The Iron Maiden Thread v. The Merge of Souls

[Mosh]

Strongly agreed. They really moved full steam ahead as in terms of the show as if there were no changes. The usual setlist staples (at the time) stayed the same, songs stayed in the original key, etc. Reaching back into the Di'Anno era or just taking a broader look at the catalog to see if any unplayed or rarely played songs would fit Blaze's voice better rather than leaning on the staples that featured pretty soaring vocal parts could have helped. Also, like Van Halen with Gary Cherone, they should have toured before the first album.

One positive for the Blaze years setlists is that they leaned heavily on the new albums. Lots of songs from X Factor and Virtual got played and healthy amount of X Factor songs remained in the set during the Virtual tour. Good contrast to now where a new album is done after the initial touring.

[Dream Team]

  First time checking on this thread since TS blew it up and the first thing I see mentioned is Blaze  . I think I'll listen to Live After Death now and remember when I was 18.

[TAC]

I agree with both Mask and Mosh, but at the end of the day, it wasn't going to work out anyway.

[pg1067]

First time checking on this thread since TS blew it up and the first thing I see mentioned is Blaze  . I think I'll listen to Live After Death now and remember when I was 18.

Twisted Sister blew up the Iron Maiden thread?

[Zantera]

I know Blaze generally is considered the weakest of their 3 frontmen and I would agree even if I like him (which some people just doesn't). For me, The X Factor might not be a top Maiden album but I love the dark atmosphere and it's highly underrated. A different direction for them but one that really worked well with Blaze's voice. I think unfortunately the reaction to X Factor was them doing more of a 'back-to-basics' Maiden album with Virtual XI and I think that's where you really start to miss Bruce. When you do something slightly different that works with Blaze's voice, you can listen to that and think "Hey this is something different and interesting" but when you're doing an album that feels more like classic Maiden, it's hard to not listen to it without missing Bruce.

We can discuss Blaze's different vocal range all day but my biggest takeaway from hearing some Blaze-led concerts over the years is that the band really weren't doing him any favors. Some songs were sped up and tuned differently and it wasn't to help Blaze because if anything it feels like it made his job even harder. I do agree with people saying they should have picked different songs and he could have really elevated some other songs instead. However you don't solve that sort of issue by just ignoring popular songs completely. If you're a band like Maiden it will be a big problem in the long run if your singer just can't sing some of your classics the way you play them live.

[MirrorMask]

Today, May 1st, is Beltane day in ancient pagan traditions. Seems like an arbitrary (although fitting) reason and excuse to talk about Bruce's Return of the King, a b-side from the Chemical Wedding era:

I know the king will come again
From the shadows to the sun
Burning hillsides with the Beltane fires
I know the king will come again
When all that glitters turns to rust
Uther Pendragon standing fast beside you...

I'm not gonna say "it's criminal that such a great song wasn't on the album", 'cause Chemical Wedding is a masterpiece full of perfect songs and the theme of this song wasn't really fitting with the Blake-y mood of the record, but damn, this is a fantastic song. Bruce has among his b-sides some utter masterpieces, and as well some atrocious insults to mankind (Cadillac Gas Mask anyone?)

Also, the turn from April to May is where the celebrations with wicker men happen, just like in the 1973 horror movie with Christopher Lee, where the landmark single of the reunion got its partial inspiration. So there, I gave you two songs from Maiden world to listen to today 

[WardySI]

Fantastic song and insane it didn't make Chemical's regular playlist 

[TAC]

So, I just had a nice run through of The Mandrake Project in the car this morning, and I have to say.....this is a good fucking album. Quality tunes the whole way through. I was thinking which songs I would add from it to my ultimate Bruce solo playlist, and I'd say up to 8 songs could be added from this album I think.

Bruce is an amazing artist and a real creative force.

But what I like is that no Bruce album sounds like an Iron Maiden album, and no Iron Maiden album sounds like a Bruce album.

[Mosh]

I think there has been a lot of controversy around how out there the album gets, but honestly if he is going to make solo albums while Iron Maiden is still making albums I would rather see him lean harder into musical styles that Maiden would never touch. Not a single song, even counting the version of Eternity Has Failed, sounds like something Maiden would do. I like that each song is a different direction, some of it works and some of it doesn't but I love that he's trying stuff (way more interesting than the Judas Priest album that could have been generated by AI imo).

Shadow of the Gods, Eternity Has Failed, and Resurrection Men are all knockout songs for me. I also dig Ragnarok, Many Doors to Hell, and Mistress of Mercy. The rest of the album has its moments but, like I said, sometimes it just doesn't work. I could do without the bluesy BOC-ish Rain on the Graves and I think Sonata/Face in the Mirror just sound kinda sloppy. But it's cool to hear him try stuff.

[cramx3]

Fantastic song and insane it didn't make Chemical's regular playlist 

Yup, one of his best songs IMO

[wolfking]

So, I just had a nice run through of The Mandrake Project in the car this morning, and I have to say.....this is a good fucking album. Quality tunes the whole way through. I was thinking which songs I would add from it to my ultimate Bruce solo playlist, and I'd say up to 8 songs could be added from this album I think.

Bruce is an amazing artist and a real creative force.

But what I like is that no Bruce album sounds like an Iron Maiden album, and no Iron Maiden album sounds like a Bruce album.

I'll give it a spin next week.  Should be fresh and I think I'll look at it differently this time.

[wolfking]

Return of the King and The Ghost of Cain are both up there for some of the best bonus tracks out there.

[Grappler]

I love The Ghost of Cain.  I haven't listened to the Chemical Wedding bonus tracks though.

I did play The Mandrake Project again a couple of weeks ago, when Bruce played his first live shows, and really enjoyed the record again after a little time away from it.

[wolfking]

I love The Ghost of Cain. I haven't listened to the Chemical Wedding bonus tracks though.

I did play The Mandrake Project again a couple of weeks ago, when Bruce played his first live shows, and really enjoyed the record again after a little time away from it.

Definitely check Return of the King.  Real World is a decent cut too.

[TAC]

My hot take is that I hope Roy Z is nowhere near Bruce's next album.

[Grappler]

Definitely check Return of the King.  Real World is a decent cut too.

   That is a great song.  My original copy of Chemical Wedding never had the bonus tracks and I wasn't going to re-buy the album for 2-3 extra songs.

[wolfking]

My hot take is that I hope Roy Z is nowhere near Bruce's next album.

Why?

[TAC]

My hot take is that I hope Roy Z is nowhere near Bruce's next album.

Why?

Well, even though all four albums with Roy Z are good, they've all been...similar. I mean, What do Tattooed Millionaire, Accident At Birth, and Skunkworks all have in common?...Nothing! They're all quite different, and I think my biggest issue with The Mandrake Project, which I like, is it's a bit stale. I think that's why Tyranny Of Souls doesn't really stand out. It's good, but let's face it. It's a lesser version of The Chemical Wedding.

[wolfking]

Why?


Well, even though all four albums with Roy Z are good, they've all been...similar. I mean, What do Tattooed Millionaire, Accident At Birth, and Skunkworks all have in common?...Nothing! They're all quite different, and I think my biggest issue with The Mandrake Project, which I like, is it's a bit stale. I think that's why Tyranny Of Souls doesn't really stand out. It's good, but let's face it. It's a lesser version of The Chemical Wedding.

I agree with TOS being a lesser version of CW for sure.  I think the new one is different enough from the other 3 though personally.

Having a fresh start with a different band wouldn't be a bad thing.  From the clips I've watched, the gutiarists he has on this current tour are really really good.

[MirrorMask]

Let's be fair: Chemical Wedding is just not an album that you follow up to. Anything would have felt sub-par.

Also, it came 7 years and a reunion later, we had this discussion earlier and someone said that you needed to strike while the iron is hot; a follow up in 1999 or 2000 to Chemical Wedding, fresh off the heels of all that buildup of support that started with Accident of Birth, would have NOT been the same album that Tyranny of Souls was.

And anyway - where do I have to sign to have an album with songs as good as Abduction, Soul Intruders, Kill Devil Hill (note to Steve Harris: see? a song can be epic and not be 10 minutes long), Navigate the Seas of the Sun and A Tyranny of Souls?

[nick_z]

So, I just had a nice run through of The Mandrake Project in the car this morning, and I have to say.....this is a good fucking album. Quality tunes the whole way through. I was thinking which songs I would add from it to my ultimate Bruce solo playlist, and I'd say up to 8 songs could be added from this album I think.

Bruce is an amazing artist and a real creative force.

But what I like is that no Bruce album sounds like an Iron Maiden album, and no Iron Maiden album sounds like a Bruce album.

I wish I liked this as much as you do…not that I was expecting a masterpiece after all these years, but I can’t deny I was disappointed. Doesn’t really grab me. The performances sound a little low-energy and some production choices (on the vocals too) are a bit odd.

Also, I don’t disagree that Tyranny is a lesser Chemical Wedding, but I gotta say I just revisited it and very much enjoyed it.

Anyhoo - happy that we have so much great material from good ol’ Bruce