Overture of the Wicked - Dark Publications

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Editorial Reviews:

Album Description
America's most successful pure Heavy Metal band has returned with the kickoff for their most ambitious project to date! Iced Earth have long been known as the champions of American Metal and have consistently delivered absolute quality for their legions of fans. Overture Of The Wicked is the opening salvo in their forthcoming two-part series that continues their famed Something Wicked This Way Comes series. The Overture Of The Wicked CDS contains a brand new song along with a re-recording of some of the Something Wicked... material. The first shot has been fired and Iced Earth is back!

Customer Reviews: Read 23 more reviews...

4 out of 5 stars

Somewhat better, somewhat worse June 5, 2007
9 out of 10 found this review helpful

Looking at their latest work as a decade-long Iced Earth fan - and, I must boast, I managed to get this a few days before the official release date - I guess the first aspect to discuss is the vocal change from the trilogy's original form. (That was where my IE saga began - I picked up "Something Wicked" because the cover art looked cool.) Of course Tim Owens is an impressive singer but I really can't give him much more praise than that, except to say he was with them in Dallas when I saw them live for the first time. He was awesome on stage, maybe even better than his studio work because he could be a little more raw. But without any doubt, the band showed me for the second time that the sheer physical power and range and emotional fury of Matthew Barlow's voice have no equal. It's the same with "Overture," for there are times when Owens just sounds like he's not into what he's doing.
As for the music, it's much darker (less melodic) than the 1998 version of the band's first original epic. The rhythm guitar is down-tuned, and several of the lead harmonies are played at lower pitches to make the sound more ominous. Here we have a slightly extended remake - the trilogy clocks in at a minute or two shorter than the original - but the 4-minute "Ten Thousand Strong" kicks off the new edition as a prelude to the "Set vs. humanity" story. I don't want to give away much detail about the revisited material, so I'll mainly give a teaser about the opener. It's no big departure from most of their songs: it starts with an aggressive riff and pounding drums, eases up a bit between verses and during the chorus, and there's no guitar solo but Owens overlaps the background vocals with fragments of the chorus to create some interesting harmonies.
The drum work is particularly worth mentioning because Brent Smedley returns to execute stunning, machine-precision bass drum synchronization with Jon Schaffer's jackhammer-speed guitar riffs, very reminiscent of Fear Factory. This is done throughout the trilogy, whereas Smedley kept it simple in '98 with a steady (even monotonous) double-bass pattern of eighth notes. If you didn't check the liner notes, you'd think Richard Christy was still around for such perfect, beastly timekeeping. Also, the sound quality is much improved so the drums come through loud and clear this time.
The last thing to note is the addition of some exotic vocal lines (male and female) that give the final track a Middle-Eastern feel, replacing the Gregorian chant-style chorus that concludes the initial trilogy. This alteration certainly goes with the Egyptian artwork on the cover (Set's ankh), as well as that in the "Something Wicked" booklet (animal hieroglyphics, obelisks, pyramids, the Sphinx and so on).
Reflecting on the band's most advanced songwriting, "Dante's Inferno" condensed the literary masterpiece into 16 breathtaking minutes, with astonishing tempo and mood changes to signify the passage through each circle of Hell, not to mention vivid visual cues of a 185-page work (by my copy). I don't know if anything else they ever write can be as cool as that. "The Suffering" did a terrific job of scaling down the Spawn comic book a year before the movie was released, although "A Question of Heaven" is by far my favorite of that grouping. Then, after "Wicked," there was "Gettysburg," which, as an American and a major history buff, leaves me in stunned silence every time.
So while I await the completion of the two-part work Schaffer's been talking about, after hearing this three or four times I can't say I've been blown away, but (except vocally) it's leaner, meaner, tighter and pretty damn good - definitely something all IE fans should have to chart the band's evolution over the last 10 years.

1 out of 5 stars

Oh how the mighty fall June 13, 2007
9 out of 18 found this review helpful

Iced Earth used to be like gods to me, my heroes even. They were the epitome of musical achievement in all aspects for over ten years of my life, inspiring in me the determination to make my own band something worthwhile. Then, to my despair, master vocalist Matthew Barlow left the band. Granted he had a good reason but Iced Earth just has not been the same without him. New singer Tim Owen, from Judas Priest I believe, falls short of living up to his predecessor in every aspect. I'm not a huge fan of The Glorious Burden for this very reason, but at least musically and lyrically the album was very impressive. A well written, if poorly sung, effort by John. Then along comes this EP. The song Ten Thousand Strong is a boring monotonous letdown no matter how you look at it. Tim's high pitched whining hurts my eyes and the repetitious music and constant repeating of the refrain is more suited to the style of Disturbed than Iced Earth. Then comes the re-recorded version of the something wicked trilogy. These three songs were once a highlight of an already crowing album. Having them performed by Timmy is an absolute insult not only to what these glorious songs once were but to Matt Barlow as well. I have to say for once I am NOT looking forward to Iced Earth's new album. Sorry guys but you can do so much better than this.

2 out of 5 stars

Ripper isn't the problem June 9, 2007
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

I thought the mixing was horrible. The guitars in the 1st two parts of the trilogy were ok. Get to the Coming Curse and it's almost inaudible due to the kick drums. Also gone is the piano intro from the The Coming Curse.

I see only the most ardent IE fan being completely satisfied with this. Everyone else buy at your own risk.

5 out of 5 stars

Cant wait for the rest!!! June 7, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

OK first I have listened to Iced Earth since their first album back in 91'. Still to this day Burnt offerings is my favorite album, not only for the introduction of one of the best singers in the field but I loved the music and lyrics too. Now to this dilemma of who's the best. I love Barlows voice I really like Owen's voice too. Its the same old argument from the 80's between Dickinson and Halford. Heres my take Barlow/Dickinson have great story telling voice's full of emotion/power and range. Halford/Owens have a great powerful anthem voice's. Now this was true for me until I heard (Tim not Tom)Owens sing the Gettysburg's Trilogy I was blown away by the blame felt in the end that Lee was feeling through Owens voice. Yes I am a Barlow fan but I think Owens was a very competent replacement that handles the job well not like Dickinsons replacement back in the 90's. Beside Shaffer could have done worse not close like he did. And Barlow is back although not with a heavy enough band to my ears but I will definitely give it a listen. OK just my thoughts dont freak out.
Now I really was not into The Something Wicked CD all that much, its good don't get me wrong, and it was great live. It just didn't grab me like Burnt Offerings/The Dark Saga. Now after listening to this remake I actually like it quite a bit more than the original. The music feels more intune to the lyrics. I also think Owens did a great job at singing it. Not knocking Barlow in anyway his voice would have fit very nicely with the new arrangement. I also like the whole new background singing and music its more fitting to the era. Now the new song is a little short and seems to slice in quick and begone then it's on to the trilogy. Its good and definitely makes you want to hear the rest of the songs. It just feels like a left over from the Gettysburg CD, but that's what I am used to hearing from the Owens/Shaffer Combo so its out of context until it is put into the whole in September. I am looking forward to the rest of the story.

Just a quick response to all the nay sayers if you don't like it listen to the original only. As I've said I like both for different reasons. Also after more listens to both I do miss the piano version too.

2 out of 5 stars

Barlow!!! we need you! August 21, 2007
2 out of 6 found this review helpful

The remake is bad.....Owens sounds like hes trying to sing like Bruce Dickenson and it takes away the fury that Barlow had. Get Barlow back please!!!!! Oewns can sing, but I am tired of his weak effort. Iced Earth needs Barlow. I have listened to a long interview with Shaffer and he basically thinks that HE is all the band needs, he is grossly wrong. He even went as far as to make fun of bands like Manowar and Helloween. Bands that have been around much longer than him. Shame on him!

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