Burnt Offerings (album)

Infobox Album |
Name = Burnt Offerings
Type = studio
Artist = Iced Earth


Released = April 18 1995
Recorded = Morrisound Recordings Tampa, Florida
Genre = Thrash metal, power metal
Length = 52:39
Label = Century Media
Producer = Jim Morris
Jon Schaffer
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:59881vgozzva link]
*The Metal Observer rating-10|9 [http://www.metal-observer.com/articles.php?lid=1&sid=1&id=532 link]
Last album = "Night of the Stormrider"
(1991)
This album = "Burnt Offerings"
(1995)
Next album = "The Dark Saga"
(1996)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternative cover
Type = studio


Lower caption = Remastered cover

"Burnt Offerings" is American heavy metal band Iced Earth's third album, released April 18, 1995, by Century Media Records. This album marked the introduction of vocalist Matt Barlow, who many fans consider to be "the voice" of Iced Earth. It is also the only Iced Earth album featuring drummer Rodney Beasley. The final track of the album, Dante's Inferno, is based on the famous epic poem The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri. The original album cover is of Lucifer in the Ninth Circle from Gustave Doré's series of engravings based on the work.

This album drew both ire and praise at the same time, anger from the European fans who felt betrayed that Iced Earth chose a different path musically, and in contrast, sold much higher in the USA than their previous albums. The arrival of Barlow began bringing influences from power metal, though this album still retained most of the musical identity of thrash metal from the bands previous albums.

As with Iced Earth and Night of the Stormrider, the 2001 remastered version has a new cover.

Interpretation

"Burnt Offerings" is said to have been written during a time of turmoil and anger, particularly focusing on a dispute with the band's then record label, Century Media Records. According to interviews with Jon Schaffer, the title track is about the band's struggles with Century Media.

Track listing

tracklist
lyrics_credits = yes
music_credits = yes

title1 = Burnt Offerings
lyrics1 = Jon Schaffer
music1 = Randall Shawver, Schaffer
length1 = 7:22

title2 = Last December
lyrics2 = Schaffer
music2 = Schaffer
length2 = 3:23

title3 = Diary
lyrics3 = Matt Barlow
music3 = Shawver, Schaffer, Dave Abell
length3 = 6:14

title4 = Brainwashed
lyrics4 = Schaffer
music4 = Shawver, Schaffer
length4 = 5:22

title5 = Burning Oasis
lyrics5 = Schaffer
music5 = Shawver, Schaffer, Abell
length5 = 6:00

title6 = Creator Failure
lyrics6 = Schaffer
music6 = Shawver, Schaffer, Abell
length6 = 6:02

title7 = The Pierced Spirit
lyrics7 = Schaffer
music7 = Shawver, Abell
length7 = 1:54

title8 = Dante's Inferno
lyrics8 = Schaffer
music8 = Schaffer
length8 = 16:26

2008 Slave to the Dark Bonus Disc

tracklist
lyrics_credits = yes
music_credits = yes

title1 = Burnt Offerings (Rough Mix)
lyrics1 = Schaffer
music1 = Shawver, Schaffer
length1 = 7:13

title2 = Last December (Rough Mix)
lyrics2 = Schaffer
music2 = Schaffer
length2 = 3:25

title3 = Diary (Rough Mix)
lyrics3 = Barlow
music3 = Shawver, Schaffer, Abell
length3 = 6:17

title4 = Brainwashed (Rough Mix)
lyrics4 = Schaffer
music4 = Shawver, Schaffer
length4 = 5:26

title5 = Burning Oasis (Rough Mix)
lyrics5 = Schaffer
music5 = Shawver, Schaffer, Abell
length5 = 6:06

title6 = Creator Failure (Rough Mix)
lyrics6 = Schaffer
music6 = Shawver, Schaffer, Abell
length6 = 6:06

title7 = The Pierced Spirit (Rough Mix)
lyrics7 = Schaffer
music7 = Shawver, Abell
length7 = 1:57

title8 = Dante's Inferno (Rough Mix)
lyrics8 = Schaffer
music8 = Schaffer
length8 = 16:22

Personnel

Band members

*Jon Schaffer − rhythm guitar, vocals, producer
*Matthew Barlow − lead vocals
*Randall Shawver − lead guitar
*Dave Abell − bass
*Rodney Beasley − drums

Additional musicians

*Howard Helm − keyboards

Miscellanea

*The opening line to Burnt Offerings, "I was betrayed. Look what your God has done to me!" is taken from the 1992 movie, Bram Stoker's Dracula. The same movie was quoted again on 2001's Horror Show.
*The songs "Burnt Offerings," "Brainwashed," "Creator Failure," and "Dante's Inferno" were remastered and released on the 1997 compilation set "Days of Purgatory". For this release, "Burnt Offerings" was re-edited to include "the original intro," while "Dante's Inferno" was remixed.