Live Report | ICED EARTH - "Live In Ancient Kourion" - 19 Aug 2012 - Ancient Kourion Amphitheater - Limassol Cyprus

Coming straight from Dante’s Inferno, armed with Pure Evil and accompanied with Dracula, Damien and an army of Ten Thousands Strong, John Schaffer and his companion manage to deliver pure metal in a more-than-you-can-imagine majestic atmosphere.

We arrived at ancient Kourion area at around half past five, and being part of the first people to enter the arena, we manage to get a position in the front row! 

At around nine o’clock we had the coming curse upon us! 

Iced Earth entered the battle zone with the self-title track from their last album “Dystopia”. Powerful sound and stage performance, combined with hot ‘n’ cold fireworks, gave the spark to light the fire of the choiring crowd! 

On the setlist, Burning Times followed, to meet Angels Holocaust and Slave to The Dark! I guess an “Earthquake Shook the Ground” is the right way to describe the vibes we got from stage! In an “I-want-to-decapitate-my-head-from-headbanging” mood, all of the participants there were following each Schaffer’s riff and choiring on Stu’s choruses. 

And that’s just the first four songs from the setlist… What followed is indescribable. A MASSIVE setlist with a total of 26 songs (and 2 intros), including classics as Melancholy, I Died For You, Watching Over Me as well as newer ones, like Dark City, V,… the list is endless.

How to describe in words the feeling when Jon took the Vocal part for the “Stormrider” song? Or the spiritual state of mind during “Dante’s Inferno”? Or the epicness during “Declaration Day”?  My whole body was shaking (along with the ground), during “Damien”… Tears almost fell from my eyes during “Melancholy”. 

On top of all these, add the Live Recording part, with more than sever cameras, the visual effects with fires, explosives and compressed CO2, and you’re gonna have a small image of what we experienced last Sunday night. 

Want more? Bear in mind that the whole event took place at the Ancient Kourion, a thousands years old amphitheatre in Limassol, built nearby the sea, that survived a variety of wars and empires. It felt like a ritual, like a tribute to the Gods, the Gods of Heavy Metal!

Still want more? Be patient and buy the upcoming “Iced Earth - Alive In Cyprus” DVD and live album. All I can do now is just provide some photos taken by Savvas Proestos (www.savvasproestos.com) and wait for the DVD.

I want to personally thank the organizers for this OUTSTANDING event!! (Doros, you are the man!) On the points of favor, I’m amazed by the professionalism and humanism of the security guards! Unlike the last time, they weren’t there to secure the band, they we’re securing us! A huge thank you from all of us! Also special thanks to Pampos-the ultimate cameraman, to Andros Ioannou (G@M0 se, epethana na kamw to gyro!), Skyflat, Stelios Gavrielides, Marianna Shamma and her baby and Giannis Tsioutis!

P.S. - for the next time we want “A Question Of Heaven”!

Long Live the Iced m#th€rf@ckin Earth!

Michalis “Starchild” Benakis

August 2012

www.Cy-Metal.com