The Glorious Burden DISC 1

The 7th effort from IE is remarkable for several reasons. First, they’ve replaced their singer with former Priest vocalist Tim “Ripper” Owens. Possibly more important though is the song writing, or at least the subject matter. IE has definitely written some great songs, but Schaffer’s obvious passion for the civil war is clearly audible in this massive project. A well documented history buff with a unique fondness for the Civil War, Schaffer is in his element here and his enthusiasm comes through in his music. But more obvious than the music are the lyrics, spinning tales of courage and valor or grief and loss. And apart from the lyrics are additional notes and beautiful artwork in the 30 page booklet of this 2 cd set. Disc 2.