Musical eras come and go, as do the lineups of his band, but Jon Schaffer stands immoveable. Like his hero, Steve Harris, Jon remains a figurehead of both his own band and a fixture on the landscape of traditional/power metal. Iced Earth’s aptly titled 12th studio album adheres to their many trademarks, fusing fascinating lyrics with riffs as big as oak trees. Clear The Way (December 13th, 1862) is their latest sprawling, bloody reflection upon the theme of America’s revolutionary war, while Seven Headed Whore and Defiance stand proud as sharper and immediate slabs of galloping heavy metal. Lead singer Stu Block isn’t as famous as Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens or as tied to the group’s history as Matt Barlow, but he’s been Jon’s right-hand man for six hugely productive years, even though nobody but Jon hangs around in IE for too long. Nevertheless, Incorruptible isn’t merely the sound of a band, it’s a microcosm of an artist who refuses to go away because he still has too much to say.
Iced Earth - Incorruptible album review
Florida’s power metal mainstays stay true to the cause
You can trust Louder Our experienced team has worked for some of the biggest brands in music. From testing headphones to reviewing albums, our experts aim to create reviews you can trust. Find out more about how we review.
Latest
“A mix of killer melodies, heartbreak and nihilism that’s as timeless as Nirvana”: This is the best punk-pop album you haven’t heard this year
Big Star wrote it, Jamie T sampled it, and it was one of Jeff Buckley’s favourite songs. The story of the sleazy song that was reimagined to capture “the beauty of despair”
"Our label said, ‘You guys will be the next Metallica’, and that bummed me out." Stoner rock legend Brant Bjork on why he didn't want Kyuss to be megastars
