Overture of the Wicked is an
EP by American heavy metal band
Iced Earth
Iced Earth is an American heavy metal band formed in Tampa, Florida and currently based in Columbus, Indiana. They were formed in 1984 under the name the Rose, then Purgatory, by guitarist and main songwriter Jon Schaffer and original drummer ...
, released in June 2007. The EP features the band's new single "
Ten Thousand Strong" which was recorded for the new album released later that same year ''
Framing Armageddon'', as well as a rerecording of the original "Something Wicked"
song cycle
A song cycle (german: Liederkreis or Liederzyklus) is a group, or cycle (music), cycle, of individually complete Art song, songs designed to be performed in a sequence as a unit.Susan Youens, ''Grove online''
The songs are either for solo voice ...
(from the album ''
Something Wicked This Way Comes''). The re-recorded tracks are also slightly rearranged, with the piano intro to "The Coming Curse" notably absent in the new version. This EP was reissued as part of Iced Earth's ''Box of the Wicked'' collection.
The four songs features most of the band's October 2006-March 2007 lineup, with guitarist
Jon Schaffer
Jon Ryan Schaffer (born March 15, 1968) is an American heavy metal musician. He is the rhythm guitarist and principal songwriter of the Indiana-based heavy metal band Iced Earth, which he formed in 1985 under the name Purgatory. He is also the ...
playing bass, as former bassist James "Bo" Wallace left before recording began. ''Overture of the Wicked'' is the only official Iced Earth release with former guitarist
Tim Mills, and the first with drummer
Brent Smedley
Iced Earth is an American heavy metal band formed in Tampa, Florida and currently based in Columbus, Indiana. They were formed in 1984 under the name the Rose, then Purgatory, by guitarist and main songwriter Jon Schaffer and original drummer ...
since 1999's ''The Melancholy E.P.''
On the reasoning behind doing the EP, Tim Owens said:
Track listing
Personnel
*
Jon Schaffer
Jon Ryan Schaffer (born March 15, 1968) is an American heavy metal musician. He is the rhythm guitarist and principal songwriter of the Indiana-based heavy metal band Iced Earth, which he formed in 1985 under the name Purgatory. He is also the ...
– rhythm and lead guitars, bass guitar, backing vocals
*
Tim "Ripper" Owens
Timothy S. "Ripper" Owens (born September 13, 1967) is an American heavy metal singer who currently performs with KK's Priest, Spirits of Fire, the Three Tremors and A New Revenge. He first gained attention as the lead singer of Judas Priest ...
– lead vocals
*
Tim Mills – lead guitar
*
Brent Smedley
Iced Earth is an American heavy metal band formed in Tampa, Florida and currently based in Columbus, Indiana. They were formed in 1984 under the name the Rose, then Purgatory, by guitarist and main songwriter Jon Schaffer and original drummer ...
– drums
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Overture of the Wicked
2007 EPs
Song cycles
Iced Earth EPs
SPV/Steamhammer EPs