| CD REVIEW Iced Earth |
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Band : Iced Earth With the release of this album we not only find a conclusing to the extended version of the Something Wicked trilogy which could be found on the 1998 Something Wicked This Way Comes album...but also the return of the original singer of that saga to the Iced Earth fold. But...I don't really need tell you all that, because if you were interested enough to look up this review, I'm sure you've probably already read the review I did for the I Walk Alone EP (posted in June), which saw the re-entry of singer Matt Barlow into the Iced Earth camp. By the way, I Walk Alone did really well saleswize, debuting at # 2 on the Billboard Maxi Single Charts and # 3 on the BillBoard Top Singles Charts. In comparison with Framing Armageddon (which constituted the first part in the extended Something Wicked story, review posted 06/09/2007 and still available for your scrutiny), The Crucible Of Man comes over even more soaring, not only thanks to Barlow and the plentiful vocal backings, but also through the increased use of a mixed classical choir. Only present on Framing Armageddon's album closing "The Awakening", you can now hear such colourful choir additions on the album opening "Overture", the ensuing "Something Wicked Pt.1", and further album songs "Harbringer Of Fate", "Divide And Devour". Besides, album closing instrumental "Epiloque" continues the classical connection with a languid violin accompanied by cello and some sober djembe drum play. As far as the story goes, things are left in the open somewhat, the future depending on how we will live our lives...now that we are made aware of the thread. Now as you should know (having read the review of the EP), Iced Earth will concentrate on festival appearances mostly in the future, but people in Canada and the US can count their lucky stars, as the band starts off on a special 16-date North American tour with support from Into Eternity and Saviours on September 21. Special, because on each of those dates the band offers a limited amount of fans the chance to become their guest VIP (at $65 per ticket, in exchange for which they'll get a "Child Of The Wicked" package including a meet-n-greet with the band, an authographed item, a limited edition t-shirt, and a VIP commemorative laminate)...but check out icedearth.com first for availability of the tickets at your venue of choice. Back to the album, which is without any doubt the most important in the band's history so far...well, maybe not the most important, but definitely their best ever! And I don't see how it could've come out this magnificently without the return of Barlow to the front mike! You're free to have another opinion, but thàt is mine! This time around, there's been nóthing, not even the slightest detail, which has been able to put me off (re-read my conclusion on Framing Armageddon), and I can only wonder in anticipation of what this band may bring us in the future. For me, this IS the album which finally sets Iced Earth on a level comfortably higher than other bands in their genre...and I just might be tempted to go out and buy the retail version of the band, just to be able to follow the whole story with the lyrics at hand! 95/100 Tony. |