Iced Earth is an American heavy metal band from Tampa, Florida. Formed in 1985 under the name Purgatory, the group originally consisted of vocalist Gene Adam, lead guitarist Bill Owen, rhythm guitarist Jon Schaffer, bassist Richard Bateman and drummer Greg Seymour. The band has been inactive since February 2021, when vocalist Stu Block, lead guitarist Jake Dreyer, bassist Luke Appleton and drummer Brent Smedley all left in response to band leader Schaffer's involvement in the 2021 United States Capitol attack.
Jon Schaffer and Greg Seymour officially formed Iced Earth (originally known as Purgatory) on January 20, 1985. The first full lineup was completed shortly thereafter with the addition of Gene Adam, Bill Owen and Richard Bateman. [1] The original incarnation released two demos in 1985 – Burning Oasis and Psychotic Dreams – before Bateman was replaced by Dave Abell in time for the recording of a third, Horror Show. [2] In 1987, Owen made way for new lead guitarist Randall Shawver. [3] The following year, Purgatory changed its name to Iced Earth. [4] The first demo under the new moniker, Enter the Realm, was released in 1989. [5] Seymour left shortly after its release due to tensions with Schaffer, and was replaced by Mike McGill. [6] The band signed with Century Media Records and issued its self-titled full-length debut the following year. [7]
After touring in promotion of Iced Earth, the band saw further personnel changes in the spring of 1991 when Adam and McGill were replaced by John Greely and Rick Secchiari, respectively, for the production of Night of the Stormrider . [8] After the album was released, Rodney Beasley took over on drums for subsequent live shows. [9] The album was promoted on a short touring cycle running until the fall of 1992, when the group went on a hiatus for two years. [10] In 1995 they returned with Burnt Offerings , which marked the debut of Beasley and new vocalist Matt Barlow.[ citation needed ] Mark "The Creeper" Prator took over from Beasley on a session basis for the recording of The Dark Saga . [11]
Before The Dark Saga was released, long-term bassist Abell was replaced by Keith Menser. The new bassist featured in photography for the album, but was replaced shortly after its release by James MacDonough, who brought with him bandmate Brent Smedley as Iced Earth's new drummer. [12] The new lineup released Days of Purgatory , a collection of reworked older tracks, in 1997. [13] Just before the recording of Something Wicked This Way Comes in early 1998, Schaffer decided to relocate the band back to his home state of Indiana, which prompted lead guitarist Shawver to leave. [14] The album featured Prator on drums, as Smedley was unavailable due to "personal reasons". [15]
With new lead guitarist Larry Tarnowski in place of Shawver, Iced Earth toured throughout 1998 and early 1999, releasing their first live album Alive in Athens from the cycle. [16] In the summer of 2000, Smedley was replaced by Richard Christy. [17] For the recording of Horror Show , MacDonough was also replaced by Steve Di Giorgio, although by the time it was released in May 2001 the former had already returned after Di Giorgio reportedly pulled out of touring due to "prior commitments". [18] Covers album Tribute to the Gods followed in 2002, before Tarnowski left in March 2003 to focus on his studies. [19] He was replaced in June by Ralph Santolla, shortly after Barlow also announced his departure from the group. [20] Tim "Ripper" Owens took over on vocals, following his departure from Judas Priest in July. [21]
Following the release of Owens' and Santolla's Iced Earth debut The Glorious Burden , Christy left the band in May 2004 to work on The Howard Stern Show , with Bobby Jarzombek taking his place. [22] In July, Santolla also left to join Sebastian Bach's solo band. [23] The guitarist was not immediately replaced, and by September MacDonough had also left to join Megadeth. [24] Iced Earth remained inactive for almost two years after the lineup changes, before it was announced at the end of June 2006 that the group had added Ernie Carletti as its new lead guitarist. [25] By October, Carletti had been replaced by Tim Mills as the former was facing charges of rape, kidnapping and weapons possession, [26] while former drummer Brent Smedley had returned in place of Jarzombek. [27] On the last day of the year, Schaffer announced that James "Bo" Wallace was the band's new bassist. [28]
Iced Earth recorded Overture of the Wicked in February 2007, with Schaffer performing bass after Wallace's departure due to "family health issues". [29] The next month, Mills left the band to focus on his business Bare Knuckle Pickups. [30] He was replaced in May by Troy Seele, who had performed some lead guitars on the recently-completed album Framing Armageddon: Something Wicked Part 1 . [31] After a European tour to promote the album, it was announced in December 2007 that Owens was to be replaced by the returning Matt Barlow. [32] At the same time, Owens' former Winter's Bane bandmate Hayes was also dismissed. [33] He was replaced in March 2008 by Freddie Vidales. [34]
After the release of 2008's The Crucible of Man: Something Wicked Part 2 , Iced Earth continued touring intermittently for several years, before Matt Barlow announced his second departure from the band in March 2011. [35] His replacement was announced as Into Eternity's Stu Block, who took over after a final run of shows with Barlow ending in August. [36] The new vocalist debuted on a re-recorded version of "Dante's Inferno" and new album Dystopia , which were the last contributions of Vidales who was replaced by Luke Appleton in April 2012. [37] In May 2013, Brent Smedley left for a second time to return home and take care of his family, with Raphael Saini taking his place. [38]
Saini recorded the 2014 album Plagues of Babylon and performed a run of shows, before he was replaced by former Testament and Slayer drummer Jon Dette in November 2013. [39] Dette continued touring with Iced Earth until April 2015, when Smedley was able to return to the band. [40] During writing for a new album, Troy Seele left the group in August 2016 in order to focus on his family responsibilities. [41] He was replaced the next month by Jake Dreyer, current band Witherfall with Joseph Michael (Sanctuary). Dreyer debuted on Incorruptible , which was released the following year. [42] Iced Earth's lineup remained constant until January 2021, when band leader Jon Schaffer was put in federal custody after his involvement in the 2021 United States Capitol attack. [43] [44] The next month, Block, Dreyer and Appleton announced their departures from the band. [45] [46] By 2024, Smedley had also left the band. [47]
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jon Schaffer | 1985–present |
| all Iced Earth releases |
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Gene Adam | 1985–1991 | lead vocals | all Iced Earth releases from Burning Oasis (1985) to Iced Earth (1990) | |
Greg Seymour | 1985–1989 | drums |
| |
Bill Owen | 1985–1987 | lead guitar |
| |
Richard Bateman | 1985–1986 (died 2018) | bass |
| |
Dave Abell | 1986–1996 | all Iced Earth releases from Horror Show (1986) to The Dark Saga (1996) | ||
Randall Shawver | 1987–1998 | lead guitar | all Iced Earth releases from Enter the Realm (1989) to Days of Purgatory (1997) | |
Mike McGill | 1989–1991 | drums | Iced Earth (1990) | |
John Greely | 1991–1993 | lead vocals | Night of the Stormrider (1991) | |
Rick Secchiari | 1991 | drums | ||
Rodney Beasley | 1992–1995 | Burnt Offerings (1995) | ||
Matt Barlow |
| lead vocals |
| |
Mark Prator |
|
|
| |
Keith Menser | 1996 | bass | none | |
Brent Smedley |
|
|
| |
James MacDonough |
| bass | all Iced Earth releases from Days of Purgatory (1997) to The Glorious Burden (2004), except Horror Show (2001) | |
Larry Tarnowski | 1998–2003 |
|
| |
Richard Christy | 2000–2004 | drums |
| |
Steve Di Giorgio | 2000–2001 | bass | Horror Show (2001) | |
Ralph Santolla | 2003–2004 (died 2018) | lead guitar | The Glorious Burden (2004) – four tracks only | |
Tim "Ripper" Owens | 2003–2007 | lead vocals |
| |
Bobby Jarzombek | 2004–2006 | drums | none | |
Ernie Carletti | 2006 | lead guitar | ||
Tim Mills | 2006–2007 |
| ||
James "Bo" Wallace | bass | none | ||
Troy Seele | 2007–2016 |
| all Iced Earth releases from Framing Armageddon: Something Wicked Part 1 (2007) to Plagues of Babylon (2014) | |
Freddie Vidales | 2008–2012 |
|
| |
Stu Block | 2011–2021 | lead vocals | all Iced Earth releases from "Dante's Inferno 2011" (2011) to Incorruptible (2017) | |
Luke Appleton | 2012–2021 |
|
| |
Raphael Saini | 2013 | drums | Plagues of Babylon (2014) | |
Jon Dette | 2013–2015 | none | ||
Jake Dreyer | 2016–2021 | lead guitar | Incorruptible (2017) |
Period | Members | Releases |
---|---|---|
Early 1985 – 1986 (as Purgatory) |
|
|
1986–1987 (as Purgatory) |
|
|
1987–1989 (as Purgatory until 1988) |
|
|
1989–1991 |
|
|
Spring – late 1991 |
|
|
Spring – fall 1992 |
| none |
Band on hiatus fall 1992 – late 1994 | ||
Late 1994 – late 1995 |
|
|
Late 1995 – early 1996 |
|
|
Early – spring 1996 |
| none |
Spring 1996 – early 1998 |
|
|
March 1998 (temporary recording lineup) |
| |
Spring 1998 – summer 2000 |
|
|
Summer – late 2000 |
| none |
Late 2000 – spring 2001 |
|
|
Spring 2001 – March 2003 |
|
|
July 2003 – May 2004 |
|
|
May – July 2004 |
| none |
July – September 2004 |
| |
Band on hiatus September 2004 – June 2006 | ||
June – October 2006 |
| none |
October – December 2006 |
| |
December 2006 – February 2007 |
| |
February – March 2007 |
|
|
March – May 2007 |
|
|
May – December 2007 |
|
|
December 2007 – March 2008 |
|
|
March 2008 – August 2011 |
|
|
August 2011 – April 2012 |
|
|
April 2012 – May 2013 |
|
|
May – November 2013 |
|
|
November 2013 – April 2015 |
| none |
April 2015 – August 2016 |
| |
September 2016 – February 2021 |
|
|
Band inactive since February 2021 |
Deicide is an American death metal band from Tampa, Florida. Formed in 1987 by drummer/composer Steve Asheim and guitarist brothers Eric and Brian Hoffman as "Carnage", then hiring bassist/vocalist/lyricist Glen Benton and becoming "Amon". They changed the band name to Deicide in 1989. The band rose to mainstream success in 1992 with their second album Legion, and is credited as the second-best-selling death metal band of the Soundscan Era, after Cannibal Corpse.
Timothy S. "Ripper" Owens is an American heavy metal singer who currently performs with KK's Priest, Spirits of Fire, the Three Tremors and A New Revenge. He first gained attention as the lead singer of Judas Priest and then Iced Earth. He took the nickname "Ripper" from the Judas Priest song "The Ripper" during his time in the tribute band British Steel.
Demons & Wizards was a power metal band conceived as a side-project by Blind Guardian vocalist Hansi Kürsch and Jon Schaffer, the guitarist for Iced Earth. Schaffer wrote the music and Kürsch wrote the lyrics. The band's line-up during the recording of their first album in 1999 featured Mark Prator, who was the drummer on a few Iced Earth albums, and Jim Morris, who has engineered for Iced Earth before, on lead guitar. The personnel for the second album, released in 2005, included Morris on lead guitar and Bobby Jarzombek on drums. The band released a third studio album, III, in 2020, and disbanded in early 2021 following Schaffer's involvement in the 2021 United States Capitol riot.
Iced Earth is an American heavy metal band currently composed of only Jon Schaffer, formed in Tampa, Florida and based in Columbus, Indiana. They were formed in 1984 under the name the Rose, then Purgatory, by guitarist, main songwriter and bandleader 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.
Days of Purgatory is an album by American heavy metal band Iced Earth, released on June 6, 1997. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Dark Saga is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band Iced Earth. Released on July 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.
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.
The discography of Iced Earth, an American heavy metal band, consists of thirteen studio releases, two live albums, three compilations, five singles, three videos, and eleven music videos. Originally formed as Purgatory by guitarist Jon Schaffer on January 20, 1985, the band spent five years playing live locally and went through several line-up changes. After changing their name to Iced Earth, the band recorded the demo Enter the Realm (1989), which landed them a deal with the German label, Century Media Records. One year later, the band recorded their self-titled album Iced Earth, followed by 1991's Night of the Stormrider, which peaked at number 60 on the Japanese Oricon charts. Three years later, Iced Earth released Burnt Offerings, featuring new vocalist Matt Barlow, followed by The Dark Saga (1996).
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.
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.
Stuart Block is a Canadian singer who is the lead vocalist of progressive death metal band Into Eternity and a former lead singer of heavy metal band Iced Earth. Before joining Into Eternity in 2005, he began his musical career singing for various bands in Vancouver. After two albums with Into Eternity, he joined Iced Earth in 2011 and recorded three albums during his ten-year tenure with the band: Dystopia (2011), Plagues of Babylon (2014) and Incorruptible (2017). He was the second-longest-tenured vocalist in Iced Earth after Matt Barlow.
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.
Jake Dreyer is an American musician who is the lead guitarist and songwriter for the progressive metal band Witherfall and former lead guitarist for Iced Earth. He was also a touring and session guitarist for the bands Demons and Wizards, White Wizzard, and Kobra and the Lotus.
Plagues of Babylon is the eleventh studio album by American heavy metal band Iced Earth. Released in January 2014, the album is the group's first studio release with bassist Luke Appleton and the only with drummer Raphael Saini, who was a guest on the album. According to rhythm guitarist and band leader Jon Schaffer, half of the album is focused on his "Something Wicked" concept, while the other half are stand-alone songs.
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.