So here we have
Iced Earth's latest over achieving masterpiece. Truthfully, despite an undercurrent of underground popularity boom that has occurred on and off over the years, they haven't done much to shift the public's perception and acceptance of metal as much as many would have hoped. The 1998 brush with excellence in "Something Wicked This Way Comes" has not been duplicated despite attempts to overcome the trends and land another album equally huge. That particular disc had plenty of metal haughtiness elements to lure in the sword-waving fantasy fans and enough metallic nastiness in the traditional Priest/Maiden vein to make devotees of the more "pure" type to flock to the alter of
Iced Earth as well. Even it's long songs (which are not as openly tolerated in non power metal or prog circles) were welcome by the general metal buying populace. Their aspirations to true greatness were acknowledged and "Wicked" landed a solid place among the classics of that era. Literally, it was an album that allowed the metal genre to sneak back onto store shelves due to its swaggering accessibility - even if the small spaces the disc help reclaim on these said shelves was small, crampy and quite dusty.
Then
Iced Earth did their silly little "Horror Show" and managed to lose their vocalist, who was one of the main distinct driving forces of the band. A vocalist like that - masculine voice that doesn't get so growly that you have to check and make sure its not some
Metallica ripoff - is a real treasure and hard to replace. Since Matt Barlow was the very essence of the "everyman" metal voice, sticking someone else in the spot kind of left
Iced Earth feeling a little, well, cold. Tackling the very manly historic theme of the Civil War, but not as mysteriously fascinating strangeness of mummies or the heaven/hell Spawn universe, in "The Glorious Burden" kept some at bay. Sure, it was a decent disc, being loud and full of guitars and epic pieces and all that, but the missing pipes of Barlow and the tedious refrains and caterwauling of ex-Judas Priest screecher left it on store shelves, whereas "Wicked" could barely be kept there.
So I suppose they managed to see the gem that that previous disc was and decided to revisit it. For 2007 we are treated to a semi-sequel of sorts in the name of
"Framing Armaggedon". Its a farming of the past to appeal to the future. Ripper sounds more natural here in the darker and sharper written territory that was mistreated missing in "Burden".
"Framing" takes the 20 minute epic "Something Wicked" song trilogy from the album of the same name and expands on it into a full nineteen track album. It was their brush with glory, why not try and reclaim it by using the same formula? Unsurprisingly, if that chunk of "Wicked" could stay entertaining, fresh and eerily Egyptian inspiring, then it's not such a far stretch to imagine a full blown album being capable of holding the same kind of unrelenting spell. The disc teems with intelligence built around the solid framework of guitar riffs and an enchanting symphonic background deeply swirled in middle eastern stylings. It's a serious album that is chunky, unrepentingly sworn to the kingdom of metal and one that does not forsake its thrashy roots. Yet it doesn't flaunt them, and uses that untamed touch of their prior life to enrich the music on
"Framing", honing it to a sharp, dangerous edge. A faultless album, but sometimes a frustrating one.
It's Science Fiction and strange, the story unfolding about mankind's invasion of earth, the occupants of the planet being the foremost descendants of what is known as "the Grand Architect of the Universe" (a kind of god one would imagine). Known as the Setians, they are the Earth's most ancient culture and are considered to be the wisest, most peaceful race in existance. Of course things are never quite that simple as you will see in the unfolding of
"Framing", and its cliffhanger like ending. One that poses a multitude of questions and a hungry yearning for the final chapter of this far fetched tale bathed in Sci-Fi cliches of an alternate history and Earth.
One of the disappointments lies with Ripper Owens himself. He has never been able to claim a place among that upper echelon of beloved metal shouters alongside Bruce Dickinson, Dio,
Halford (and et cetera) even when fronting such a prestigous metal outfit as Judas Priest. He was their curiosity for an album, and their greatest liability. Here he does
Iced Earth's opus no favors by sounding quite restrained. Like a wild animal caged that is unable to unleash its full furious abilities. Beyond a few well placed shrieks, he services the material but never awes. A key something that Barlow did quite often and those few breaks of sheer excellence are missed.
Plus there are almost as many sonic doodlings and dramatic openings as a Rhapsody album. Some of these include cheesy effects straight out of a B movie "made for TV" or "straight to video" Sci Fi flick or marching orders given by Owens. Oh dear.
"The Clouding" is a song that is more mess than masterpiece, as it contains a smattering of noteworthy moments and energizing guitar breaks, but suffers from its own importance and musical shifts.
Iced Earth is trying to become the next
Pink Floyd here and the long, slowly grinding monotony preys on the listener's patience despite having one of the more haunting vocal excursions of the album.
Yet Schaffer and company slams into overdrive for
"Ten Thousand Strong", which is built up by an intro piece called
"Reflections". Heavy, powerful and slamming down a style that is part American metal and part German influenced, it sounds grand, metallic and haunting - in an adrenaline drunk manner.
"The Domino Decree" blends progressive rock into a sleeker package than
"Clouding". Swirling keys, a stirring atmosphere and music written by a deft hand makes this to be a lower key treat of the disc.
"When Stars Collide" sends a spidery series of shivers up the spine by wrapping a massive chorus up into a doomsday workup that trods and threatens like thick, black stormclouds hovering on a menacing horizon. The air thick with foreboding thunder and heavy with the promise of a metallic torrent.
"Infiltrate and Assimilate" is a fleet footed, completely aggressive track that harkens back to simpler, heavier times. It burns the restlessness out in one big burst of breathtaking speed and energy. A unique touch lies in the closer, an Egyptian flirting classical piece that settles on vocals called
"The Awakening". It's a strange promising closure that leaves more questions than soul settling answers.
Fans of the very earliest
Iced Earth are going to walk away with a cloud of disappointment drizzling over their heads, there's simply no way around it. This finely honed symphonic power act has separated itself quite severely from the days of raw thrash as seen on "Stormrider" and "Burnt Offerings". As compositions go,
"Framing" has much to offer in the way of interesting storytelling and some nice thick songs to back it up. The lyrics may seem cumbersome, as Schaffer tries to shove his story into something musically pleasing - and other than a few other downfalls - this is a very solid disc. Does it compete with it's acclaimed elder - the beloved "Something Wicked"? Perhaps not. But it is intensely entertaining for those familiar with that particular disc to continue the storyline here in
"Framing Armageddon: Something Wicked Pt. 1".
Written by
Alanna Monday, October 29, 2007
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