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Iced Earth and Blind Guardian Fans Will Love D&W

Metalfan | Michigan, USA | 06/04/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's come to my attention that many side projects and solo releases go unnoticed by fans. Yes, there's Ozzy Osbourne's and Dio's solo efforts which have impacted metal immensely, but for the most part, many side projects get little to no acknowledgement. I mean it's understandable not noticing those works, because the members in them were made famous partaking in their main band {Bruce Dickinson /Adrian Smith of Iron Maiden, Dave Mustaine of Megadeth, Robert Plant/Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, Tony Iommi of Sabbath, Hagar/Roth of Van Halen, Rob Halford of Priest, fill in the _____(blank)} and the list goes on and on. I'm here to talk about Jon Shaffer and Hansi Kursch of Iced Earth and Blind Guardian respectively, who also did a little side project called Demons and Wizards. If you don't know, Jon is the rhythm guitar god and main songwriter of Iced Earth who is known for his intellectual mind and his quick hands that make some LEAD guitarists look like amateurs. Hansi sports the powerful pipes that can be found within the underground power metal band Blind Guardian, and his unique and prominent voice sends chills down your spine and dares you to match his range. Now before obtaining this masterpiece...yes, masterpiece, I hadn't heard much of anything from Blind Guardian, but I was (and of course, still am) a HUGE fan of Iced Earth. In fact, looking up Iced Earth is how I came upon Demons and Wizards, and after some research and strong desire for Blind Guardian's releases, I thought D&W's self-tilted album would be a good starting point. Along with D&W, I ordered "Tales from the Twilight World", which seemed like a nice place to start my BG venture. When they finally came, nothing would have prepared me for what my ears would hear afterwards...



I was in heaven, I was literally in metal heaven! "Tales" is really, really great, but Demons and Wizards is pure magic. Those of you who are fans of Iced Earth WILL NOT be displeased, because Shaffer's deliverance of high-octane metal goodness reigns prominent within D&W, as he produces fast-paced riffs with plenty of melody and energy to go around. The guy's frickin' immortal, seriously, he scares me. His lightning fast guitar pieces on tracks like "Heaven Denies", "Poor Man's Crusade", and "Blood on my Hands" leave my fist punching the air and my head sore every time. But then, he's got lots of depth and passion too, penning emotional acoustic passages on songs like the awe-inspiring "Fiddler on the Green" and "Path of Glory". Oh, and let us not forget Kursch; the man has the ability to make you afraid of what he's talking about. How creepy is that? Also, his voice is very soothing and it penetrates the soul, but don't get too comfortable with that style, because he can soar with eagles and sing angrily as well. And with Morris on lead guitar and Prator on drums, you've got two talented musicians with flawless credentials.



The songs themselves are more-than-average, in both musicianship and in lyrical themes. A short 0:53 second intro called "Rites of Passage" starts off the album with Hansi getting his feet wet, when all of a sudden, "Heaven Denies" rips through your speakers. Shaffer just tears it up with his blistering hand-work and Kursch menacingly delivers some really cool vocals and lyrics. The chorus is especially special, for Hansi soars dangerously high and Prator rides the double-bass like a pony. Hansi screams towards the heavens to begin "Poor Man's Crusade", while Shaffer dishes out a galloping riff reminiscent of IE days. The chorus slows it down to a mid-tempo sludge-fest, but not for long. Track four is the beautiful and haunting "Fiddler on the Green" led by Jon's acoustic hands. Hansi creates beautiful and dark imagery alike, but I think the best part is when he loudly professes " I took him today. Would you mind, would you mind, would you mind, if I take you?" You have to hear this song; it's both dark and beautiful at the same time, and it's probably my favorite off the album. The solo is to die for as well. "Blood on My Hands" is thrash-metal taken to epic heights. The galloping riff, the head banging bridge, the well-ranged verse vocals, and the sing-along and pure high-speed chorus are all flawless. "Lost in time, I wonder why their lost in time, lost in time" remains one of my favorite lyrics off the album. I can not put into words how amazing this song is. The latter part of the album is exceptional also. "Path of Glory" contains some thought-provoking lyrics and acoustic passages, while "Winter of Souls" and "the Whistler" are epic metal at its finest. Both include sing-along and thrash-like chorus', and chilling vocals from one of Germany's most admired metalheads.



>Of all the underrated side projects out there, this one's one of the most special ones. Shaffer and Hansi working together is pure genius. Both are masters at their professions, and amazing songwriters. I think very strongly, in fact, that starting at this album before getting any other release from IE and BG would be a wise move, because it mixes both talents perfectly. Shaffer's trademark guitar style complementing Hansi's god-like vocal performance are enough to give any metal fan a rush.

"

Jon Schaffer's crusade against guitar solos continues...

Quinn | Ruston, LA USA | 07/10/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Seriously though, my distaste for Schaffer and his never ending promotion of his own average rhythm guitar contributions aside, this album is brilliant. It is the perfect marriage of Iced Earth and Blind Guardian. I may not like Schaffer, but I won't deny that he knows how to write a good song. Again, my only complaint is the album's disappointing shortage of guitar solos, but then it's the songs that really matter, right? Demons & Wizards is a bona fide masterpiece in my book, and it is certainly heads and tails above the piece of crap that this band would release as a follow up."