Ghost of Freedom

"Ghost of Freedom" is a song by American heavy metal band Iced Earth off their 2001 album Horror Show. The song is a ballad, being the sole one on the album, as with almost all Iced Earth albums.

By far the softest song on the album, it is also the only one whose lyrics are not occupied with a character or scene from a horror movie or book. Instead, the song is a tribute to American war veterans, band leader Jon Schaffer and vocalist Matt Barlow both being known strong supporters of patriotism and fans of American history. The story tells of a (assumed) boy whose father was killed in a war, and his grief at handling the death. However, his father wishes for his son not to be sad, for he is now a guardian angel who watches over fighting men and helps to secure the dream of peace and freedom.

After a powerful guitar solo and a repetition of the verse and chorus, at 3:53, the song kicks into the same chord progression as used in the said guitar solo, this time with five special guest vocalists chanting chorus-styled "Don't tread on me/live free or die," eventually backed up by Barlow's powerful, semi-operatic calls of patriotism and memorial. This subject would be used again by the band on the 2004 album The Glorious Burden.

Personnel

• Matt Barlow - lead vocals
• Larry Tarnowski - lead guitar
• Jon Schaffer - rhythm guitar, backing vocals
• Steve DiGiorgio - bass
• Richard Christy - drums

Guest musicians

• Jim Morris - lead guitar