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Iced Earth - The Crucible Of Man (Something Wicked - Part 2)



7.1 | 500 votes |
Release date: 5 September 2008
Style: Heavy metal, US power metal

Owners:

602 have it
74 want it


01. In Sacred Flames
02. Behold The Wicked Child
03. Minions Of The Watch
04. The Revealing
05. A Gift Or A Curse
06. Crown Of The Fallen
07. The Dimension Gauntlet
08. I Walk Alone
09. Harbinger Of Fate
10. Crucify The King
11. Sacrificial Kingdoms
12. Something Wicked (Part 3)
13. Divide Devour
14. Come What May
15. Epilogue

Additional info
'US' Power Metal
Label: SPV
Promotion in France: Replica Records
USA: 2008
Length: 59:19

Line-Up on the CD:
Vocals: Matt Barlow
Guitars, vocals: Jon Schaffer
Guitars: Troy Seele
Bass: Freddie Vidales
Drums: Brent Smedley

Germany, Austria, Switzerland: September 5
Rest of Europe: September 8
USA, Canada: September 9

Bonus tracks for Japan:
16. Setian Massacre (Matt Barlow version)
17. The Clouding (Matt Barlow version)

Staff review by
Jeff
Rating:
7.3
Finally, our dear Matt is back in Iced Earth. Wow when I think that some months ago only it was just like a myth, I'm really happy that the best singer that Iced Earth ever had is finally back with his family. Now, I'm sure you're all expecting a lot of the new album "The Crucible Of Man (Something Wicked - Part 2)", definitely it's been a long time that Matt haven't sing anything with the band and this is a real big event, probably one the biggest event of the Metal year 2008. Don't worry you'll not be disappointed by the release even if, I must say it, the last album "Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked - Part 1)" doesn't suffer of any comparison with this release? With or without Matt Barlow, Iced Earth is still able to do good releases, not the most fantastic ones but really solid nonetheless.

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published 05.09.2008 | Comments (54)

Guest review by
ToMegaTherion
Rating:
8.0
The Crucible of Man (Something Wicked - Part 2) is the most recent Iced Earth album, and is a follow on from their 2007 release Framing Armageddon. While the album may not hold much weight in comparison to some of the late 90s works, The Crucible of Man a vast improvement on other recent releases not least of all because of the return of Matt Barlow to the vocals position of the band. This album has many good points and some really good Iced Earth songs, but overall it fails to deliver at the level I have come to expect from the band. It is an album that takes some patience to get into, with the songs from start to finish sounding very formulaic. Sorry to use an old cliché there, but the sound has become very generic Iced Earth. This album especially fails to deliver on originality; however, the songs themselves remain catchy, with decent lyrics and riffs to keep Iced Earth fans fairly happy.

Read more ››
published 28.10.2009 | Comments (1)

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Comments

Comments: 15   Visited by: 419 users
13.02.2012 - 19:35
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Well this and wicked part 1 is like black n white how previusly was bad this is good, ok not perfect but good, sometimes I think IE think is one big overated stuff, compering whit 1th 3 albums non of those are so powerfull how 3 whit diferent vocalist , all do respect of mussicans like profesionals but somehow some times I cant get into band if I need listen it every day no thank's but I could do it whit IM
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Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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14.07.2012 - 17:24
Zap
Guest
This album is horrible. I hate almost every song on it.
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04.06.2013 - 13:10
Rating: 8
Zadion

Incredibly underrated album, to be honest. This is their best album alongside Horror Show, IMO. "I Walk Alone" and "Come What May" are two of the best songs they've ever done, and the Blind Guardian influenced multi-layered thing going on with songs like "Sacrificial Kingdoms" is too good.
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13.03.2014 - 01:09
Rating: 6
Angelic Storm
Melodious
"I Walk Alone", "Divide/Devour", and "Come What May" save this album from being a total disaster, but overall, this is a dire and boring album, which makes the two Ripper Owens fronted albums seem like total classics in comparison.
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14.03.2014 - 08:57
Rating: 6
Angelic Storm
Melodious
Written by deadone on 13.03.2014 at 07:21
Totally agree except one thing...I actually really like The Glorious Burden and especially the Gettysburg trilogy.

But then I am a history loving, warmongering centre-right type...


I really like it too, and find the Gettysburg trilogy one of the finest pieces of songwriting of all time. lol The album as a whole, isn't quite a classic, but I love a lot of the songs on it.

"Framing Armageddon" has some amazing songs on it, but it's bogged down by some annoying filler, and riff rehashing. Overall, I find it to be a much better album than "The Crucible Of Man" though.
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20.02.2015 - 15:25
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Written by Angelic Storm on 13.03.2014 at 01:09

"I Walk Alone", "Divide/Devour", and "Come What May" save this album from being a total disaster, but overall, this is a dire and boring album, which makes the two Ripper Owens fronted albums seem like total classics in comparison.


after years of silence when no IE are played at all you put this and then you see how good actually it can be
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Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
Loading...
13.03.2015 - 17:54
Mountain King
K i K o
This is better than most of their famous albums...
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13.03.2015 - 18:48
Lit.
Account deleted
Written by Mountain King on 13.03.2015 at 17:54

This is better than most of their famous albums...

You serious?
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13.03.2015 - 19:20
Mountain King
K i K o
Written by Guest on 13.03.2015 at 18:48

Written by Mountain King on 13.03.2015 at 17:54

This is better than most of their famous albums...

You serious?

Very... Don't forget most not all...More complex, better vocals and solos. Dark Saga, this and Horror Show are the only albums I dig as a whole...
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13.03.2015 - 19:57
Lit.
Account deleted
Written by Mountain King on 13.03.2015 at 19:20

Written by Guest on 13.03.2015 at 18:48

Written by Mountain King on 13.03.2015 at 17:54

This is better than most of their famous albums...

You serious?

Very... Don't forget most not all...More complex, better vocals and solos. Dark Saga, this and Horror Show are the only albums I dig as a whole...

Pretty much all the albums before and including Horror Show are better than this, as is Dystopia and even the previous Framing Armageddon. I actually find this album to be one of their worse, behind The Glorious Burden (though the Gettysburg Trilogy alone makes that album more preferable) and Plagues of Babylon. Musically, it's barely decent, but a lot of it sounds so tired and devoid of creativity and then there's the fact that Barlow's vocals to an absolute dive in quality, a far cry from his glorious vocals on albums like Burnt Offerings and The Dark Saga. They definitely should've kept Tim "The Ripper" Owens for this album since he's a way better vocalist as a whole than Barlow.
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15.01.2018 - 19:28
Rating: 6
musicalkaratekid

No better or worse than its predecessor, but with a few less standout moments. "Divide DEvour" and "Come What May" are the best cuts, but that's not saying much when everything else is feels sluggish and weak.
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13.01.2021 - 19:07
Rating: 5
Joppe
Steelemeister
Kind of alright with clearly uninspired songwriting. At least Barlow is back, which I think suits more to this music than Tim the mercenary Owens. Just after listening to both versions of "The Clouding" it's pretty clear who is the more IE singer. Shortage of good songs is noticeable. A Gift Or A Curse is great, Come What May is probably the second best. In overall: pretty forgettable stuff.
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My vision is augmented
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22.11.2021 - 09:49
Rating: 6
GrimReaper85

So sad what Iced Earth had become. They only had a 10 year run and last 20 years it's more or less sadness.
Not that most other bands are any better, it's same with Metallica, Megadeth and even Iron Maiden apart from Brave New World.
I Walk Alone is the only good song for me, other 3 songs mentioned on this page didn't do for me. Ending to Harbinger of Fate is also good.
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22.11.2021 - 10:31
Rating: 6
Redel

Written by GrimReaper85 on 22.11.2021 at 09:49

So sad what Iced Earth had become. They only had a 10 year run and last 20 years it's more or less sadness.

That is true. But this one was their low point for me. The next three albums are a bit better.
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19.10.2022 - 04:57
Rating: 6
majormalfunction

I really disliked this one when it was released but as i've listened today twice to it I kind of like it. The first half is weak but from I Walk Alone and forward it's enjoyable. Framing Armageddon is slightly better but it's cool to once again hear Matt Barlow.
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Everything's twice as bright with money in your hands
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