Stu Block
{{short description|Canadian singer}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=July 2014}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Stu Block
| image = Stu Block December 2012 (cropped).jpg
| image_upright = 1.1
| caption = Block performing with Iced Earth in 2012
| background = solo_singer
| birth_name = Stuart Block
| alias = Stuie B,{{cite web|url=http://www.icedearth.com/stu-block |title=Iced Earth: Stu Block |publisher=icedearth.com |accessdate=April 27, 2012}} Stucifer
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1977|11|26}}
| birth_place =
| genre = Progressive death metal, melodic death metal, heavy metal, power metal, thrash metal, progressive metal, neo-classical metal
| occupation = Singer, songwriter
| years_active =
| current_member_of = Into Eternity, The Midgard Project
| past_member_of = Iced Earth, Omega Crom
}}
Stuart Block (born November 26, 1977){{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjVqbLNgd7Y |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/TjVqbLNgd7Y |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Stu Block interviewed by Metal Attack MTL. |publisher=YouTube |accessdate=April 27, 2012}}{{cbignore}} is a Canadian singer who is the lead vocalist of progressive death metal band Into Eternity and a former lead singer of heavy metal band Iced Earth. Before joining Into Eternity in 2005, he began his musical career singing for various bands in Vancouver.{{Cite web |title=Stu Block |url=http://icedearth.com/stu-block/ |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=Iced Earth |language=en-US}} After two albums with Into Eternity, he joined Iced Earth in 2011 and recorded three albums during his ten-year tenure with the band: Dystopia (2011), Plagues of Babylon (2014) and Incorruptible (2017). He was the second-longest-tenured vocalist in Iced Earth after Matt Barlow.
Career
=Early career and Into Eternity=
Block began his musical career in 1998, singing for various metal and rock acts around Vancouver. Before joining Into Eternity, Block was the singer for the band Omega Crom, among others.{{cite web |url=http://www.metaleater.com/interviews-intoeternity01182005.php |title=Stu Block interviewed by Metaleater |publisher=metaleater.com |access-date=April 27, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111010122023/http://metaleater.com/interviews-intoeternity01182005.php |archive-date=October 10, 2011 }} In 2005, he joined Eternity, and the following year, the band released their first album with him, The Scattering of Ashes. Block received high praise for his performance, with Eduardo Rivadavia of AllMusic calling him "one of the finest metal voices of his generation".{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/r853647 |title=The Scattering of Ashes – Review |publisher=allmusic.com |accessdate=April 27, 2012}} Block's second album with into Eternity, The Incurable Tragedy, was released in 2008.{{cite web| title = Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Incurable Tragedy |publisher=Encyclopaedia Metallum|url=http://www.metal-archives.com/albums/Into_Eternity/The_Incurable_Tragedy/203820| accessdate = April 27, 2012 }} Respectively, in 2011 and 2012, the band released the singles "Sandstorm" and "Fukushima".{{cite news | url=http://www.intoeternity.net/2011/07/27/new-material-sandstorm/ | title= '"Sandstorm" single released.' | publisher=Intoeternity.net | accessdate =May 17, 2012}}{{cite news | url=http://www.intoeternity.net/2012/02/16/fukushima-single-released/ | title= '"Fukushima" single released.' | publisher=Intoeternity.net | accessdate =May 17, 2012}} Also, in late 2012, Block began demoing new material with Eternity and their new touring vocalist Amanda Kiernan.{{cite news | url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=182486 | title= "Into Eternity Continues Demoing New Material, Plays Album Fundraising Show" | publisher=blabbermouth.net |date=November 1, 2012| accessdate =November 20, 2012}}
He rejoined Into Eternity in 2021 as co-lead vocalist after leaving Iced Earth.{{cite web |date=July 22, 2021 |title=Stu Block Returns to Into Eternity After Quitting Iced Earth |url=https://www.metalsucks.net/2021/07/20/stu-block-returns-to-into-eternity-after-quitting-iced-earth/ |access-date=July 22, 2021 |website=Metalsucks.net}}
=Iced Earth=
In March 2011, it was announced that Block had been chosen as the new lead singer for Iced Earth.{{cite web |url=http://www.icedearth.com/home/iced-earth-leader-chooses-new-vocalist-announces-european-leg-of-massive-world-tour |title=Iced Earth Leader Chooses New Vocalist, Announces European Leg Of Massive World Tour | The Official Iced Earth Website |publisher=Icedearth.com |date=March 16, 2011 |access-date=April 27, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929113816/http://www.icedearth.com/home/iced-earth-leader-chooses-new-vocalist-announces-european-leg-of-massive-world-tour |archive-date=September 29, 2011 }} Before releasing Block's first album with the group, Iced Earth released a re-recording of their 1995 song "Dante's Inferno" as a free download on their website.{{cite web |url=http://www.icedearth.com/home/iced-earth-re-records-epic-%E2%80%9Cdante%E2%80%99s-inferno%E2%80%9D-gives-it-away-free |title=Iced Earth re-record "Dante's Inferno" and give it away for free | The Official Iced Earth Website |publisher=Icedearth.com |date=September 5, 2011 |access-date=April 27, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120523110336/http://www.icedearth.com/home/iced-earth-re-records-epic-%E2%80%9Cdante%E2%80%99s-inferno%E2%80%9D-gives-it-away-free |archive-date=May 23, 2012 }} Dystopia, Block's first album with Iced Earth, was released on October 18, 2011.{{cite news | url=http://www.icedearth.com/home/iced-earth-mainman-reveals-cover-art-release-dates-for-dystopia | title=Iced Earth reveal cover art and release dates. | publisher=Icedearth.com | access-date=April 27, 2012 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929113848/http://www.icedearth.com/home/iced-earth-mainman-reveals-cover-art-release-dates-for-dystopia | archive-date=September 29, 2011 }} The album garnered positive reviews, with some calling it one of Iced Earth's best albums.{{cite web | url=http://www.imperiumi.net/index.php?act=albums&id=12301 | title=Dystopia review. | publisher=Imperiumi.net | accessdate =April 27, 2012}}{{cite web | url=http://www.hallowed.se/english/music/reviews/2011/iced_earth-dystopia.html | title=Dystopia review. | publisher=Hallowed.se | accessdate =April 27, 2012}} Block also received praise for his performance.{{cite web | url=http://www.metal-army.com/?p=27003 | title=Dystopia review. | publisher=Metal Army America | accessdate =April 27, 2012}}{{cite web | url=http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/reviews/compact_discs/iced_earth/dystopia/index.html | title=Dystopia review. | publisher=Ultimate Guitar | accessdate =April 27, 2012}} The band released its next Live CD/DVD on April 15, 2013, Live in Ancient Kourion. The album was recorded on August 19, 2012, at the 6,000-year-old Kourion Theater in Cyprus during the band's Dystopia World Tour.{{cite web |url= http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-in-ancient-kourion-mw0002512477 |title=Live in Ancient Kourion AllMusic |first=G. |last=Heaney |work=allmusic.com}}
Iced Earth began writing new material for their eleventh studio album in early 2013. The title was later confirmed as Plagues of Babylon, and the album was released in January 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/iced-earth-plagues-of-babylon-release-date-confirmed-north-american-tour-announced/ |title=ICED EARTH: 'Plagues Of Babylon' Release Date Confirmed, North American Tour Announced |date=November 12, 2013 |publisher=BlabberMouth |accessdate=February 24, 2014}} Block's second album with the band received mostly positive reviews overall from music critics. In January 2014, the album reached position No. 5 on the German Media Control Charts. This is Iced Earth's highest chart position in their entire career.{{cite web|last=Fayyazi|first=Mohsen|title=ICED EARTH: Highest Chart Entry Of Band's Entire Career: #5 On German Media Control Charts|date=January 14, 2014 |url=http://metalshockfinland.com/2014/01/14/iced-earth-highest-chart-entry-of-bands-entire-career-5-on-german-media-control-charts/|publisher=metalshockfinland.com|accessdate=January 18, 2014}}{{cite web|title=Iced Earth, Plagues Of Babylon|url=http://www.officialcharts.de/album.asp?artist=Iced+Earth&title=Plagues+Of+Babylon&cat=a&country=de|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140707093619/http://www.officialcharts.de/album.asp?artist=Iced+Earth&title=Plagues+Of+Babylon&cat=a&country=de|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 7, 2014|publisher=German Media Control Charts|accessdate=January 18, 2014}} The band also reached No. 34 on the Ultratop charts in Belgium.{{cite web|title=Iced Earth – Plagues Of Babylon|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/album/39227/Iced-Earth-Plagues-Of-Babylon|publisher=Ultratop.be|accessdate=January 19, 2014}} Meanwhile, in the US, the album sold approximately 6,300 copies in its first week to debut at No. 49 on the Billboard 200.{{cite web|title=ICED EARTH's 'Plagues Of Babylon' Cracks U.S. Top 50|date=January 29, 2014 |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/iced-earths-plagues-of-babylon-cracks-u-s-top-50/|accessdate=January 30, 2014}}
Following a period of inactivity, Iced Earth started writing for their twelfth studio album tentatively titled The Judas Goat, with an expected release date and subsequent touring cycle in early 2016.{{cite web|last=Schaffer|first=Jon|title=Update from Iced Earth – 7th April 2015|url=http://www.icedearth.com/home/update-from-iced-earth|access-date=April 15, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150705002645/http://icedearth.com/home/update-from-iced-earth|archive-date=July 5, 2015}}
On February 15, 2021, a month after Schaffer's arrest following the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol, Block announced that he had left Iced Earth.{{cite web|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/iced-earth-singer-stu-block-and-bassist-luke-appleton-have-officially-quit-band/|title=ICED EARTH Singer STU BLOCK And Bassist LUKE APPLETON Have Officially Quit The Band|publisher=Blabbermouth.net|access-date=February 15, 2021|date=February 15, 2021}}
=Annihilator=
Block recorded the song "Downright Dominate" with Annihilator in late 2021 for their re-recording of the album Metal, titled Metal II. In January 2022, Block would handle lead vocals on the band's future live shows. Guitarist Jeff Waters announced that he would step down as lead vocalist and focusing solely on lead guitar.{{cite web|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/jeff-waters-to-step-down-as-annihilator-vocalist-stu-block-tapped-for-future-live-shows/|title=JEFF WATERS To Step Down As ANNIHILATOR Vocalist; STU BLOCK Tapped For Future Live Shows|publisher=Blabbermouth.net|access-date=January 27, 2022|date=January 27, 2022}}
Singing style
Block is a self-described "hybrid vocalist", meaning that he uses vocal styles from many different genres of metal.{{Cite web|url=https://metalshockfinland.com/2013/12/30/interview-with-stu-block-iced-earth-i-just-see-iced-earth-in-my-future-thats-all/|title=Interview With Stu Block, ICED EARTH: "I just see Iced Earth in my future, that's all."|date=December 3, 2013|website=Metal Shock Finland (World Assault )|language=en|access-date=September 26, 2019}} He has cited Bruce Dickinson, Rob Halford, Daniel Heiman, Tim Roth, Matt Barlow, Tim Owens, Devin Townsend, Jari Mäenpää, George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher, Russell Allen and Jørn Lande as his influences.
Personal life
Block's mother was battling cancer when he joined Iced Earth.{{cite news | url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=163926 | title=Stu Block interviewed by "Heavy Metal Thunder." | publisher=Blabbermouth.net | access-date=April 27, 2012 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930233829/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=163926 | archive-date=September 30, 2011 }} He wrote the song "End of Innocence", from Iced Earth's Dystopia, for her. She died on August 23, 2013.[https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stu-Block/195726707134061 Stu Block's Facebook Page]
Discography
=Into Eternity=
- 2006: The Scattering of Ashes
- 2008: The Incurable Tragedy
- 2011: "Sandstorm" (single)
- 2012: "Fukushima" (single)
=Iced Earth=
- 2011: "Dante's Inferno 2011" (single)
- 2011: 5 Songs (EP)
- 2011: Dystopia
- 2013: Live in Ancient Kourion
- 2013: The Plagues (EP)
- 2014: Plagues of Babylon
- 2017: Incorruptible
=Annihilator=
- 2022: Metal II
=The Midgard Project=
- 2022: The Great Divide
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- [http://www.icedearth.com/stu-block Stu Block's bio at Iced Earth's official website]
{{Into Eternity (band)}}
{{Iced Earth}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Block, Stu}}
Category:Canadian heavy metal singers