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)
Dragon
Iced Earth Lyrics
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Forgotten son, testing all our fears
Nature's mistake, he sees no end
The dragon's child, walks among man
For centuries past, many tribes know the tales
Of men not returning, when they've gone there
And those who've returned, can't describe what they've seen
Oh, beware the blackened water
The creature has come to take you away
Oh, beware unholy water
On this dying day
The lyrics of Iced Earth's song Dragon paint a fearsome picture of a creature that has been around for ages, the "dragon's child" that walks among men. The song implies that this creature has been testing humanity's fear for centuries, and that it has caused many tribes to disappear when they encounter it. Those who have supposedly returned from such encounters are said to have had their hair turn white, and they have gone insane.
The chorus warns of "blackened water" and "unholy water" that are associated with the creature, suggesting that it uses water as a means of transport or hiding. The song's overall mood is one of dread and foreboding, with the imagery of the dragon's child lurking in the shadows and testing humanity's fear.
Overall, the song seems to be an allegory for our fear of the unknown, and how it can cause us to act irrationally. It speaks to the primal fear that we all carry within us, and how it can be triggered by something as ancient and primal as a dragon.
Line by Line Meaning
Since the dawn of time, he's been here
The dragon has been around since the beginning of time.
Forgotten son, testing all our fears
The dragon is like a forgotten son, constantly pushing people to face their fears.
Nature's mistake, he sees no end
The dragon sees himself as a mistake of nature, and doesn't think he will ever meet his end.
The dragon's child, walks among man
The dragon's offspring is able to live among humans unnoticed.
For centuries past, many tribes know the tales
The dragon has been a part of historical tales for centuries, known by many different tribes.
Of men not returning, when they've gone there
Many men who have tried to fight the dragon have never returned.
And those who've returned, can't describe what they've seen
The men who have returned from their fight with the dragon can't even begin to describe the beast they encountered.
Their hair has turned white, and they've gone insane
The sight of the dragon is enough to drive a man mad, causing their hair to turn white out of terror.
Oh, beware the blackened water
The dragon's presence is often associated with blackened water, and people should be wary of it.
The creature has come to take you away
The dragon has come to take you away to either kill you or take control of you.
Oh, beware unholy water
Water that has been tainted by the dragon's presence is considered unholy and should be avoided.
On this dying day
The dragon is causing destruction on a day that is already doomed.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind