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Iced Earth - Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked - Part 1) review



Reviewer:
8.0

562 users:
7.4
Band: Iced Earth
Album: Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked - Part 1)
Release date: September 2007


01. Overture
02. Something Wicked (Part 1)
03. Invasion
04. Motivation Of Man
05. Setian Massacre
06. A Charge To Keep
07. Reflections
08. Ten Thousand Strong
09. Execution
10. Order Of The Rose
11. Cataclysm
12. The Clouding
13. Infiltrate And Assimilate
14. Retribution Through The Ages
15. Something Wicked (Part 2)
16. The Domino Decree
17. Framing Armageddon
18. When Stars Collide (Born Is He)
19. The Awakening
20. The Coming Curse [Japanese bonus]

Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked - Part 1) is a conceptual album which continues the storyline of the famous Iced Earth's 1998 release "Something Wicked This Way Comes". This is also the first part of a double album (the sequel will probably be out in 2008) and this is of course the second album with the singer Tim Owens. Actually I was disappointed by the last two Iced Earth's albums ("Horror Show" and "The Glorious Burden") and if I was expecting something good with the two new "Something Wicked" I have to confess that I was not so confident too? By luck, my "bad" feeling was wrong and all the fans of Iced Earth will probably be happy to hear that Jon Schaffer is back in business so be prepared for a big kick in your ass!

Jon Schaffer aka the "riff machine" is back in town my friends! His two last albums were not so transcending, not bad too but a bit average and of course it was a bit hard for us (the old fans) to do the transition and to listen to the band without Barlow (Tim Owens was the new singer on "The Glorious Burden"). But it seems that Jon Schaffer's inspiration is back and God, this "Framing Armageddon" is a great surprise for me! Well, I will not tell right now that it's the best album of the combo but for sure this is already a lot better. The reason of this statement comes from several points. First, the powerful and aggressive music of Iced Earth is finally back and yes "Framing Armageddon" is full of big and heavy killer riffs. The guitars soli aren't so important in the music even if they're good but "Framing Armageddon" is a matter of melodies. They're all impressive and extremely catchy and songs like "Something Wicked (Part 1)" or "Ten Thousand Strong" are pure Metal hits which will stay for a long time in your memories. The choruses of the songs never lack of rhythm and the melodies are always catchy.

"Framing Armageddon" is a concept (the songs are cut by some little nice musical interludes) album which will tell you a Sci-Fi story written by Schaffer himself. I won't talk a lot about it, the best thing for you is to listen to the songs and to read the lyrics to discover it but to sum-up but if you want to know who are the Grand Architect of the Universe and the Setians and what happened on Earth when the men began to become corrupted by their thirst of knowledge and power, it will be something for you. With these good lyrics and a perfect production, "Framing Armageddon" is a real rebirth for Iced Earth. The performance of the musicians is excellent and I think that Tim Owens finally found his place in the line-up of the band. For sure you have to like his very high vocals but his "normal" voice is nice too and fits perfectly to the alternation of slow ballads with dark (a bit progressive) tracks and blasting US Power songs! No doubt, "Framing Armageddon" is a good album.

If you like Iced Earth, I doubt that you'll be disappointed by the new release and if the upcoming album "Something Wicked - Part 2" has the same quality I can tell you that this trilogy will become a classic. Maybe that the albums like "Something Wicked This Way Comes" or "Burnt Offering" will stay the favorite Iced Earth's releases for the fans but I'm ready to bet some money on the fact that they will like "Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked - Part 1)" too. The great Iced Earth is back, hail to Schaffer, Owens and the other members of the combo. Highly recommended if you like blasting thrashy but melodic Power Metal.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 7
Originality: 8
Production: 9

Written by Jeff | 22.09.2007




Comments page 2 / 2

Comments: 40   Visited by: 241 users
01.12.2007 - 21:57
Harmonic
Account deleted
Written by Guest on 10.11.2007 at 13:27

Please no more complaining about Matt Barlow. I'm tired of it. it's been years now... please...just let it go... let it go...


It's not Matt Barlow we're complaining about...
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03.01.2008 - 03:04
Rating: 7
Dangerboner
Lactation Cnslt
I agree with what the majority of the people have said in regards to it being better than The Glorious Blowjob. The best moment of the album is when Ripper shrieks "FRAAAAAAAAAAMMMMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGG ARRRRRRRRMAGEEEEEEEDDDOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN" in a super high voice at the end of the song.

Edit - oops, Cursed already said that. oh well, I agree
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16.01.2008 - 07:06
Rating: 10
DoomGuard

Own It, Listened to it

Loved it...Tim the Ripper owned this album with his vocals and if this isn't enough to make u appreciate his time with Iced Earth than ur not a true IE fan

This was an amazing album and i think Iced Earth would have done fine without Matt

But i'm still glad he's back
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04.03.2008 - 17:19
Rating: 7
Demonmayonnaise

Ive had this album but never really gave it a good listening to. I put it in the cd player last night, and it was awesome. Noth the best Ive heard, but pretty damn good.
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20.04.2008 - 08:23
Rating: 7
IconMaiden

initially gave it a 7, but changed to an eight. got better each time i gave it a good listen.
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27.07.2008 - 21:17
Rating: 9
Remus

Ok here goes....

I believe this album deserves an 8 of of 10. However i disagree with some parts of the review:

1) "blasting thrashy but melodic Power Metal" - I, like Marcel H, find that too many of the tracks are mid tempo and only a couple are really fast and thrashy. Granted, someone said that it's prob supposed to be like that as a result of it's sad nature and hopefully the next one will prob be faster.

2) I don't think Tim's voice "finally fits in with Iced Earth". It's not that he's bad. No no, in fact he's a terrific singer but the thing is he's best at shrieking! I'm sure Schaffer tells him how and what to sing but i feel that if he used the falsetto technique more it would've sounded a lot better!
Just liste to the awesomeness when he screams "Fraaaamiiiing Arrrrmaaageeeedoon!" . Ok this has already been said but so what.

3) I LOVE "Horror Show" so.. screw you guys, i'm going home

4) The album as a whole is indeed exquisite but i didn't find it "Instantly catchy". In fact, at first i couldn't get into it but as i played it more and more i started to see what it's all about. Still, tit took me some time to sing the chorouses in the shower.

So overall it definately deserves 8/10 and let's hope that the next installment in the saga is equally good or perhaps even better!
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Procrastinate, NOW!
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21.10.2008 - 07:12
Rating: 7
Nicko's Nose

Originality: 8? That's a joke, right? Schaffer has been rehashing the same riffs since a while...

Its not a bad album at all, but its nothing special.
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08.12.2008 - 17:53
Rating: 10
Zephoid

I think that this album is one of the best Iced Earth albums existing.
Regarding The Ripper, I feel he did a great job in preserving the important image of Iced Earth. That being the Uplifting, crazed screams of classic Iced Earth. He didnt do a bad job of covering the low, growling type lyrics in this album, I think it was decently done.

If this album doesnt make you feel like running around screaming "Framing Armagedon" then you need to have another listen.

Many great things in the album 9/10
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19.12.2008 - 20:03
FariD AzadI

I listen this album not only as a metal album....its a soundtrack....I follow the story.....jon wanted to tell his story by songs..and he did it....I like the story and I like the songs aouse the songs completly fit the lyrics.in other hand...the songs are great metal song...i go crazy when I listen 10000 strong,framing armageddon,something wicked part1,and others.
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29.12.2016 - 01:05
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Only good song is 10000 strong, others are below IE, this album begins IEc era when few songs in album are good, rest weak, before it was basically album band
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Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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