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I was very pleased with the album. Overall was a nice return to the fold for Iced Earth.

I will say though, in my opinion the FA did seem a little more epic. It had the little filler sound bytes to flesh out the feeling of the story. Nothing against the CoM, but some songs just reached out and punched you on FA. I liked Barlows renditions of the FA songs off the single.

The situation leaves me wonder a little what CoM would have sounded with Ripper singing it. and how long until John rerecords Glorious Burden and Framing Armageddon with Barlow singing.

Just one headbangers opinion, I think FA and CoM would have benefitted greatly having both singers on them. With Ripper singing parts of Set and Barlow singing the rest. that would have ruled in my opinion.

Hm, I don't like it very much. There are some good songs like I walk alone or Harbinger of Fate, but the rest is IMO too mediocre. I would give 70 or 75 / 100 or so.

As much as I like Matt Barlow, and don't like the ripper, I think Framing Armageddon is better. But there is still too much Demons & Wizards and Blind Guardian influence in Iced Earth.

Where are the killer songs like Stormrider, Dark Saga, Burning Times, Watching over Me or Stand Alone?

So Crucify The King isn't a killer song what album are you listening too?

Hm, ok, Crucify The King is also good. And A Gift or a Curse too. But It's missing the catchyness of earlier IE songs. The choruses are almost not remarkable. (where are songs like Ten Thousand Strong or A Charge to Keep or Framing Armageddon?) And most of the songs are too slow. And choirs everywhere. It loses one's way in too many pointless riffing.

I really like it, good performances all round.

I enjoyed the album, personally. Some of the material was a bit lacking but overall, it was miles ahead of the disaster of TGB (although Gettysburg Trilogy was good) but part 2 seems to fall just a bit short from Framing Armageddon to me. I would give it about 85 (90 is what I would give to FA).

The only nitpick is... like a lot of people have said about this album, as much as I feel Barlow is the voice of the band and I usually don't like Ripper's vocal style (though I very much respect the man), I loved FA because Ripper fit so damn well on it. I mean... whenever I hear Tim wailing away on Framing Armageddon (the song), I get shivers. The man just slays on that song, period. I don't even think Barlow could deliver that song the way Tim does.

I really wished he would have at least completed the other half before getting the boot. That was stupid of Jon and very unprofessional but on the other hand, maybe (hopefully) now Ripper can actually get himself out there as something else than the guy that replaced legendary vocalists. Ripper has a lot in common with Blaze on that issue. Both world-class vocalists overshadowed by the fact they replaced legendary icons.

I should probably check this out.

On a side note, it kind of sucks because I've got the Alive in Athens three disc set so I've never felt the need to check out anything else by IE. however this looks pretty sweet.

Pretty decent album. Come What May is definitely my favourite on the album, really cool chorus.

63/100 for me. Would be a 75/80 if Ripper sang on it.

i will probably be critisized, but i am free to say that this is the lamest IE album in their opus. barlow is back, he is great as he used to be...
but this is just not the old IE, even if some of the songs here are great. in my opinion, metallica made a better comeback. but that's just me.

I listened to this album for the first time a few days ago and, to be honest, I'm pretty underwhelmed. Plain and simple: Schaffer should've let Owens do this album before bring Barlow back. Framing Armageddon and Crucible Of Man were supposed to be combined into one story. Having one vocalist do the first part and another do the next part just seems to detract from the whole effect. Especially when you consider the fact that the songs on Crucible Of Man were basically written with Owens' singing style in mind, and hearing Barlow sing these songs just seems wrong. Listening to the album, I just couldn't help imagining how Owens probably would've sang its songs. Oh well, may be it will grow on me eventually. But right now, I'm disappointed.

The album, like Framing Armageddon, also suffers from the whole headiness of its concept. The individual songs just don't stand on their own very well, because they adhere strictly to the album's storyline. So they basically need to be listened to in sequence to be enjoyed. Which is annoying if you want to use them as mental background music during real life.

Also, does anybody else think Schaffer's idea of remixing Framing Armageddon with Barlow at the mic is a little unethical? I mean, he's basically spitting in Owens' face and trying to remove him from the IE discography as much as possible. Although, to be fair, I guess remixing the album will at least give the Something Wicked saga a little more continuity. Which could iron out some of its problems. Although I can't really imagine Barlow doing nearly as good a job with songs like When Stars Collide as Owens did.

Whereas Schaffer did the same some years ago with Days of Purgatory. - But this time I'm very excited to get the new recording, because I liked the songs on the "I walk alone" single with Barlows vocals better, than the originals. I just can't stand the high pitched Rob Halford screams/vocals.

Just like the first part, its a fairly boring CD that is way too long with some fairly brilliant songs and a few good ones as well here and there. Barlow is fine, though I do miss Ripper- but he's just not given enough to do, except for on the excellent Come What May. And that really is just the problem with the whole album, and Framing Armageddon as well- aside from a few tracks, there's nothing any of the band members can do! There's little emotion, little aggressiveness, few awesome riffs or great solos or even catchiness- most songs are just generic.

As for the concept- I do appreciate that there are fewer interludes on this album than the first, but I don't find the storyline flows well, or that the album even feels cohesive.

Best songs: I Walk Alone, The Dimension Gauntlet, Crucify the King, Divide and Devour, Come What May

63/100

Ah Brahm, always the voice of reason. I have taken your comments out of context and omitted certain portions. I hope you'll forgive me.

I don't know what some guys have here with the opinion, an album is "way too long".

An album can't be too long - only too boring. A cd has room für 80 minutes and I want value for money. And bad is, that the Crucible of Man has only 59 Minutes and still too much idle...

Speaking as someone that absolutely loved FA, I was very disappointed at first that this didn't have Ripper on it. The first few listens were MEH to the max, but it's grown a lot on me recently and I now think it's a pretty darn good album. But it would've been so much better with Ripper...

I agree with everyone concerning Ripper and how he should have been the one to complete this.It just seems weird to listen to FA and then go and listen to COM knowing that there are 2 singers.

There should have some continuity with it but they are going to redo FA with Barlow on vox should be interesting.

They should mesh the two albums and remove all the filler, that'd make one bad ass album.

I've had this album for quite some time now & I can tell you its a grower.

Its a shame that every Iced Earth album has to come down to a petty comparison of vocalists, but I guess with this one in particular, its inevitable. I personally am a Barlow guy, but one of the few who seem to be able to give Ripper mad props for his work on FA. I thought it was by far his best effort vocally.

Having said that, I'm stoked that Matt is back and he if off the charts on this sucker. He's doing it all and doing it well. Its an outstanding vocal performance, as usual from a guy I consider one of the very best out there.

Some of the comments here I am forced to scoff at. Too long? Boring? No chorus? No passion or aggression? Pfffft. It has all of those in spades.
But its great for the same reason I consider Something Wicked to be the best of their catalogue, because it has a bit of everything that makes Iced Earth. (Unlike Stormrider which is all one thing)

These opinions here sound very much like first impressions. (Its not a thrash attack like Stormrider, so it must suck) Which I can understand, because I found it a little underwhelming at first. But like I said, its a grower. I wouldn't have a problem putting it up their with their best.

Come What May, may be the best thing Schaffer has ever written.