Description
Jon Schaffer, the founder, chief songwriter, and driving force behind iconic heavy metal acts Iced Earth, Demons & Wizards, Sons of Liberty, Jon Schaffer's Purgatory, and the Schaffer/Barlow Project, returns with a powerful reimagining of his most unflinching work. Jon Schaffer's Sons of Liberty - Thought Crimes (Volumes 1 & 2) is a bold new mix that fuses the raw essence of the "Brush-fires of the Mind" LP (2009) and the "Spirit of the Times" EP (2011), breathing fresh life into a message that has proven eerily prophetic in an era of escalating world challenges.
"Thought Crimes (Volumes 1 & 2)" is out now on all streaming platforms, inviting listeners everywhere, old or new, to discover its urgency. For collectors, a special physical rollout will arrive via The Circle Music on July 4, 2026, marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This includes a double gatefold vinyl edition in five vibrant colors (with an exclusive limited run of 100 copies available only at www.icedearthmerch.com), a luxurious limited-edition leather box CD, and a sleek digipak CD, and cassette.
Originally crafted with programmed drums to minimize costs, these releases were designed not for profit, but as a gift to the world to be copied, shared, and amplified freely.
At its core, Sons of Liberty's music exposed the machinations of a fraudulent financial system and the insidious creep of authoritarianism, serving as a stark warning to humanity. Today, with those shadows cast longer than ever, this music stands as a timeless testament to truth, unfiltered and unapologetic.
What sets Sons of Liberty - Thought Crimes (Volumes 1 & 2) apart is its transcendence of partisan divides. This is not an echo chamber of political agendas; it's a universal wake-up call, championing freedom as the bedrock of peace and prosperity for every person on the planet. In a world fractured by division, Schaffer's lyrics rally for pro-freedom/pro-humanity ideals: anti-authoritarian, non-partisan, and rooted in the unyielding principles of liberty. It's a reminder that true empowerment comes from questioning and resisting systems that promote aggression and erode our shared dignity, fostering unity through principles of liberty, individual sovereignty, and collective resilience.
Elevating the original material to new heights, this release features thunderous, newly recorded drums by longtime friend Mark Prator, whose precision and groove has powered classics from Iced Earth (The Dark Saga, Something Wicked This Way Comes), Demons & Wizards (Self-Titled Debut), and Jon Schaffer's Purgatory (EP 2018). Paired with a cutting-edge modern mix by Jim Morris, the result is a sonic powerhouse that has matured like a fine wine - delivering an intensity and honesty that's all too rare in today's pop culture landscape.
In an age where ideas can be silenced, this stands as the most censored and cancelled heavy metal music in history. It begs the question: Why? Are thought crimes an inevitable reality in a world that fears unbridled truth? Dive in, reflect, and educate yourself--because freedom isn't a spectator sport; it is difficult, it requires action, and it's the only path to a better world for all of us.
