I first got into Iced Earth with the Horror Show release last year. I liked it enough to get some of their older material. I hadn’t bought the work that didn’t have Matt Barlow singing however. If I like a particular singer, I am sometimes leery of getting the albums with a different singer. I like the older songs that are on Alive In Athens and I guess I didn’t want to be disappointed with the original versions of them. With the release of the Dark Genesis box set, I had the perfect opportunity to discover this band’s past. At a mere $41 (including shipping from The End Records) I couldn’t pass this one up. The only duplication for me would be Burnt Offerings, but I figure I can trade that at the local used shop.
The Good
I was absolutely blown away by Night of the Stormrider.
I haven't been this excited about an album in a long time. I really like
the singer (John Greely) on this one. He isn't as good as Barlow, but he
blows original vocalist Gene Adam away. This album combines all the things
I love about metal music on one album. It is kind of a cliché to say
this, but it is like a combination of Powerslave and Ride the
Lightning.
Really, all of the material here is strong, but Burnt Offerings and Stormrider stand out. Another great thing is the inclusion of their original demo Enter the Realm. Now even though most of these songs are included in the self- titled debut, it is a nice thing for the collectors and hard-core fans to have.
The Bad
If you are going to look back and rediscover a bands past, it makes
sense to look at their influences. That is exactly what the Tribute
to the Gods disc is. Unfortunately, this collection of covers is just
completely uninspired.
I'm also not very fond of original vocalist, Gene Adam. His voice just isn't as powerful as the singers that followed.
The Packaging
The five cd set comes as a book with four of the discs in a digipack type
holder on the inside front and back cover. The fifth disk, Tribute to
the Gods, is slipped in a cardboard page in the back. The book
includes a brief band history, as well as all lyrics and photos from throughout their
career. The album artwork has also been reworked with the new paintings
based on (or “inspired” by) the original. The package is very nice and the
artwork looks great. The only drawback is the digipack and cardboard slip cd
holders.
Bottom Line
A great and inexpensive way to complete your Iced Earth collection. If you
have these already there is no real reason to get the box unless you are a
collector. While I'm not really impressed with the cover cd and I'm not a
big fan of the original singer, this set is greater than the sum of its parts.
July 25, 2002
DISC 1- Enter the Realm:
1. Enter the Realm
2. Colors
3. Nightmares
4. Curse the Sky
5. Solitude
6. Iced Earth
DISC 2 - Iced Earth:
1. Iced Earth
2. Written on the Walls
3. Colors
4. Curse the Sky
5. Life and Death
6. Solitude
7. The Funeral
8. When the Night Falls
DISC 3 - Night of the Stormrider:
1. Angels Holocaust
2. Stormrider
3. The Path I Choose
4. Before the Vision
5. Mystical End
6. Desert Rain
7. Pure Evil
8. Reaching the End
9. Travel in Stygian
DISC 4 - Burnt Offerings:
1. Burnt Offerings
2. Last December
3. Diary
4. Brainwashed
5. Burning Oasis
6. Creator Failure
7. The Pierced Spirit
8. Dante's Inferno
DISC 5 - Tribute to the Gods:
1. Creatures Of The Night (Kiss)
2. Number Of The Beast (Iron Maiden)
3. Highway To Hell (AC/DC)
4. Burnin' For You (Blue Oyster Cult)
5. God Of Thunder (Kiss)
6. Screaming For Vengeance (Judas Priest)
7. Dead Babies (Alice Cooper)
8. Cities On Flame (Blue Oyster Cult)
9. Long Way To The Top (AC/DC)
10. Black Sabbath (Black Sabbath)
11. Hallowed Be Thy Name (Iron Maiden)