Music Review: Iced Earth- The Crucible of Man (2008)
- 1. In Sacred Flames
2. Behold The Wicked Child
3. Minions Of The Watch
4. The Revealing
5. A Gift Or A Curse
6. Crown Of The Fallen
7. The Dimension Gauntlet
8. I Walk Alone
9. Harbinger Of Fate
10. Crucify The King
11. Sacrificial Kingdoms
12. Something Wicked (Part 3)
13. Divide And Devour
14. Come What May
15. Epilogue
I’m not going to lie, Iced Earth is an acquired taste and if your not already an Iced Earth fan I don’t think that this album will change your mind. But I will say it has been the bands best release in a long time. I haven’t loved anything with this line up since, “Something Wicked This Way Comes” and “A Tribute to The Gods” . I liked The Ripper on “The Glorious Burden” but come on its The Ripper, other than his vocals I thought that album was pretty cheesy. I’m not a huge fan of themed albums though, unless your King Diamond of coarse. I haven’t kept up with them lately but decided to get this album.
I do like Iced Earth a lot though for various reasons, like Jon Schaffer being a bad ass guitarist and the fact that they are an American metal band with the same impact as European based groups. The best way to describe the band is that if “Testament” and “Iron Maiden” got married and had a kid, that kid started a band influenced by its parents style it would be Iced Earth. I also like the religious over tones and their cover art as well.
Matt Barlow returns again for this disc and he sounds great, better than ever even. He has a great vocal style and can sing his ass off that really shows on this album. I love tracks “I Walk Alone” and “Crucify The King”. you can really feel the chemistry of the band again like it was on “Something Wicked This Way Comes”. Barlow hits the high vocals at times as well, I love that shit.In whole the album is good, a few tracks really stand out, some sound the same, but you get that when you deal with a band such as Iced Earth or Iron Maiden, etc. It comes with the territory.
The vocals are great and the guitar work is very awesome, if your a long going Iced Earth fan you’ll love this album, it might pick up a few new fans but they stay true to their style and sound and they pounded out a solid album. Check it out then come back here and tell me what you thought.
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I haven’t ever heard of Iced Earth or anybody in the review, but I will say the cover looks like an “Iron Maiden” knockoff. Is it fair to say don’t judge a book by it’s cover?
I would say its fair to say that although they are preatty heavily influenced by Iron Maiden. But from what I’ve heard of Maiden I would say they stand up on their own. They’re awsome (I admit I am a huge fan I am only missing two albums and those are the Debut album: Ive heard it dont like it much the singer wasnt that great and The Glorious Burden: again ive heard it dont care for it much but thats just me its got some great songs on it though. but anyway back to my point you should give them a try although i would start with Something Wicked This Way Comes and work your way up to this new album. SWTWC was their best album in my opinion and the last three songs set up the entire concept that this and the previous album Framing Armageddon explore. but Im gonna shut up now cause im rambling.
No I agree, Something wicked this way comes is my shit, I love that album. I think the ballads did it for me, Melancholy was my introduction to the band and is still my favorite track.
Gotcha. Have they been around for a while?
I need to go back and start over with my ie collection but this may be a must have i heard i walk alone love that track
I love Iced Earth b/c they are a rare breed of new(er) metal. They are heavily influenced by the likes of Iron Maiden and Helloween which are bad ass bands defined by over the top vocal styles and their galloping guitar riffs. I’ve been a fan of Iced Earth for a long time and they always impress me to some new degree. Since the Purgatory days to SWTWC and so forth…. Their album art is always cool just like ‘maiden’. When you have a concept album w/ lady death or purgatory on the cover you know its pretty sick! I haven’t heard this album yet but I’ll be sure to check it out….. I kind of fell off of their wagon once the IE/BG collaboration Demon’s and Wizards dropped so this album sounds like it would be a nice return for me.
that album rules (demons and wizards) i have no idea what you see wrong with it but hey to each there own
Thank you Shane for helping me to realize that I should never, ever ever ever, listen to Iced Earth. I hate those type of vocals.
I’m going to start a band called “Paladin”. Our first album is going to called “Advanced Dungeons and Dragons”, first single “Twenty Sided Die”.
you ass
You know you want to be in it. You can play the triangle.
HELL NO I WANT TO PLAY THE COW BELL!!! every song needs more cow bell.