Post by Zedd Squared on Sept 26, 2019 14:52:17 GMT
Matthew Barlow
Associated Acts: Cauldron (1988-1993), Iced Earth (1993-2003, 2007-2011), Ashes of Ares (2012-present), We Are Sentinels (2016-present), Schaffer/Barlow Project (2020-present)
Voice Type: Baritone
Vocal Range: C2-B5
High Notes:
B5 ("Dead Man's Plight")
B♭5 ("Damien", "I Am the Night", "Jack", "Monster's Lament", "The Ripper", "Unworthy", "Wolf")
A5 ("Blessed Are You" live Athens 1999, "By My Blade", "A Question of Heaven" live Hamburg 1996)
G♯5 ("25 or 6 to 4", "The Alien", "Burning Oasis", "Chalice of Man", "The Clouding", "Come What May", "Dead Man's Plight", "Declaration Day" live Slovenia 2008, "Dust in the Wind", "Let All Despair", "The Messenger", "The Number of the Beast", "The One-Eyed King", "Punishment", "Pure Evil", "A Question of Heaven", "The Ripper", "Setian Massacre", "Slave to the Dark", "This Is My Hell", "Throne of Iniquity", "You Know My Name")
G5 ("Ancestral Energy", "Battle in Winter", "The Cleansing", "Entry Number 161914", "Holy Diver", "Miracle", "Pure Evil", "Setian Massacre" live Philadelphia 2008, "Something Wicked (Part 3)", "Soul on Fire", "Sun Dragon", "Travel in Stygian" live Athens 1999)
F♯5 ("25 or 6 to 4", "Angel's Holocaust", "Black Sabbath", "Burning Times", "By My Blade", "A Charge to Keep", "The Coming Curse", "Consequences", "Consuming the Mana", "Creator Failure", "Damien", "Dead Babies", "Diary", "Disciples of the Sun" live Atlanta 2016, "Dracula", "Emperors and Fools", "Eternal", "Frankenstein", "The God of War", "Gone", "Iced Earth", "Im-Ho-Tep (Pharaoh's Curse)", "In the Darkness", "The Iron Throne", "Jack", "Last December" 2002 Remix, "Let All Despair", "Monster's Lament", "Move the Chains", "Nightmares", "On Warrior's Wings", "Our Last Sunrise", "The Path I Choose" live Athens 1999, "The Phantom Opera Ghost", "Punishment", "Queen of the Reich" live Baltimore Soundstage 2023, "Reaping Stone", "The Revealing", "Sacrificial Kingdoms", "Screaming for Vengeance", "Spirit of Man", "Sun Dragon", "This Is My Hell", "Time Traveler", "Ten Thousand Strong" live Slovenia 2008, "Throne of Iniquity", "Travel in Stygian", "Unworthy", "What Tomorrow Will Bring", "Where God Fears to Go", "Wolf", "You Know My Name")
F5 ("The Alien", "The Answer", "Behead the Deathless", "The Clouding", "The Coming Curse", "Consuming the Mana", "Crucify the King", "Kingdom in Winter", "Electric Funeral", "Eternal", "Ghost Light", "High Water Mark" live Los Angeles 2008, "The Highland", "Jekyll & Hyde", "Little Drummer Boy", "Monster's Lament", "My Only Sin", "The One-Eyed King" live Atlanta 2015, "The Path I Choose" live Athens 1999, "Setian Massacre", "Sirens of Odysseus", "Spirit of Man", "The Time Traveller". "Transcending", "Travel in Stygian", "Watching Over Me (Winter 2020)", "What I Am", "Where God Fears to Go", "Winter Nights", "Year of the Phoenix")
E5 ("Behold the Wicked Child", "Burning Oasis", "By My Blade", "The Coming Curse", "Dead Man's Plight", "Diary", "Entry Number 161914", "From My Tower", "Ghost Light", "The One-Eyed King", "Primed", "Queen of the Reich" live Baltimore Soundstage 2023, "Sirens of Odysseus", "Slave to the Dark", "The Time Traveller", "Transcending", "Travel in Stygian")
E♭5 ("25 or 6 to 4", "Ancestral Energy", "Behold the Wicked Child", "Burning Times", "Cast in Stone", "Come What May", "Consequences", "Consuming the Mana", "Curse the Sky" live Gothenburg 2002, "Declaration Day" live Slovenia 2008, "Desert Rain", "The Dimension Gauntlet", "Disciples of the Lie", "Disciples of the Sun" live Atlanta 2016, "Dracula", "Dragon's Child", "Dust in the Wind", "Frankenstein", "Ghost of Freedom", "A Gift or a Curse?", "Gone", "Harbinger of Fate", "High Water Mark" live Los Angeles 2008, "Highway to Hell", "Hold at All Costs" live Philadelphia 2008, "Holy Diver", "I Am the Night", "I Died for You" Original + Winter 2020, "Im-Ho-Tep (Pharaoh's Curse)", "In the Darkness", "Jack", "Jekyll & Hyde", "Minions of the Watch", "Move the Chains", "The Path I Choose" live Athens 1999, "The Phantom Opera Ghost", "Primed", "Pure Evil", "A Question of Heaven", "The Ripper", "Screaming for Vengeance", "Shadow of the Beast", "Soul on Fire", "Spirit of Man", "Stand Alone", "Watching Over Me (Winter 2020)", "Wolf", "You Know My Name")
D5 ("Battle in Winter", "A Beautiful Death", "Burning Oasis", "Caramon's Poem", "Creatures of the Night", "Electric Funeral", "Frankenstein", "From My Tower", "The Highland", "Kingdom in Winter", "Queen of the Reich" live Baltimore Soundstage 2023, "Where God Fears to Go")
C♯5 ("Behold the Wicked Child", "Black Sabbath", "Consequences", "Disciples of the Sun" live Atlanta 2016, "Divide Devour", "Crucify the King", "Emperors and Fools", "Ghost of Freedom", "Hallowed Be Thy Name", "Hold at All Costs" live Philadelphia 2008, "Im-Ho-Tep (Pharaoh's Curse)", "Jekyll & Hyde", "Melancholy (Holy Martyr)", "The Messenger", "Nightmares", "The Number of the Beast", "On Warrior's Wings", "Sacrificial Kingdoms", "Screaming for Vengeance", "Shooting Star", "Something Wicked (Part 3)", "Ten Thousand Strong" live Slovenia 2008, "This Is My Hell", "Unworthy", "We Three Kings", "When the Night Falls", "Wolf")
C5 ("Caramon's Poem", "Cast in Stone", "Burnt Offerings", "Divide Devour", "Driven by Hate", "It's a Long Way to the Top", "Shadow of the Beast", "Shooting Star", "Sirens of Odysseus", "Touched by the Mara", "Winter Nights", "Year of the Phoenix")
B4 ("Ancestral Energy", "The Answer", "Birth of the Wicked", "Burnin' for You", "The Coming Curse", "Crown of the Fallen", "Dead Babies", "Declaration Day" live Slovenia 2008, "Disciples of the Lie", "Eternal", "Hallowed Be Thy Name", "Highway to Hell", "Iced Earth", "It's a Long Way to the Top", "Jekyll & Hyde", "Life and Death", "The Messenger", "Minions of the Watch", "Prophecy", "Reaping Stone", "The Revealing", "Screaming for Vengeance", "Something Wicked (Part 3)", "Stand Alone", "Transcending", "Vengeance Is Mine", "When the Night Falls", "Winter Nights")
B♭4 ("The Alien", "The Answer", "Battle in Winter", "A Beautiful Death", "Behead the Deathless", "Burnt Offerings", "A Charge to Keep", "The Clouding", "Come What May", "Consequences", "Creator Failure", "Creatures of the Night", "Crown of the Fallen", "Damien", "Dante's Inferno", "Dark Saga", "Desert Rain", "The Dimension Gauntlet", "Disciples of the Lie", "Dragon's Child", "Dreaming in Winter", "Emperors and Fools", "The God of War", "Gone", "Hallowed Be Thy Name", "Harbinger of Fate", "High Water Mark" live Los Angeles 2008, "Holy Diver", "The Hunter", "I Died for You", "I Walk Alone", "Im-Ho-Tep (Pharaoh's Curse)", "In the Darkness", "The Iron Throne", "Jack", "Let All Despair", "Life and Death", "Little Drummer Boy", "Monster's Lament", "Move the Chains", "My Only Sin", "The Number of the Beast", "Our Last Sunrise", "The Phantom Opera Ghost", "Shadow of the Beast", "Shooting Star", "Silent Night", "Soul on Fire", "Soul Searcher", "Ten Thousand Strong" live Slovenia 2008, "Time Traveler", "Violate", "Watching Over Me", "What I Am", "What Tomorrow Will Bring", "Wolf", "You Know My Name")
A4 ("Battle in Winter", "A Beautiful Death", "Black Sabbath", "Blessed Are You", "Driven by Hate", "Electric Funeral", "Entry Number 161914", "Ghost Light", "In Memoriam", "Legacy in a Rhyme", "Life, Death, Rebirth", "On Warrior's Wings", "Sirens of Odysseus", "Stand Alone", "We Three Kings", "Year of the Phoenix")
G♯4 ("25 or 6 to 4", "The Alien", "Angel's Holocaust", "Before the Vision", "Behold the Wicked Child", "Birth of the Wicked", "Brainwashed", "Chalice of Man", "A Charge to Keep", "Colors", "Come What May", "Consuming the Mana", "Creator Failure", "Dark Saga", "Dead Babies", "Dead Man's Plight", "Diary", "Divide Devour", "Dragon's Child", "Dust in the Wind", "Ghost of Freedom", "The God of War", "Gone", "The Highland", "The Hunter", "I Am the Night", "The Iron Throne", "It's a Long Way to the Top", "The Last Laugh", "Life and Death", "Little Drummer Boy", "Melancholy (Holy Martyr)", "Motivation of Man" live Philadelphia 2008, "My Own Savior", "The One-Eyed King", "Our Last Sunrise", "The Phantom Opera Ghost", "Prophecy", "Punishment", "Reaping Stone", "Scarred", "Setian Massacre", "Soul Searcher", "Spirit of Man", "Sun Dragon", "This Is My Hell", "Throne of Iniquity", "Time Traveler", "Touched by the Mara", "Unworthy", "Vengeance Is Mine", "What Tomorrow Will Bring", "Where God Fears to Go")
Low Notes:
E♭3 ("Angel's Holocaust", "The Answer", "Burning Oasis", "Cast in Stone", "Consequences", "Dead Man's Plight", "Depths of Hell", "A Gift or a Curse?", "Gone", "Harbinger of Fate", "I Died for You", "Let All Despair", "Life and Death", "Little Drummer Boy", "Minions of the Watch", "The Phantom Opera Ghost", "A Question of Heaven", "Reaching the End", "Sacrificial Kingdoms", "Shooting Star", "Something Wicked (Part 3)", "Spirit of Man", "This Is My Hell", "Turn the Page" live Facebook 2020, "Unworthy")
D3 ("Behead the Deathless", "Electric Funeral", "The Highland", "Kingdom in Winter", "Silent Night", "Winter Nights")
C♯3 ("The Answer", "Creator Failure", "Damien", "Dracula", "Dragon's Child", "Emperors and Fools", "Hallowed Be Thy Name", "Hold at All Costs" live Philadelphia 2008, "I Died for You (Winter 2020)", "Melancholy (Holy Martyr)", "The Number of the Beast", "Prophecy", "Scarred", "This Is My Hell", "Turn the Page" live Facebook 2020, "Watching Over Me", "You Know My Name")
C3 ("From My Tower", "The Highland", "In Memoriam", "Kingdom in Winter", "Legacy in a Rhyme", "My Only Sin", "Shadow of the Beast", "The Star-Spangled Banner" live Delaware 2010)
B2 ("Ancestral Energy", "Cast in Stone", "High Water Mark" live Philadelphia 2008, "Melancholy (Holy Martyr)", "On Warrior's Wings", "The Phantom Opera Ghost", "Primed", "Sirens of Odysseus")
B♭2 ("Brainwashed", "Burning Oasis", "Dante's Inferno", "Iced Earth", "Monster's Lament", "Soul on Fire")
A2 ("Ancestral Energy", "Blessed Are You", "Kingdom in Winter", "Legacy in a Rhyme", "Silent Night")
G♯2 ("Dante's Inferno", "Dracula", "Ghost of Freedom", "The God of War", "I Am the Night", "Jack", "The Messenger", "A Question of Heaven", "Slave to the Dark")
G2 ("Eternal", "From My Tower")
F♯2 ("Dante's Inferno", "Diary", "Driven by Hate", "Gone", "Let All Despair", "Melancholy (Holy Martyr)" live Athens 1999, "The Messenger", "On Warrior's Wings", "Primed", "Reaching the End", "The Ripper", "Slave to the Dark" live Athens 1999)
F2 ("Colors", "Dante's Inferno" live Athens 1999, "From My Tower", "I Died for You (Winter 2020)", "My Only Sin", "Punishment", "Silent Night")
E2 ("Behead the Deathless", "The Cleansing", "Diary", "Driven by Hate", "Hold at All Costs" live Philadelphia 2008, "Watching Over Me (Winter 2020)", "Winter Nights")
E♭2 ("Cast in Stone", "Dark Saga", "Dante's Inferno", "Punishment" live New York 2014, "A Question of Heaven", "Scarred")
D2 ("Caramon's Poem", "My Only Sin", "Year of the Phoenix")
C♯2 ("By My Blade", "Creator Failure", "Damien", "Monster's Lament", "The One-Eyed King")
C2 ("Arise", "Entry Number 161914")
One of my "holy trinity" singers when it comes to vocal influence. When it comes to sheer power and emotional intensity in melodic metal you'd be hard pressed to find a singer that can surpass Matt Barlow's capabilities. He's obviously most known as the iconic frontman for Iced Earth in addition to currently fronting Ashes of Ares and having sang in Pyramaze and Cauldron in the past, bringing his powerhouse vocal style to each.
In the beginning of his vocal career (with Cauldron and his debut with Iced Earth) he tended to most emphasize his gravelly mid range belting voice, trading off frequently with his strong low register and some very heady high screams. Beginning with The Dark Saga album (and coming to fruition on Something Wicked This Way Comes) he expanded his high range capabilities considerably, developing his now legendary raspy yet piercing head voice technique that ascends to the highest reaches of the 5th octave. Amazingly he's still at the peak of his powers to this day and continues to utilize the full span of his vocal capabilities in Ashes of Ares, from his morose and clean side to his vengeful gritty side.
Note: I was unable to find the bonus track Cinderella cover from the We Are Sentinels album and the live versions of Detroit Rock City that Iced Earth performed in 1996. Because of this, those tracks are presently excluded from this OP.
....................................................................................................................................
*Underlined notes are found in backing vocals or otherwise obscured in the song mix.
*Blue marks soft falsetto notes.
*Boldface indicates notes that are notable examples of this singer's capabilities.
*Grey marks solidly pitched but noticeably fryish notes.
*Italics mark non-sung notes.
{Questionable Notes}F♯5 ("Jekyll & Hyde" [3])
C♯5 ("Prophecy" [1])
C5 ("Ghost Light" [2])
C3 ("Burnt Offerings" [2])
B♭2 ("Consequences" [1])
A2 ("In Memoriam" [1])
G♯2 ("Emperors and Fools" [1], "I Died for You" Lonesome Cowboy Version [1], "Reaping Stone" [1])
G2 ("Disciples of the Lie" [3], "Dreaming in Winter" [1], "Life, Death, Rebirth" [1])
F2 ("Battle in Winter" [1], "The Clouding" [1], "Eternal" [3], "Miracle" [1])
E2 ("Blessed Are You" [1], "Sirens of Odysseus" [1])
E♭2 ("Angel's Holocaust" [2], "In the Darkness" [2], "The Messenger" [1], "Something Wicked (Part 3)" [1], "Watching Over Me" [1])
D2 ("The Cleansing" [1])
B1 ("I Walk Alone" live Philadelphia 2008 [3])
B♭1 ("Behead the Deathless" [3], "What I Am" [4][5])
G♯1 ("Entry Number 161914" [1][3], "Reaping Stone" [1][3])
.......................................................
[1] marks yelps and short trills in high range or anacrusis and short dips in low range.
[2] marks notes of questionable identity that cannot be confirmed to be the singer in question.
[3] marks non-melodic notes that don't have a significant enough pitch to warrant inclusion.
[4] marks notes that possess uncertain pitch or have been pitch-shifted.
[5] marks notes that do not fit the previous criteria but are not of a substantial enough quality to warrant counting towards the singer's range.
C♯5 ("Prophecy" [1])
C5 ("Ghost Light" [2])
C3 ("Burnt Offerings" [2])
B♭2 ("Consequences" [1])
A2 ("In Memoriam" [1])
G♯2 ("Emperors and Fools" [1], "I Died for You" Lonesome Cowboy Version [1], "Reaping Stone" [1])
G2 ("Disciples of the Lie" [3], "Dreaming in Winter" [1], "Life, Death, Rebirth" [1])
F2 ("Battle in Winter" [1], "The Clouding" [1], "Eternal" [3], "Miracle" [1])
E2 ("Blessed Are You" [1], "Sirens of Odysseus" [1])
E♭2 ("Angel's Holocaust" [2], "In the Darkness" [2], "The Messenger" [1], "Something Wicked (Part 3)" [1], "Watching Over Me" [1])
D2 ("The Cleansing" [1])
B1 ("I Walk Alone" live Philadelphia 2008 [3])
B♭1 ("Behead the Deathless" [3], "What I Am" [4][5])
G♯1 ("Entry Number 161914" [1][3], "Reaping Stone" [1][3])
.......................................................
[1] marks yelps and short trills in high range or anacrusis and short dips in low range.
[2] marks notes of questionable identity that cannot be confirmed to be the singer in question.
[3] marks non-melodic notes that don't have a significant enough pitch to warrant inclusion.
[4] marks notes that possess uncertain pitch or have been pitch-shifted.
[5] marks notes that do not fit the previous criteria but are not of a substantial enough quality to warrant counting towards the singer's range.
{Album Ranges}Cauldron
Driven by Hate (1993): C2-F♯2-G5
Iced Earth
Burnt Offerings (1995): C♯2-E♭2-G♯5
The Dark Saga (1996): E♭2-G♯2-G♯5
Days of Purgatory (1997): E♭2-E2-B♭2-G♯5*
Something Wicked This Way Comes (1998): A2-F♯5
The Melancholy EP (1999): C♯3-F5
Horror Show (2001): C♯2-G♯2-B♭5
Tribute to the Gods (2002): C♯3-G♯5
The Crucible of Man (Something Wicked, Part 2) (2008): E♭3-G♯5
Pyramaze
Immortal (2008): C2-A2-C3-F5
Ashes of Ares
Ashes of Ares (2013): C♯2-F♯2-G♯5-B5
Well of Souls (2018): F♯2-F♯5-B♭5
Throne of Iniquity (2020): G♯3-G♯5
Emperors and Fools (2022): C♯2-F♯2-B♭5
We Are Sentinels
We Are Sentinels (2018): D2-F5-G5
Schaffer/Barlow Project
Winter Nights (2020): E2-F2-F5
*This range listing does not include the remixed versions of tracks from the Burnt Offerings album, because they were not recorded as a part of the Days of Purgatory sessions.
Driven by Hate (1993): C2-F♯2-G5
Iced Earth
Burnt Offerings (1995): C♯2-E♭2-G♯5
The Dark Saga (1996): E♭2-G♯2-G♯5
Days of Purgatory (1997): E♭2-E2-B♭2-G♯5*
Something Wicked This Way Comes (1998): A2-F♯5
The Melancholy EP (1999): C♯3-F5
Horror Show (2001): C♯2-G♯2-B♭5
Tribute to the Gods (2002): C♯3-G♯5
The Crucible of Man (Something Wicked, Part 2) (2008): E♭3-G♯5
Pyramaze
Immortal (2008): C2-A2-C3-F5
Ashes of Ares
Ashes of Ares (2013): C♯2-F♯2-G♯5-B5
Well of Souls (2018): F♯2-F♯5-B♭5
Throne of Iniquity (2020): G♯3-G♯5
Emperors and Fools (2022): C♯2-F♯2-B♭5
We Are Sentinels
We Are Sentinels (2018): D2-F5-G5
Schaffer/Barlow Project
Winter Nights (2020): E2-F2-F5
*This range listing does not include the remixed versions of tracks from the Burnt Offerings album, because they were not recorded as a part of the Days of Purgatory sessions.
That "What I Am" passage is almost pure crackle fry (reminds me of the lows from "Reaping Stone" honestly), whereas the "Entry Number 161914" G♯1 are fryish but still have a pretty clear pitch. I'd like to call for some reexamination of those if anyone else is willing to do so.
