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Iced Earth Interview

ICED EARTH has been one of the biggest names in metal for almost a decade now, and their success has yet to see its decline. Year 2001 is an exciting year for metal fans around the globe, as it marks the return of ICED EARTH who are back with a new album after three years of extensive touring and song writing. The guys have not been lazy during the last few years. Besides touring most of Europe and the US they released their first live recording last year; a triple CD box (5 LP) recorded during two gigs in Athens. A remarkable and truly magnificent gift, straight from the heart, to their loyal fans. Now they are back with a new album and ICED EARTH vocalist Matthew Barlow called me up one rainy afternoon to talk about the new release. Waiting to talk to one of my biggest idols had made more nervous than ever – well, talking to Martin Walkyier of SKYCLAD a couple of months ago made me a nervous wreck as well - but after a couple of strong drinks (thank you Explorer!) I was as ready as I could be. Suitably entitled HORRORSHOW, the new album brings forth and discusses such classic tales as Jeckyl & Hyde, Dracula, Frankenstein and many more. A fascinating album not only for metal fans, but also for all people interested in horror fiction. The idea for the album dates back a long time. Barlow explains where the idea comes from. 

- Well, back in the early days when the band was still called PURGATORY, Jon drew most of his inspiration from horror movies and books. Characters like Dracula and Dr.Jeckyl & Mr.Hyde have always been a major inspiration for him. A few years ago we got the idea of doing a MCD with a horror theme, where we would bring forth perhaps five of the most classic characters. Now as Jon has grown much as a writer he felt confident in making this dream come true. From the beginning we knew that it wouldn’t be a full conceptual album, as DARK SAGA, but a thematic one.


Iced Earth

ICED EARTH is a band that has always been famous for their extensive touring, trying to please all their fans worldwide and that won’t change any time soon. This year’s ICED EARTH world tour will kick of in August when they’ll be playing on US soil. In September they’ll cross the Atlantic and begin their two-month crusade in Europe. - We will probably do an extended show where we will be the only band to play for the night. It will be a true ICED EARTH show, proclaims Barlow. The guys are also planning to do a full stage setting following the theme of the album. - We are currently working on the details for the stage setting and we should hopefully have it all done soon, Barlow says, it will without a doubt be very cool. Bassist Steve DiGiorgio (DEATH etc.) left the band just a short while after the recording of HORRORSHOW and once again ICED EARTH has enlisted Jim McDonaugh, who also played on the last tour and who’s bass playing skills can be heard on ALIVE IN ATHENS, in the band. Wheter he will be a permanent replacement for DiGiorgio is uncertain at the time of this interview. - If everything works out ok with Jimmy, he will probably become a fulltime member of the band. We’ll just have to wait and see. He is at least going out on the road with us. 

We also had some time to discuss sources of inspiration and what keeps a band going year after year. 10 years have passed now since the release of ICED EARTH’s debut album, ICED EARTH (1991) and I wanted to know what keeps them going. - You know, inspiration is all around us, according to Barlow. Mostly we find it in our imagination. We can come up with new cool ideas every day. When there’s nothing out there to inspire you and when you can’t even think of one cool idea per day, you can either call it quits or you can look within yourself for inspiration. What keeps us going? We are still dreamers, he says laughing. We still have goals to reach. You have to withold a drive within yourself to keep progressing. Listening to HORRORSHOW you quickly realise that the guys are more inspired than ever. The album showcases a hungry ICED EARTH that has come up with some of their most fascinating material to date. HORRORSHOW will please all their diehard fans and it will without a doubt also attract a hord of new fans to the band. The show has begun… 



A rundown of the themes and inspiration for the songs on HORRORSHOW 

Barlow took the time to explain where the inspiration for each individual song on the album has come from. Most of you probably know all the original stories, but for those who aren’t as bewandered in the wonderful world of literature, here comes the explanations as told by Barlow himself.

Wolf – It’s based on the classic legend of the wolfman. A mortal man who is bitten by a werewolf and eventually turns into a werewolf himself, as fullmoon appears. 

Damien – It’s obviously based around the OMEN movie concept. Not just from the first movie but the whole trilogy. Jon has put his on mark on the story and given it a real gothic feel. 

Jack – Basically about Jack the Ripper who murdered female prostitutes in London a long time ago. It’s a fascinating story since no one knows the origin of the man who did it. Still no one knows who he is. That is the basic story but we’ve done our own take on it. It’s more of a personal turmoil you know; getting into the mind of a man who feels such hatered that he feels it’s necessary to kill. 

Ghost of Freedom – This song doesn’t really fit into the theme. I got the idea to the story from THE PATRIOT, a movie that’s been out in the states for a couple of months now. It’s not the same story but it has a conceptual link with the movie. It’s about a man who is killed in battle, and who lets his son know that he died for what he believed in. At the end the son is in battle and he is reasured and guided by his fathers words, fighting and dying for what he believes is right.

Im-Ho-Tep – The mummy. It’s a tragedy about falling in love with the wrong person and the consequenses of that. Im-ho-tep fell in love with the Pharaos daugther and was cursed. He was cursed to be forever alive in death.

Jeckyl & Hyde – Another classic story. It discusses the turmoil within the human mind. The battle between good and evil that everybody feels. The darker sides of the mind. 

Dragons Child – It’s based on the moive – THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, but Jon has really set his artistic licence on it. It tells of a prehistoric creature that lives in the Amazones. Half man, half fish. The creature is forced to strike back as man enters his territory.

Frankenstein – The title is quite self-explanitory really, as for many other songs on the album. The whole idea really is that the monster is the victim of a madman who thinks of himself as God, trying to (re)create life. 

Dracula – Probably one of the best-known horror stories ever. A romantic and tragic story, which is really fascinating. There are many versions of the story but the song is primarily based on the filmatisation by Francis Ford Coppola. About a man who loses his love and renouces God and the church. 

The Phantom Opera Ghost – Jon really took a different look at this classic story. He has obviously seen various versions of the tale but once again he’s put his own license on it. He has incorporated the character of Christine more, who really is an important part of the story. It’s about obsession - both the opera ghosts obsession with Christine and the other way around. Jon has really tried and succeded to incorporate that operatic feel of the original into this song.