Customer Reviews

Box of the Wicked

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I wont go into too much detail but only to say that the release would have been better if Barlow would have done the vocals for Framing Armageddon. I don't know if this release has the blessing of Schaffer, but he did promise us a complete "Something Wicked" with Matt Barlow on vocals. I guess it isn't going to happen.

I haven't listened to all of it yet, but it appears to be yet another re-release of material already available. The price is great due to downloading from the MP3, but other than that, it is a disappointing release. I give it 4 stars just because it is IE.

So I just recently got this box set and I have to say if you're new to Iced Earth this might not be the best introduction. It's an amazing box set, but this is a pretty intense intro. Basically the whole box has the entire Wicked saga included. Most of the vocals are done by Matt Barlow, but Framing Armageddon is Tim Owens. The story goes that years ago there were these guys named the Sentians who were magic. Man tried to kill them so they had to hide and then they create the anti-christ. So lets start out with the beginning. The last three songs on Something Wicked This Way comes lays out the intro to the story. Those three songs are included in the box set sung by Barlow and of course, they are amazing. Then you've got Framing Armageddon which is sung by Ripper. This album doesn't hold a candle to the rest of the saga, but it's Iced Earth and the song Framing Armageddon is probably the best "single" in the whole set if such a thing actually exists here. Then you've got the Crucible of Man and I have to say that this is some of Iced Earths best work. This is Dark Saga or Night of the Stormrider on some serious uppers. It's about as "power metal" as you can get. From start to finish it's heavy. Even the slow songs are heavy. It's Framing Armageddon without all the instrumentals and ballads breaking up the pace. I'm serious. Put this in your cars stereo, press down on the accelerator and hold on seriously tight. This album will melt your face and that will make driving very difficult. After that you've got a cardboard disc thrown in with Barlow singing a couple of songs on Framing Armageddon. This bonus CD really shows the difference between Barlow and Ripper. I mean no disrespect but if Barlow is a pit bull this cd shows that Ripper is just a mean mutt. If you aren't a huge Iced Earth fan and just want to hear a cool story album with some serious, serious power metal just buy Crucible of Man. Next to Something Wicked This Way Comes or Burnt Offerings this could just be Iced Earths best album. If you've been turned off by Dark Saga and Night of the Stormrider due to the narrative putting the music on the back burner then Crucible of Man is the album you've been waiting for. But all together if you'd like to hear the whole Wicked saga in one sha-bang this is the way to go. Consider too the price of both albums combined almost cost as much as the box set so it's a great value. Feel confident buying this box set.

I love Iced Earth and Something wicked story. I believe that Tim Owens has done a great job on the 1st part, Matt came a long on the second part to sing songs which were already prepared for Tim Ownens and did a great job too.

To be honest, when I heard that Box of the Wicked is going to be released I thought that Matt will re-sing the whole thing and the bonuses would be better than 3 live songs and 1 song re-recorded and most of us already own it! I am disappointed, but I will buy it for my friend who didn't listen to those albums and not for myself because I already own the whole thing.

I wish Jon would reconsider letting Matt sing the whole 1st part.
I give it 5 stars for the price and the packaging and the musical content not the bonus!

Bought this for $40 about 2 weeks ago. Figured I still haven't heard Framing Armageddon or Crucible of Man, so why not go all out? Needless to say both albums floored me. I wasn't too excited about the rest of the content like Overture of the Wicked, or the Walk Alone EP. I really like Tim Owen's vocals off Framing but the bonus disc with Barlow redoing "A Charge To Keep" was really a great treat. Now that he's moving on from the band I suppose this is all we'll ever have of him doing anything off Framing Armageddon. The live tracks were a little crackly recording-wise, but sounds like the band was in top form. Amazing how great Matt sounds live!

My favorite other item was the Framing Armageddon poster with ol' Set Abominae, which actually was the main selling point of me getting this instead of the other two Something Wicked albums separately. I also was fond of the bonus liner note booklet. That a keen addition.

All in all I'm pleased and thought it was $40 well spent. What would I have changed? Perhaps leave out the Walk Alone EP and Overture, and instead include a miniature working hourglass replica like the one on the cover. Of course that may have bumped the price up a tad more...cheers!

It was a hard to find item and what we were looking for it was great.

In the idealization of "classic metal" antiquarianism, Iced Earth are intentionally derivative of the worst aspects of the genre.

Inaudible basslines that don't do anything? Check. Boring manchild comic book themes? Check. Formulaic thrasher/ballad x 5 album structures? Check. Dumb, swaggering patriotism? Check. A mix of gallop riffs and palm muting that does little to distinguish itself from Metallica and Iron Maiden? Check.

One of their songs is called "I Died For You," and it's totally genuine/unironic. That's always pretty funny to me. You died for me? Geez dude, I dunno what to say. Sorry.

Iced Earth are on the level of Insane Clown Posse, Brokencyde and Nickelback and that ilk in their pandering and creative stagnancy.