Iced Earth, the heavy metal legends from America, were in India to headline Bangalore Open Air, held on July 6, 2013. As a part of the promotion of event, a pre-gig press conference was held on the eve of the event. Here are some excerpts from the press meet.
Note: This interview has been transcribed taking in everyone’s inputs and questions into consideration.
Q) Could you tell us about your new album ‘Plagues Of Babylon’? Is it a step in the new direction or Iced Earth are gonna do what they do best?
Jon Schaffer: We gotta do what we do best, of course and there’re definitely some new elements on there but I don’t really want to get into specifics like the theme and everything because we’re gonna do one press release worldwide. When that time comes, the album cover and all will be released. But yeah, the album’s heavy, it’s dark, it’s very melodic and there’re definitely some new tones we’re gonna be using.
Q) How difficult has it been in composing and writing music with changing vocalists?
John: Actually it depends on the ability of the singer to handle what the song requires. So, you gotta make decisions when you hire somebody into the band that you know they’re gonna be versatile enough to handle what the songwriting requires. But I must say, all the vocalists, Stu, Tim and Matt are all capable at very wide ranges and they’re also very different. That’s a judgement you have to make while auditioning for the band.
Q) It’s not just the vocalist, but there have been a lot of line-changes in the band in all these years. Does it help in some way or does it leave you with a lot of problems?
John: I think it’s necessary. You know, surviving in the middle of a heavy metal band is a little difficult. There are a lot of challenges that go on. For me it’s the whole spectrum of life and existence. So it does make it challenging. Everybody that has come into the band, has put their unique personality to their parts and also to the execution of their parts and that’s really great, if you ask me.
Q) The specific subgenre of music that Iced Earth plays has always been a subject of debate. How do you guys personally classify yourself?
John: We’re Heavy Metal! That’s it! There’s nothing else to it! It’s just balls to the wall heavy metal and I think that’s what we play! I mean there’re always people who discuss a lot over genres of metal but you know it’s kinda lame because you know some people categorize us as Power Metal but it’s not fair because there’re a lot more elements in Iced Earth than just that. I just told the guy in Rolling Stone India the other day; we have emotions and dynamics that can go from a spectrum of Pink Floyd to Slayer and everything in between. So, it’s always been about creating a musical journey for the listener and giving him an emotional roller coaster ride, when we’re on the stage. It’s all about dynamics. So we’re a metal band, I guess that’s it.
Q) When it comes to the artwork, can you tell me how much does the band actually have part in it or is it just that you make the music and give it to the person who handles it?
John: No, I’m involved in every step. It’s actually a time consuming process.
Q) Is it as important as the music itself?
John: Yeah, because it’s actually all connected. It is very important. There’s always a theme connected to an Iced Earth record ninety percent of the time. I like to have the whole package, you know, from the kind of tones you choose for the instruments to the tones of the artwork.
Stu: Yeah it all kinda fits!
Q) So Iced Earth has two relatively new members, Luke on the bass and Raphael on the drums. How involved have they been in the creative input of their new album, ‘Plagues Of Babylon’?
John: Well, Luke contributed a couple of cool riffs on the record. But, you know the point of us getting together and rehearsing is getting the correct execution of everyone’s part. It’s not necessary that everyone just comes up with their part but it’s also the execution part that matters because everyone has his own touch in whatever he does, you know the singer, the drummer, the guitar player. Ralph’s really bringing some cool fills and groove to the sound and I think we’re really happy with what he’s doing.
Q) What are your thoughts on how metal has evolved through the ages and do you have any specific thoughts on this old school and new school divide, a discussion that plagues the metal world perpetually?
John: Not really, you know (Laughs). Are you asking me? Because somebody else can answer that as well! I don’t really worry myself with that kinda stuff. I’m worried just about Iced Earth!
Stu: For me, ever since I’ve got into heavy metal, of course it has changed, the bands have changed, and the sound has changed. There’s always that “flavour” of the month, you know what I mean. But I’ve always connected to bands like Iced Earth, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and all these other bands that I have connected to have longevity. I know that I’m involved in creating music and I just focus at the project in hand. So, you know there’s always gonna be different styles, but I just connect to “heavy metal”.
John: One thing is cool though. Once in a while you get a breath of fresh air, something that’s new and for me Volbeat is one of those bands, and also Ghost. I mean Michael (Poulsen) brought these elements of all these artists he grew up listening to like Iced Earth, Metallica, Mercyful Fate, Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley and you know, Social Distortion. He has put all these things together to make a very unique sounding band and I believe they are going to be the leader of the new genre. You know that’s really cool and a breath of fresh air for me. And also, Ghost! I hear a blend of a lot of sounds. So you know, it’s always refreshing!
Q) How much has the American Heavy Metal industry changed since the mid-80s and do you have anything to say about the local Florida scene?
John: I haven’t lived in Florida since 1997. So, I have no idea what’s going on there. But I mean I have seen a lot of changes come and go in the music industry in the States. The mid-80s was the zenith for heavy metal. Bands like Maiden and Priest were selling out every arena in America and there were a lot of metal bands. But then we stepped into the grunge era, which is where metal really kinda stepped in the background, but it always had a fan base. If you look at the success that Metallica had and still has today, there is an audience there. But the problem with America is that so many people are just like mindless sheep. They just swallow what the corporate America shoves down their throats. And the same goes with the music industry, I mean, here MTV’s pushing it and that’s what the flavour of the month is and that is what people go for. So we’ve seen this thing time to time and metal kinda went into the underground. It was always there and you can see the proof in Metallica’s ticket sale, in the 90’s.
The independent metal scene that I saw start with the Death Metal bands that came up in the late 80s and early 90s was a very small scene when compared to what the big guys like Maiden and Priest and all those big guys did back in the 80s. So, yes we’ve seen a lot of changes.
Q) About the show tomorrow (Bangalore Open Air, July 6, 2013), what can crowd expect from Iced Earth? How’s your setlist going to be like?
John: We just have an hour and we are working on our eleventh studio albums (chuckles) and you know that Iced Earth songs are kinda long. So, it’s a challenge but we’re touching on a lot of cool areas but we cannot hit them all; that’s impossible.
Journalist: Mostly new songs or old?
John: It’ll be a mixture.
Stu: Expect a lot of energy. Expect us to kick some ass.
John: We expect from you too.
Stu: Yeah, they will (laughs)
