Yeah lots of people do, I accept that. Like most people here, I listen to many different kinds of music but when it comes to metal, Iced Earth just completely hit the nail on the head for me. Powerful, well-written, heavy, energetic, and beautiful. Sure it's a little cheesy from time to time but I can live with that. I like lyrics that tell a story. I also find that I can put my own meaning into the lyrics sometimes, and being able to "relate" is a huge plus (which is why I don't listen to most other powermetal ;)... much). There's just something about their sound, the riffs, the vocals, the songwriting and arrangements that makes me think "yep, this is exactly what heavy metal is suposed to sound like". You may get that feeling from Opeth, Sikth, Nevermore or Meshuggah and what have ya and I like those bands too, but Iced Earth remains the band that gets me to turn up my stereo the loudest. Megadeth too, but I'm not kean on their recent material.
(and yes "The Glorious Burden" sucked. However, I do consider Iced Earth thoroughly vindicated after Framing Armaggeddon and The Crucible of Man)
