After a four-year absence, which, in retrospect, actually spared them from the abuse suffered by most metal bands during the peak years of alternative rock, Iced Earth returned to action with 1995's Burnt Offerings. Known for their uncompromising defense of epic classic metal, the band gets right back to work with the elaborate title track's surprising mix of soft piano tinklings, chorused vocals, double kick drums, and crushing guitars. Remarkably, it all seems to work, and while his ultra-dramatic vocal style occasionally verges on the absurd, resourceful new vocalist Matthew Barlow ultimately carries the day on such standout tracks as "Creator Failure" and "Brainwashed." Then, just when you thought things couldn't get any more grandiose, the band embarks upon the ponderous, 16-minute trilogy (something which would become a tradition for concluding subsequent releases) that is "Dante's Inferno" -- a piece of daunting complexity that will no doubt terrify as many as it delights. Still, classic metal has often been about pomp anyway, and this is what Iced Earth is all about, take it or leave it. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide
Rodney Beasley (Drums), Iced Earth (Chant), Tom Morris (Producer), Matthew Barlow (Vocals), Jon Schaffer (Producer), Dave Abell (Guitar (Bass)), Tom Morris (Engineer), Jon Schaffer (Guitar (Rhythm)), Jon Schaffer (Vocals), Randall Shawver (Guitar), Howard Helm (Keyboards), Tim Hubbard (Photography)
Burnt Offerings is Americanheavy metal band Iced Earth's third album, released April 18, 1995, by Century Media Records. This album marked the introduction of vocalist Matt Barlow and was 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.
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.
Source material
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.
Some re-releases of the CD incorrectly list the three movements of "Dante's Inferno" as separate tracks 9-11. These are actually the three components which make up the song and this is a labelling error.
![Burnt Offerings [Reissue]](http://content.answers.com/main/content/img/amg/pop_albums/cov200/dri700/i761/i76141lpkji.jpg)
