ASHES OF ARES, the band led by ex-ICED EARTH members Matt Barlow and Freddie Vidales, is preparing to mark a significant milestone in metal history. This fall, they’ll hit the road across Europe to celebrate the 30th anniversary of ICED EARTH’s iconic third album, 1996’s The Dark Saga.
The European tour, set for September and October 2025, is especially meaningful for both Barlow and Vidales. While Vidales was with ICED EARTH from 2008 to 2012, performing on Dystopia (2011), Barlow fronted the band during two major eras—1993 to 2003 and again from 2007 to 2011.
In a recent interview with The Metal Voice, Barlow reflected on why this album holds a deep personal connection.
“I can’t talk about ICED EARTH without talking about, for me, entering the band with [1995’s] ‘Burnt Offerings’. That was huge for me. That was my first foray into actually being in a professional band…”
Barlow emphasized how The Dark Saga became a turning point—not only for the band but for his own artistic journey.
“So ‘The Dark Saga’, for me, and I think for Jon as well, was a renewal, a reinvigoration for the band,” Barlow explained. “The reason that even Jon got turned on to ‘Spawn’ was that we were celebrating Christmas…”
Barlow went on to explain how the concept, sound, and songwriting of The Dark Saga connected deeply with European fans and showcased his own vocal growth:
“It had all the great aspects, the sing-along stuff, all the really sweet, hooky stuff… I really started accentuating, obviously, the cool low parts…”
While the tour is purely musical, some fans have raised eyebrows about the timing—especially given Jon Schaffer’s legal troubles related to his role in the January 6th Capitol riot. Barlow addressed the controversy directly:
“We don’t live in a tube of silence here. We get stuff. But I think for me, and I think for people that are fans of the music, they don’t care about that…”
“We’re not talking politics. We’re just talking strictly music, and it’s for the love of music…”
Barlow emphasized that they are not using ICED EARTH’s logos or branding and confirmed that Schaffer has given his blessing for the tour.
“Yep. Yep. I mean, obviously, we have things that we need to do, as far as we’re not using [ICED EARTH] logos or anything like that…”
When asked if he might return to ICED EARTH someday, should Schaffer decide to relaunch it, Barlow kept the door open but was clear it’s entirely up to Jon:
“That’s something that would be entirely up to, obviously, when Jon… That’s Jon’s band — a hundred percent…”
As ASHES OF ARES prepare to pay tribute to The Dark Saga, it’s clear this tour is more than nostalgia. It’s a personal journey, a musical homage, and perhaps a path toward reconciliation with a legacy that has defined the careers of its members—and influenced an entire generation of metal fans.
