The Dark Saga, Iced Earth's fouth effort, is a concept album based on the Spawn comic book series. After the powerful genius of Burnt Offerings, it seems like the guys were resting on their laurels a little. Musically, The Dark Saga is the least dense of all of their albums. The trademark rhythm guitarwork of Jon Schaffer is seldom heard in its previous form. This isn't necessarily bad, just evolutionary. There's a lot of repetition, lyrically as well as musically, and it just seems like the band wasn't trying very hard to write great songs. (It's also only forty-three minutes long.) That said, this disc still has plenty of heaviness, and loads of melody. Like Night of the Stormrider, The Dark Saga excels in being a complete "album." Many of the songs are similar to the style of Burnt Offerings, but there's some different stuff too. The second track sounds very much like Queensryche to me, the final song (and the best) has some female backing vocals, and overall, there's just a lot of feeling put in (perhaps to make up for the lack of effort in songwriting.) Although Matthew Barlow's ....AH vocals (betrayed...AH!, hand...AH!) get annoying at times, he uses quite a few styles throughout the album, even sounding exactly like Soundgarden's Chris Cornell a few times. (Or maybe that's Schaffer.) The lyrics do a pretty good job of telling the Spawn story, which I am not familiar with. After reading through them I found that the concept is extremely similar to that in Night of the Stormrider. A good man with a flaw is changed and creates all sorts of mayhem, and while not evil at heart, can not die a peaceful death. As for the lineup, we know that Barlow, Schaffer, and Shawver are still around, but then it gets confusing. The album pictures Keith Menser on bass, but then lists Dave Abell in the back. The drummer doesn't even get a picture, and is listed as Mark Prator, while the Century Media site says Brent Smedley is the drummer. Suffice it to say, the band is not, and never has been, very stable. This CD is also being sold in comic book stores, which could explain why the music has become slightly more accessable. Hopefully, Iced Earth will take a little more time on their next album, and make The Dark Saga just a slight dip on their smooth, powerful road.

The cover (96k, jpg) It's big, but it's pretty cool. Todd McFarlane did a good job.

music\lyrics - Schaffer The deal was rigged There's darkness in my soul I want to die again An empty soul shrouded in darkness Alone and confused what am I? Images flash memories jaded He took my life God damn his lies Fight son of the damned, bring down the heavens Smash in the gates, burn 'em down You must accept the fate that you've chosen You will obey your destiny Chorus I cheated myself for love Love unconditional Now just to see her face I've lost it all Bridge I know there's goodness in me Though I'm not the same I will defy the master I will refuse to be his slave No, I was betrayed I can't accept this My future's unclear, it's a lie I'll follow my heart stand and be counted The curse will lift I will survive Repeat Chorus
	music\lyrics - Schaffer I can't belive this now This isn't what I planned I lived and died and now I just can't understand With all the love I feel I could never leave her No matter what the cost My soulds the price to see her Chorus Oh how I love you The pain won't go away Oh when I need you You're always so far away I cry for you Leaving myself to blame I died for you I gave up everything The pain was just to much When I finally saw her She's happy and in love In love with my best friend What makes it hurt so bad Is that I love them both And they will never know For love I sold my soul Repeat Chorus
music\lyrics - Schaffer Enter now the fiendish one Twisted little man Vile wretch disgusting mess Perverted little man Born of hell and in disease Hate festers in his veins Demonic clown and shapeshifter Little man gone insane Enter now Enter now And violate AI'll beat you with your spinal cord Split your skull in two I'll feast on your intestines There's nothing I can't do I'll rip your heart out of your chest Watch it beat as you cry I revel in your agony I violate and make you die Enter now Enter now And violate
	music\lyrics - Schaffer A force of light an angel Sent through time to destroy Avenging the dark ones Descending angelic force Heaven sent the hunter Her mission to crucify Slay the hellborn His offspring demonic force Chorus Descending from heaven The angel sworn to bring him down The hunter the thunder The wrath of heavens comin' down She swore an oath, an allegiance Armageddon is in sight To be the thorn in the devils back To make him weak, the final fight Repeat Chorus
music - Schaffer\Shawver lyrics - Barlow My personal quest is to make your life hell Yes dear friend listen up well The power I've given I can take as well Prechorus I am your father destroyer of the light I've taken your soul and have given you life You are the damned condemned by my hand My son creature of the night Chorus Extending, now you rise Tormented, soul of fire Deception in my eyes Your life, your life is mine Bridge My new born son burn now with anger I command and you must follow Fly now and do battle The heavens fall, mankinds disaster In your hour of darkness You warm my soul God won't save you Your souls been sold Prechorus Repeat chorus
	music - Schaffer\Shawver lyrics - Simmons Angels coming from above Take the essence of his love Challengers call him from al around Demons coming from the ground Battles won and nothing gained Feel the pain Feel the shock From the depths of hell Darkness dwelling in his soul True damnation no control Shattered pieces of his past Broken dreams among the dead When the smoke clears he will arise Feel the pain Feel the shock From the depths of hell
music - Schaffer\Shawver lyrics - Barlow Hear now this story of the man that should not be A ghoul of blackened torment, sullen atrocity A kindred soul to the devils own, malignance personified Cast from his fire he molests the purest light Profane to humanity menaced by flesh and bone Screams of the unknown youth to him the sweetest tone Undying in his will to kill his bloodlust is profound For the blood of the lamb I've got to bring him down Chorus For all the young lives you have slain Fear now you shall obtain Vengeance is mine For every young one that has died Your psychopathic genocide Vengeance is mine I shall do what the law won't do, I can make the sacrifice For the families of these bodies which held such precious life Mine is not to ask forgiveness this deed I've proudly done Without god without the devil this time I have won Repeat Chorus
	music - Schaffer\Shawver lyrics - Schaffer Darkness calls down to me Sweat pours from my body like rain Growing wiser with each touch A pawn in lucifers game, am I? It attacks me in the black abyss The entity formless yet full of rage The mark of the beast my body Scarring me for eternal life Chorus I brought this all upon myself Sold my soul to change my life It's up to me and no one else The beast in me can't control my life Bridge And so it's begun, the end of me The seed was sewn now it's growing inside My fate in control, not mine He lied Repeat Chorus
music\lyrics - Schaffer A twisted state of mind, torn between two worlds One of which the new me hates and the one that's coming true The power is unleashed, they perish at my gaze But am I really in control or am I just a slave I called upon this god to deliver unto me To grant what I desire he brought me to my knees He turned his back on me and filled me with his lies Ask and I received damnation was the price I signed my name in blood, didn't read the fine print Now I'm just a puppet god for the devils own descent Bound and shackled here forever damned a slave Fallen bloody tears can't wash the pain away Chorus All at once it's clear to me Damnation and destiny A slave to darkness shall I be Damnation and destiny And so I must repent or will I be destroyed Will the one that lives in me release me from this lie And will the wrath of god have mercy on my soul Or humilate me, desecrate me, like his only son Repeat Chorus
	music\lyrics - Schaffer The time is close now, the end is near My walk through the valley, trails of fear I feel empty, my penance overdue, I guess it's too late now To be with you I'm extremely frightened of what will surely be I sold myself, the death of me I know you can't forgive me I know I'm on my own, I've betrayed you I walk alone What exactly is the meaning of this Just pawns in your twisted game Severe pain for the lie I'm livin' For a love I never could betray Bridge Question me not say the lord unto thee You have chosen your own fate and your own destiny Denied of this life is what you are to be You have chosen your own fate and your own destiny Lord I pound my fists at you Won't you just let me die Would I not suffer enough No inner peace no after life Repeat Bridge I did what I thought was right All for the love of my life I know it's sad but true Something is very wrong Condemned to suffer so long For a love so true The question that lies within Is so hard to understand It still tears at me And in my dying breath My heart holds no regrets I wouldn't change a thing My spirit begins to rise into the heavenly skies Just to be shunned away by you Now all I want is to die, no streets of gold in the sky And I wash my hands of you Bridge Rising to the heavens light Just to plea for death Just to be denied-

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