ICED EARTH's JON SCHAFFER Confirms He Will Release New Music: 'But It's Gonna Happen On My Timeline'

In a new interview with the Brutally Delicious podcast, ICED EARTH's founding guitarist Jon Schaffer, whose band effectively split up after he was arrested for his involvement in the January 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol, was asked if there are any plans for him to release new music in the not-too-distant future. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There will be new music. There's no doubt [about it]. But it's gonna happen on my timeline. Because as much as I hear, and I know the fans, especially the ICED EARTH fans, want new music, I'm not interested in new music; I want great music. And anything else outside of being truly inspired is not interesting to me. Going out and putting the band back together just for the purposes of trying to feel relevant or to make money, that's the easy way. That's a checkers move. I'm not interested in it. It's gotta be because I really love it, not because the machine relies on it. And I was in that."

Jon continued: "I think we did great records. I'm proud of my career. But when you're in that sort of the hamster wheel of new album, tour, that cycle that goes on constantly, you get off of the original point. It becomes a business. It becomes this thing where you sometimes have to go through the motions, even if you don't feel like it, because there's commitments. And things changed a lot in the music business. I mean, I was in it for decades. I saw a lot of things change. And it got to be to where the albums were like a side note for the band to go out and tour and sell merch. And I just refuse to do that. I'm not gonna be chasing Federal Reserve notes over like my integrity as an artist, and that's where it's at. That's just where I'm at. It's a no-go zone until the inspiration is there. Things are starting to happen, so I can feel that. But it may take a while. But I'm not playing checkers with this shit.

"I get it. I understand how this works. And anything that I do going forward, regardless of what project it is or what band it is, it's gotta be because there is a real true inspiration and enjoyment from doing it, not to chase money, because then you're off the point," Schaffer added.

"For me, I've always been one that I don't really care what people think about my art. My preference is that they would like it — that's the preference — but if you start worrying about what other people think, you've already lost the plot. That's not what art is, man. It is a very personal, very spiritual thing. And all this crap with A.I. is… There is zero chance — zero chance — that that will ever be used in ICED EARTH or anything that I'm involved with. It's disgusting. You're talking about a gift given by God, the universe, whatever you wanna call it, that art is a real thing. Whatever it is, whether it's poetry, whether it's actual art, painting, drawing, music, whatever, and just because the bored hive mind has the technology to be able to create this kind of stuff, I don't want any part of that, man. I'm not gonna get sucked into that crap. It's completely anti-human as far as I'm concerned. So that that's off the table.

"So anyway, I've got plans, and I'm moving towards putting those things in process, but I'm not gonna say really more than that. Just stay tuned. It's gonna take a while. It will be worth it, trust me.

"The best stuff that I've ever written has come through the heaviest things that I've ever experienced, and obviously the last five years have been intense," Jon concluded. "But that's gonna lead to something really special. But I'm gonna trust my gut, my instincts, let my spirit guide me and just go. And then we'll see when that happens. But when it happens, it's gonna be epic."

Schaffer recently released "Sons Of Liberty - Thought Crimes (Volumes 1 & 2)", a reimagining and expansion of material originally released a decade and a half ago — "Brush-fires Of The Mind" LP (2009) and the "Spirit Of The Times" EP (2011) — now updated with new mixes, live drums by Mark Prator and a sharper ideological focus. Schaffer has said: "'Sons Of Liberty' was always meant to be more than music; it was a wake-up call and an attempt to start brushfires of freedom in the minds of listeners."

In October 2024, Schaffer was sentenced to three years of probation and 120 hours of community service in connection with his involvement in the riot at the U.S. Capitol in January 2021. At the sentencing hearing, Jon was also ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution and a $200 financial assessment. Schaffer later became one of about 1,500 people accused of crimes related to the riot who were pardoned by U.S. president Donald Trump.

Although Schaffer was initially charged with six crimes, including engaging in an act of physical violence and targeting police with bear spray, he pleaded guilty to only two charges: obstruction of an official proceeding of Congress; and trespassing on restricted grounds of the Capitol while armed with a deadly or dangerous weapon.

As part of the plea deal, Schaffer agreed to cooperate with investigators and potentially testify in related criminal cases. In return for Schaffer's assistance, the Justice Department later urged the judge to show leniency during his sentencing. Also as part of the agreement, the Justice Department offered to sponsor Schaffer for the witness protection program.

Following the initial reports that Schaffer was involved in the riot, his ICED EARTH bandmates distanced themselves from his actions. Singer Stu Block and bassist Luke Appleton later posted separate statements on social media announcing their resignations. BLIND GUARDIAN frontman Hansi Kürsch also quit DEMONS & WIZARDS, his long-running project with Schaffer. The allegations also apparently affected Schaffer's relationship with his longtime record label Century Media, which had released albums from both ICED EARTH and DEMONS & WIZARDS. As of mid-January 2021, the Century Media artist roster page did not list either band.

In April 2025, Schaffer said in an interview that the legal issues and professional setback he faced as a result of his involvement in the Capitol riot have been "the biggest gift" of his life, in part because "it is what led" him "to [Jesus] Christ."