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)
Resistance
Iced Earth Lyrics
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Smoke you out, a den of thieves, we've succembed to
You stand warned, your mindless hoard
We will not falter
You think you're gods upon the Earth
We smash your altar
No more time to justify or look for reason
We are strong, we stand tall, we'll face the judgement
We are alive, we will survive this corruption
[Chorus]
Take a deep breath, winds of freedom
Spread like fire though the minds of brothers
Love the fallen, fight the tyrants
Face the challenge and you'll never falter
They think it's over
That victory is imminent
They will fail
Safe in the illusion their treason goes unpunished
The vicious crimes against their fellow man
They suppress and enslave us
An endgame of total death
We shall rise and resist!
You think you've won, we're overcome
But we have risen
You can't deny, your cloak of lies no longer hidden
You're going down, you are exposed in your deception
We'll string you up, you all will die
We're reaping vengeance
Take a deep breath, winds of freedom
Spread like fire though the minds of brothers
Love the fallen, fight the tyrants
Face the challenge and you'll never falter
Take a deep breath, winds of freedom
Spread like fire though the minds of brothers
Love the fallen, fight the tyrants
Face the challenge and you'll never falter
We shall rise and resist!
The lyrics of Iced Earth's song "Resistance" are meant to be empowering and inspiring to those who have lost hope and feel oppressed. The first verse speaks of those who are hiding and trying to escape from being found. The band members sing that they will not falter and that those they are hunting are not as powerful as they think they are. The phrase "We smash your altar" suggests that the targets are religious tyrants or leaders who have been using their power to manipulate and exploit their followers. Then, the chorus invites people to stand up and fight the tyranny they have been living under.
The second verse continues to emphasize the need for resistance against oppression. It describes how those in power have created an illusion that they will win and that their actions will go unpunished. But the band members sing that they are strong and will survive this corruption. The final repetition of the chorus ends with the confident phrase "We shall rise and resist" which encourages the listener to join in the struggle for freedom.
Overall, the lyrics of "Resistance" are a call to arms for those oppressed to stand up for their rights and to fight against tyrants who seek to control and manipulate them. The song's theme is a recurring one in heavy metal music, as the genre often explores topics of rebellion and social upheaval.
Line by Line Meaning
On your knees is where you'll be when we find you
We will catch you and force you to surrender
Smoke you out, a den of thieves, we've succumbed to
We will expose you and bring an end to your criminal activities
You stand warned, your mindless hoard
We warn you and your foolish followers
We will not falter
We will remain steadfast and strong
You think you're gods upon the Earth
You have an inflated sense of power and control
We smash your altar
We will destroy your symbols of authority and dominance
No more time to justify or look for reason
We will no longer waste time trying to reason with you or justify our actions
We will survive, we will defy the blatant treason
We will overcome your betrayal and resistance against us
We are strong, we stand tall, we'll face the judgement
We are powerful and confident, we will face the consequences of our actions
We are alive, we will survive this corruption
We will endure and win against this immoral and corrupt behavior
Take a deep breath, winds of freedom
Breathe in the fresh air of liberty
Spread like fire though the minds of brothers
Let this feeling of freedom ignite and spread among us
Love the fallen, fight the tyrants
We must have compassion for those who have suffered at the hands of oppressors while standing up to those in power
Face the challenge and you'll never falter
Stand strong and face the challenges ahead, and you will not fail
They think it's over
Our opponents believe they have already won
That victory is imminent
They are convinced that they will triumph soon
They will fail
They are mistaken, they will not succeed
Safe in the illusion their treason goes unpunished
They believe they won't face consequences for their betrayal
The vicious crimes against their fellow man
Their actions are cruel and harmful to others
They suppress and enslave us
They try to control and harm us
An endgame of total death
Their plans will ultimately lead to destruction and death
We shall rise and resist!
We will stand up against them and fight back
You think you've won, we're overcome
They think they have defeated us, but we have overcome their obstacles
But we have risen
We have become stronger and more powerful than before
You can't deny, your cloak of lies no longer hidden
You cannot hide your deceitful intentions anymore
You're going down, you are exposed in your deception
We will bring you down and reveal the truth about you
We'll string you up, you all will die
We will punish you for your actions and bring an end to your reign
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind