Burnt Offerings - Iced Earth

*****

Genius. Masterpiece. Inspired. These mere adjectives fail to attest to just how stunning this album truly is. When legendary talents such as Matt Barlow and Jon Schaffer combine, the results are always near as damn it going to be universally magnificent, but this, Iced Earth’s magnum opus, is where they really shined. Dark and theatrical, it remains their heaviest work to date and Burnt Offerings majestically ascends to another level under its menacing, galloping assault. Schaffer will never, ever, be able to “masturbate” his guitar as say the likes of Joe Satriani and Steve Vai do with such elegant ease, but his riffs are something wondrously special. It’s a testament then, to just how towering this record is, that those thunderous riffs aren’t even the highlight of this audible delight. Matt Barlow must surely qualify as the greatest singer to grace the world of metal. And that is no overstatement. What must be lungs of iron allow him to burst forth in a baritone boom that demands your immediate attention, yet he can also call upon some mighty falsetto screams that are a joy to hear. Simply god like. Rod Beasley, who makes his one and only appearance as Iced Earths drummer doesn’t get left in the dust either. His double bass work is perfection, and it’s a shame he never got to record again with Schaffer and Co. Special mention is to be made about one particular song to. The epic “Dante's Inferno”, a 16 minute swirling ride into the depths of hell that has to be heard to be believed. Just buy this album and let yourself be blown away.

Must Download - "Dante's Inferno", "Burnt Offerings"