The Glorious Burden was the first ICED EARTH album without Matthew Barlow in the vocals due to his decision to follow a law enforcement career. The album was pretty good and proved that Schaffer cutting edge riffs could combine with Tim Owens's voice and give birth to a new era for the American band. The mastermind of the band Jon Schaffer has already announced the titles of the next two releases (Framing Armageddon and Revelation Abomination) that will conclude the story started in Something Wicked This Way Comes album.
ICED EARTH, who are already in tour mode with HEAVEN AND HELL, cleverly released the single Overture Of The Wicked to serve two purposes; the first is to give a first taste of the upcoming albums that were based on Tim's voice and secondly to help the fans get used of his voice over the Barlow era songs.
Ten Thousands is an aggressive song that kicks in with Tim long and trademark scream and continues as a classic ICED EARTH song with galloping guitar rhythm and a catchy melody in the chorus lines. This track proves that Schaffer got used to Tim's voice and started composing faster and more aggressive tracks. I think it must be the perfect opener for the band's live performances. Personally, I am very pleased with Owens's development because in JUDAS PRIEST was under the ton-heavy shadow of Halford and could not breathe musically.
The rest of the single is the re-recorded Something Wicked trilogy found in the Something Wicked This Way Comes album that was released in 1998. The songs have been changed in some degree and bear a perfect Eastern atmosphere. It was really difficult for me to listen them without Barlow's voice but after some additional CD spins I realized that Tim will give the power and aggression that was missing from ICED EARTH. Of course, I'd like to listen to Tim in the classic and slower songs like Melancholy, I Died For You or Watching Over Me where Barlow was truly shining.
It seems that the new Tim/Jon alliance has done a fine job in the studio; but how will they be on stage? Well this question will be answered by all of you somewhere on European and later the American tour.