had the misfortune of being stuck in at the time, so when a friend of ours
went on holiday to Germany, the Iced Earth album was at the top of our
shopping list! So in January '92, she returned with "Night Of The
Stormrider", which DESTROYER played continuously, and, knowing my taste,
he subjected me to it at every available moment. At that time we were both
amateur musicians playing in local metal bands, and I will never forget
sitting outside the clubs where we used to play, with Stormrider blaring from
the car stereo! Classic memories!!! After managing to eventually track down a
copy of "Iced Earth", we both had little doubt in our respective
minds that we had inadvertantly stumbled over the greatest metal band ever
(in our teenaged opinions anyway!) In a scene already overpopulated by posers
like Pantera and the like, they were just what the doctor ordered. 3 Years
later we found ourselves in London, and by that time we had long since given
up hope of ever hearing anything from our favourite ever metal band again. We
were convinced that they had split up, lost their record deal, or some other
disaster had befallen them... It was impossible to find any of this out
because we still hadn't yet met anyone who had even HEARD of the band at this
stage except us! It was by divine providence that I was sold a promo of
"Burnt Offerings" shortly after arriving in London in May 95. Our
thirst for new Iced Earth material was quenched at last! It was a VERY long 3
years! ICED EARTH WERE BACK!!! The next quest was getting to watch them play
live... Unfortunately for us, we missed some shows in Germany by a few days,
only finding out they were playing after they had played! Plus, some shows
that they were due to play with RAGE shortly afterwards were cancelled!
Fortunately, when Iced Earth returned to Europe, one long year later, I found
out about it before the time, and I booked my plane ticket! At my first Iced
Earth show in Heilbronn, Germany, one of the security people was kind enough
to take me round the back before the show and almost immediately I met none
other than the man himself, Jon Schaffer! It's not every day you get to meet
your ultimate favourite rock musician, and I was naturally beside myself, not
once having considered that I would ever have the honour! Jon was very
surprised that he had 2 fans as big as us (in South Africa of all places!),
and he also couldn't believe that I flew all the way to Germany for the sole
purpose of watching Iced Earth!!! I have been fortunate enough to see and
interact with Iced Earth many more times since that fateful day, and not a
day goes by where I am not thankful for those experiences. I will never
forget Jon autographing that original concert ticket of mine with the
statement "Thanks for all the support, fans like you make all the
difference" Well, we would like to dedicate this page to Jon Schaffer
and all other members of the band, past and present, especially Randy Shawver
and Dave Abell for contributing so much to that killer "Iced Earth
Sound" we love so much, and also not forgetting Matt, Jimmy, Brent
("The DUDE"), and more recently Larry, who have made our more
recent experiences even more unforgettable... l would also like to take this oppurtunity to return the
compliment Jon originally bestowed upon me: "Thanks for the music, bands
like you make all the difference" It was around this time that Purgatory changed their name to Iced Earth. There was a band with a record deal from Cleveland, Ohio, also called Purgatory. Changing the name was necessary, but it unfortunately hurt the band in their area, as they had been gigging under that name for some time and were well known locally. Jon decided on Iced Earth in honour of his friend Bill, who had always suggested it as a possible band name before he died. Iced
Earth entered Morrisound studios in late 1988 and recorded their now famous
"ENTER THE REALM" demo tape with engineer Tom Morris.
They pressed about 1000 copies of it and sent it out the press and music industry.
This was to be a turning point in the band's career, as everyone loved it,
and they recieved rave reviews. Rock Hard Magazine in Germany voted it Demo
Of The Month, and it went on to become Demo Of The Year. Record company
interest naturally followed, two of Century Media's top men flew out to
Florida to watch the band rehearse. The band also spoke to a few labels
including Combat and Roadrunner, before settling on a long term deal with
Century Media. |
INTERNET
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ALBUM |
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1991 |
ICED EARTH |
1° |
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ICED EARTH, WRITTEN ON THE WALLS, COLORS,
CURSE IN THE SKY,LIFE AND DEATH, SOLITUDE, FUNERAL, WHEN THE NIGHT FALLS |
CENTURY MEDIA |
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1992 |
NIGHT OF THE STORMRIDER |
2° |
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ANGEL’S HOLOCAUST, STORMRIDER, THE PATH I
CHOOSE, BEFORE THE VISION, MYSTICAL END,DESERT RAIN, PURE EVIL, REACHING THE
END, TRAVEL IN STYGIAN. |
CENTURY MEDIA |
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1995 |
BURNT OFFERINGS |
3° |
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BURNT OFFERINGS - LAST DECEMBER - DIARY - BRAINWASHED - BURNING OASIS - CREATOR FAILURE – THE PIERCED SPIRIT - DANTE'S INFERNO: a
DENIAL, LUST, GREED - b THE PRODIGAL, THE WRATHFUL,
MEDUSA – c THE FALSE WITNESS, ANGEL OF LIGHT. |
CENTURY MEDIA |
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1996 |
THE DARK SAGA |
4° |
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DARK
SAGA, I DIED FOR YOU,VIOLATE, THE HUNTER, THE LAST LAUGH, DEPHTS OF HELL,
VENGEANCE IS MINE, THE SUFFERINGS: a. SCARRED – b. SLAVE TO THE DARK – c. A
QUESTION OF HEAVEN |
CENTURY MEDIA |
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1997 |
DAYS OF PURGATORY |
ANTHOLOGY |
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CENTURY MEDIA |
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1998 |
SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES |
5° |
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BURNING TIMES, MELANCHOLY (HOLY MARTYR),
DISCIPLES OF THE LIE, WATCHING OVER ME, STAND ALONE, CONSEQUENCES, MY OWN
SAVIOR, REAPING STONE, 1776, BLESSED ARE YOU,SOMETHING WICKED (TRILOGY):
PROPHECY - BIRTH OF THE WICKED - THE COMING CURSE. |
CENTURY MEDIA |
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1999 |
ALIVE IN ATHENS |
LIVE (TRIPLE) |
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CD1:
BURNING TIMES, VENGEANCE IS MINE, PURE EVIL, MY OWN SAVIOR, MELANCHOLY (HOLY
MARTYR), DANTE’S INFERNO, THE HUNTER, TRAVEL IN
STYGIAN, SLAVE TO THE DARK, A QUESTION OF HEAVEN. CD2: DARK
SAGA, LAST LAUGH, LAST DECEMBER, WATCHING OVER ME, ANGEL HOLOCAUST,
STORMRIDER,PATH I CHOOSE, I DIED FOR YOU, PROPHECY, BIRTH OF THE WICKED, THE
COMING CURSE, ICED EARTH. CD3: STAND ALONE, CAST IN STONE, DESERT RAIN, BRAINWASHED, DISCIPLES OF THE
LIE, WHEN THE NIGHT FALL, DIARY, BLESSED ARE YOU, VIOLATE. |
CENTURY MEDIA |
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2001 |
MELANCHOLY |
EP |
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CENTURY MEDIA |
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2001 |
HORROR SHOW |
6° |
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WOLF
– DAMIEN – JACK – GHOST OF FREEDOM – IM-HO-TEP (PHARAOH’S CURSE) – JEKYLL
& HYDE – DRAGON’CHILD – FRANKESTEIN – DRACULA – THE PHANTOM OPERA GHOST –
TRANSYLVANIA (BONUS TRACK) |
CENTURY MEDIA |
NATION
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GENRE
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U.S.A. |
POWER
METAL |
BAND
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2001 |
ACTIVE |
ALBUM |
OTHER BAND |
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VOCALS |
MATTHEW
BARLOW |
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GUITARS |
JON
SCHAFFER |
ALL |
DEMONS & WIZARD |
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GUITARS |
LARRY
TARNOWSKI |
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BASS |
JAMES
MACDONOUGH |
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DRUMS |
RICHARD
CHRISTY |
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DEATH, CONTROL DENIED
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*DRUMS |
MARK PRATOR |
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*VOCALS |
GENE
ADAM |
1°
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*DRUMS |
BRENT
SMEDLEY |
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*GUITARS |
RANDY
SHAWVER |
1°
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*BASS |
DAVE
ABELL |
1°
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*DRUMS |
MIKE MCGILL |
(1°)
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