Iced Earth - FramingArmageddon (SomethingWicked Part 1)

Wed 31st Oct, 2007 in Music Reviews

Iced Earth – Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked Part 1)
SPV/Riot

For those of you who heard the last album for US power metal band Iced Earth, Something Wicked This Way Comes, you will know that there was a trilogy in the final twenty minutes of it. That trilogy was an overview, and this release, Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked Part 1) is the first instalment of that trilogy in full.

The story of the trilogy goes something like this: The human race invaded Earth, which is how they came to be here, and how they massacred the Setians (the native occupiers of the planet); the Setians were descendants of the Grand Architect of the Universe, and were wise and peaceful people. A few of the Setians survive, but they hide for thousands of years and wait for the One chosen by the prophecy who would make them reclaim their world. In the meantime, they blend in with human societies, divide them and have a big impact on the history of humankind. At the end of the trilogy the Set Abominae is reborn and the wait is finally over.

With the Something Wicked trilogy, Iced Earth are bringing us a truly epic story; few bands would ever attempt something so complex and so long drawn-out, as it’s been ten years in the making.

While Iced Earth deliver a sound that you would expect from a power metal band—meaning that this won’t appeal to everybody—the album is less of just an album you’d listen to, than a story that you’d be told. The music complements the story, bringing out the moods and events, and all of the parts are tightly focused, and tightly woven together. You get thrash here, you get power metal here, you get acoustics and instrumental. Tim Owens’ vocals are great, he has an enormous vocal range that is well-controlled and complementary.

The album as a whole is highly polished, and many reviewers consider it the band’s best ever production. Having not heard much of their previous work, I’m not going to lay the same claim on the table, but I’ll put it out there for those who might be interested. Given that this release is so good, and gives us the first part of the story, I am waiting with impatience the second part to see what the band can deliver as a follow up to this recording. I really hope it’s not a disappointment, because this album clocks in at roughly 68 minutes and yet still feels kinda short because it really is part of an opus..

I am personally not much into this music, but I think that this album is really good, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed listening to it. However, I think that (for some listeners) if you don’t know the story, or you haven’t gone and had a look at the lyrics, then the music would be less meaningful. The story is integral to this album and to its understanding.Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked Part 1) is out now on SPV/Riot.