Iced Earth is an American heavy metal band formed in Tampa, Florida in 1984, originally under the names The Rose and Purgatory, by guitarist and primary songwriter Jon Schaffer and drummer Greg Seymour. The band is currently composed solely of Schaffer and has been based in Columbus, Indiana. Iced Earth released their debut album "Iced Earth" in 1990 and has since released twelve studio albums, four EPs, three compilation albums, three box sets, three live albums, and eleven music videos.
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Iced Earth is an American heavy metal band formed in Tampa, Florida in 1984, originally under the names The Rose and Purgatory, by guitarist and primary songwriter Jon Schaffer and drummer Greg Seymour. The band is currently composed solely of Schaffer and has been based in Columbus, Indiana. Iced Earth released their debut album "Iced Earth" in 1990 and has since released twelve studio albums, four EPs, three compilation albums, three box sets, three live albums, and eleven music videos.
The band's early work began with the demo EP "Enter the Realm" (1989), followed by the studio albums "Iced Earth" (1990) and "Night of the Stormrider" (1991). After a hiatus from 1992 to 1994, Iced Earth returned with vocalist Matt Barlow, releasing "Burnt Offerings" (1995), "The Dark Saga" (1996), "Something Wicked This Way Comes" (1998), and "Horror Show" (2001). Barlow left the band after "Horror Show" and was replaced by Tim "Ripper" Owens, formerly of Judas Priest, for the albums "The Glorious Burden" (2004) and "Framing Armageddon" (2007). Barlow returned in 2007 for "The Crucible of Man" (2008) before leaving again in 2011, after which Stu Block became the lead vocalist. Block performed on "Dystopia" (2011), "Plagues of Babylon" (2014), and "Incorruptible" (2017).
Iced Earth has experienced numerous lineup changes, with over thirty musicians having been members as of 2021, and Schaffer has remained the sole constant member. Following Schaffer's arrest in January 2021 for his involvement in the 2021 United States Capitol attack, the other members departed and the band was dropped by Century Media Records. Schaffer later pleaded guilty to unlawfully entering Congress and obstructing an official proceeding, was sentenced to three years probation, and was pardoned by President Donald Trump in January 2025.
The band began under Schaffer's direction in Tampa and underwent multiple name changes before settling on Iced Earth in 1988. Early demos included "Psychotic Dreams" (1985) and "Enter the Realm" (1989), with the latter featuring Gene Adam on vocals, Randall Shawver on lead guitar, Dave Abell on bass, Greg Seymour on drums, and Schaffer on rhythm guitar and vocals. The material from "Enter the Realm" largely appeared on the debut album, with some exceptions.
The first two studio albums were recorded at Morrisound Recording with Schaffer and Tom Morris producing. Following the release of "Night of the Stormrider," the band toured Europe with Blind Guardian. After a hiatus, the band released "Burnt Offerings," marking the debut of drummer Rodney Beasley and vocalist Matt Barlow. "The Dark Saga" followed in 1996, with concept material based on the comic book character Spawn, and featured drummer Mark Prator and bassist Keith Menser in the touring lineup, though Dave Abell played on the album. "Days of Purgatory" (1997) compiled re-recorded tracks from earlier releases.
"Something Wicked This Way Comes" (1998) introduced the Something Wicked Saga, with Larry Tarnowski performing lead guitar as a session musician and Mark Prator on drums. The live album "Alive in Athens" (1999) documented performances in Greece, while "The Melancholy E.P." included covers and unreleased material. "Horror Show" (2001) drew inspiration from horror films and literature, featuring drummer Richard Christy and bassist James MacDonough. "Tribute to the Gods" (2002) was a covers album released as part of the box set "Dark Genesis."
Following Barlow's departure, Owens joined for "The Glorious Burden" (2004) and "Framing Armageddon: Something Wicked Part 1" (2007), with Schaffer performing much of the guitar and bass. The EP "Overture of the Wicked" preceded the album. Barlow returned for "The Crucible of Man: Something Wicked Part 2" (2008), accompanied by the single "I Walk Among You" and the box set "Box of the Wicked."
Stu Block joined in 2011 for "Dystopia," which incorporated dystopian themes and the Something Wicked storyline. The live releases "Festivals of the Wicked" (2011) and "Live in Ancient Kourion" (2012) documented tours during this period. Subsequent albums "Plagues of Babylon" (2014) and "Incorruptible" (2017) were produced with various lineup changes, including drummer transitions from Raphael Saini to Jon Dette and the return of Brent Smedley, as well as guitarist replacements with Jake Dreyer.
In 2018, Schaffer formed Jon Schaffer's Purgatory to re-record pre-Iced Earth demos, resulting in the EP "Purgatory." The 1989 demo "Enter the Realm" was released on CD and vinyl in 2019. Plans for a thirteenth studio album were announced in 2020, though work was delayed due to the band members residing in different countries. Following Schaffer's arrest in 2021, the band went on hiatus. A compilation album, "A Narrative Soundscape," was released in 2022 featuring acoustic and ambient versions of previous songs with spoken lyrics.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iced_Earth
Studio albums
Iced Earth (1990)
Night of the Stormrider (1991)
Burnt Offerings (1995)
The Dark Saga (1996)
Something Wicked This Way Comes (1998)
Horror Show (2001)
The Glorious Burden (2004)
Framing Armageddon: Something Wicked Part 1 (2007)
The Crucible of Man: Something Wicked Part 2 (2008)
Dystopia (2011)
Plagues of Babylon (2014)
Incorruptible (2017)
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…shrink me down again