Iced Earth's Reviews

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Metal never got more Wicked

I now own nearly every IE album, and can honestly say that this is the best one. Their sound ranges from classic Iced Earth to old school Metallica, with some Blind Guardian and Iron Maiden spice thrown in, all mixed in with an increadible new IE sound that will impress all.

Absolutely everyone can find something to like in this album. If you like it raw and in-your-face, Burning Times and Stand Alone will appeal to you most. If you're like me and prefer a bit more melody, most of the other songs will turn you on like you wouldnt believe. Even my mom likes some of the songs on this album. The only song I can say I don't really like is Deciples of the Lie. It is one of only two IE songs that fall into that catagory. Dispite that, however, the album as a whole is absolutely increadible.

Here are the highlites of this album (there are a lot of them)

Melancholy (Holy Martyr) is the song that initially got me hooked on Iced Earth, and it remains in my top five list of IE songs. It has an increadible chorus and a melody that refuses to leave your head.

Watching Over Me, a song generally labeled as a ballad, has a similarly increadible melody. Personally, I'm not sure I could classify it fully as a ballad, for it is still distinctly metal music, and above all, Iced Earth.

1776 is a true hard rock instrumental, something that has not been done since Metallica's To Live Is To Die. It is all too short, but undeniably powerful. You will not tire of it. If you other young'uns out there havnt heard a good instrumental, try this one. It will change the way you look at rock.

Blessed Are You has the feel of Watching Over Me with a bit faster pace and even catchier chorus. I can say little other than listen to it. You will see what I mean.

The Something Wicked Trilogy that wraps this album up is one of the greatest musical feats in history, if not the best. In my mind it should be taken first as a whole, which can be broken down into three movements. This is Iced Earth at its finest:

Prophecy: Perhaps the best single Iced Earth song to date, Prophecy starts off slow and melodic, forming the basis of the Something Wicked story. About half way through it shifts, in a way that only Iced Earth is capable of doing, to hard metal the way it was meant to be. Matt Barlow (the vocalist) is at his very best in this song. Words cannot describe the feeling this song will give you.

Birth of the Wicked: Harder and faster than Prophecy, Birth of the Wicked is an intoxicating song remeniscent of IE's third album, Burnt Offerings, with that distinct Something Wicked twist.

The Coming Curse: This song caps off the Something Wicked Trilogy, and does so perfectly. It opens with 90 seconds of calming piano solo that will give you chills every time you hear it, because you know what is coming. The piano silences and the guitar smacks you in the face. It is nine minutes of pure extacy.

Any one of these songs, with the exception of Deciples of the Lie, are worth buying the cd for. But throw them all together, and you have something that rivals the very best of Metallica. To this day I cannot decide if I like Metallica or Iced Earth better (and i'm talking about musically, not the napster debacle or any of that). Trust me, once you try Iced Earth, you'll wonder how you lived without them. I do not give out five stars lightly, but, dispite its shortfall in Deciples, this album deserves six stars.

And after you buy this album, try Burnt Offerings, The Dark Saga, and the rest. IE has some of the greatest guitar work ever. Also check out Blind Guardian and Metallica. Blind Guardian is more melodic and includes a more symphonic sound, that may surprise some 'hardcore' people out there. The music is distinctly different than IE, but still excellent. Jon Shaffer of IE also did a joint project with Hansi of BG called Demons and Wizards. You will find it throws the harmonies of BG into the forboding guitar work of IE to create an amazing sound. And if you're not wild about Metallica already, go back and listen with an open mind. Try to ignore any prejudices against the attitude of the band members and focus instead on the music, as music is intended, and you may find you like it. Even Load and Reload (though I won't make the same claim for St. Anger). Anyway, enough about them, for now, buy Something Wicked This Way Comes.

Buy this album on Amazon at $14.99