ICED EARTH - The Dark Saga Gatefold-LP (Black Vinyl) The Perfect Metal Album

This album marks a very divisive point in Iced Earth's storied career. It was their first album that adopted the more power metal styling that Iced Earth has become known for and it incorporates more melodic, softer passages that could qualify as ballads. Many fans are/were turned off by this change, while others embraced it. In my opinion, this change is very welcome, and was essential in my discovery and appreciation of the band's music. The band could've put out Burnt Offerings Pt.2, but they took a risk, one that paid off in the end.

First off, the Spawn-inspired lyrics and artwork are great, especially for a Spawn fan like me. The cover art, done by Spawn artist/creator Todd McFarlane, is stellar and sets the mood for the whole record. The music and lyrics can be cheesy and melodramatic, but not only are those qualities synonymous with Iced Earth in general, but they apply to Spawn as well, making for a match made in Heaven.

Secondly, the songs are solid, with great, thrashy guitar work mixed with clean, melodic passages, making for a great combination. Songs like "Violate", "The Last Laugh", and "Vengeance Is Mine" assault you with thrash metal precision, while ballads like "A Question of Heaven" and "I Died for You" give you a nice, softer contrast (that isn't to say that they have no bite of their own). And then you have songs like "Slave to the Dark" and the title track that give you a bit of both. These songs showcase a growth in songwriting and maturity, while still clinging onto that grit and power from earlier efforts.

Now, not everything with this albums comes up smelling like roses. Iced Earth's biggest setback is, and always has been, their tendency to play the same galloping rhythm, making all their songs sound incredibly similar, and this album is no exception, although the twist in the formula is enough to overlook this, if only slightly.

All in all, this is one of Iced Earth's finest and most daring efforts. They took a big risk of alienating their audience with the introduction of slower, more melodic songs, but in the end it worked, and their status as one of metal's biggest cult bands was cemented on this album. It just goes to show that Iced Earth is one of the most stalwart bands in metal, and it wouldn't be if not for their equally hardy fans.