Iced Earth

Iced Earth is an American power metal band that combines traditional heavy metal and thrash metal genres in its 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).

Matt Barlow left Iced Earth for a second time in 2011, stating the need for the band to tour more as his reason for leaving. He will perform any remaining festival dates in 2011 however. On March 16th 2011 Iced Earth announced that Stu Block of the band Into Eternity would be the band's new lead singer. During the recording of the band's next album, Dystopia, the band re-recorded fan favourite Dante's Inferno with Stu Block.

Band members
For a more comprehensive list, see List of Iced Earth band members.
 * Current members
 * Jon Schaffer – rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals, keyboards, mandolin (1984–present)
 * Stu Block – lead vocals (2011–present)
 * Luke Appleton – bass, backing vocals (2012–present)
 * Brent Smedley – drums (1996–1997, 1998–1999, 2006–2013, 2015–present)
 * Jake Dreyer – lead guitar (2016–present)

Discography
Main article: Iced Earth discography
 * 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)