Well, I like Fracture, so there. Back to the metal, and back to a band I’ve mentioned already twice. Not their first epic, that would be “Phantom of the Opera”, and arguably not their best, that has several contenders (my answer would be “Rime of the Ancient Mariner”). But this was a watershed moment. “Phantom” was really just Maiden, longer. This was something more. The tolling of the bell, the soft guitars, and Bruce singing in something other than his “air-raid siren” wail, the anticipation of the man in the cold cell is palpable. Maiden had previously used movie titles as the basis for their songs, but this was in every way a movie set to music. This was one of my first experiences of a metal band going well beyond “barre chords” to paint a vivid picture, and was a real statement as to what Bruce’s arrival meant to Maiden. He was a better singer than Di’Anno, but more importantly he had a wider vision. Bruce got no credit on Number for contractual reasons, but his presence is all over this record, and you can tell that Steve Harris (the primary writer at that time) was just spreading his wings. I personally love the way Bruce’s vocal perfectly bridges the gap between the anticipation and the actual moment arriving. I hear his extended legato line at 0:55 (and running for a full 25 seconds, with one short breath) to be symbolic of the rising tension, fear, and panic as the man is lead to his very death. Blew me away then, blew me away when I saw it live, and still is a favorite moment from one of my favorite musicians ever. Then, of course, all that goes out the window and the band goes nuts. This song is a band favorite, and I believe has been on every tour since its release, except for the Maiden England tour. I’ve personally seen the song live I think four times, and it’s a highlight of the show.
Hallowed Be Thy Name
Topic: 7 Songs for 7 Days (Read 19786 times)
