Days of Purgatory

Last updated

Days of Purgatory
Iced Earth - Days of Purgatory.jpg
Compilation album by
ReleasedJune 6, 1997
Recorded Morrisound Studios
Genre
Length
  • 80:27 (1CD edition)
  • 122:47 (2CD edition)
Label Century Media
Producer Jim Morris
Iced Earth chronology
The Dark Saga
(1996)
Days of Purgatory
(1997)
Something Wicked This Way Comes
(1998)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [1]

Days of Purgatory is an album by American heavy metal band Iced Earth, released on June 6, 1997. [1] It is a collection of remixes and remakes from previous albums, with the exception of their then-recent record The Dark Saga . Most of the songs from the Enter the Realm EP, Iced Earth , and Night of the Stormrider were re-sung by Matt Barlow, and on some of the songs the drums and bass were redone. The 2-CD version also has rough mixes of several songs from Burnt Offerings with the opening to the title track re-recorded. The album cover features artwork of the Chaos Comics character Purgatori.

Contents

The reason for the album was to improve the original songs, create nostalgia for older fans and introduce newer fans to Iced Earth's older work. The 2-CD limited edition was originally produced for European audiences but has since been released in the United States. Days of Purgatory was the last new release from the band featuring longtime guitarist Randall Shawver, and the first to feature bassist James MacDonough and drummer Brent Smedley.

The song "Written on the Walls" from the band's self-titled album was given completely new lyrics and renamed "Cast in Stone". The only songs left unrecorded from the band's first albums were "Mystical End", "The Path I Choose", and "Curse the Sky", though the latter two were both performed live with Barlow on vocals. "Winter Nights" was recorded during early sessions for Night of the Stormrider while Gene Adam was still on vocals, but this was the track which prompted Schaffer to ask Adam to get singing lessons, as it was felt he could not handle the high notes. Therefore, the song was not used on the album due to its acrimonious history, though it would have fit in with the storyline of the album. Live performances of this song from that era (such as Wuppertal '91) show him struggling to sing it, probably contributing to his dismissal. Schaffer eventually dug the song out of the vaults to use on this album with Barlow providing vocals, but, as mentioned in the album's booklet, used a 1986 Purgatory demo for the backing track instead.

Track listing

One-CD edition

No.TitleLyricsMusicOriginal albumLength
1."Enter the Realm"(instrumental) Jon Schaffer Enter the Realm 0:54
2."Colors"Schaffer
Iced Earth 4:50
3."Angels Holocaust"SchafferSchaffer Night of the Stormrider 4:53
4."Stormrider"Schaffer
  • Shawver
  • Schaffer
Night of the Stormrider4:47
5."Winter Nights"SchafferSchaffer(previously unreleased)3:55
6."Nightmares"SchafferSchafferEnter the Realm3:42
7."Pure Evil"Schaffer
  • Shawver
  • Schaffer
Night of the Stormrider6:33
8."Solitude"(instrumental)
  • Shawver
  • Schaffer
Iced Earth1:44
9."When the Night Falls"SchafferSchafferIced Earth9:01
10."Desert Rain"Schaffer
Night of the Stormrider6:56
11."The Funeral"(instrumental)
  • Shawver
  • Schaffer
Iced Earth6:15
12."Cast in Stone" (rewritten version of "Written on the Walls") Matt Barlow
  • Shawver
  • Schaffer
  • Abell
Iced Earth5:59
13."Reaching the End"SchafferSchafferNight of the Stormrider1:11
14."Travel in Stygian"SchafferSchafferNight of the Stormrider9:32
15."Iced Earth"SchafferSchafferIced Earth5:22

Two-CD edition

Disc one

No.TitleLyricsMusicOriginal albumLength
1."Enter the Realm" SchafferEnter the Realm0:54
2."Colors"Schaffer
  • Shawver
  • Schaffer
Iced Earth4:50
3."Angels Holocaust"SchafferSchafferNight of the Stormrider4:53
4."Stormrider"Schaffer
  • Shawver
  • Schaffer
Night of the Stormrider4:47
5."Winter Nights"SchafferSchaffer(previously unreleased)3:55
6."Nightmares"SchafferSchafferEnter the Realm3:42
7."Before the Vision"Schaffer
  • Shawver
  • Abell
Night of the Stormrider1:35
8."Pure Evil"Schaffer
  • Shawver
  • Schaffer
Night of the Stormrider6:33
9."Solitude"(instrumental)
  • Shawver
  • Schaffer
Iced Earth1:44
10."The Funeral"(instrumental)
  • Shawver
  • Schaffer
Iced Earth6:15
11."When the Night Falls"SchafferSchafferIced Earth9:01

Disc two

No.TitleLyricsMusicOriginal albumLength
1."Burnt Offerings"Schaffer
  • Shawver
  • Schaffer
Burnt Offerings 7:22
2."Cast in Stone" (rewritten version of "Written on the Walls")Barlow
  • Shawver
  • Schaffer
  • Abell
Iced Earth5:59
3."Desert Rain"Schaffer
  • Schaffer
  • Abell
Night of the Stormrider6:56
4."Brainwashed"Schaffer
  • Shawver
  • Schaffer
Burnt Offerings5:22
5."Life and Death"Schaffer
  • Shawver
  • Schaffer
Iced Earth6:07
6."Creator Failure"Schaffer
  • Shawver
  • Schaffer
  • Abell
Burnt Offerings6:02
7."Reaching the End"SchafferSchafferNight of the Stormrider1:11
8."Travel in Stygian"SchafferSchafferNight of the Stormrider9:32
9."Dante's Inferno"SchafferSchafferBurnt Offerings16:26
10."Iced Earth"SchafferSchafferIced Earth5:22

Personnel

Additional personnel

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iced Earth</span> American heavy metal band

Iced Earth is an American heavy metal band formed in Tampa, Florida, and currently based in Columbus, Indiana. They were formed in 1984 under the name the Rose, then Purgatory, by guitarist and main songwriter Jon Schaffer and original drummer Greg Seymour. Iced Earth released their debut album in 1990 and have since released twelve studio albums, four EPs, three compilations, three box sets, three live albums and eleven music videos.

<i>Night of the Stormrider</i> 1991 studio album by Iced Earth

Night of the Stormrider is the second studio album by the American heavy metal band Iced Earth, released in 1991 through Century Media Records. It is a concept album centered on an idea that was created by the band's leader Jon Schaffer. Night of the Stormrider is the only Iced Earth album to feature lead singer John Greely and drummer Rick Secchiari. The album was re-released in a remixed and remastered version in 2002 by producer Jim Morris.

<i>Something Wicked This Way Comes</i> (Iced Earth album) 1998 studio album by Iced Earth

Something Wicked This Way Comes is the fifth studio album by American heavy metal band Iced Earth. Released on June 22, 1998, it was the band's first album to feature bassist James MacDonough and guitarist Larry Tarnowski, and is the only Iced Earth album to be solely produced by Jim Morris, who has worked with the band since 1996's The Dark Saga.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Barlow</span> American heavy metal singer

Matthew Barlow is an American heavy metal singer. He is the lead singer for Ashes of Ares and former lead singer of Iced Earth and Pyramaze. He is Jon Schaffer's brother-in-law.

<i>The Glorious Burden</i> 2004 studio album by Iced Earth

The Glorious Burden is the seventh studio album by the American power metal band Iced Earth. It is a concept album, which explores various moments in military history, such as the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Revolutionary War, and Waterloo. It also pays tribute to world events such as World War I, the World Trade Center attacks and the ravages of Attila the Hun. See the track list for links to the historical context of the songs.

<i>Horror Show</i> (album) 2001 studio album by Iced Earth

Horror Show is the sixth studio album from the American heavy metal band Iced Earth, released June 26, 2001. It is a concept album based on classic monsters and horror-movie icons, including Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Phantom. It was the first Iced Earth album to feature drummer Richard Christy, and the only album to feature Steve Di Giorgio on bass, though he did not tour with the band. Horror Show is usually considered Iced Earth's only straightforward power metal release, as little of the thrash metal influence from the band's earlier works is present. This album also featured more prominent usage of Matt Barlow's multi-layered vocals as a center point for the songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jon Schaffer</span> American guitarist

Jon Ryan Schaffer is an American heavy metal musician. He is the rhythm guitarist, bandleader and principal songwriter of the Indiana-based heavy metal band Iced Earth, which he formed in 1985 under the name Purgatory. He is also the lead singer in his political side project Sons of Liberty and, until 2021, played guitar for Demons & Wizards, his collaboration with Blind Guardian frontman Hansi Kürsch. In a 2019 poll by Guitar World, Schaffer was ranked as the 25th-best rhythm guitar player of all time.

<i>The Blessed and the Damned</i> 2004 greatest hits album by Iced Earth

The Blessed and the Damned is a double CD best of compilation album by American heavy metal band Iced Earth. The CD-booklet can be reversed, to show either angels or demons on the cover. The booklet also includes Jon Schaffer's comments on previous albums and his life. Even though the CD was released after The Glorious Burden, the biography in the booklet makes no mention of it. This is probably because Iced Earth left their record label Century Media Records prior to The Glorious Burden, and signed with SPV. In turn, Century Media released this compilation album.

<i>The Dark Saga</i> 1996 studio album by Iced Earth

The Dark Saga is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band Iced Earth. Released on Jul 23, 1996, it was the band's first album to feature drummer Mark Prator, as well as the last with bassist Dave Abell and lead guitarist Randall Shawver. The Dark Saga was also the first Iced Earth album to be co-produced by Jim Morris, who since then has worked on all of the band's releases.

<i>Iced Earth</i> (album) 1990 studio album by Iced Earth

Iced Earth is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Iced Earth. It was released in November 1990 internationally and February 1991 in North America. The album has three different covers. This album was Mike McGill's only album with Iced Earth, as well as the last for singer Gene Adam.

<i>Alive in Athens</i> 1999 live album by Iced Earth

Alive in Athens is a live album by American heavy metal band Iced Earth. It was recorded on the nights of January 23 and 24, 1999, in front of sold-out crowds of approximately 2000 people at the Rodon Club in Athens, Greece. Iced Earth was supporting the Something Wicked This Way Comes album and were on tour. It was turned into a single DVD, and released in October 2006. The album features the return of former drummer Brent Smedley, who did not record on the band's previous album.

<i>Dark Genesis</i> 2001 box set by Iced Earth

Dark Genesis is a five-disc box set by American heavy metal band Iced Earth, released on November 27, 2001. It contains remastered versions of their first three studio albums, their rare demo Enter the Realm, and a newly recorded tribute CD, Tribute to the Gods, which contains covers of many songs that have influenced Iced Earth. The Tribute to the Gods CD was the last Iced Earth release to feature lead guitarist Larry Tarnowski, and the last to feature Matt Barlow until his 2007 return. As well, that same disc marked bassist James MacDonough's first Iced Earth disc since 1999, as he had been absent during the recording of Horror Show.

<i>Tribute to the Gods</i> 2002 studio album of cover songs by Iced Earth

Tribute to the Gods is a covers album by heavy metal band Iced Earth. It is notable as the last Iced Earth album featuring Larry Tarnowski on lead guitar, and the last featuring singer Matt Barlow on vocals until his 2007 return. It was also their last album with Century Media until they returned to the label in 2010. This record was first released in 2001 in the box set Dark Genesis, but was re-released as a standalone disc in 2002. It was then re-released as part of the set Enter the Realm of the Gods along with the band's 1989 demo Enter the Realm in 2008 with new cover artwork.

<i>Overture of the Wicked</i> 2007 EP by Iced Earth

Overture of the Wicked is an EP by American heavy metal band Iced Earth, released in June 2007. The EP features the band's new single "Ten Thousand Strong" which was recorded for the new album released later that same year Framing Armageddon, as well as a rerecording of the original "Something Wicked" song cycle. The re-recorded tracks are also slightly rearranged, with the piano intro to "The Coming Curse" notably absent in the new version. This EP was reissued as part of Iced Earth's Box of the Wicked collection.

<i>Framing Armageddon: Something Wicked Part 1</i> 2007 studio album by Iced Earth

Framing Armageddon: Something Wicked Part 1 is the eighth studio album from Iced Earth, released on September 11, 2007. It is part one of two concept albums based on a trilogy of songs from Iced Earth's fifth studio album, Something Wicked This Way Comes. The saga, aptly titled the Something Wicked Saga, tells the fictional history of mankind, from its creation to its destruction. It is the second and final album with vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens. This is also the first album that Schaffer become more involved in playing lead guitars parts.

<i>Dystopia</i> (Iced Earth album) 2011 studio album by Iced Earth

Dystopia is the tenth studio album by American heavy metal band Iced Earth. Released on October 17, 2011, it was the band's first album to feature vocalist Stu Block, who joined after previous vocalist Matt Barlow left the band. Dystopia was also the only Iced Earth studio album to feature bassist Freddie Vidales and drummer Brent Smedley until his return in 2015.

"Dante's Inferno" is a song by the American heavy metal band Iced Earth. The song was originally released on the group's 1995 album Burnt Offerings, and was re-recorded in 2011, with the current line-up of the band. "Dante's Inferno" is also one of the longest songs the band has ever recorded, with the original clocking in at sixteen minutes and twenty-six seconds and the re-recorded version clocking in at seventeen minutes and twenty-eight seconds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Setian Massacre</span> 2007 single by Iced Earth

"Setian Massacre" is a single by the American heavy metal band Iced Earth. The two songs on the single are taken from the group's 2007 album, Framing Armageddon: Something Wicked Part 1. Both songs are a part of the rhythm guitarist Jon Schaffer's "Something Wicked" storyline, on which the entire Framing Armageddon album and its follow-up, The Crucible of Man: Something Wicked Part 2, is based.

<i>Incorruptible</i> (album) 2017 studio album by Iced Earth

Incorruptible is the twelfth studio album by American heavy metal band Iced Earth, released on June 16, 2017, by Century Media. It is their only album with lead guitarist Jake Dreyer, and also features a returning Brent Smedley on drums, whose last prior recorded performance with Iced Earth was their 2013 live album "Live in Ancient Kourion". It is their first studio album in over 20 years to entirely not be a concept album, with each song instead featuring its own unique stand-alone lyrics. It is also the final Iced Earth album on Century Media and their final album to feature Stu Block and Luke Appleton on vocals and bass, respectively, before both members and Dreyer departed and the band being dropped by the label following Jon Schaffer's 2021 arrest.

References