Iced Earth is an American heavy metal band that combine influences from thrash metal, power metal, progressive metal, opera, speed metal and NWOBHM. In 1999 their leader and songwriter Jon Schaffer teamed up with Blind Guardian vocalist Hansi Kürsch to form a side project called Demons & Wizards. Iced Earth has been known to have a volatile and oft changing line-up, Jon Schaffer being the only original member who has remained, handling nearly all of the songwriting and leading the band.   Wikipedia