Iced Earth - Burnt Offerings (1995)

After a four year break, Iced Earth returned with new vocalist Matthew Barlow, although not a great change to their style, from what I can remember. Their first two albums, mainly straight speed, did not do a lot for me, and somehow I don't think this one should either, but there's something about the music that grabs my attention, even if most of the songs take a while to get into, while the dark lyrics, about various evil, demonic issues ("Burning Oasis" focuses on Adam, Eve and Satan, for instance), do keep me curious. And then there's the concluding, sixteen minute "Dante's Inferno" which is, of course, very dark.
I don't know if I can enjoy this stuff all the time (alright, I couldn't), but there is something here that has me reasonably impressed.

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