Different Iced Earth Topic

I read somewhere that Matt Barlow recorded some if not all the tracks on Glorious Burden. He had previously told John Schaffer that he wanted to leave the band but Schaffer talked him into staying and recording the album, but Barlow's vocals lacked the power and emotion that he once had so Schaffer let him go and re-recorded the album with Tim Owens. Has anyone heard of this and if this did happen does anyone have a boot of the album with Barlow's vocals?

Yeah, I've heard this story many times and it's clearly true as you listen carefully on The Glorious Burden, you can hear Matt's voiced used in a lot of the backing vocals. Attilla is the most obvious example of this. Anyway, I don't think a boot of the Matt version will ever surface as I recall something about it getting destroyed when Shaffer's basement flooded. A real shame actually, I'd have loved to hear Matt's take on something like The Reckoning.

I wonder how much truth there is in the notion that Matt underperformed. I wonder if that's just Jon trying to justify to the fans why he re-recorded the vocals with Tim. I have no doubt that Matt was unhappy; I think he's proved that with his drastic career change. But did he do a bad job? I'm not so sure, especially considering his voice can be heard still.

I'd definitely like to hear those songs with him singing them, but what if Jon is telling the truth? What if Jon's vocals were bad?

I don't know about underperforming or "bad vocals". I never heard Jon
say they were 'bad' in any interview. I just think Matt wasn't into
Iced Earth like he once was, so he didn't give it all he had.
Apparently he was just going through the motions. I can understand how
that could happen, especially with how 9/11 affected him. It might not
have been bad, but at the same time it might not have been what
Jon was looking for. I think this is much closer to the truth, and
basically what I have read.

if Priest had a version of Demolition with Halford on vox, it would still suck. same situation here.

Yeah, I've never heard Jon refer to the vocals as 'bad'. He's just always said how he could tell Matt wasn't in to it and really didn't want to be doing it. Which makes sense seeing as Jon had to persuade him to stay in the band anyway.

And yeah, I agree with mc666. However, it may be slightly better in some ways as presumably the songs were written with Matt's voice in mind.

I suspect what really happened was Jon wanted Tim now that he was free from JP and they concocted a story so Matt wouldn't lose face since he is such a prominent long-standing band member.

I don't know. I'm pretty sure that Matt has backed the story as well, saying he wanted to go into law enforcement and no longer wanted to live the rock and roll lifestyle, being on the road and whatnot. I don't know why Jon would have any reason to lie.

Quote :

I just think Matt wasn't into Iced Earth like he once was, so he didn't give it all he had.

That's the deal...Barlow & Schaffer have both said so. Barlow was affected deeply by 9/11 and just wasn't as focused on IE as he once was...both he & Schaffer could "hear it" in Matt's vocals...he wasn't giving it 100% of his attention and it showed. He didn't sing it badly, he just didn't care as much...

1. I deffinately read a press release/news bit where Schaffer said that Matt's vocals were seriously lacking because his heart wasn't in it any longer and that Matt hadn't practiced in over a year or so before going into the studio to record.

2. Matt is now in Pyramaze and has stated that he will not be in a touring band any longer and that Pyramaze, other than a few festival dates, will not do any touring. That was one of his stipulations to joining any kind of band these days.

Yeah, 9/11...law enforcement...shifting focus...not wanting to tour...etc...all correct. It was not a case of Schaffer letting him go for "bad vocals" or anything...it was mutual...

that would actually be cool to hear barlow on some of those songs

although i must say i am playing the glorious burden now and riper does a very good job