After building a landslide of anticipation when it was announced that vocalist Matt Barlow would be returning to Iced Earth, the buzz surrounding the follow up to “Framing Armageddon” was spread like wildfire. The first part of the Something Wicked saga was a massive album that took a while for most fans to embrace. Most of the songs were intertwined, purposely done by the band given the theme of the album and its epic story.

Even though it was a great album, it was not intended for the listener to only pick a couple of songs to throw in their iPod. As a heavy metal opera it was meant to be heard as a whole, a task that obviously becomes a bit hard given the length of the album. What made that album great was the songs were excellent, but when one heard them together it became an exhilarating experience. As expected, the same format is used for its sequel “The Crucible of Man – Something Wicked Part II”. Most of the songs give way into the following one, and so there are several interludes between songs. The difference between part I and II (aside from the vocals, vocal duties on part I were handled by Tim Owens), is that on “The Crucible of Man” the first half of the album feels a bit forced, the songs don’t pack much of a punch when heard alone, and so for the first few songs the listener is left expecting for the whole thing to take off. That’s not saying that the songs are bad, on the contrary, they are very good, and Barlow’s vocals only elevate the material into higher levels.

After the first intro which is “In Sacred Flames” the band starts things with “Behold the Wicked Child”, a very promising start with a great riff and Barlow’s vocal vitriol which sounds more powerful than ever. The song is followed by “Minions of the Watch” and “The Revealing”, two songs that work great together, with sharp riffs and tight drumming courtesy of Brent Smedly. “A Gift or a Curse” follows but fails to impress, the ballad has some great vocals by Barlow, and the level of musicianship is top notch, but the song just doesn’t have the same emotion like “The Clouding” did on part I. After a bit of a shaky start, the album really takes off with “Crown of the Fallen” and “The Dimension Gauntlet”, a one-two punch that moves the album into overdrive and after these two songs Iced Earth wastes no time in playing one excellent cut after another in order to complete their masterpiece. “I Walk Alone” comes midway through the album and it’s one of the band’s best moments, with one of Barlow’s best performances, a guitar riff that is sure to raise fists and one hell of a catchy chorus that you’ll be singing months from now. After the highlight of “I Walk Alone” the band goes back to the old days with the powerful ballad “Harbinger of Fate”; this is just an amazing song, with so many different things going that it’s hard to put in words. The song will surely be in the band’s future set list and will please any fan of Iced Earth’s old albums like “Burnt Offerings” and “The Dark Saga”. And the hits don’t stop there, “Crucify the King” is a nasty little thrash jewel that undoubtedly feels wicked and is very dynamic, shifting from a slow riff into a more galloping rhythm that makes you bang your head nonstop. “Sacrificial Kingdoms” is a classic Iced Earth, tagged with Jon Shaffer’s brilliant guitar work. The string of great songs is followed by “Something Wicked Pt. 3”, a song that is not as impressive as the title might imply but it paves the way for the album’s heaviest moment “Divide and Devour”. Heavy shifting riffs, played with razor-sharp precision and Matt Barlow sounding more menacing than ever, this song will very likely wreak havoc if it’s played live.

“Come What May” starts to close the album, a song that is meant to leave the listener with a strong impression of the album; it also has Matt Barlow’s best vocal performance on the album. The instrumental “Epilogue” finishes things off and brings closure to one of Iced Earth’s most creative moments in their already long and respected career.

The Something Wicked saga is now complete and without a doubt it marks one of Iced Earth’s best moments. Granted, the two albums are not easy to swallow but if one can muster the patience to sit down and listen, it will be hard for anyone not to appreciate what the band has accomplished. And now, with Matt Barlow back in the ranks, the future only seems brighter for a band that has never betrayed its integrity for the sake of record sales or fame, instead they have worked as hard, if not harder, than many famous metal bands to deliver great albums and some of the best heavy metal music ever written.