From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Something Wicked This Way Comes
Studio album by Iced Earth
Released	July 7, 1998
Recorded	Morrisound Studios Tampa, Florida
Genre	Power metal, thrash metal
Length	61:56
Label	Century Media
Producer	Jim Morris
Professional reviews
The Metal Observer link All Music Guide link
Iced Earth chronology
Days of Purgatory (1997) Something Wicked This Way Comes (1998) Alive in Athens (1999)

Something Wicked This Way Comes is American heavy metal band Iced Earth's fifth album, released on July 7, 1998, by Century Media Records. It is the band's first album featuring lead guitarist Larry Tarnowski, and also features the return of former studio drummer Mark Prator, who wasn't part of the band during re-recording sessions for Days of Purgatory.

1. "Burning Times" (Barlow, Schaffer) – 3:44
2. "Melancholy (Holy Martyr)" (Schaffer) – 4:47
3. "Disciples of the Lie" (Schaffer) – 4:03
4. "Watching Over Me" (Schaffer) – 4:28
5. "Stand Alone" (Barlow, Schaffer) – 2:44
6. "Consequences" (Schaffer) – 5:36
7. "My Own Savior" (Barlow, Morris, Schaffer) – 3:39
8. "Reaping Stone" (Barlow, MacDonough, Schaffer) – 4:02
9. "1776 (instrumental)" (Schaffer) – 3:33
10. "Blessed Are You" (Schaffer) – 5:05
11. "Prophecy" (Schaffer) – 6:18
12. "Birth of the Wicked" (Schaffer) – 4:16
13. "The Coming Curse" (Schaffer) – 9:33
14. "Stormrider (live)" (Schaffer) - 6:15 (only on the Japanese release)

The song "Watching Over Me" was written in memory of Bill Blackmon, a friend of Jon Schaffer's who had died in a motorcycle accident. He also suggested the name Iced Earth to Jon.

The final three tracks of the album comprise the "Something Wicked" song cycle. It introduces Iced Earth's mascot, Set Abominae, and provides the backstory to the upcoming albums based on Set, Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked Part 1) (which was released in September of 2007) and Revelation Abomination (Something Wicked Part 2). To keep a continuity between the original trilogy and the upcoming albums, Iced Earth has released an EP called "Overture of the Wicked" with the original song cycle re-recorded with current singer Tim "Ripper" Owens.

The title of the album is a quotation of a phrase in William Shakespeare's Macbeth in Act IV Scene 1. The full line of the second witch says: "By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes."

• Jon Schaffer - Lead & Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals
• Matthew Barlow - Lead Vocals
• James MacDonough - Bass

• Larry Tarnowski - Guitar Solos on all tracks except "Watching Over Me"
• Mark Prator - Drums
• Susan McQuinn - Flute on "1776"
• Howard Helm - Piano intro to "Coming Curse"
• Tracy Marie LaBarbera - Backing Vocals on "My Own Savior", "Melancholy", and "Watching Over Me"
• Jim Morris - Producer, Engineer, Keyboards, Guitar Solo on "Watching Over Me", Backing Vocals
• Roger Hughes - Mandolin on "Blessed Are You"