Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked - Part 1)

Finally it’s here, the new Iced Earth album. 9 years after the really praised “Something Wicked This Way Comes”, and 3 years after the least praised IE-album, “The Glorious Burden”. Everyone will make comparisons between this album and those two. The first one because it was the start of this story that Jon Schaffer’s created and all these stuff around “Something Wicked”, and the second because it was the first with Tim Owens on vocals...and here we are with his second. Me myself, rank this as one of the best Iced Earth album’s created, at least since “The Dark Saga”, and compared to “TGB”, this is a huge step forward.

Iced Earth; we know what it’s about, heavy riff oriented music with dark/fantasy lyrics. This is what Schaffer should write, not about old wars and historical stuff and tune down on the aggression, but with this album, I’d say Schaffer is “home” again. And the man behind the mic does a above phenomenal performance, but we all know he always does that. Of course i’m talking about Tim “Ripper” Owens. When listening to this CD I really realise, I do not miss Matt Barlow for one second. He is a great singer and have an own voice, but when hearing the scream monster Tim Owens really adding his soul to his work like this, it just can’t be wrong. But it’s not just his screams that are excellent, it seems like he can sing whatever Schaffer has in mind. Emotional calm passages, heavy almost growling passages, Tim fixes it with ease and i’m really happy that this man is in Iced Earth. Schaffer surely chose the right guy to replace Barlow.

Many concept albums often have at least 15 songs, and this is no exception. 19 songs, and ticks over an hour, and to be honest, the album’s great almost the whole way through. There are a lot short intro-like stuff to bring the story into life a bit, so to say. And these are great if you sit with the booklet in your hand, and listens to the album from track 1 to 19. It gets more epic, and i’m sure this is Schaffer’s intention with these short tracks. Exactly everything with the album isn’t great though. There are two clear fillers on here, concerning the ‘real’ songs. “A Charge To Keep”, a mellow slow song which doesn’t give anything really. Slow and with a sing-along chorus clearly created for live shows. Doesn’t work on CD, though. The other one being “Order Of The Rose”, a heavy classical Iced Earth atmosphere over the song, and the verses are great, but just the same as A Charge To Keep, the chorus doesn’t work at all. And the solo is really uncreative. Except these two downfall’s, there’s only good and great songs left. Another weaker thing with the album, as often with IE, is the solos. I know Schaffer doesn’t care much about solos, but if they sould be put on there (like they mostly are) why can’t they be done more interesing and better? It feels like they just lie there because “it’s needed in metal” or something. I really hope they will shape up some better solos to the Part 2 album, and that the new guy Troy Seele comes up with them.

Among the songs, there’s some awesome tracks on here which are some of the best Schaffer’s written for many years. One of them is the long one, “The Clouding”. Ballad for the first half of the songs (and really awesome!) and the second half being a bit heavier. I like the both “parts” of the songs equally and there are some really awesome melodies to be found in this song. Tim’s singing in the line “They failed to evolve in mother nature’s plan” gives you goosebumps ‘cause it’s so awesome. Other member’s performances are for sure worth mentioning. Brent’s drumming is top notch and brings us back to the drumming on “Alive In Athens”, Schaffer’s guitarriffing is as always tight heavy and great, some say it’s generic, I say it’s awesome. And there’s a lot of guest musicians and many unusual instruments, but they all work fine and are nicely played, makes the album more experimental.

To sum it all up, it isn’t much to complain about regarding this CD, the things I mentioned are things almost all Iced Earth album has (except their 3 first albums) and on the big whole, it’s things that they really can fix to the next record. It feels like Iced Earth are back stronger, and with a newborn energy in the band. It’s heavier and more aggressive again, not even half as many ballads as on 1998’s “SWTWC”, and it’s just as we want it. A highly recommended album, and so far one of the best of they year 2007. Something Wicked feeds.

Best songs: Something Wicked Part 1, Ten Thousand Strong, The Clouding, The Domino Decree, Framing Armageddon