ICED EARTH – Dystopia Releases On October 18th, 2011: Track Listing, Black Sabbath Cover Song & Details
ICED EARTH – Guitarist and songwriter Jon Schaffer is an American Heavy Metal icon and his band ICED EARTH is legendary. Jon Schaffer has nurtured ICED EARTH to international Metal prominence, with an undying dedication to keeping the Metal of his band real and epic on each studio release. On October 18th, 2011, the tenth studio album shall be added to the revered discography of ICED EARTH, which is titled: Dystopia.
Stu Block (Into Eternity) succeeds the retired Matt Barlow on lead vocals. His vocal prowess lends a powerful and easily embraced identity to Dystopia and ICED EARTH, as another incredible chapter of Heavy Metal begins for this band. A cover song of note on Dystopia, available on iTunes on October 18th, is The Mob Rules, from the 1981 Black Sabbath classic of classics: Mob Rules. (You can pre-order Dystopia on iTunes now).
* Dystopia will be released on Century Media Records.
ICED EARTH:
Jon Schaffer – Rhythm & Lead Guitar, Vocals
Troy Seele – Lead Guitar
Brent Smedley – Drums
Freddie Vidales – Bass Guitar, Vocals
Stu Block – Lead Vocals
Dystopia – Track Listing (iTunes):
Dystopia
Anthem
Boiling Point
Anguish of Youth
V
Dark City
Equilibrium
Days of Rage
End of Innocence
Tragedy and Triumph
Mob Rules (Black Sabbath Cover)
* The limited import digipak CD comes with a slipsleeve, a bonus track not found on the U.S. versions and a printed patch. Track listing is below:
Dystopia
Anthem
Boiling Point
Anguish of Youth
V
Dark City
Equilibrium
Days of Rage
End of Innocence
Soylent Green
Iron Will
Tragedy and Triumph
Anthem (String Mix)
* The limited box set version (above) includes the digipak CD with 3 bonus tracks, a belt buckle, lighter, wristband, printed patch, beer coaster and 3 button set.
* For more info on ICED EARTH, click on the link below:
Century Media Records/CM Distro
LONG LIVE ICED EARTH.
Stone.
Metal Odyssey > Heavy Metal Music Blog 
October 6, 2011 at 10:02 am
I was actually looking forward to this release from the initial reports and him having a new singer in the band. I dislike Owens and Barlow (to me) got stale after 2 albums, partially because of the writing style that Schaffer had changed to. In other words, I always felt they whimped out a bit after Dark Saga.
Then I watched a few of the webisodes that were posted on Youtube from the studio and heard the vocals. Really? REALLY? How many layers do the vocal tracks need? His collaboration with Hansi Kursch of Blind Guardian a decade ago really left an indelible mark on IE’s sound, one that I can’t get behind. I was really hoping for a stripped down and raw album from IE and it looks like I’ll not get my wish.
October 6, 2011 at 9:08 pm
I do get your point. I’ve always “liked” Matt Barlow’s voice, only Stu Block seems to bring “that something more” to the table. Stu doesn’t sound like he is forcing anything, (to my ears). The album artwork is pretty cool stuff once again. I guess it’s time for us to blast volume some Ghost and Warbeast and enjoy the raw Metal that is “new”.
There is some Nile coming out called “Worship The Animal” – “1994, The Lost Recordings” and whoa… it is a very cool mix of Thrash & Death that is raw and loaded with heavy grooves. This “early” stuff from Nile I’ve listened to here is a welcomed surprise and has made my week. I “think” you would dig it too.
October 6, 2011 at 12:21 pm
I have the first album “Iced Earth” and my opion changes from cool to not too sure each time I listen to it. However, the other stuff I have heard from Iced Earth, I’ve liked. So I should give this a listen.