Overture of the Wicked

Iced Earth

Iced Earth's riveting combination of classic metal and thrash first surfaced on a 1988 demo, which earned them a contract with the metal-friendly Century Media Records. While the Florida-based band--pugnacious leader Jon Schaffer and a rotating cast of musicians--garnered a rabid audience overseas (particularly in Greece), their reputation in their home country has taken a longer time to build. Still, after slugging out for decades, the group is considered one of metal's best.