Sheldon C

Iced Earth gets a new singer.

I don't know if there are any Iced Earth fans here, but they recently made a big announcement (at least it was big for me). Matt Barlow left a couple months back, but they already had the music written for a new album all they needed was a singer. Well they got one. Tim Ripper Owens. If you don't know, he has been filling in for Judas Priest for the last few years but since Rob came back to the band he needed somewhere to go.

I'm excited. I love Rippers voice and I think this could be a very interesting combination.

Mike Broadman

This dude is making an interesting career out of replacing lead singers.

I never bothered with Judas Priest and Iron Maiden when they're missing their primary singers (Halford, Dickens).

I only have one Iced Earth album, so I'm no authority, but still...

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Sheldon C

Mike, you may want to check out Sign of the Cross and The Clansman off of Maiden's Rock n Rio (live). I don't even think I noticed them with the replacement singer, but with Bruce singing them they are two of the best (if not the best) Maiden songs IMO.

In fact, you really need to buy the dvd. I've turned a couple of people into Maiden fans or at least appreciators with it.

Mike Broadman

I have the DVD, since it's Bruce. I also saw them live twice.

It's not that I don't follow them, because I certainly do. I got into them when Bruce re-joined the band. A friend of mine was all excited and I decided to check out what all the hullabaloo was about. They are now my favorite non-prog metal group.

I just ignore the stuff without him (but not the stuff before him- the first two albums are still classics).

The first time I saw 'em live was on the Brave New World tour, and it was my first time hearing Sign of the Cross. I loved it. I did hear X Factor, but couldn't get into the other singer or the "seriousness" of the music. Virtual XI, meanwhile, was just dreadful. The Clansmen is the best track, but it's not great.

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