Liste der Bands Thrash Heavy Iced Earth Overture of the Wicked

Iced Earth's 2007 EP "Overture of the Wicked" is a neat bridge connecting the band's past to its current line up.

The three B sides are songs originally from the 1998 release "Something Wicked This Way Comes".

"Ten Thousand Strong", the single from the 'O7 LP "Framing Armageddon" is one of the best power metal songs to come out of the 00's. Highly anthemic, this is a rousing call to arms both in context and out, for the lyrics can easily double up to refer to and rile up the metalheads at whatever show Iced Earth is playing at.

The rest of the EP, however, provides two different functions. One, it introduces an old storyline to be continued with "Framing Armageddon" / and two, the three songs are redone with Ripper Owens on vocals solely to provide audio continuity. There is no attempt at making "Prophecy", "Birth Of The Wicked" and "The Coming Curse" better. These rerecordings stay true to the originals, and since the style of Jon Schaffer's guitar sound and style of play is deeply rooted in eighties thrash, any updated version of any song will never sound new anyway. This is a good thing, for these blended renditions of old and new are well performed and well produced.

As far as EP's go, "Overture of the Wicked" provides a perfect appetizer to be enjoyed before the main course which is "Framing Armageddon".