Days of Purgatory

Days of Purgatory
Remix album by Iced Earth
Released June 6, 1997
Recorded Morrisound Studios
Genre Thrash metal, power metal
Length Disc 1: 1:20:27
Disc 2: 2:02:47
Label Century Media
Producer Jim Morris
Iced Earth chronology
The Dark Saga
(1996)
Days of Purgatory
(1997)
Something Wicked This Way Comes
(1998)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

Days of Purgatory is an American heavy metal album by Iced Earth. It is a collection of remixes and remakes from previous albums. Most of the songs from the Enter the Realm EP, Iced Earth, and Night of the Stormrider were re-sung by Matt Barlow, and on some of the songs the drums and bass were redone. The 2-cd version also has rough mixes of several songs from Burnt Offerings with the opening to the title track re-recorded. The album cover features artwork of the Chaos Comics character Purgatori.

The reason for the album was to improve the original songs, create nostalgia for older fans and introduce newer fans to Iced Earth's older work. The 2-CD limited edition was originally produced for European audiences but has since been released in the United States. Days of Purgatory was the last new release from the band featuring longtime guitarist Randall Shawver, and the first to feature bassist James MacDonough and drummer Brent Smedley.

The song "Written on the Walls" from the band's self titled album was given completely new lyrics and renamed "Cast in Stone". The only songs left unrecorded from the band's first albums were "Mystical End", "The Path I Choose", and "Curse the Sky", though the latter two were both performed live with Barlow on vocals. "Winter Nights" was recorded during early sessions for Night of the Stormrider while Gene Adam was still on vocals, but this was the track which prompted Schaffer to ask Adam to get singing lessons, as it was felt he could not handle the high notes. Therefore, the song was not used on the album due to its acrimonious history, though it would have fit in with the storyline of the album. Live performances of this song from that era (such as Wuppertal '91) show him struggling to sing it, probably contributing to his dismissal. Schaffer eventually dug the song out of the vaults to use on this album with Barlow providing vocals, but, as mentioned in the album's booklet, used a 1986 Purgatory demo for the backing track instead.

Track listing

One CD edition

No. TitleLyricsMusicOriginal album Length
1. "Enter the Realm"  (instrumental)Jon SchafferEnter the Realm 0:54
2. "Colors"  SchafferRandall Shawver, SchafferIced Earth 4:50
3. "Angels Holocaust"  SchafferSchafferNight of the Stormrider 4:53
4. "Stormrider"  SchafferShawver, SchafferNight of the Stormrider 4:47
5. "Winter Nights"  SchafferSchaffer(previously unreleased) 3:55
6. "Nightmares"  SchafferSchafferEnter the Realm 3:42
7. "Pure Evil"  SchafferShawver, SchafferNight of the Stormrider 6:33
8. "Solitude"  (instrumental)Shawver, SchafferIced Earth 1:44
9. "When the Night Falls"  SchafferSchafferIced Earth 9:01
10. "Desert Rain"  SchafferSchaffer, Dave AbellNight of the Stormrider 6:56
11. "The Funeral"  (instrumental)Shawver, SchafferIced Earth 6:15
12. "Cast in Stone" (rewritten version of "Written on the Walls")Matt BarlowShawver, Schaffer, AbellIced Earth 5:59
13. "Reaching the End"  SchafferSchafferNight of the Stormrider 1:11
14. "Travel in Stygian"  SchafferSchafferNight of the Stormrider 9:32
15. "Iced Earth"  SchafferSchafferIced Earth 5:22

Two CD edition

Disc one

No. TitleLyricsMusicOriginal album Length
1. "Enter the Realm"   SchafferEnter the Realm 0:54
2. "Colors"  SchafferShawver, SchafferIced Earth 4:50
3. "Angels Holocaust"  SchafferSchafferNight of the Stormrider 4:53
4. "Stormrider"  SchafferShawver, SchafferNight of the Stormrider 4:47
5. "Winter Nights"  SchafferSchaffer(previously unreleased) 3:55
6. "Nightmares"  SchafferSchafferEnter the Realm 3:42
7. "Before the Vision"  SchafferShawver, AbellNight of the Stormrider 1:35
8. "Pure Evil"  SchafferShawver, SchafferNight of the Stormrider 6:33
9. "Solitude"  (instrumental)Shawver, SchafferIced Earth 1:44
10. "The Funeral"  (instrumental)Shawver, SchafferIced Earth 6:15
11. "When the Night Falls"  SchafferSchafferIced Earth 9:01

Disc two

No. TitleLyricsMusicOriginal album Length
1. "Burnt Offerings"  SchafferShawver, SchafferBurnt Offerings 7:22
2. "Cast in Stone" (rewritten version of "Written on the Walls")BarlowShawver, Schaffer, AbellIced Earth 5:59
3. "Desert Rain"  SchafferSchaffer, AbellNight of the Stormrider 6:56
4. "Brainwashed"  SchafferShawver, SchafferBurnt Offerings 5:22
5. "Life and Death"  SchafferShawver, SchafferIced Earth 6:07
6. "Creator Failure"  SchafferShawver, Schaffer, AbellBurnt Offerings 6:02
7. "Reaching the End"  SchafferSchafferNight of the Stormrider 1:11
8. "Travel in Stygian"  SchafferSchafferNight of the Stormrider 9:32
9. "Dante's Inferno"  SchafferSchafferBurnt Offerings 16:26
10. "Iced Earth"  SchafferSchafferIced Earth 5:22

Personnel

Additional personnel

References

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