Iced Earth

American heavy metal band that combines influences from thrash metal, power metal, progressive metal, opera, speed metal, and new wave. The central figure of Iced Earth is rhythm guitarist and songwriter Jon Schaffer. Schaffer originally founded the band under the name Purgatory (11), but he was forced to change the name due to another group already using the name. He would rename the band Iced Earth as a tribute to a longtime friend who had died in a motorcycle accident. [b]MEMBERS:[/b] [b]Vocals[/b] Gene Adam (1985 – 1991) John Greely (1991 – 1992) Tim Ripper Owens (2003 – 2007) Matthew Barlow (1994 – 2003, 2007 – 2011) Stu Block (2) (2011 - present) [b]Guitar[/b] Jon Schaffer (1984 – present) Bill Owen (1985 – 1987) * Randall Shawver (1988 – 1998) Larry Tarnowski (1998 – 2003) Ralph Santolla (2003 – 2004) Ernie Carletti (2006) * Tim Mills (2006 – 2007) Troy Seele (2007 – 2016) Jake Dreyer (2016 - present) [b]Bass[/b] Richard Bateman (1985 – 1986) * Dave Abell (1987 – 1996) Keith Menser (1996) * James McDonough (1996 – 2000, 2001 – 2004) Steve DiGiorgio (2000 – 2001) James "Bo" Wallace (2006 – 2007) * Dennis Hayes (2007) Freddie Vidales (2008 – 2012) Luke Appleton (2012 - present) [b]Drums[/b] Greg Seymour (1984 – 1989) Mike McGill (1989 – 1991) Richey Secchiari (1991 – 1992) Rodney Beasley (1992 – 1995) Mark Prator (1995 – 1996, 1997 – 1998) Richard Christy (2000 – 2004) Bobby Jarzombek (2004 – 2006) * Raphael Saini (2013) Jon Dette (2013 - 2015) * Brent Smedley (1996 – 1997, 1998 – 1999, 2006 – 2013, 2015 - present) [b]Keyboards[/b] Rick Risberg (1999) Howard Helm (1992-2007) [i]* did not perform on an album.[/i]