Metal Reviews

Hit for me. I prefer it to the first because the first sounded exactly the way Jon described D&W - music he wrote for IE that he couldn't envision the vocal melodies for. While I still like that one for what it is, and I always love Hansi's lyrics and vocals, Crimson King sounds more like Jon was thinking of Hansi when he wrote some of the songs, even if Hansi didn't have more musical input directly. Yeah, there are more ballad-esque songs on the second album, but most are pretty good ones, and they are better lyrically than what Jon writes for IE. Plus, I really like the emotional content in songs like Down Where I Am and Love's Tragedy Asunder.

Definite hit for me. I find the mix between the vocals of Blind Guardian and the pure steel from Iced Earth really got my head bangin'. Although Touch by a Crimson King is a great album I'd still go with their first one. Demons & Wizards also showed me that John Schaffer still knows how to rock especially with the new piece crap album The Glorious Burden.

Like most have said here, D&W's debut was absolutely fantastic. So of course I had very high expectations with the 2nd album. Usually when someone puts so much expectation on a new album, it doesnt always reach that expectation...and in this case, thats what happened.

Dont get me wrong, i still voted hit...but just barely. I mean, we had to wait 5-6 years for their second album, and it just didnt have that same spark of brilliance that the debut had.

Still, Touched By The Crimson King does have some good songs, such as Crimson King, Beneath These Waves, Seize The Day, Love's Tragedy Asunder and Down Where I Am. Unfortunatelly I dont have the album with the two bonus tracks that are supposed to be awesome songs....i must hear them someday...

Hopefully their third venture wont take as long as it did for Crimson King, and I think my expectations wont be up as high as before.

They're good mid-tempo songs, they kind of remind me of Beneath These Waves. They're definitely better than the two shit-songs of the album, Wicked Witch and Terror Train, but I wouldn't go as far as saying they're "awesome". Though average, they still kick ass for being bonus tracks.

In my opinion, Wicked Witch is far and away from being a shit song, I actually thought it's among the best songs of the album. Pretty interesting lyrics as well. Leave it to Hansi to come up with some strange perspective on the world of Oz.

Absolutely, probably the best song on the album I think. Its weird that I like all the ballads and slower tracks best on this album. Crimson King and Terror Train get quite boring I think, while still being decent. I just really love the melancholy atmosphere that seems to prevade from the album, and its expressed best on the softer songs.

Hit, an easy hit, but not a spectacular album.

+1

I like best Beneath These Waves, Seize The Day, Love's Tragedy Asunder, Wicked Witch and Down Where I Am. All ballads or somewhat slower songs. And it's not because I'm getting old They're simply brilliant songs. I actually feel the album is a bit dragged down by the fast songs. Terror Train, Gunslinger or Dorian are solid, but not very moving, it's like something's missing, they don't have that spark songs like Heaven Denies or Blood on My Hands had on the debut.

Am I the only one to dislike Wicked Witch? I mean there's just absolutely nothing going on, some boring guitar work and Hansi singing on top of that. Yeah the part with voice harmonies (if that's what it's called?) is kinda nice but I just don't think there's anything interesting in that song. It's not bad, just boring.

I think it's one of the better songs on the album! What instantly hooked me with it was the lyrics and the sincere feel of the song.