Iced Earth

Biography

Iced Earth is an American heavy metal band that combines genres such as power metal, speed metal and thrash metal in their music. The band was formed by Jon Schaffer, the lead songwriter and rhythm guitarist, in Tampa, Florida in 1984. The original name of the band was Purgatory but was then changed to Iced Earth. Iced Earth’s music is often described as the style of Iron Maiden combined with 80’s thrash metal. The most distinctive element of the band’s sound is the stuttering right-hand gallop...

Iced Earth is an American heavy metal band that combines genres such as power metal, speed metal and thrash metal in their music. The band was formed by Jon Schaffer, the lead songwriter and rhythm guitarist, in Tampa, Florida in 1984. The original name of the band was Purgatory but was then changed to Iced Earth.

Iced Earth’s music is often described as the style of Iron Maiden combined with 80’s thrash metal. The most distinctive element of the band’s sound is the stuttering right-hand gallop of rhythm guitarist Jon Schaffer, which sounds something like the ‘eighth-note, two-sixteenth-notes’ gallop made famous by Iron Maiden’s bass player/songwriter Steve Harris (in such songs as “Run to the Hills”, “The Trooper”, and “Caught Somewhere in Time”), varied rhythmically. Overtop of this gallop are typically laid strong melodic hooks, sometimes doubled by two guitars playing in harmony. The vocals are often high-pitched, but express a full range, while the rhythm section uses thrash and power metal techniques such as double-bass-drumming to keep the speed and energy high. Iced Earth’s drummer is known for his frequent use of drags and flams on the bass drum.

Today, Jon is the only original member in the band, having changed multiple guitarists, drummers, and vocalists. The two most recognized vocalists of the band are Matt Barlow and Tim Ripper Owens, the former vocalist of Judas Priest. Matt Barlow ended up marrying Jon's sister, making Matt the brother-in-law of Jon Schaffer.

Iced Earth lyrics tend to deal with theological issues such as punishment and sin, destiny, heaven and hell, the Antichrist and the apocalypse. Many of the band’s recent albums have been concept albums written around a theme, e.g. the antihero Spawn (The Dark Saga), horror movies (Horror Show), historical wars (The Glorious Burden) and the double concept about the anti-christ (Something Wicked).

Current Band Members:
Jon Schaffer • Rhythm and Lead Guitars, Backing Vocals (1984-now)
Stu Block• Lead and Backing Vocals (2011-now)
Brent Smedley • Drums (2006-now)
Jake Dreyer • Lead Guitar (2016-now)
Freddie Vidales • Bass Guitar (2008-now)

Former Band Members:
Troy Seele • Lead Guitar (2007-2016)
Matt Barlow - Lead and Backing Vocals
Gene Adam - Vocals
John Greely - Vocals (1991-1992)
Matt Barlow - Lead and Backing Vocals
Tim "Ripper" Owens - Vocals (2003-2007)
Bill Owens - Lead Guitar (1985-1987)
Randall Shawver - Lead Guitar (1988-1998)
Larry Tarnowski - Lead Guitar (1998-2003)
Ralph Santolla - Lead Guitar (2003-2004)
Richard Bateman - Bass (1985-1986)
Dave Abell - Bass (1987-1996)
Keith Menser - Bass (1996)
Steve DiGiorgio - Bass (2000-2001) (studio)
James MacDonough - Bass (1996-2000, 2001-2004)
Greg Seymour - Drums (1984-1989)
Mike McGill - Drums (1989-1991)
Rick Secchiari - Drums (1991-1992)
Rodney Beasley - Drums (1992-1995)
Mark Prator - Drums
Brent Smedley - Drums (1996-1999)
Mark Prator - Drums
Richard Christy - Drums (2000-2004)

CD/Single/BoxSet/E.P./Remastered
Enter The Realm - Demo (1988)
Iced Earth (1990)
Night Of The Stormrider (1992)
Burnt Offerings (1995)
The Dark Saga (1996)
Days Of Purgatory - Re-Recorded Compilation (1997)
Something Wicked This Way Comes (1998)
Alive In Athens - Live Album - 3 CD BoxSet (1999)
The Melancholy - E.P. (1999)
Horror Show (2001)
Dark Genesis - Remixed And Remastered 5 CD BoxSet (2002)
Iced Earth - Remixed And Remastered (2002)
Night Of The Stormrider - Remixed And Remastered (2002)
Burnt Offerings - Remixed And Remastered (2002)
Tribute To The Gods - Covers Collection (2002)
The Reckoning - The Glorious Burden Single/E.P. (2003)
The Glorious Burden (2004)
The Blessed And The Damned - Compilation (2004)
Overture Of The Wicked - Framing Armageddon Single/E.P. (2007)
Framing Armageddon - Something Wicked Pt.I (2007)
Slave To The Dark - The Century Media Years - 14 CD/DVD BoxSet (2008)
I Walk Among You - The Crucible Of Man - Something Wicked Pt.II Single/E.P. (2008)
The Crucible Of Man - Something Wicked Pt.II (2008)
Dystopia (2011)
Plagues Of Babylon (2014)

DVD
Gettysburg - Audio DVD (2005)
Alive In Athens - Live DVD (2006)
Festivals Of The Wicked - Live DVD (2011)
Live In Ancient Kourion - Live DVD (2013) Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.