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)
Last December
Iced Earth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On this moonlit night
Eyes locked in fear
With a dark embrace
The bitter cold winds
Freeze the tears that fall
Hands held in grace
As we take the final step
Obsessed with our love
Here is our fate
To need the final call
On this special winter day
A message to our elders
They surely won't forget
Our love must last forever
In death we shall not part
It seems like only yesterday
Our lives together planned
They say it's just a passing phase
We're damned by our youth
Why does no one understand
What we have is real
This is not your average love it's forever
Last December
Mother you have forced us here
Last December
Father now we'll disappear
Last December
One last step we fade away
So we take the final step
Heed the final call
Together we are strong
Divided we must fall
Teenage suicide
Our only way out
Together we might live
Divided we must fall
Last December
Mother you have forced us here
Last December
Father now we'll disappear
Last December
One last step we fade away
The song "Last December" by Iced Earth tells a tragic story of two lovers who are deeply in love but are not accepted by their families due to their young age. They cling to each other, even in the face of condemnation from their elders. The song takes place on a winter night, and the howling winds and cold weather create a somber and eerie atmosphere for the tragic events that occur. The opening lines describe the setting - on a moonlit night with freezing winds that cause both characters to hold each other in fear. They know their time together is coming to an end.
The second stanza reveals the true nature of their love, an obsession that is deep and real. However, no one understands the depth of their love and they are judged by their elders who believe it to be just a passing phase. The characters know that they must take the final step together and heed the final call as a sign of their true love. The final stanza talks about how they've decided that teenage suicide is their only way out since they can't be together in life, they hope to be united forever in death. It's a tragic and heart-wrenching story - of young love and the tragic end.
Overall, the song is about the importance of love, the struggles that come with it, and how society can judge and stifle it. The characters want to be together, but their circumstances don't allow them to, and they ultimately take a drastic step. The lyrics focus on the passion and true love between two people and how it should last forever.
Line by Line Meaning
The howling winds blow
The strong winds are blowing.
On this moonlit night
It's a clear night where the moon is brightly visible.
Eyes locked in fear
They are extremely frightened.
With a dark embrace
They are holding each other tightly with sadness and despair.
The bitter cold winds
The unforgiving cold winds are blowing.
Freeze the tears that fall
The tears that are falling are turning into ice as they land.
Hands held in grace
They are holding each other's hands with love and care.
As we take the final step
They are about to take the final action.
Obsessed with our love
Their love is so strong that they are deeply fixated on each other.
Here is our fate
This is where they will end up no matter what happens.
To need the final call
They need the assurance of a final message or signal.
On this special winter day
It's a significant day for them during winter.
A message to our elders
They have a message for their parents or seniors.
They surely won't forget
Their parents or seniors will not forget this message.
Our love must last forever
Their love will never die.
In death, we shall not part
Even in death, they will remain together.
It seems like only yesterday
It feels like it was just recent.
Our lives together planned
They had planned to spend their lives together.
They say it's just a passing phase
People think that their relationship is just a temporary phase that will pass.
We're damned by our youth
Their youth is a curse that prevents them from being taken seriously.
Why does no one understand
They wonder why no one can see the strength and reality of their love.
What we have is real
Their love is genuine and authentic.
Last December
Referring to their final moments last December.
Mother, you have forced us here
Their mother has brought them to this point of finality.
Father, now we'll disappear
Their father will never see them again.
One last step we fade away
They struggle to take their last step and fade into nothingness.
Together we are strong
They are strong when they're together.
Divided we must fall
If they part ways, they will fail.
Teenage suicide
Their actions are referred to as a teenage suicide.
Our only way out
Their only option is to end their lives.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind