After releasing the demo EP Enter the Realm (1989) and signing to Century Media Records, the band released two full-length studio albums – Iced Earth (1990) and Night of the Stormrider (1991) – before taking a two-year hiatus from 1992 to 1994, after which the band returned with new lead vocalist Matt Barlow. Iced Earth went on to release four studio albums with him in over half a decade: Burnt Offerings (1995), The Dark Saga (1996), Something Wicked This Way Comes (1998) and Horror Show (2001).
After Horror Show, Barlow quit the band and joined the police force, while Iced Earth continued on with Tim "Ripper" Owens, formerly of Judas Priest, on vocals. With Owens, the band released two studio albums (2004's The Glorious Burden and 2007's Framing Armageddon: Something Wicked Part 1). In late 2007, Barlow rejoined the band, and they recorded one more album with him: The Crucible of Man: Something Wicked Part 2 (2008). In 2011, Barlow once again left Iced Earth, and was replaced by Into Eternity frontman Stu Block. Dystopia, Block's first album with the group, was released that October; the album received a positive response, while some critics called it one of Iced Earth's best albums. The group recorded two more albums with Block: Plagues of Babylon (2014) and Incorruptible (2017).
Before arriving at their current lineup, Iced Earth has had numerous line-up changes, with founder Jon Schaffer as the only founding member remaining. As of 2021, there have been over thirty musicians in and out of Iced Earth since its formation in 1984.
The band is composed solely of Schaffer and drummer Brent Smedley, with all other band members having departed following Schaffer's January 2021 arrest by the FBI for his involvement in the Capitol riots. Schaffer is in FBI custody on felony charges, which has generated new publicity for Iced Earth and has resulted in the band being dropped from their longtime label Century Media.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iced_Earth
Studio albums
Iced Earth (1990)
Night of the Stormrider (1991)
Burnt Offerings (1995)
The Dark Saga (1996)
Something Wicked This Way Comes (1998)
Horror Show (2001)
The Glorious Burden (2004)
Framing Armageddon: Something Wicked Part 1 (2007)
The Crucible of Man: Something Wicked Part 2 (2008)
Dystopia (2011)
Plagues of Babylon (2014)
Incorruptible (2017)
A Narrative Soundscape (2022)
Disciples of the Lie
Iced Earth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But you're dignified, so you justify
It's in your eyes where deception lies
So you criticize with cruel eyes
Father in black, black as sin
Pure hypocrisy to no end
Condemning me and my fellow man
I live my life among the damned
I've gotta do as you say, not as you do
You're a man of the cloth, I'm comin' for you
You say you can save me, cleanse me of my sin
A holy predator, the wolf in sheepskin
Disciples of the lie
Breeding fear in your twisted smile
Pedophile, in denial
I taste revenge when I think of you
A life of hell you put me through
When I find you I'll take you out
No remorse, you're going down
You see satisfaction in my eyes
I vindicate, now you die
I've gotta do as you say, not as you do
You're a man of the cloth, I'm comin' for you
You say you can save me, cleanse me of my sin
A holy predator, the wolf in sheepskin
Disciples of the lie
The blackness inside overwhelms me
The pain engulfs and turns to rage in me
Trapped so deep in my mental hell
Release the demons, set me free
I've gotta do as you say, not as you do
You're a man of the cloth, I'm comin' for you
You say you can save me, cleanse me of my sin
A holy predator, the wolf in sheepskin
The lyrics of Iced Earth's song Disciples of the Lie portray a deep sense of anger towards a man of the cloth who is no less than a hypocrite of the highest order. The song speaks of a victim who has been abused and victimized by someone who justifies their actions with cruel eyes. The abuser is pure hypocrisy to no end, condemning the victim and their fellow men while claiming to dignify themselves. The victim decides to take revenge against the abuser, who is a pedophile in denial and spreads fear while hiding behind a twisted smile.
The song reveals the victim's overwhelming pain, which turns into rage, leaving them trapped in mental hell. The victim is seeking to release the demons and free themselves from the blackness inside. In the end, the victim vows to take the abuser down without remorse, as they have vindicated their wrongdoing.
The lyrics of this song highlight the pain of a victim, who has been betrayed by someone who is supposed to be morally pure. The song speaks of a deep sense of anger towards the hypocrisy and abuse of power that exists in religious institutions. The lyrics also highlight the importance of seeking justice against those who have wronged us and freeing ourselves from the mental prison of their abuse.
Line by Line Meaning
You abuse and you victimize
You harm and cause pain to others
But you're dignified, so you justify
You feel that your status and reputation make your actions acceptable
It's in your eyes where deception lies
Your true intentions are shown in your eyes
So you criticize with cruel eyes
You use your critical gaze to inflict harm on others
Father in black, black as sin
You are a religious figure who embodies evil
Pure hypocrisy to no end
You are completely hypocritical
Condemning me and my fellow man
You judge and condemn others, including me
I live my life among the damned
I and those like me are seen as outcasts and undesirables in your eyes
You're a man of the cloth, I'm comin' for you
Your religious status does not protect you from my retribution
You say you can save me, cleanse me of my sin
You claim that you have the power to absolve me of my wrongdoing
A holy predator, the wolf in sheepskin
You use your supposed holiness as a guise to inflict harm on others
Disciples of the lie
Your followers are deceived by your false teachings
Breeding fear in your twisted smile
You use your smile to instill fear in others
Pedophile, in denial
You are a sexual predator who refuses to acknowledge your wrongdoing
I taste revenge when I think of you
I desire vengeance against you for the harm you have caused me
A life of hell you put me through
You have caused me to suffer greatly in my life
When I find you I'll take you out
I will seek to eliminate you
No remorse, you're going down
I will have no regrets in taking action against you
You see satisfaction in my eyes
I take pleasure in causing you harm
I vindicate, now you die
I am justified in my actions and you will suffer the consequences
The blackness inside overwhelms me
My inner darkness consumes me
The pain engulfs and turns to rage in me
My suffering has fueled my anger
Trapped so deep in my mental hell
I am stuck in my own personal torment
Release the demons, set me free
I want to be freed from my inner demons
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ilias Ninos
all iced earth albums are epic
IcedPhoenix666
Genious! One of my all time favorites.
Kelly Bright
A perfect denunciation of those who use religion to abuse others
Shawn Hellion
Badass song \m/
RagnarökOdinMaiden
awesome song!!!!!
Jeff Swanson
Anyone that thinks that rhythm guitar is easier than lead guitar needs to try to play this song. Good Luck (-;
TheMetalBazooka
Please don't compare mediocre bands like In Flames with bands as big as Iced Earth. Thank you
the modfather
In flames sold out but their earlier stuff was really good. And I don't care who is bigger. I like clayman and colony the most, theyr personal favorites
Vic Rattlehead
That main riff alone shred In flames till nothing left.
john_L
@TheMetalBazooka Its just a matter of opinion. Iced Earth is great band which I saw Live 3 days ago in Thessaloniki/Greece. They were great in terms of performance,but the sound betrayed them. Anyway, they have some great albums like Dark Saga,Night Of the Stormrider,Horror Show,Something Wicked,but like I said the "lost it" for a decade. I like them now with Stu and thats why I went to see them! In Flames is probably my favourite band (along with Iron Maiden) so thats where our beliefs contrast.
In the end I just didn't like that you labeled In Flames as "mediocre" since they are successfull for 20 years with great compositions by their side.
Cheers Mate!