Iced Earth - Tribute To The Gods

Year of Release: 2002
Label: Century Media
Catalog Number: 8106
Format: CD
Total Time: 51:59:00

No, don't do it! Too late. They've gone and done it.

Iced Earth are a perfectly capable band - in my opinion, one of the top bands playing metal - but a self-indulgent journey through their "influences" is just a waste of time. Of course, while it explains the music contained within Tribute To The Gods it also goes a long way in explaining the blasé attitude of bands and labels when they release classic cover songs. Personally I don't mind the odd cover on an album, or better yet as a bonus track or a hidden track. Great ideas and one which Iced Earth has done before (Iron Maiden's "Transylvania" and Judas Priest's "The Ripper" and more from their Melancholy EP).

For those that didn't spend around big dollars on the Iced Earth Dark Genesis 5 CD box set that featured, well, lots of Iced Earth albums, Iced Earth (or Century Media) have set about releasing the 5th disc from that set as its own individual album called Tribute To The Gods. Aside from being another quick (sorry, cheap) grab for cash, the album features cover songs from bands like Kiss, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Judas Priest, Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath, and Blue Oyster Cult.

There's nothing wrong with the covers. And there's nothing right with them either. Most of the songs follow the originals and the songs (at least, the songs that I know) are put together with Iced Earth proficiency and professionalism. Matt Barlow on vocals is magnificent - he is such a terrific singer. Along with the heart and soul of Iced Earth, Jon Schaffer (g), the rest of the band features James MacDonough (b), Richard Christy (d), and Larry Tarnowski (g).

To put my stamp on this I guess I can only say that there are SO MANY NEW bands out there worthy of my money and buying this disc "just because it's Iced Earth" does a disservice to the many other bands who deserve your support. As a bonus disc on Dark Genesis, as a bonus disc to an upcoming Iced Earth album, or as a mid-price CD I would highly recommend this album. But at full price, this self-indulgent tribute will just become another CD in your CD collection. Don't let that happen!

[This review originally appeared March 2004 at the ProgPower Online review site -ed.]

Tracklisting:
Creatures Of The Night (KISS) (4:01) / The Number Of The Beast (Iron Maiden) (4:33) / Highway To Hell (AC/DC) (3:23) / Burnin' For You (Blue Oyster Cult) (4:26) / God Of Thunder (KISS) (3:56) / Screaming For Vengeance (Judas Priest) (4:37) / Dead Babies (Alice Cooper) (5:40) / Cities On Flame (BOC) (3:59) / It's A Long Way To The Top (AC/DC) (4:42) / Black Sabbath (Black Sabbath) (5:30) / Hallowed Be Thy Name (Iron Maiden) (7;08)

Musicians:
Matt Barlow - vocals
Richard Christy - drums
James MacDonough - bass
Jon Schaffer - guitars, vocals
Larry Tarnowski - guitars

Guests:

Jim Morris - guitars, background vocals

Discography:
Iced Earth (1991)
Night Of The Stormrider (1992)
Burnt Offerings (1995)
The Dark Saga (1996)
Days Of Purgatory (1997/2003)
Something Wicked This Way Comes (1998)
The Melancholy EP (1999/2001)
Alive In Athens (1999)
Horror Show (2001)
Tribute To The Gods (2002)
The Reckoning (EP) (2004)
Glorious Burden (2004)
The Blessed And The Damned (2004)
Overture Of The Wicked (2007)
Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked Part 1) (2007)
The Crucible Of Man - Something Wicked Part 2 (2008)
The Plagues EP (2013)
Live In Ancient Kourion (2013)
Plagues Of Babylon (2014)
Incorruptible (2017)

Alive In Athens (DVD) (2007)
Gettysburg (1863) (DVD) (2005)
Live In Ancient Kourion (2013)

Genre: Progressive-Power Metal

Origin US

Added: December 21st 2004
Reviewer: Gary Carson
Score:
Artist website: www.icedearth.com
Hits: 2618
Language: english