General Information

Original Author: The Uncreator

Artist: Iced Earth

Album: The Glorious Burden

Genre: Heavy Metal

Tracklist

01. The Star Spangled Banner
02. Declaration Day
03. When The Eagle Cries
04. The Reckoning (Don't Tread On Me)
05. Greenface
06. Attila
07. Red Baron/ Blue Max
08. Hollow Man
09. Valley Forge
10. When The Eagle Cries (Acoustic)

The Gettysburg Trilogy

01. The Devil To Pay---(July 1st, 1863)
02. Hold At All Cost----(July 2nd, 1863)
03. High Water Mark---(July 3rd, 1863)

Sound

10 Easily the most melodic sound i think Iced Earth have yet to produce, the guitar sound is like an orchestra in and of it self. The drums are amazing, the bass is awesome, and the vocals will just blow you away. With this album, Jon Schaffer explores moments in history, from the 3 day battle of Gettysburg, Attila The Hun, Napoleon at Waterloo, Valley Forge, and even the September 11th tragedy here in America.

Guitars

10 I'm already obsessed with this band, And this album is some of the finest riff work Ive ever seen, and extremely melodic at that. From the fast and relentless riffing of "The Reckoning", the straightforward riffage of "Greenface" and "Red Baron/ Blue Max", to the melodic and melancholic passages of "Waterloo", this album has it all. While not filled with solos like most Metal albums, the solos this albums do contain are just amazing. The technique is amazing, the emotion is there, the passion is audible, Its just amazing.

Bass

8 While not overtly complex, and most of the time chuggin along with the guitars, Jon Schaffer always sneaks in many soft parts in songs where the bass gets a chance to solo and support the song, For this reason alone i give it an 8. The interlude in "The Reckoning" is beautiful, almost lullaby like. The tone is nice, and there is a slight delay effect that brings it alive.

Drums

7 Definitely not Iced Earth's best when it comes to drumming, but by no means bad. Sometimes you dont notice its there, and other times its all your focused on, Like in the song "Waterloo", the way the guitar works with the drums is great, almost as if they are harmonizing each other.

Vocals

10 Ok, so Tim "The Ripper" Owen, is just a beast. His vocals are so amazing on this album, I cant believe it. He pours so much passion and desire, and love into his performance. His high screams are just phenomenal!! They are up there with The Metal God himself, Halford, as you can see in the song at the end of the review. On certain parts, pretty much the entire album, every word he sings, every syllable, every verse, just sends chills of excitement up my spine. Very few singers have amazed me as Owens has on this record, Just.....INCREDIBLE, Perfectly done. This album contains his best effort ever in his history i believe, the song "High Water Mark"....His performance is indescribable.

Lyrics

10 Maybe its because im a history buff of sorts, but i LOVE the way Jon Schaffer takes the historical events, and portrays them so vividly and and accurately, Especially with the Gettysburg Trilogy.

From "Waterloo"<br> Usher in the rally cries
Revolution's here again
The emperor's bond's are broken
And free he shall remain

Escape, though narrow was demand
While his reign remained in view
This fight for France through bitter end
He must see it though

Coalition forms of many lands
Against Napoleon, West to east
Dogs of war will take to arms
And soon will be unleashed

Prussian, Russian, and Austrian
All follow British lead
At the allies' helm is Wellington
Who must make his foe concede

For shadowed man of destiny
Soon you will be forced to see
Nations aligning against you
Marking your time Your reign is through
...And you will see a 100 days
come to an end
For shadowed man of destiny
Soon you will be forced to see
Nations aligning against you
Marking your time Your reign is through
...It lies before you, fate shall befall you

Quickly the allies gather force
Near the Franco Belgian line
While 124,000 French
march there in double time

As the battle begins
Napoleon springs his audacious plan
He'll attack them on two fronts
splitting up his warring band

As the Prussians sound retreat
Behind they leave 10,000 slain
Most of their force is still intact
and will live to fight again

Wellington, who felt the loss
of 5,000 men
Would feel more under killing fire
bombardment from the French

Of all the wars I have waged
To propel my nations might
For this I'll be remembered
From now 'till the end of time
If To the victor goes the spoils
I may die an impoverished man
For in the end irony
has dealt the cruelest hand

The French force was swift and sure
But their attack would be repelled
And though the center batteed
The Anglo-Dutch line would be held

And as fate or skill would have it
And army moves in from the east
The Prussians, who slipped through his hands
Would soon spell his defeat

The French lines now are broken
And being open to attack
The emperor has no choice
And the old guard calls him back

45,000 wounded or dead
When the fight was finally through
On a 3 mile square the battlefield
Near a town named Waterloo

From "High Water Mark" "It Was Very Close Yesterday
I Thought For Sure They Would Break
But This Attack That I Have Planned
A Massive Strike Across Open Land
In The Center They Will Break (Will They Break?)
But Plan It Well, Everything's At Stake
We'll Hit 'Em Hard, Not A Silent Gun
Before The Infantry's Begun"

"Execute It Well, We Risk Everything"
"It's In God's Hands Now

[Longstreet:]
"General Lee I Must Tell You Straight
I Believe This Attack Will Fail
No 15,000 Men Ever Made
Will Overtake That Ridge Today
A Mile Charge Over Open Ground
With Yankee Cannon Gunnin' Us Down"

[Lee:]
"We Do Our Duty, We Do What We Must
And In My Plan You Will Trust"

(Thousands Die, On This Day)
"Execute It Well, We Risk Everything"
"It's In God's Hands Now"

[3. The Last Full Measure]

The Rebel Cannon Break The Silence
150 Guns Make Up Their Cannonade

They Must Destroy The Union Center
Before The Infantry Can Launch Their Grand Assault

The Yankees Are Returning Fire
(The Earth Shakes Violently)
In Washington D.C. Lincoln Feels The Earth Shake

What Happens Here This Day
The Fate Of This Nation
In The Balance It Will Hang
Consumed With The Pain
The Courage Of The Blue
The Valor Of The Grey
So Very Sad But True
Consumed With The Pain

The Virginians Are The Chosen
In Wait Behind The Trees On Seminary Ridge

Longstreet's Slow To Give The Order
The Lines Emerge, A Mile, 15,000 Men

The Charge Begins In All It's Grandeur
(To The Copse Of Trees)
For Many Of These Men They Know It Is Their Last

The Slaughter Now Ensues
Bodies Fall Like Rain
They Valiantly Pursue
Yet Doomed To Remain
At The Double Quick They Charge
The Canister Rips Through Them
To The Mouth Of hell They March
Glory, The Only Gain

[Armistead:]
"We're Almost There My Boys
I've Never Served With Finer
We Must Push Forward Boys
And Bayonet The Yankee Tyrants
To The Copse Of Trees We Charge
To Crush The Union Center
And When They Turn And Run
An Open Road Leads Us To Freedom"

[Lee:]
"It's Over Now We Are Retreating
I Never Thought That We'd Be Beaten
All This Blood Is On My Hands
The Thousands Dead Due To My Plan
I Am Responsible, All Of It Is My Fault
I Thought Us Invincible
Is This God's Will After All?
I Look Across This Blood Soaked Land
All This Blood Is On My Hands
God Forgive Me, Please Forgive Me
It's All My Fault, The Blood Is On My Hands"

Overall Impression

10 One of there top 2 albums to date, Iced Earth put up and enormous effort, Full of passion, desire, love, sorrow, joy, hate, anger, fear...Everything. It's such a strong record emotionally and musically, Just amazing.

Iced Earth - The Reckoning (Don't Tread On Me)