Iced Earth's Reviews
Something Wicked This Way Comes (Average Rating: 8.94 out of 10)
Straight-out Metal (Rated this album with 6 out of 10)
Reviewed by
Daniel Solera
from Evanston, IL USA
Firstly, Iced Earth is a band who knows how to make album covers. "Eye-candy" doesn't come close to describing the sheer aesthetic perfection that it achieves. But this doesn't necessarily belittle their music. My review could be a bit more complete were I to have listened to all of their work prior to this album, which I sadly have not. But you will find varied feedback from me on "Something Wicked This Way Comes".For some odd reason, I had always associated Iced Earth with Blind Guardian (they toured together, they thank each other in their Credits, BG also has nice covers). This association was a weak and incorrect one. Iced Earth is much more raw and straight-out (as opposed to Blind Guardian, which is more polished and elaborate). One could consider Iced Earth as the midpoint between Blind Guardian and In Flames. But let's get down to the album. The album can be encapsulated by the opening song, "Burning Times", a song that demonstrates Iced Earth's musical variety: showcasing harmonizing guitars, singer Matthew Barlow's impressive vocal range (at times sounding like Hansi Kürsch of Blind Guardian) and riffs that belong with the likes of Metallica. But the truly stand-alone tracks include "Melancholy (Holy Martyr)", "Blessed Are You" (which sounds a lot like "Melancholy"), "Watching Over Me" and the instrumental masterpiece "1776". Ironically, though, the best songs from these metal lords are often the softer ones. Just as Disturbed has "Darkness", In Flames has "Metaphor" and Ill Niño has "With You", Iced Earth has "Consequences". The song opens with an acoustic riff similar to that of newer Queensryche, and slowly builds intensity. Like the über-melodic "Watching Over Me", the song is a pleasure to listen, time and time again. The album is entertaining. However, their musical style as a whole, at times, lacks in innovation. Apart from the harmonizing guitars and infectious riffs, there is little variation from song to song (with the exception of "Consequences"). The songs are good, but on the 20th listen, they will still be good, and not great. They're definitely worth a listen and a chance. The album, although wicked in tone, is not wicked in melody.
Buy this album on Amazon at $14.99
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