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Horror Show
Artist : Iced Earth
List Price : $16.98 USD
Your Price : $13.99 USD
ProductGroup: Music
Release Date : 2001-06-26
Studio : Century Media
Label : Century Media
Avg. Customer Rating :  (132 reviews)
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Reviews
Customer Reviews for Horror Show
Horror Show Holds Up Over Time
Rating:
I tend to review things long after their initial release and let the dust settle. Iced Earth is a band that is loved/hated with very few in the middle. This album is in my opinion, aging very well. I have heard Jon Schaffer describe this as the album that fulfilled the Century Media contract and that he wasn't as into the concept as he was for Glorious Burden or the Something Wicked albums that follow. I think he needs to step back and give his Horror Show another spin. He should be very proud of this album. I agree with other reviewers that the idea of Horror Show could destroy a band if it ends up full of Cheese. Thankfully, there is very little Cheese here (Ghosts of Freedom aside). And besides, Horror Imagery and Metal go hand in hand.
Song wise, if I had to pick one song as the best, I think Damien is it. At over 9 minutes, this one never seems to drag. Barlow's delivery just before the solo can make the hair on your neck stand up (I will avenge thy torment).
I rarely skip through this album. It flows well start to finish, which is more than I can say for most metal bands these days. Other than Damien, great songs are Wolf, Jack, Im-ho-tep, Dragon's Child, Dracula and the cover of Maiden's Transylvania. I'm not a fan of bands putting cover songs on their propoer albums, but they put their stamp on it and it really fits in well appearing before Frankenstein and Dracula.
Ghosts of Freedom is in essence inspired by the Patriot (Mel Gibson Movie). It can be thought of as hint of things to come in the Glorious Burden, but Schaffer has always had a thing for historical references and Patriotism (1776 on Something Wicked this Way Comes). It is basically a nice ballad but not as metal as the rest of the album. Still, not as cheesey as When the Eagle Cries on Glorious Burden.
The album closer is Phantom of the Opera Ghost. This is an impressive offering in the epic album closer department. Just beware that it does not sound anything like Maiden's Phantom of the Opera. Schaffer has described this recording as unfinished. He indicated that some day in the future he would like to revisit this one and add more parts to better tell the story. Hopefully he keeps in mind that the fans do not want another Phantom of the Opera Ghost, they want a Barlow sung Something Wicked Box Set.
I have a few bootlegs from the Horror Show tour and the band was in tip top shape at this point. The energy of this band came to a crashing halt when Matt Barlow left the Band in 2002 before the follow up album was recorded(The Glorious Burden). As solid as this one is, somehow it just didn't seem right that Matt's last album was Horror Show. There seemed to be so much more that Iced Earth needed to do with Matt at the mic. Thankfully, in 2007 Matt returned and the band has since released the Crucible of Man. Hopefully the band will get back to that frame of mind and level of energy where they were when touring for this one and finish the Re-Recording of Framing Armageddon.
Muscially and Thematically, this album is great metal, especially compared to its not so metal themed successor the Glorious Burden.
Customer Reviews for Horror Show Cd
As Good as It Gets
Rating:
'Horror Show' has been one of my favorite albums of all time since I purchased it. For me, it is the album that all other Iced Earth albums are compared to. On the two new albums (Armageddon and Crucible), Jon Schaffer and co. have mixed more slow/medium tempo songs into the mix than on the earlier albums. Horror Show is the perfect melding of 'Stormrider's speed and 'Crucible's' medium tempos. Every song is amazing, from the opening Wolf to a cover of Iron Maiden's Transylvania to the mini-epic The Phantom Opera Ghost, but the stand-out song is definitely Damien. Damien, which retells the story of the character from 'The Omen' movies, begins with a classic Iced Earth style chant that sets the mood for the religious-tinged song. Acoustic guitars add an eerie feel to the verses and there is plenty of Matt Barlow falsetto to enjoy. If you like Iced Earth at all or power metal in general, Horror Show is a must own.
Editorial Reviews for Horror Show Audio Cd
Album Description
Look forward to spotting the band's new album, Horror Show, in European stores on June 25th and in US shops on June 26th. Horror Show is a concept album based on many infamous monsters. Drawing from legend, literature, film, and perhaps even real life. A cover of Iron Maiden's Transylvania was recorded as well, which will be included on a limited edition first pressing of the album on a bonus disc that also contains an exclusive interview with Jon Schaffer and a cover of Iron Maiden's Transylvania! The team of Travis Smith and Danny Miki once again created the artwork for the album which turned out amazing! 2001 release.
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