Germany, Austria, Switzerland: September 5
Rest of Europe: September 8
USA, Canada: September 9
"The Crucible of Man (Something Wicked Part II)" continues where ICED EARTH's 2007 release, "Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked Part I)" left off. "The Crucible of Man" features the return of frontman Matt Barlow who was mainman/guitarist Jon Schaffer's original voice of choice to introduce the "Something Wicked" saga back in 1998 as a trio of songs which concluded their album, "Something Wicked This Way Comes".
While the 1998 album provided a general overview of the story Schaffer has been conceptualizing for well over a decade, the saga is being fully brought to life with the release of the back-to-back conceptual albums "Framing Armageddon" and "The Crucible of Man". While both albums provide answers to mysteries the previous releases would create, the timeliness of the story in today's world is guaranteed to keep people thinking and guessing. Schaffer's ability to convey the central themes and events of the story without always revealing exactly "why" characters' decisions are made and "how" events come to pass, will keep fans of the saga coming back as future mediums for the "Something Wicked" storyline are revealed.
A finalized tracklisting for "The Crucible of Man" and audio interview with Jon Schaffer covering the new material will be featured at IcedEarth.com later this month. The band has begun rehearsals for a run of dates in June as direct support for JUDAS PRIEST in Europe, as well as the Hellfest, Bang Your Head!!!, Graspop and Gods of Metal European festivals.
"The Crucible of Man"'s release will be followed by a North American tour that kicks off in September and features an appearance as headliner for the ProgPower USA IX festival in Atlanta, Georgia on September 27.
The single from the new album is titled "I Walk Among You" and was released worldwide earlier this month by Steamhammer/SPV and features the new track "I Walk Alone" as well as three additional songs from "Framing Armageddon" with new vocal performances by Matt Barlow. All tracks can be listened to in their entirety at both the band's official web site and MySpace pages with exception of the track "A Charge to Keep" which is an iTunes exclusive.
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ICED EARTH played its third show with vocalist Matt Barlow back as the group's frontman on May 11, 2008 at the Rock Hard Festival at the Gelsenkirchen Amphitheatre in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be viewed below.
"Watching Over Me":
[align=center][youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtfhAOGUjhg[/youtube][/align]
Source: http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.Net/
Barlow will kick your ass!
