Iced Earth

With a new full-length, Plagues of Babylon, in the works for an October release, power metal legends Iced Earth are releasing their second live album, Live In Ancient Kourion. The expansive two-CD set is composed of 27 full live tracks, and the DVD or Blu-ray video comes with the entire performance, as well as a making-of feature, footage from their world tour in support of 2011's Dystopia, and an extensive photo gallery. While Dystopia was the first outing with new vocalist Stu Block and, as a result, felt a little more tentative and unsure than previous records (line-up changes left Jon Schaffer as the only remaining original member), on Live in Ancient Kourion, we see the dynamic vocalist coming into his own, confident and powerful, able to imbue new life and a depth of feeling into Iced Earth's most challenging material. Filmed in Kourion, Cyprus (an ancient theatre that has stood for over 6,000 years), the venue adds a sense of history and epic weight that serve Iced Earth's aesthetic extremely well. "Dante's Inferno" is a grand, sweeping triumph live, and the demanding "Dracula" is executed perfectly. There is tons of value crammed into this collection for Iced Earth fans, and even those who are casually interested will enjoy the riches Live In Ancient Kourion has to offer.