ICED EARTH leader chooses Stu Block as their new vocalist, INTO ETERNITY Announces New Drummer

Canadian extreme metal warriors INTO ETERNITY have chosen a new drummer as vocalist Stu Block joins ICES EARTH.
FROM STU BLOCK AND INTO ETERNITY: Hey guys… Stu Block here!

Well, as the world now knows, I will be fronting the mighty Iced Earth!!

Some of you have asked about Into Eternity. I’m happy to report that I will be fulfilling all of the 2011 gigs for that great band. So no worries to loyal fans out there.

I have been given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be Iced Earth’s vocalist, and I need to embrace it 100%. As you can imagine, I can’t wait for the metal journey to begin!
In the wake of vocalist Matt Barlow’s retirement, dozens of demos and resumes flooded Iced Earth’s management team. But one name kept popping up – Into Eternity vocalist Stu Block, who has been named the new lead singer for Iced Earth.

According to Schaffer, Robert Kampf, CEO of Century Media, early on suggested Block, whose band Into Eternity was previously on the CM label. That reminded Schaffer of one night in September, 2008, when Into Eternity opened for Iced Earth.

“Iced Earth was backstage waiting to go on,” said Schaffer. “We heard one of Stu’s incredible wails. I remember turning to Matt and saying, ‘Damn, that dude has serious range.’”

So while Iced Earth’s management team sifted through the growing number of prospective vocalists, Schaffer got in touch with Block.

After several phone conversations with the then-prospective Iced Earth vocalist, Schaffer asked his manager to e-mail Block several key Iced Earth songs, with the vocals stripped. Block went into his studio and recorded himself singing, then sent the files back to the team.

The result landed Block an intense two days at Schaffer’s studio where the two musicians hit it off.

“I felt a lot of chemistry between us, we knocked out a couple of great original pieces of music in no time” said Schaffer. “He’s very good at coming up with catchy melodies, and will help with lyrical duties as well. There’s no doubt Stu has an amazing vocal range and a lot of energy, but he also has the touring experience, which is a big plus for our plans of performing in all corners of the world.”

In addition, Schaffer said Block has what Iced Earth needs in a front man: “stage presence that includes high energy, passion, and focused rage.”

“Stu is charismatic and understands the depth and varying emotions in Iced Earth’s music,” said Schaffer. “So he will embody not only the emotion of our songs, but he will be able to perform them in a dynamic way. I believe fans are in for some incredible records and live shows in the coming years.”

New Iced Earth vocalist Stu Block concurs: “Iced Earth fans are wonderful, wonderful people,” he said. “The music is so passionate. So they’re passionate, and very loyal to the band. I am, too. I’m a huge fan of Iced Earth myself. So I share that same passion, and I will show it on stage. I think the fans are really going to dig it.”

Block continues: “It’s a huge honor to be doing this, to be part of this team,” he said. “It’s a dream come true, for sure.”

Schaffer is totally stoked. “This is a new beginning,” he said. “It’s game-on time. Iced Earth is going to record and tour like it never has before. The band is really amped-up and ready to hit the ground running in November.”

And to prove it, Iced Earth has released the European leg of a world tour that will take the band to countries it has never previously played. All told, the 2011-2012 Iced Earth world tour will be the largest the band has undertaken since its inception.

NOTE: Retired Iced Earth vocalist Matt Barlow will perform with the band on all summer festival dates. New vocalist Stu Block will take over from there, starting with the European leg of Iced Earth’s world tour.
Regina, Saskatchewan-based Canadian extreme progressive metallers INTO ETERNITY have announced the addition of drummer Bryan Newbury from Edmonton, Alberta. Newbury is known in the western Canadian metal scene as a member of Edmonton-based DEATH TOLL RISING.

INTO ETERNITY has been writing new material as a follow-up to the well-received 2008 Century Media release “The Incurable Tragedy”. Guitarist Tim Roth commented: “It is the coldest March in 90 years (-40 C), so I’m staying indoors and working on some new INTO ETERNITY music. This will be our sixth album, so we have to make sure all the songs are perfect. I have over 60 minutes of music demoed now on my iPod, so things are slowly getting done. The music is all there now, so the rough arrangement of the songs has started. It helps us also that we have the organizational assistance of our lawyer, Eric Greif, to fall back on, which is cool considering DEATH was one of our main influences.”

INTO ETERNITY’s Canadian agent Zandra Productions has announced the following shows, the first for the band in two years:


May 14 – Pawn Shop, Edmonton

In other news, INTO ETERNITY will be playing the “Chuck Schuldiner Birthday Bash” on May 13 at The Distillery in Calgary, organized by REVEREND KILL’s Don Stenhouse and Greif, Schuldiner’s intellectual property lawyer and the former manager of DEATH. A charitable event benefitting the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, it features a 12 band line-up centering on Candlelight Records act DIVINITY, with guests such as former DEATH members Paul Masvidal, Sean Reinert and Chuck’s nephew Chris Steele, and raffled items donated by labels, publishers and artists.
VIDEO BELOW: INTO ETERNITY "Severe Emotional Distress":


Thx for your support.

See you all on the road soon!!!

Stu Block
Thanks-Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-\m/ -l-