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Iced Earth - Dystopia



8 | 582 votes |
Release date: 17 October 2011
Style: Heavy metal, US power metal

Owners:

565 have it
70 want it
1 trades it


01. Dystopia
02. Anthem
03. Boiling Point
04. Anguish Of Youth
05. V
06. Dark City
07. Equilibrium
08. Days Of Rage
09. End Of Innocence
10. Soylent Green [limited edition bonus]
11. Iron Will [limited edition bonus]
12. Tragedy And Triumph
13. Anthem [string mix version] [limited edition bonus]
14. The Mob Rules [Black Sabbath cover] [iTunes bonus]

The best Power Metal album of 2011

Additional info
Released as a limited edition Digipak, limited edition box set and iTunes version.

Recorded, Mixed and Mastered at Morrisound Studios, Tampa, Florida in July and August, 2011.

Dystopia was released in Europe on October 17th, and in the U.S. on October 18th, both via Century Media.

Bonus tracks for the limited edition:
10. Soylent Green (04:20)
11. Iron Will (04:15)
13. Anthem (String Mix) (04:51)
"Tragedy & Triumph" moves from 10 to 12 on this tracklist.

iTunes download includes an exclusive bonus track:
11. The Mob Rules (Black Sabbath cover) (03:07)

The Japan edition features all the bonus tracks from the limited edition version, plus one additional bonus track:
14. The Trooper (Iron Maiden cover) (04:19)

All other physical releases include a code for a free download of The Trooper as well.

Staff review by
Baz Anderson
Rating:
7.5
It's been a bit of a rocky ride for Iced Earth in the last few years, especially after things looked so promising with Matt Barlow back in the band. The Crucible Of Man really didn't deliver what the line-up promised, and then another knock back with the news that Matt would be leaving the band once more.

After everything, Iced Earth stand strong here today with their latest offering and another lease of life and promise. Dystopia is Jon's tenth album but the limelight is firmly shining on new singer Stuart Block, who has seemingly breathed new life into this iconic American band. Stu sounds so comfortable in Barlow's position as he emulates the past singer's vocals almost perfectly. Not only this, but his versatility is unparalleled with his ability to scream just as well Tim Owens. Iced Earth have found the last piece of the jigsaw, and it didn't have to be cut to shape this time.

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published 15.10.2011 | Comments (24)

Guest review by
AndMetalForAll
Rating:
8.0
For the second straight time Iced Earth saw themselves without a singer and so they had to look for a new one. In the beginning of 2011 the search was over and the choice was Stu Block (former Into Eternity). The expectation was enormous about the new singer. Iced Earth aren't exactly famous in choosing Matt Barlow's substitutes over the years after having as their singer Tim Owens, with technically amazing vocal capacities but without the heart Iced Earth fans truly love.

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published 26.11.2011 | Comments (14)

Guest review by
Tristus Scriptor
Rating:
8.5
Once again, Jon Schaffer's vehicle of pure METAL does a dust-stirring figure-eight around all of our dizzied heads, screeching to a halt directly in front of us. I can't think of a time when a new Iced Earth release was a humdrum occasion. Be it Schaffer's knack for incessant line-up changes, anticipated concepts, re-recorded classics (both original and covered), and...MORE line-up changes; one cannot deny that curiosity almost always surrounds every release with the Iced Earth moniker. This one is no different. Come to think of it, for many reasons, Dystopia might just be the most significant case of raised eyebrows yet.

Read more ››
published 03.03.2012 | Comments (6)

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Comments: 108   Visited by: 1485 users
04.05.2012 - 09:40
Introspekrieg
Totemic Lust
I wish this album was as good as some of the dystopian films the song titles reference...
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25.06.2012 - 06:21
Lit.
Account deleted
V just might be my favorite Iced Earth song.

EDIT: And I just noticed it's the fifth song on the album. Well played, Iced Earth. Well played.
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14.07.2012 - 17:27
Zap
Guest
This album is a masterpiece compared to its predecessor. Of course, it's not a masterpiece, but it's solid as fuck and I love the shit out of it.
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19.08.2012 - 20:35
diy

Just downloaded it,i've just listened to end of the innocence and i'm really impressed by stu block's voice,really strong and beautiful,gonna listen to it all and then will rate,for now i can surely say it'll be somewhere between 9 to 10.:thumbup:
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25.11.2012 - 15:33
I love this album very much, i think it's Iced Earth and John Schaffers' adolescence in composing!!!
i give it 8.5 / 10, riffs, drums, vocals, solos and mixs are very good!!!
it's something about PURE METAL which only John can write!
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05.01.2013 - 23:13
Rating: 8
LordFezzington
Lost To Apathy
Just to warn anyone thinking about buying the new Century Media "Limited 2CD Edition" version of this - released as part of the label's Metal For The Masses 25 Alive! promotion - you DO NOT GET the 3 bonus tracks from the original ltd edition: "Soylent Green", "Iron Will" & the string mix of "Anthem". Instead you get 4 live tracks from the upcoming Live At Ancient Kourion DVD. Disappointing.
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17.09.2014 - 20:35
Rating: 8
musclassia

Came back to this album and gave it another listen in the car today - I'm surprised at its staying power. Whilst I used to love IE, out of all the bands I once listened to regularly that I lost my passion for, they're possibly the band I lost interest in most drastically, and I can't remember the last time I listened to more than a song or two of theirs. However, I found this one just as entertaining as on previous playthroughs and was happily singing along throughout. Not sure what it is about this album, but it does feel different to the rest (and not just the vocals) - maybe it's a heavier sound, or just a different style of writing, but I always felt it had a different feel/sound to their previous stuff. There's nothing about the individual songs that lifts them up higher than good and enjoyable, but it comes together into a rather solid package. Probably the one thing I'd complain about is that Iron Will, possibly my favourite song from the album, somehow didn't make the original cut.
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18.09.2014 - 11:18
Rating: 8
musclassia

Written by deadone on 18.09.2014 at 03:03

Written by musclassia on 17.09.2014 at 20:35

Came back to this album and gave it another listen in the car today - I'm surprised at its staying power. Whilst I used to love IE, out of all the bands I once listened to regularly that I lost my passion for, they're possibly the band I lost interest in most drastically, and I can't remember the last time I listened to more than a song or two of theirs. However, I found this one just as entertaining as on previous playthroughs and was happily singing along throughout. Not sure what it is about this album, but it does feel different to the rest (and not just the vocals) - maybe it's a heavier sound, or just a different style of writing, but I always felt it had a different feel/sound to their previous stuff. There's nothing about the individual songs that lifts them up higher than good and enjoyable, but it comes together into a rather solid package. Probably the one thing I'd complain about is that Iron Will, possibly my favourite song from the album, somehow didn't make the original cut.



A very good assessment! I think they just focused on getting the basics right and not getting too wrapped up in overblown "epics."

Shame Plagues of Babylon didn't display the same level of enjoyability.


Yeah, definitely a case of playing it simple and writing basic yet effective and enjoyable songs. And it is a wonder how the quality dropped so quickly to Plagues, ah well
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20.02.2015 - 15:21
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Just tried The Mob Rules
Original is better, but still good version
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Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
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I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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18.01.2018 - 01:01
Rating: 7
musicalkaratekid

I guess compared to its two predecessors "Dystopia" as an album is very good indeed, but still seems to clutch at straws when you know the band have been capable of much better musicianship in the past. That said, I guess this album has to be taken for what it is at face value: that is, a comeback of sorts. The thing is "Dystopia" is pretty run-of-the-mill by Iced Earth's standards, but at the same time the goods here are in full flavour and impact with everything you'd expect. Though it's hard to really pick out any outstanding versatility here, for me the highlights would be "End of Innocence" and the title track.
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22.05.2020 - 18:53
Rating: 8
SebaRaven36

Iced Earth made a big change in their formation, they changed the singer, it has been years since this vocalist that made a good difference and they renewed their sound, great album, I recommend
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31.07.2020 - 18:15
Rating: 9
metalbrat

A superb album after a long gap filled with mediocre material
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In the beginning I was made of clay. Then I bit the apple and they changed me to metal 🤘
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14.01.2021 - 20:14
Rating: 7
Joppe
Steelemeister
Better than MegaDave's Dystopia
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My vision is augmented
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14.01.2021 - 21:55
Rating: 7
Joppe
Steelemeister
A decent return to form. I don't think the album is anything really remarkable and there isn't very many outstanding individual songs, but it is a breath of fresh air after a few letdown albums. "Iron Will" from the bonuses is killer track, probably the best even, the title track is another winner. ENJOYABLE stuff throughout.
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My vision is augmented
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14.01.2021 - 22:48
Rating: 8
musclassia

Written by Joppe on 14.01.2021 at 21:55

"Iron Will" from the bonuses is killer track, probably the best even, the title track is another winner. ENJOYABLE stuff throughout.


I've always thought that Iron Will is clearly the best song on the album, and don't really understand why it didn't make the cut whilst more forgettable songs such as Equilibrium, V and End Of Innocence did. I guess it's triplets the whole way through and they maybe think it doesn't vary much, but it's just triumphant and exciting
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15.01.2021 - 09:33
Rating: 7
Joppe
Steelemeister
Written by musclassia on 14.01.2021 at 22:48

Written by Joppe on 14.01.2021 at 21:55

"Iron Will" from the bonuses is killer track, probably the best even, the title track is another winner. ENJOYABLE stuff throughout.


I've always thought that Iron Will is clearly the best song on the album, and don't really understand why it didn't make the cut whilst more forgettable songs such as Equilibrium, V and End Of Innocence did. I guess it's triplets the whole way through and they maybe think it doesn't vary much, but it's just triumphant and exciting


Yes, definitely a weird move by the band or whoever made the choice. I hope the song didn't go unnoticed to people who didn't get the limited edition.
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My vision is augmented
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22.11.2021 - 11:46
Rating: 8
GrimReaper85

Whole album is good, far from the best, but best since Horror Show.
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19.10.2022 - 05:00
Rating: 6
majormalfunction

Not sold on this one either even if it's a more focused record compared to the previous two. I don't know why but I've never thought Stu Blocks singing fit Iced Earths music and most of the songs here are just okey.
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Everything's twice as bright with money in your hands
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