ICED EARTH – Horror Show

I can’t say that I’m disappointed, but I can’t say that I’m 100 percent pleased either. 7 points from such a killer band as Iced Earth is perhaps a bit disappointing, but maybe I should stop comparing the old releases to this. There are several tracks that reminds me of Jon Schaffer’s greatness, among them the incredible ”Damien” (of course from the ”Omen”-trilogy), the ferocious opener ”Wolf” and the masterpiece ”Dracula”. ”Damien” scares the shit out of me (and that’s a whole lot!), so I would call that highly successful thinking this is a horror show after all. The vibe and the lyrics make me sit next to that ugly priest in the park where he tells Morgan Thorne about his son, the Antichrist. Really Scary!

On the other hand, musically I find a few fillers here and there, and parts of the record go by without much attention paid. That’s not the Iced Earth I know from before. Maybe it’s just me, maybe I should get more into the movies to realize that the band, again maybe, has succeeded recreating the spirit and soundtrack to all the characters they have ”paid respect to” on this CD. I know one thing; ”Horror Show” is darker and heavier than ”Something Wicked…”, and it demands a whole lot more from the listener. And I know one more thing; Iced Earth has the potential to break big time, so if you want to support the band AND the whole heavy metal scene, go out and get it!