Something Wicked This Way Comes

Iced Earth | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 7, 1998)
• Original Release Date: July 7, 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Century Media
• ASIN: B000009EAD
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (158 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #65,890 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Burning Times

2. Melancholy (Holy Martyr)

3. Disciples of the Lie

4. Watching Over Me

5. Stand Alone

6. Consequences

7. My Own Savior

8. The Reaping Stone

9. 1776 [Instrumental] [Instrumental]

10. Blessed Are You

11. Prophecy

12. Birth of the Wicked

Editorial Reviews

Limited 2008 edition of Iced Earth's 1998 reissued and remastered album Something Wicked This Comes. Iced Earth consists of Matthew Barlow (vocals); Jon Schaffer (guitar, background vocals) and James MacDonough (bass). Additional personnel includes: Jim Morris (guitar, keyboards); Larry Tarnowski (guitar); Roger Hughes (violin); Susan McQuinn (flute). Recorded at Morrisound Studios, Tampa, Florida in March 1998. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Today's torchbearers of classic heavy metal., November 22, 2001

By 

Lord Chimp (Monkey World) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Something Wicked This Way Comes (Audio CD)

Iced Earth has their fair share of detractors who accuse them of being unoriginal. It's impossible to deny that they are not a groundbreaking band, but at the same time they are entirely unique. A combination of 80s thrash Metallica and Iron Maiden's storytelling and melodic songwriting, they work for me on many levels. For one thing, there are not many bands around making this kind of music...that is, down-to-earth heavy metal. Furthermore, no band of comparable style can compare to Iced Earth's stellar songwriting ability, passion, and integrity. Jon Schaffer's soul is in this music. Also, there is no rhythm guitarist who can match Schaffer's unique style, which is bone-crushingly heavy with intricate use of triplets and 16th notes. Awesome stuff! But is Iced Earth a genre-smashing, innovative band? Not really.

"If you don't do it first or better, you shouldn't do it." So Iced Earth didn't do it first. What becomes important is how Iced Earth -- in pretty much every way -- transcends the music of their influences. Credit guitarist Jon Schaffer, who merges muscular, dense, thrash-inflected riffery with a melodic subtlety that few metal bands in history have matched. The thick, fiercely heavy grooves are inescapable -- the devastating thrash-driven "Stand Alone"; the machine-gun like riffing of "My Own Savior." However, that melodic quality persists, especially on dynamic tracks that balance big riffs with quiet acoustic moments. "Watching Over Me" layers clean notes of electric guitars over soft acoustic chords. For the chorus, it kicks into high gear with massive, anthemic power chords. For music with such brutal power, it's amazing how the songs possess hooks that snag your ears.

Then there's vocalist Matt Barlow, whose sonorous baritone voice is unique, ferocious, and powerful. If you don't think he's one of the best, most dynamic voices in metal, you must come from another planet. (A planet I won't be visiting any time soon!) When you compare the emotive, soulful performance of "Watching Over Me" to the nigh-feral screams of "Disciples of the Lie," it's difficult to imagine that this is the same singer. This dynamic quality, along with the sheer richness of his tone, is incredible. "Watching Over Me" also shows that Iced Earth is a metal band capable of showing human warmth, which is due in no small part to Barlow (Schaffer's personal lyric -- about the death of a close friend -- helps, too).

The songs soar, and they're indelible too. Rarely can music so heavy be coupled with choruses you want to sing along with. "Stand Alone" has a hook that's impossible to resist, with the kind of rousing chorus that makes you want to raise your fist into the air. "Blessed Are You" is one of the many songs balancing quiet acoustic passages with massive, concentrated riffing. I never thought a song that talks about "children of the night" could have such an inspiring chorus. ("Blessed are you | Blessed am I | Children of the night...") "Disciples of the Lie" is pure, unadulterated thrash...something I haven't heard in a long time! The lyrics to "Consequences" read out more like a speech than poetry (subtlety, Schaffer, subtlety!), but the music is incredible, a powerful rock ballad. "1776" is a Maiden-esque instrumental, but with way heavier guitars. Big, anthem-like riffing, nuance-filled drums, and delicate overlays of flutes make for one of the finest straight metal instrumentals in years. "The Reaping Stone" reminds me a bit of Metallica's "The Thing That Should Not Be," but with an explosive fast & heavy section that hits you like a derailed train.

Some bands like to save the best for last. Iced Earth arguably does so here, concluding the album with a trilogy of songs that tells the possible story of "something wicked" that will bring about the downfall of the human race. (Uh oh!) Part 3, "The Coming Curse," brings forth Schaffer's progressive leanings. The 9-minute track starts with a harrowing piano overture setting a dismal tone. This mood is shattered by mammoth, aggressively-paced riffing. A quiet interlude brings back a theme from part 1, "Prophecy," and melds it with male & female opera vocals for atmosphere. You have to hear this song.

Well, take that recommendation further. You have to hear this album...and this band. If you were into heavy metal in the 80s and are disgusted with the corruption of the genre, don't walk, RUN and buy this album. Iced Earth may become your bastion of hope for the survival of true, uncompromising heavy metal.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE Definitive Iced Earth!, February 18, 2003

By 

Barry Dejasu "the_otherness" (Rehoboth, Massachusetts) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Something Wicked This Way Comes (Audio CD)

This is, without a doubt, THE definitive Iced Earth album. Heavy, fast, intense at times; light, slow, quiet at others. This is the album to buy if you're first getting into Iced Earth. It shows the best of everyone's abilities; band leader/rhythm guitarist/songwriter John Schaffer's heavy riffs and melodies, not to mention his superb songwriting skills, are among their best here. Matthew Barlow shows off the best of his vocal ranges on this album, hitting such high screeches and deep growls...one of the best vocalists alive, that's for sure. And Larry Tarnowski's lead guitar riffs are superb, as always. This album is full of unpredictable moments of heaviness and melody, except in the way the songs were arranged: heavy-soft-heavy-soft-heavy-soft-heavy-swaggering-heavy...and then there's the "Something Wicked" trilogy at the end. I'll get to that later. Meanwhile, a song-by-song review:

BURNING TIMES--"It doesn't matter what you've done, in my words you are a sinner..." I get chills every time at Matthew Barlow's growls in the chorus. A fairly fast-paced riff masterpiece, (with bells chiming at the beginning and end, similar to NIGHT OF THE STORMRIDER's "Angel's Holocaust", this is a great album-starter.

MELANCHOLY (HOLY MARTYR)--At first I was somewhat unimpressed by this song, mostly for the gentle, quivering, almost weak vocals at the beginning, but since then I've learned that this is a song about Christ on the cross, and his resulting sorrow--and I realized the vocals couldn't have been better. Soft acoustic passages in the intro and verses are nice breathers before heavier, lingering riffs and a beautiful solo.

DISCIPLES OF THE LIE--WOW! Probably one of the heaviest songs on the album, not to mention most intense. Starts off fast, ends fast. Matthew's howls of fury in the chorus...mindblowing. Drums really stand out in this song, too. Instead of a guitar solo, there is a haunting keyboard solo over the rhythm section, and then the vocals and guitars kick back in behind it...ooooh, good stuff.

WATCHING OVER ME--A good breather after "Disciples", this is a wonderful tribute to a late friend of John Schaffer's, who died in a motorcycle accident shortly before Iced Earth's first album came out. Quiet acoustic passages and a wonderful solo (performed by producer Jim Morris). Excellent stuff.

STAND ALONE--Far better than Godsmack's recent song of the same name (no relation otherwise), and with a better message: "Listen not to ones who preach/ Those who feel you're a freak...". This is a good song to listen to when depressed from peer torment. Excellent, heavy, angry, but soothing. Gotta love the little post-chorus solos! And whoever said this ... Metallica's "Blackened" should see a psychiatrist.

CONSEQUENCES--And back to the mellow...wow...this is a song that deserves lighters held high. Sad, quiet choruses, acoustic/clean electric guitars...the whole song is quiet for the most part, until the bridge, where heavier riffs come in to back a powerful and climatic solo. Matthew Barlow's screeches at the end of the bridge are perfect. My favorite slow song on here.

MY OWN SAVIOR--Great headbanging song. Fast, intense, and a good "... off" chorus to shout at while blaring this from your stereo. I love the quieter pre-chorus parts; sort of a place to take a breather before screaming your head off. Yeah, DEFINATELY a good headbanging song.

REAPING STONE--This is the only song on the album that I'd give less than 5 stars to. It's Iced Earth, don't get me wrong, but...it seems to "swagger" too much. The lyrics start off interesting, with a woman lost in the woods who runs accross some cursed "reaping stone", but then the rest of the song seems too focused on the seductive words of the reaping stone, as sung to her. It might have been better if the song described just what was happening to her. Good music though; the bridge is reminiscent of Metallica's "The Thing That Should Not Be"--NOT a ..., but SIMILAR. I like it like that. Okay song, but my least favorite on the album, possibly out of all Iced Earth's stuff.

1776--INSTRUMENTAL TIME! This song is fast, intense, amazing! Furiously lightning-paced, and a beautiful flute solo over a good drumroll in the bridge. Excellent instrumental, one of my all-time favorites from Iced Earth!

BLESSED ARE YOU--This is a song dedicated to all the millions of fans of Iced Earth out there; heavy yet melodic, with a great opening of clean guitars and singing. A great way of saying thanks--YOU ARE VERY WELCOME!

------SOMETHING WICKED (trilogy)-------

PROPHECY--My favorite song out of the trilogy, quite possibly on the whole album. Good 'n' heavy, nice guitar solo, and a couple sweet bass solos! Best part of the song would have to be just before the bridge, where the tempo rears up like some gigantic beast, then launches into this ultra-heavy and fast thrash monster. While the song is generally heavy throughout, the chorus riffs are so heavy and perfect...OOH! ...and then there's the plot. Ages ago, a race of beings foresaw the coming of the human race, which would threaten to wipe them extinct. They seek to create a savior for their kind, who will be born aeons later to wreak havoc on mankind. A chilling, Lovecraftian plot, this song ends with an honestly frightening (to me, anyway) sound: the tick-tock of a clock, signifying the passing of time as they prepare to bring about our doom.

BIRTH OF THE WICKED--The Watcher has been born! The story continues through this fast thrash piece, but not as chilling (to me) as "Prophecy".

THE COMING CURSE--The Watcher has begun his wreaking of havoc upon all! Here we find that he has begun the absolute apocalypse. John Schaffer stated that this trilogy of songs is sort of a precursor to a whole other story, one which we can assume will be a future concept album as the Watcher brings about the end of mankind and the return of his own kind. Can't wait!

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars No Mere Imitators, December 3, 2002

By 

James F. Colobus (Pittsburgh, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Something Wicked This Way Comes (Audio CD)

On a recent Saturday night around 2 A.M., I was zooming across the Pennsylvania border from Ohio for reasons I probably shouldn't get into here. The closing trilogy from Iced Earth's Something Wicked This Way Comes was blasting from my stereo speakers. Bleary eyed and exhausted from a long night of driving, I still couldn't help but be moved by the virtuosity of Iced Earth's classy power/thrash metal attack. Banging my head and singing along, I ventured ever closer to the Steel City.

What's that? You say Iced Earth are nothing more than Metallica, Iron Maiden, and Queensryche imitators?

I'm of half a mind to terminate this review right here. With your callous comments about Iced Earth, you've managed to upset me and spoil my review-writing mood.

Okay, I've taken a break to enjoy a meal at My Ngoc where I had the chance to relax and cool off. I've thought about it and decided that I'm not going to let you get to me anymore. I know I've said it before, but this time I really mean it. However, for the record and for your benefit, let me state the following: Iced Earth are more than just derivative of their influences. Sure they sound like they've been influenced by their musical predecessors, but name me one band that sounds like it has no influences. Iced Earth use the inspiration provided by their musical heroes to create some of the highest quality power metal around. Something Wicked This Way Comes is the sort of album I'd play with my metal-loving buddies over a couple of six-packs if I had any buddies who listened to metal and I didn't feel like I've been poisoned virtually every time I drink alcohol.

Something Wicked This Way Comes is one of those rare albums that peaks at the end. I promise you, the closing 5 songs will leave you breathless and a little dizzy. But just because the album closes so strongly doesn't mean you should skip right to the end. No, there are some classic power metal cuts sprinkled throughout Side A as well. If you insist, I'll give you 3 examples: 1) "Melancholy" in which Michael Barlow wears his Geoff Tate influences on his sleeve to fine effect, 2) "Watching Over Me", a the touching paean to a fallen friend, and 3) "Consequences", the Holocaust history-lesson which features a brutal guitar solo that materializes out of nowhere and kicks you in the stomach.

The main weakness of this album is its excess of thrash-by-numbers cuts like "Burning Times", "Disciples of the Lie", and "Stand Alone" which will sound a bit tired to those of you with Anthrax albums in your collection. However, even these thrash cuts are nothing worse than mediocre while most of the remainder of the album is nothing short of brilliant. The operatic vocals and Metallica and Iron Maiden style guitar pyrotechnics provide a timeless quality to the album. Something Wicked This Way Comes was released in 1998, but after listening to it, you'd probably believe me if I told you it came out in 1988 instead. Simply put, this is the sort of metal that never goes out of style - epic power metal played with conviction. It's comforting to me to know that someone in the U.S.A. still has the guts to play it.

Considering that the stellar cuts far outnumber the mediocre ones, this album comes pretty darn close to a 5-star rating. It is the kind of album that reminds you time and again why you love metal.