AMG Review of Days of Purgatory [2 Disc]

Eduardo Rivadavia
All Music Guide

A somewhat controversial release, Days of Purgatory contains re-recorded versions of 15 songs originally featured on Iced Earth's unevenly produced early albums -- the sort of thing that drives musical purists up the wall. However, because it also unearths a few long lost demos for studio resurrection, it also arguably offered the best starting point for those first discovering Iced Earth, until the release of 2004's nearly flawless The Blessed and the Damned greatest-hits set, that is. Now, if that information doesn't already have you immediately checking out The Blessed and the Damned, the fact remains that Days of Purgatory still serves its primary purpose: revamping that quality-challenged material with superior sound quality and musicianship, most notably from vocalist Matthew Barlow. All aspects of Iced Earth's songwriting are presented herein: energetic staccato riffing, dual-guitar harmonies, melodic acoustic passages, complex arrangements, and plenty of double kick drums. These are combined most effectively on "Colors," "When the Night Falls," and "Angel's Holocaust," but it's probably the outstanding "Desert Rain," with its atmospheric guitar intro, and the epic nine-minute "Travel in Stygian" that show Iced Earth at their inventive best. [Days of Purgatory was also made available in a two-disc, 20-track edition.]