The Iron Maiden Thread v. The Merge of Souls

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Been quenching a thirst to listen to live albums lately and DAYUM do I love me some Beast Over Hammersmith. For one thing the band just sounds heavier and meaner and Bruce is in incredible form. Does anyone know if there were any vocal touch-ups? Because if not, wow. Songs have more speed and energy with Clive; I was especially noticing yesterday how fast his right foot is on 22AA. Hard to top Live After Death, Rock in Rio, Flight 666, and En Vivo but this might be my favorite live release of theirs. Well, Maiden England has the best setlist but the sound is not good.

Yea that might also be my favourite live album by Maiden. Clive was in his prime. His speed both in hands and feet were killer and he just overall plays so well and intense.

The band overall just sounds so energetic and raw.

[wolfking]

I always remember from the Classic album series documentary on TNOTB years ago, Bruce said on that the 'stars aligned' with that particular lineup and it was just a perfect moment in time for that lineup and album.  As much as Nicko is Maiden through and through, that statement always stuck with me, it's very true.

[TAC]

I always remember from the Classic album series documentary on TNOTB years ago, Bruce said on that the 'stars aligned' with that particular lineup and it was just a perfect moment in time for that lineup and album.  As much as Nicko is Maiden through and through, that statement always stuck with me, it's very true.

Even though I had seen a couple of Paul DiAnno videos beforehand, TNOTB was really may starting point and remains a special and top album today.

[DoctorAction]

Always loved Clive more than Nicko (which isn't to say I don't love N McB)

[Lupton]

Yeah when I first heard Genghis Khan I was totally blown away by the drumming. Not a drummer myself, so I'm not sure what easier or more difficult to play, to me it just sounds like Clive is a monster player especially on that track.

[Mosh]

I really like Clive Burr's playing and appreciate a lot of what he brought to the fold, but for me Maiden's lineup was complete when Nicko joined. So much of what became signature for the band on Piece of Mind. Prior to that it sounds like they are reaching, and coming close.

[TAC]

I really like Clive Burr's playing and appreciate a lot of what he brought to the fold, but for me Maiden's lineup was complete when Nicko joined. So much of what became signature for the band on Piece of Mind. Prior to that it sounds like they are reaching, and coming close.

I'm trying to think of another band's comp. Maybe Bon Scott to Brian Johnson..

I'm fascinated by the Clive to Nicko transition and what it means. Nicko became such a vital cog in Maiden's style. I wonder had Clive not been fired, where Maiden's sound would've gone, and what effect he would've had on the music.
To me, The Number Of The Beast is still my favorite Maiden album, and it really has its own sound and style in the Maiden catalog.

The other thing, which is an epiphany that I am embarrassed to have had fairly recently but knew the entire time is that drumming matters, and drummers are not interchangeable.

[Stadler]

I'm trying to think of another band's comp. Maybe Bon Scott to Brian Johnson..

I'm fascinated by the Clive to Nicko transition and what it means. Nicko became such a vital cog in Maiden's style. I wonder had Clive not been fired, where Maiden's sound would've gone, and what effect he would've had on the music.
To me, The Number Of The Beast is still my favorite Maiden album, and it really has its own sound and style in the Maiden catalog.

The other thing, which is an epiphany that I am embarrassed to have had fairly recently but knew the entire time is that drumming matters, and drummers are not interchangeable.

Not a joke, not snark, but dead serious: I sort of knew that around the 1979 to '82 timeframe, but wasn't really sure, and found that out for certain on September 12, 2011.

[MirrorMask]

I'm gonna see Blaze Bayley again this summer! second billed (headliner are Korpiklaani) at a charity festival this August, gosh, the last time I've seen him must have been the 2001 tour with Helloween. He announced a "special Iron Maiden show" so I guess it's gonna be a lot of X Factor and Virtual XI song plus Virus.

[Dream Team]

Not a joke, not snark, but dead serious: I sort of knew that around the 1979 to '82 timeframe, but wasn't really sure, and found that out for certain on September 12, 2011.

I assume that is the release date of A Dramatic Turn of Events . . . funnily enough that's still my favorite Mangini performance and it wasn't until View that I felt there were some spots that felt a little robotic.

[Stadler]

I assume that is the release date of A Dramatic Turn of Events . . . funnily enough that's still my favorite Mangini performance and it wasn't until View that I felt there were some spots that felt a little robotic.

That was in fact the release of ADTOE.   I liked it, didn't love it, and for me the cracks were already beginning to show.  At that time, I lived on Broad Street in Philly, and they played the Kimmel Center, literally across the street. I didn't go.  I don't anymore, but for a while I would say "I wouldn't go across the street to see the new version".  I don't say that now because it's not true - I've seen them I think four times in the Mangini era - and it's not fair.   But the reality is, they were an elite band for a long time and things changed and not for the better.

It may be my favorite of that era too - it certainly has my two favorite songs from that era - but it's still missing something.

[Zantera]

I don't hate Gangland like some do (sure it's probably the weakest on the album but I don't dislike it) but it still feels crazy that it made the album over Total Eclipse which is just a really great song, and one I like more than maybe half the songs on Number of the Beast.

[Stadler]

I don't hate Gangland like some do (sure it's probably the weakest on the album but I don't dislike it) but it still feels crazy that it made the album over Total Eclipse which is just a really great song, and one I like more than maybe half the songs on Number of the Beast.

LOVED Total Eclipse from the minute I heard it (as a b-side).   I think it made my Top Five Maiden songs.

[Mladen]

I'm gonna see Blaze Bayley again this summer! second billed (headliner are Korpiklaani) at a charity festival this August, gosh, the last time I've seen him must have been the 2001 tour with Helloween. He announced a "special Iron Maiden show" so I guess it's gonna be a lot of X Factor and Virtual XI song plus Virus.

I was lucky enough to catch him a couple of times when he mostly played his solo songs with only three or four Maiden tracks. You're still going to have a fine time with the Maiden set, though. 

[TAC]

Gangland > Total Eclipse

Honestly to me it’s not even close.

[cramx3]

Gangland > Total Eclipse

Honestly to me it’s not even close.

If you swap the > I'd agree.  I rate Gangland as one of the worst IM songs and Total Eclipse is not too much higher although generally, its a much better song for me.  DT's version is light years better too by basically doing it completely different 

[pg1067]

I don't hate Gangland like some do (sure it's probably the weakest on the album but I don't dislike it) but it still feels crazy that it made the album over Total Eclipse which is just a really great song, and one I like more than maybe half the songs on Number of the Beast.

In the Maiden countdown a couple years ago, I ranked Gangland at #61.  It was the lowest ranked song on Number, but there are days when I'd rank it higher than Children of the Damned and Run to the Hills.  I don't get the appeal of Total Eclipse.  Had I even included it in my rankings, it wouldn't have made the top 75 (although it probably would have beaten out stuff like Infinite Dreams and The Clairvoyant).

Gangland > Total Eclipse

Honestly to me it’s not even close.

Yeah...that.

[Stadler]

Gangland > Total Eclipse

Honestly to me it’s not even close.

You have the ">" backwards. 

In recent years, I've come to appreciate aspects of it - the riff is cool - but Gangland never landed with me like the rest of the album.

[wolfking]

I always enjoyed Gangland.  The missing Dave solo is a classic bit of IM trivia.

I'd probably be in the Total Eclipse camp over it though.  Although, I'm not made Gangland made the album over it.  Although, the remaster fixed that issue so never been a problem to me.

[nobloodyname]

Total Eclipse is such a B-side for me. Can't help but think its mystique has been contributed to by it having been left off the album initially.

[DoctorAction]

To me all the guitars on SiT sound like they are using Tom Scholz Rockman tone. Always thought is was a very similar guitar tone to Boston's Third Stage.  However, I don't actually know anything about the production of these records so someone else may know better?


I really adore the sound of the record and I think I asked the same a while back. Not sure what made it, though.

There are some synths there, of course, but they seem very much like single note washes underneath the usual arrangements in general, and never stick out much to me.

The Rockman was famously used for Angus's tone in AC/DC. Not sure about IM. I think I read that there was some sort of double mic placement or something on SiT that meant the guitars had two layers recorded and together they produced a subtle chorus-like effect but I could be dreaming.

Both SiT and SSOASS have very unique sounds to these ears. The guitar tone on the latter very unusual. Not sure I've ever heard anything like it and it may have been Gallien Kruger (spelling?) amps or something.

Either way, I think both those albums have some of the all time greatest production on them. 

I stumbled over a YouTube video about this. They used solid state Gallien-Krueger 250RL amps on SIT instead of the usual Marshalls they had previously. There's a built-in, non-tweakable chorus effect on those amps that gives that processed SIT tone.