Enter the Realm (2019 reissue)
Having been released in several formats over the years, the songs on Enter the Realm are not alien to the fans, but rather slightly differently mastered on this new EP. There is a better instrumental spacing and it's easier to differentiate the several sound layers, which makes this an interesting hearing, at the least.
From opener "Enter the Realm" it becomes evident that Shaffer aimed at crystal-clear music and modern use of production tools, but without losing the essence of the organic, analogic sound of the heydays. "Colors" comes in right after, displaying the characteristic galloping riffs and the hybrid Power/Thrash vibe that Iced Earth is known for these days. Essentially, the song illustrates well the new and improved mastering, as well as provides some good banging moments.
"Nightmares" and "To Curse the Sky" are two other lost classics that serve as great examples of how raw, yet already focused Shaffer was with his ideas for Iced Earth. Both feature plenty of elements that would be heavily used on the band's other albums, especially Iced Earth (1990) and Night of the Stormrider (1991).
Another intro in "Solitude" paves the way to the rawer, slightly more aggressive version of "Iced Earth", which closes the EP and is definitely the icing on the cake. While Adam's voice is virtually the same as in the version on Iced Earth's eponymous album, some other parts of the song are more vibrant and sound less rehearsed, which gives the track a lot of charm. But hey, I don't need to keep talking about what is arguably their most classic tune, right? It's awesome, period.
This EP is actually not mandatory if you're looking for the music alone, because we've heard this many times before, but a definite need-to-have for collectors and for those who're looking to have the closest experience to the original Enter the Realm possible. Great stuff.
