Plagues of Babylon

by Iced Earth

Overview

Although the band might have been breaking in new singer Stu Block on its last album, 2011's Dystopia, Iced Earth's 11th studio album, Plagues of Babylon, finds the band returning as a tighter unit whose members know how to play to each other's strengths with a more collaborative effort. Where the previous album primarily featured music written by founding member Jon Schaffer with lyrics by Block, Plagues of Babylon shows the beginnings of a burgeoning partnership between the two, as well as writing contributions from guitarist Troy Seele, with the trio oftentimes sharing the writing duties on both sides of the fence in some combination or other. The collaboration is one that pays dividends for the band, which delivers an album that manages to sound appropriately epic without feeling aimless. Thanks to his time in Into Eternity (a group that can string riffs together with the best of them), Block is no stranger to songs that evolve and shift, and songs that he and Schaffer worked on together, like the ripping Western epic "Peacemaker," move with purpose. With the songs always moving toward something new and different, Plagues of Babylon never feels like it's dragging its heels -- a boon, given its running time of just over an hour. Instead, the album showcases a new creative partnership that should excite longtime Iced Earth fans (who are also treated to more entries in the ongoing Something Wicked story line), as the heavy metal journeymen head into their third decade of rocking. ~ Gregory Heaney

Product Details

Release Date:	01/14/2014
Label:	Century Media
UPC:	5051099836228

Tracks

1. Plagues of Babylon
2. Democide
3. The Culling
4. Among the Living Dead
5. Resistance
6. The End?
7. If I Could See You
8. Cthulhu
9. Peacemaker
10. Parasite
11. Spirit of the Times
12. Highwayman
13. Outro

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Iced Earth   Primary Artist
Raphael Saini   Drums
Andrew Peters   Vocals (Background)
Daniel Schmitz   Drums
Luke Appleton   Guitar (Bass)
Russell Allen   Vocals,Guest Artist,Vocals (Background)
Stu Block   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Hansi Kuersch   Guest Artist,Vocals (Background)
Troy Seele   Guitar,Lap Steel Guitar
Jon Schaffer   Guitar,Vocals,Guitar (Rhythm),Guitar (Acoustic),Vocals (Background)
Michael Poulsen   Vocals,Guest Artist,Vocals (Background)
Bonna Bernal   Vocals (Background)
Thomas Hackmann   Vocals (Background)
Matt O'Rourke   Vocals (Background)
Christopher Jobi   Drums
David Hambach   Drums

Technical Credits

Eliran Kantor   Artwork,Cover Art
Stefan Ernst   Mixing Assistant
Toni Loitsch   Assistant Engineer
Hanno Lohse   Assistant Engineer
Martin Skibba   Mixing Assistant
Luke Appleton   Composer,Lyricist
Kevin Paul   Mixing
Jimmy Webb   Composer,Lyricist
Joerg Umbreit   Engineer
Stu Block   Composer,Lyricist
Troy Seele   Composer,Lyricist
Jon Schaffer   Mixing,Composer,Lyricist,Producer
Sascha Buehren   Mastering
Vincent Sorg   Engineer
Christina Schmitt   Studio Assistant
Laura Buehren   Inspiration