Iced Earth have released a remixed and remastered 35th anniversary edition of their second album, Night of the Stormrider, exactly 35 years to the day after its original release on November 11, 1991. The new edition was remixed and remastered by Zeuss, and the band have marked the occasion with a new official video for the album’s closing track, “Travel in Stygian.”
Order the 35th anniversary edition here (North America) or from The Circle Music (Europe and rest of world).
There are no pre-orders this time: everything is in stock and ready to ship now. You can also stream the remixed album.
The Story of the Stormrider
First released through Century Media, Night of the Stormrider is a concept album written mainly by founder and rhythm guitarist Jon Schaffer. It follows a man betrayed by religion who turns away in rage. Dark forces claim him as their vessel of vengeance, turn him into the Stormrider, and he brings the apocalypse to earth before accepting eternal damnation. Musically, it moves from the explosive opener “Angels Holocaust” and the title track through “Desert Rain” and “Pure Evil” to the epic “Travel in Stygian.”
It is the only Iced Earth album with vocalist John Greely, whose delivery ranges from growls to high screams, and drummer Richey Secchiari, alongside Schaffer, lead guitarist Randy Shawver and bassist Dave Abell. It was recorded in 15 days at Morrisound Studios in Tampa in September 1991 and produced by Schaffer and Tom Morris. Schaffer says:
“Stormrider was a big step forward for Iced Earth. We were on a really tight budget back in those days, and this is a very complex and intense record. It really benefits from this new mix. There is a whole new level of detail and life in the drums and bass guitar. John’s vocals have never sounded better on this record.”
Jon Schaffer
Formats
- Red/Black Ripple vinyl, icedearthmerch.com exclusive (100 copies)
- Silver/Black Ice vinyl (100 copies)
- Blue/Black Galaxy vinyl (250 copies)
- CD with slipcase (1,000 copies)
- 1/4 inch reel-to-reel tape (50 copies) and cassette (200 copies) at Dissonant Tapes
- 35th anniversary T-shirt (100 pieces)
Tracklist
- Angels Holocaust
- Stormrider
- The Path I Choose
- Before the Vision
- Mystical End
- Desert Rain
- Pure Evil
- Reaching the End
- Travel in Stygian
Context
Formed in Tampa in the mid-1980s, Iced Earth became one of the defining American power metal bands of the 1990s and 2000s with albums like Burnt Offerings, The Dark Saga and Something Wicked This Way Comes. Night of the Stormrider sits at the start of that run, a rawer and more thrash-driven record that set up the concept-heavy style the band became known for. The band has been inactive since 2021, when the rest of the lineup at the time left following Schaffer’s involvement in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, so this reissue is the first new Iced Earth release in years.
Our Take
Night of the Stormrider has always been a fan favorite held back by its thin, budget production, so a careful remix by Zeuss is the kind of anniversary treatment that actually adds something. The limited runs are small, so collectors will want to move fast. How fans feel about Schaffer today is a separate question, but the album itself remains an important early chapter of American power metal.
