Dracula   The Phantom Opera Ghost   Im-Ho-Tep

Iced Earth's releases have long been theme-related, and on this new disc the classic horror villains/characters are covered. This endeavor is perhaps the band's greatest musical/songwriting accomplishment, as each individual piece effectively fits the character and mood of the movie/theme it portrays.
The disc didn't grab me on the first listen--perhaps because each track demands attention to detail in order to fully appreciate it. About midway through the second or third spin, however, I began to pick up on all the songs' intricacies. Each tells its own story, and does so in excellent, brutal fashion. The CD stayed in constant rotation for a good 12-15 listens, and the tracks seemingly improved with each cycle.
Despite the lack of press and just due, John Schaffer and his troupe sit firmly atop the metal world.
Opener "Wolf" shreds from the start, and is a rapid-paced fuel ride. The intro atmosphere of "Damien" hints at its evil theme. The track starts calm and foreboding, and then kicks in with a fury. There are great spoken/whispered sections, and a pulling, telling chorus.
Nasty riffs mark both "Jack" and "Jeckyl & Hyde," while chomping chords shackle through the Egyptian stalk of "Im-Ho-Tep".
A predatory, steady-moving rhythm powers "Dragon's Child," "Frankenstein" is built around a steady creep and some fiendish singing, and "Dracula" is multi-faceted and excellent; its slow, mourning intro gives way to pure rip, and you can almost taste the anger the lead man feels at his dealt hand in life...
"Ghost of Freedom" is a slower-paced track, and the only to really deviate from the album's main theme. It is dedicated to war veterans, and is performed well. The disc's closer is a semi-epic (like "Damien" before it) entitled "The Phantom Opera Ghost". It actually contains some of the fastest and most brutal music, but also some of the more melodic and moving sections, as well. There are male/female tradeoff vocals as the lovers' story is told, and the eventual pain and anguish is made clear at the end.
All told, this is simply a complete songwriting (and thus listening) experience. If you're lucky enough to pick up one of the limited-edition 2CD versions, you'll be treated to a galloping cover of Maiden's "Transylvania," as well as an almost hour-long Shaffer interview, which goes into tons of detail concerning the band's past.

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TRACK LIST: DISC ONE--Wolf/Damien/Jack/Ghost of Freedom/Im-Ho-Tep (Pharaoh's Curse)/Jeckyl & Hyde/Dragon's Child/Frankenstein/Dracula/The Phantom Opera Ghost
DISC TWO--Transylvania/John Schaeffer interview