2011 was a sad year for Iced Earth: Favorite singer Matt Barlow has left again after he has released only one album in 2008 since his reunion with the band. Before letting him go, Iced Earth has toured with him through the whole year and concluded this tour with a farewell gift to Barlow on Wacken Open Air, before he passed the microphone to former and now again
singer Stu Block. While everyone was sceptical at first, if an extreme metal singer fits in a power metal band, Dystopia astonished most of the critics because Iced Earth has presented themselves in a light that vanished a long time ago. The success of that album resulted in another tour, this time a world tour, where they have played in basically every corner of the world, including China, Australia and Turkey.
From that world tour, Iced Earth recorded one concert which they have played in Cyprus. On this show, they have played 24 songs – intros and interludes like In Sacred Flames not counted – including the monstruous 16 minutes long Dante’s Inferno. With a total playtime of 2:31:16, this show was only 20 minutes shorter than the legendary Alive in Athens show in 1999.
Back to Live in Ancient Kourion: the show starts with the title track of the back then newest album. The most exciting part of this album, as mentioned, was Stu Block singing songs that are originally with other singers, which are of course the majority. Here we have to say that we have barely seen a singer with such a stage presence. Tim Owens shined on the two Judas Priest live albums and sang the Halford songs perfectly and studio conform, but Stu goes one step further and gives almost all the songs his own touch. Already on Burning Times he plays the host for the crowd and even though he repeats that thing in many songs, but it doesn’t get annyoing. Some parts are sung differently, others simply more energetically and enthusiastically that from the original singers, especaily the songs originally with Tim Owens like Ten Thousand Strong and Declaration Day, but also When the Night Falls, which he of course sang better than Gene Adam, but also Matt Barlow.
Between the songs there are also some funny and entertaining moments, where Stu Block interacts with the crowd. A really great performance!
This album comes out in deluxe Triple Gatefold edition, in two colors (Gold / Red) 500 limited edition each.
Side A: A1 Intro / A2 Dystopia / A3 Burning Times / A4 Angel’s Holocaust / A5 Slave To The Dark / A6 V
Side B: B1 When The Night Falls / B2 I Died For You / B3 Invasion / B4 Motivation Of Man / B5 Setian Massacre / B6 Stormrider
Side C: C1 Pure Evil / C2 Wolf */ C3 Dark City / C4 Dracula
Side D: D1 Ten Thousand Strong / D2 Anthem / D3 Declaration Day / D4 Days Of Rage / D5 Melancholy / D6 Encore Intro
Side E: E1 In Sacred Flames / E2 Boiling Point / E3 Damien / E4 Watching Over Me / E5 Iced Earth
Side F: F1 Dante’s Inferno / F2 The Hunter
