| Framing Armageddon: Something Wicked Part 1 | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Iced Earth |
| Cover: | Framing Armageddon Iced Earth.jpg |
| Released: | September 11, 2007[1] |
| Recorded: | 2007 |
| Genre: |
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| Length: | 68:56 76:57 (Japanese edition) |
| Label: | SPV |
| Prev Title: | Overture of the Wicked |
| Prev Year: | 2007 |
| Next Year: | 2008 |
Framing Armageddon: Something Wicked Part 1 is the eighth studio album from Iced Earth, released on September 11, 2007. It is part one of two concept albums based on a trilogy of songs from Iced Earth's fifth studio album, Something Wicked This Way Comes. The saga, aptly titled the Something Wicked Saga, tells the fictional history of mankind, from its creation to its destruction. It is the second and final album with vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens. This is also the first album that Schaffer become more involved in playing lead guitars parts.
Framing Armageddon is the band's first studio album featuring lead guitarist Troy Seele, and drummer Brent Smedley, who never played on an Iced Earth studio album during his previous stints with the group. Tim "Ripper" Owens makes his final appearance as lead singer on this record, as well. Also, this was bassist Dennis Hayes' first appearance on an Iced Earth album, though he only appears on two songs. Former Iced Earth lead guitarist Tim Mills is featured on "Reflections", and co-wrote both that song and "Infiltrate and Assimilate".
In December 2006, Jon Schaffer posted a journal announcing that Iced Earth's new album, then titled Something Wicked – Part 1, would be released in September/October 2007. The follow-up album, then titled Something Wicked – Part 2, would be released in January/February 2008. On March 17, Schaffer announced the final track list, and that the album would be renamed to Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked Part 1), with a new target release of August or September.
A music video for "Ten Thousand Strong" was released, though lead guitarist Troy Seele was not yet with the band when it was filmed. The video features rotoscoping.
The Korean release of Framing Armageddon features the album's single, "Overture of the Wicked," as a bonus disc.
Jon Schaffer had intended to release both of the Something Wicked albums in one boxed set, with Matt Barlow contributing the vocals on both albums for the sake of continuity, plus adding at least four songs to The Crucible of Man and remixing Framing Armageddon.[2] However Matt Barlow once again left the band before these plans came to fruition.
Tim "Ripper" Owens talked about the story in an interview with Thrash Pit:
A few years later, Jon Schaffer further detailed the story in an interview: