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General => General Music Discussion => Topic started by: theseoafs on February 01, 2013, 03:31:37 PM
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So this thread is inspired by the surge of popularity that we saw in bosk's Maiden thread. I was going to lead a thread about the Maiden discography for Perpetual Change's now-defunct Timeless Discographies Club, but even if that project didn't exactly get off the ground this seems like it should start a series of productive, fun discussions. We'll discuss each of Maiden's studio/live albums one by one; I'll move forward in the discography each time it seems like discussion is dying down. So drop by, have a listen to the album in question, and share your thoughts about that album's songs, sound, and history.
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IRON MAIDEN - 1980
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/7c/Iron_Maiden_(album)_cover.jpg/220px-Iron_Maiden_(album)_cover.jpg)
Tracklist:
1. "Prowler"
2. "Sanctuary"
3. "Remember Tomorrow"
4. "Running Free"
5. "Phantom of the Opera"
6. "Transylvania"
7. "Strange World"
8. "Charlotte the Harlot"
9. "Iron Maiden"
Iron Maiden was started by Steve Harris in 1975. Though the group would experience quite a few lineup changes (and at least one hiatus) before the release of their debut in 1980, one thing would remain constant in this interim period and, indeed, over Maiden's career as a whole: Steve Harris' involvement. Indeed, Harris has always had an extremely specific vision for the band's progression. With every few records, Maiden would reinvent itself sonically -- and Harris usually seemed to be at the reins.
So Maiden went through a few lineup changes (including one with a keyboardist!) before eventually settling on the lineup we see in 1980, which featured Steve Harris on bass, Dennis Stratton and Dave Murray on guitar, Clive Burr on drums, and Paul Di'Anno as the frontman. This would be Stratton's only performance on a Maiden album -- Stratton would leave for "musical differences", being that he seemed to enjoy softer, more melodic music than Maiden had been playing.
Iron Maiden has a raw, punk-like sound, which sets it apart from all of Maiden's other albums, including the band's sophomore effort Killers. Reportedly, the band has voiced dissatisfaction with the album's production, though opinions are varied on this issue.
I'll leave discussion of the album's tracks to you, though in my opinion, the debut features a few classics (including "Prowler", "Remember Tomorrow", and the mini-epic "Phantom of the Opera"), but often suffers from admittedly clumsy songwriting ("Charlotte the Harlot" and "Iron Maiden").
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IMO, you really can't fault the debut. Classic songs, great raw expression, great vocals from Paul, Dave and Dennis on fire with some real tasty guitar work and a great blueprint for things to come. Although it's not near the top of my fav Maiden albums, it needs to be respected and admired as every track is classic.
Also for the time, I have no problems with the production.
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but often suffers from admittedly clumsy songwriting ("Charlotte the Harlot" and "Iron Maiden").
Iron Maiden is not one of their best songs but it's a classic title track for a band IMO.
I also never understood the hate for Charlotte the Harlot. It's got some nice things going on in there and an incredible soft section in the middle. The buildup from the middle to the solo is perfect too. I can see how some might say the chorus is a but clumsy, but I love it, great lyrics which set up an incredible sequel.
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Great album. I never had a problem with the sound, and it shows some of the awesomeness that would follow. Phantom of the Opera is pretty awesome, but they are all some pretty cool tracks, with Iron Maiden being the only real clunker in my opinion.
The problem that I had with this release that it was one of the last IM albums that I heard and while it certainly shows promise, it pales against almost every one of the later releases, so I was a little underwhelmed at first, but after a few listens, I learned to appreciate it for what it is.
Also, I like Di'Anno's voice quite a lot. Very different than Bruce's, but awesome all the same. He reached his peak on Killers, though.
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The problem that I had with this release that it was one of the last IM albums that I heard and while it certainly shows promise, it pales against almost every one of the later releases, so I was a little underwhelmed at first, but after a few listens, I learned to appreciate it for what it is.
Same. I think that just shows the strength of the bands 80's material. We get spoiled and then this just seems a bit subpa, even though in reality it's classic. I agree though, over time I listened to it for it was and it really is a perfect debut album.
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Will follow. I'll give my thoughts on each song and then on the album as a whole.
Prowler - Good song. Pretty catchy chorus, the main riff that is played in the intro and then later in the song is one of those that gets stuck on your mind. Some nice energy during the solo, a pretty fast and up-tempo song, starts off the album in a cool way.
Remember Tomorrow - One of two standout songs on the album for me personally, I love this one. It stood out as a great song right from the start, but what really made me fall in love with it even more was hearing Bruce sing it. I like the lyrics, the melody lines and the chorus is catchy. Awesome song.
Running Free - I know this one is considered a classic, but frankly it would probably be one of my least favorite songs from the album. It's catchy though, I'll give it that. An alright song, but was never one of my favorites.
Phantom of the Opera - The second standout on the album for me, and I think it's one of the band's best songs. Musically this song is amazing. It has little singing, but it's so catchy and such a fun song musically. One of the songs that got me interested in Progressive Metal, because musically it's not that far from it. Yeah, I love this song. Top10 Maiden-tune for me.
Transylvania - This has always been a pretty underrated gem in my opinion. It's a pretty awesome instrumental, and while the band didn't do that many of them, this is one of their best instrumentals for me. Really good song.
Strange World - Another song I would put in the "underrated"-category. This song is unique on the album in a pleasant way, and doesn't sound that much like a Maiden-song at all. I really quite enjoy this song, and I wish people would talk about it more.
Charlotte the Harlot - Pretty catchy and up-tempo song. This is one of those songs I like, but I often forget about it. It's a good song, and a very solid tune overall. Not much more to say really.
Iron Maiden - Another classic, this one has been played so many times by now that it's almost easy to overlook. I think it's a great and solid song, not one of my favorites from the album, but a very good song never the less.
The Album - I think this is a pretty solid debut album. I know a lot of people tend to compare it against Killers, personally I think both are fairly equal quality-wise for me. Phantom of the Opera and Remember Tomorrow are my favorites from this album, and overall I think it's very good.
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:caffeine:
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This is your shining moment, bosk. Listen to the discog with us. You will not be let down.
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:caffeine:
To be honest bosk, if you like Maiden and are going to get into them, you'll end up getting their whole discography, so perhaps use this thread to discover every album as we go along. It would be a good way to get the lowdown on the albums while going on the bands journey from start to finish.
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This is your shining moment, bosk. Listen to the discog with us. You will not be let down.
ninja'd me bro. :tup
Also sea, perhaps you could set a specific timeline that every new album would come up, maybe a few days, or more, I don't know. I think scheduled perfectly timed updates would be better than random updates. What do you all think?
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Yeah. Although I have my preferences for what I would like to pick up first, all things being equal, given that virtually every single album in the discog was recommended by somebody or other in that thread, I'm going to head over to the music store later and just pick up a few selections based on whatever I can find in the used bin. I figure I can't go wrong, and getting them used (i.e., cheaper) will allow me to sample more of it faster. :2metal:
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Most Maiden album over here in Australia for $10 each new. To me that's pretty cheap for quality albums. Not sure what the prices are like elsewhere.
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Also sea, perhaps you could set a specific timeline that every new album would come up, maybe a few days, or more, I don't know. I think scheduled perfectly timed updates would be better than random updates. What do you all think?
The problem with that is if there is some really cool discussion going on and then seaofs posts a new entry and then suddenly the discussion is interrupted or rather weird to carry on because there are two separate things going on at the same time.
Why not just wait until there's not really any discussion going on, and then move on to the next? That's how I'll be handling this when doing this thread for SX.
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Also sea, perhaps you could set a specific timeline that every new album would come up, maybe a few days, or more, I don't know. I think scheduled perfectly timed updates would be better than random updates. What do you all think?
The problem with that is if there is some really cool discussion going on and then seaofs posts a new entry and then suddenly the discussion is interrupted or rather weird to carry on because there are two separate things going on at the same time.
Why not just wait until there's not really any discussion going on, and then move on to the next? That's how I'll be handling this when doing this thread for SX.
Agree, how about a minimum time per album at least? Then if the discussion is still going, we let it keep going.
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Like a lot of people, I came to the debut late-it was, in fact, the last Maiden album I purchased, around the time Live After Death came out-but I really enjoyed it. The seeds to a lot of different directions for the band are on the debut, though the vein they most consistently followed was that of Phantom of the Opera. It has a raw, punkish energy that Killers also had-the sheer blazing speed, for the time, of Prowler, the fiercely angry title track-but it also had its feet planted in more traditional hard rock sounds with Running Free and Sanctuary, and explored a more acoustic side with songs like Remember Tomorrow and Strange World. It isn't quite the Maiden we came to know, but you can certainly find them here.
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I think the debut slipped through the cracks because by the time I got it, I already knew most of the songs well from the live releases which I already had. So, I got it just to complete the collection but never really gave it time on its own until later on.
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Also sea, perhaps you could set a specific timeline that every new album would come up, maybe a few days, or more, I don't know. I think scheduled perfectly timed updates would be better than random updates. What do you all think?
The problem with that is if there is some really cool discussion going on and then seaofs posts a new entry and then suddenly the discussion is interrupted or rather weird to carry on because there are two separate things going on at the same time.
Why not just wait until there's not really any discussion going on, and then move on to the next? That's how I'll be handling this when doing this thread for SX.
Agree, how about a minimum time per album at least? Then if the discussion is still going, we let it keep going.
That would work. Ultimately, though, it's Mr. Seoafs' choice. What sayeth you, o revered thread creator?
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Thread title reminds me of: :xmasstory:
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Pretty good album. I heard Killers first and that's my favourite but there's no doubt it's a great debut.
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Great album. Will follow this thread.
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Awesome idea :tup and an awesome album. I'll throw in Sanctuary!
My rank:
1. Phantom of the Opera
2. Transylvania
3. Strange World
4. Remember Tomorrow
5. Prowler
6. Sanctuary
7. Iron Maiden
8. Running Free
9. Charlotte the Harlot
I love the raw punk feel this album has and it's a great debut.
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Remember Tomorrow is great. The way the verse transitions into the chorus always makes me think of Fade to Black for some reason.
Did Guns and Roses ever do a cover of Running Free? If not I always thought that would have been the perfect song for them.
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+1 to Strange World being very underrated. Absolutely LOVE that song. 'Arry's bass line on that song is one of his most memorable and haunting IMO.
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+1 to Strange World being very underrated. Absolutely LOVE that song. 'Arry's bass line on that song is one of his most memorable and haunting IMO.
:tup
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Agree, how about a minimum time per album at least? Then if the discussion is still going, we let it keep going.
That would work. Ultimately, though, it's Mr. Seoafs' choice. What sayeth you, o revered thread creator?
If we want a minimum time per album, that's totally doable. 3 days minimum per album? Or maybe 2?
Also sea,
That's a new one. Took me a second to realize you were still talking to me. :lol
Yeah. Although I have my preferences for what I would like to pick up first, all things being equal, given that virtually every single album in the discog was recommended by somebody or other in that thread, I'm going to head over to the music store later and just pick up a few selections based on whatever I can find in the used bin. I figure I can't go wrong, and getting them used (i.e., cheaper) will allow me to sample more of it faster. :2metal:
I will stake my (admittedly minimal) reputation on your enjoyment of these discs. (Unless you get No Prayer for the Dying. If you do, God help you.)
+1 to Strange World being very underrated. Absolutely LOVE that song. 'Arry's bass line on that song is one of his most memorable and haunting IMO.
You know what, in listening to the album for the thread, I just heard this song for the first time in what must be more than a year. I forgot how good this one was, honestly. Very atmospheric and haunting.
Anyway, rankings!
1. Phantom of the Opera
2. Remember Tomorrow
3. Prowler
4. Strange World
5. Running Free
6. Transylvania
7. Sanctuary
8. Iron Maiden
9. Charlotte the Harlot
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I enjoy all the Maiden albums. There really isnt even one song from them that I dont like.
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Anyway, rankings!
1. Phantom of the Opera
2. Remember Tomorrow
3. Prowler
4. Strange World
5. Running Free
6. Transylvania
7. Sanctuary
8. Iron Maiden
9. Charlotte the Harlot
Wow...switch RF and Transylvania, and you've got my rankings....VERY close.
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Anyway, rankings!
1. Phantom of the Opera
2. Remember Tomorrow
3. Prowler
4. Strange World
5. Running Free
6. Transylvania
7. Sanctuary
8. Iron Maiden
9. Charlotte the Harlot
Wow...switch RF and Transylvania, and you've got my rankings....VERY close.
:xmasstory:
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Okay, rankings:
1. Phantom of the Opera
2. Remember Tomorrow
3. Transylvania
4. Strange World
5. Iron Maiden
6. Prowler
7. Charlotte the Harlot
8. (Sanctuary)
9. Running Free
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My favourite Iron Maiden album, because the filler (Charlotte the Harlot) is the best Iron Maiden filler. I like punk music, and this album might be the most diverse IM album, because there are for example fast and heavy Prowler, maybe the softest Iron Maiden track Strange World, the epic The Phantom of the Opera and Remember Tomorrow, which changes mood many times.
Like Scorpion, I like Paul's vocals.
My ranking:
1.Remember Tomorrow
2.Prowler
3.The Phantom of the Opera
4.Strange World
5.Iron Maiden
6.Running Free (INSANE LIVE SONG!)
7.Transylvania
8.Charlotte the Harlot
Sanctuary would be the last. Why they had to play such a dragger for so many tours?
Remember Tomorrow is great. The way the verse transitions into the chorus always makes me think of Fade to Black for some reason.
Iron Maiden has been a great inspiration for Metallica. Lars Ulrich has even said: "Iron Maiden is 110% cooler than any other band in the world."
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1. Phantom of the Opera
2. Strange World
3. Charlotte the Harlot
4. Transylvania
5. Prowler
6. Remember Tomorrow
7. Running Free
8. Iron Maiden
"Remember Tomorrow" is the only song that I think is actually damaged by the production. It's a much better song than it sounds on this record.
Fantastic debut. I really love it.
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I started with TNOTB, but I got the debut and Killers on Christmas day 1982. Which now that I think of it makes me appreciate my parents even more.
Paul Dianno had a great voice. Perfect on this album. I would get everything he was involved in throughout the 80's..Dianno, Battlezone, and Gogmagog (which also features Clive Burr and Jannick Gers).
Love Phantom Of The Opera, Remember Tomorrow, and Prowler.
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Following along
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Not a lot of bands have already established themselves as a big name in heavy metal world with their debut, and for a good reason - in terms of originality, Iron Maiden was already head and shoulders above their contemporaries. The record is fairly diverse stylistically, some of the songs are very progressive, the vocals were punkier than what was usual in the new wave of Brittish heavy metal. You could argue that every element of the classic Maiden sound is in there. The thing that's notably different compared to their next record (and also the golden era albums with Bruce, obviously) is the raw production, which never bothered me honestly - I think that's what gives it a special touch.
Prowler - The album kicks off with a hit. Melodic riff, vocal harmonies, in-your-face solos, powerful drumming - everything that Maiden's about can be heard on the album opener.
Sanctuary - This song proudly wears the influence of punk, which can be explained by the fact that Paul is listed as a co-writer. A fun song.
Remember tomorrow - I love the contrast between the gentle verses and the furious, heavy riff that follows. One of the more complicated pieces on the record.
Running free - I always thought this song is quite different for Maiden. It's edgy and has a punk attitude, which is counterbalanced by remarkable guitar harmonies that make you realize you're still listening to Maiden.
Phantom of the opera - A timeless classic and one of my favorite songs of theirs. The song structure is very progressive, and the guitar harmonies are equally impressive. They already knew where their strength is.
Transylvania - Tremendous playing on this song. Every fan loves it.
Strange world - This is where Paul shows he can sing a ballad as well, there's a certain warmth in his voice here. Dave Murray shines as well, I'm sure he enjoyed playing these solos.
Charlotte the Harlot - I never really cared for lyrics like these, at least when Maiden do it. That's the job for AC/DC. Musically, it's pretty solid.
Iron Maiden - The title track suffers from a problem the band had on some of the songs in their early days - repeating the same lyrics in verse and chorus three times. Aside from that, it's a cool track and a concert staple.
Overall, Iron Maiden is not one of my favorite Iron Maiden albums and would just barely crack its way into my top 10. Yet I'll give it 9/10 - that has to be one hell of a band then, right? Kudos for the thread, I'm reading all of it and immensely enjoying writing the reviews. :tup
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Can't go wrong with that pale zombie in the cover (in the beginning of the 80's). Got to respect how Clive Burr with Harris bass made a new and powerful type of rhythm at the time.
Remember Tomorrow, Prowler and Phantom are all time classics and Transylvania is the best instrumental they ever did.
Iron Maiden and Sanctuary are so overrated by the band themselves. I don't know why the hell they choose to play them on almost every tour instead of the above referenced.
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Iron Maiden - The title track suffers from a problem the band had on some of the songs in their early days - repeating the same lyrics in verse and chorus three times.
Right, this is one of my beefs with the album songwriting-wise. The title track's lyrics were already a bit awkward, but it wouldn't be a huge problem if they weren't repeated three times over.
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I really got into Maiden later in my musical journey although I was still young (I was listening to music frequently out of the gate as a child)... I think Seventh Son was the first album of Maiden that was out when I started really listening to the band and even with that I always liked the first two with Di'Anno singing (though I think most would agree Bruce was better for the band long term).
Like has been mentioned before the debut offers a lot of hints to their future while leaning more on the raw punk influences of that period. For a debut it was thankfully a quality release and it very steady throughout for me. One song I don't really care for (Sanctuary) and the rest for me are good to really good.
1. Remember Tomorrow
2. Phantom of the Opera
3. Strange World
4. Transylvania
5. Iron Maiden
6. Running Free
7. Charlotte the Harlot
8. Prowler
9. Sanctuary
Remember Tomorrow has long been a favorite standout of mine from the band because it just seems so different than other things the band has done.
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Maiden should bring Remember Tomorrow back out. The Real Live Dead version IMO is amazing.
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Maiden should bring Remember Tomorrow back out. The Real Live Dead version IMO is amazing.
I think Bruce butchers the song. I prefer Paul's version.
Phantom of the Opera on Live After Death, however, is magnificent.
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A Real Live Dead One would be my favourite version of the song. Love what Janick brings to it too.
That Phantom live version is easily the best version, by miles and miles.
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That Phantom live version is easily the best version, by miles and miles.
I actually prefer the Beast over Hammersmith version, but LAD is frickin' stellar as well.
NOW YOU'RE RUNNING AND HIDING BUT YOU WON'T GET AWAY FROM MY GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASP :metal :metal
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Maiden should bring Remember Tomorrow back out. The Real Live Dead version IMO is amazing.
I think Bruce butchers the song. I prefer Paul's version.
Phantom of the Opera on Live After Death, however, is magnificent.
At first i was like: Wait...Phantom Of the Opera on Live After Death? but you mean the CDs which i haven't heard so i'm looking forward to that! :)
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I never liked Iron Maiden (album) because it is too punky for me but I will give it a shot :)
SSOASS is my #1
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I bought this album after buying "Killers" when it was released. I really loved "Killers" and couldn't stop listening to it. Found out they actually had another album and literally ran to the record store and bought the LP. This one and "Killers" would be the only two Maiden albums I would buy on vinyl as I got a new stereo for my 17th birthday in February of '81 and it had a cassette deck in it, so I started buying cassettes by the time NOtB would come out in March of '82.
Anyway, back to Iron Maiden......I liked the album quite a bit but not as much as the second one. Paul Di'Anno was, to me, an amazing vocalist. I thought his style suited the music perfectly. And those guitars! :omg:
I had a band back then, had been playing guitar since I was about 12 and we pretty much became an Iron Maiden covers band because that's all we'd ever play. Such fun times! I really wanted to see them live in '81 but my parents wouldn't let me drive to Boston by myself so I never got to see Di'Anno perform with them. It's too bad he got caught up in the drugs and booze and got himself kicked out of the band. Then again, Maiden may never have become the major player in the British Invasion of the 80's had they not run into Bruce Dickinson.
As for the production values of this album.......obviously, when it came out, listening to it on a $350 rack stereo system from Sears wasn't going to be a situation that would reveal any major sonic deficiencies. :lol With the benefit of hindsight, however, I would have to agree that the mix is not exactly great. It's a bit dull sounding with the bass not really being low enough and the highs not really sparkling as they should, but given the era of the release I tend to just accept it for what it is.
I don't rank it very high in their full catalog, but they DO have few albums that I rank lower.
I think it was a very good debut that showed great promise.
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I had a band back then, had been playing guitar since I was about 12 and we pretty much became an Iron Maiden covers band because that's all we'd ever play. Such fun times! I really wanted to see them live in '81 but my parents wouldn't let me drive to Boston by myself so I never got to see Di'Anno perform with them. It's too bad he got caught up in the drugs and booze and got himself kicked out of the band. Then again, Maiden may never have become the major player in the British Invasion of the 80's had they not run into Bruce Dickinson.
Oh, I think that while Maiden would have easily been the most successful of the NWOBHM bands that stuck to metal-we can't count Def Leppard in this conversation, since they started running away from being a metal band as fast as humanly possible-with Di'Anno as vocalist I think they would have been just a little more successful than, say, Saxon was in the US. I'll discuss this more when we get to those albums, but the band's songwriting took a quantum leap upward between TNOTB and Piece of Mind, and arguably a larger leap between Piece and Powerslave, and I think it was the presence of Dickinson-both as a songwriter but especially as a vocalist with far more range than Di'Anno-that made the difference.
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It looks like the discussion is heading in this way anyway, so I'll throw in the sophomore album so people can do their comparison with the first album, evaluation of the Di'Anno era, comparison with the Dickinson era, and the like.
KILLERS - 1981
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b4/Iron_Maiden_Killers.jpg)
1. "The Ides of March"
2. "Wrathchild"
3. "Murders in the Rue Morgue"
4. "Another Life"
5. "Genghis Khan"
6. "Innocent Exile"
7. "Killers"
8. "Prodigal Son"
9. "Purgatory"
10. "Twilight Zone"
11. "Drifter"
So, here we are -- the last album with Paul Di'Anno, and the first album with Adrian Smith. I think that Di'Anno was a great vocalist in his own right, so it's rather sad his substance abuse problems had to interfere with his membership in the band, though I do agree that Maiden wouldn't have been nearly as popular, especially in the States, if Bruce Dickinson had never come to the fold. In any case, I view Killers as the superior album of the Di'Anno era, with no track on the debut quite reaching the heights of "Wrathchild", "Murders in the Rue Morgue", "Killers", and the splendid ballad "Prodigal Son".
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I think this sums up the album: :metal.
I don't really care about Drifter, but everything else is very good. Killers is one of the best songs they've written, and Paul is on fire in it. And Purgatory has some of their best guitar work.
Innocent Exile is always overlooked, it is almost progressive, and the fast section rocks. Clive throws out some of his best drumming. I also love The Ides of March, a great way to open album and has one of the best solos by Adrian.
Ranking:
1.Killers
2.Purgatory
3.Genghis Khan
4.The Ides of March
5.Innocent Exile
6.Wrathchild
7.Murders in the Rue Morgue
8.Another Life
9.Prodigal Son
10.Drifter
Twilight Zone is a pure filler. The main riff is cool, but that's pretty much only good thing in the song.
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The Ides of March - Solid intro. Quite rare in the Maiden discography considering they haven't really done the whole "intro-song" (as a shorter song leading into the first 'real' song). This one is quite cool, it leads up into Wrathchild nicely, and I quite enjoy it more and more as it progresses.
Wrathchild - Classic Maiden-song. Despite how many times this one has been played over the years, I still like this one quite a lot. Some very catchy songs and considering the fairly short length, it's really nice.
Murders in the Rue Morgue - While it starts off pretty calm, it soon explodes with a lot of energy. This song is for me kinda like Prowler, a solid and catchy song, but it was never one of my favorites from the album.
Another Life - This song is solid but not much more. It's not a bad song or anything, it's just one of those songs that has never really clicked for me.
Genghis Khan - Another instrumental, and personally I've spent quite some time comparing it to Transylvania from the first album. I don't think this one is as good as that one, but it is a pretty good song. Fairly underrated I would say, cool stuff in it.
Innocent Exile - Feel kinda the same with this song like I do with Another Life. It's not a bad song, one of those solid songs that never really clicked. Has some cool stuff, some alright stuff.
Killers - Best song on the album without a doubt for me, and also a top10 Maiden-song I would say. I really wished more of the album was as epic as this song, because then I would like the album more probably. Still, a Maiden-classic and this song rules.
Prodigal Son - I feel a bit the same with this one like I do with Strange World from the debut. A song I really quite like, but it doesn't seem to be liked by many others, so underrated in that sense. Quite different musically from the other songs (at least parts of it), but I quite enjoy it.
Purgatory - Quite upbeat and fast song, lots of energy. One of the better songs on the album, and a very enjoyable song as a whole.
Drifter - This song didn't stand out that much until I heard the live version with Bruce, which sounded really sweet. This song has grown on me quite a bit since, and I think it's in the upper half of the album.
The Album - I don't think this is as good as the debut, but it is pretty good. Fewer songs have the "wow"-factor, but songs like Killers and Wrathchild are really awesome. I quite enjoy this album, but yeah, out of the Di'Anno albums I think the debut has stronger songs probably.
Song-ranking:
1. Killers
2. Wrathchild
3. Purgatory
4. Drifter
5. Prodigal Son
6. Genghis Khan
7. The Ides of March
8. Murders in the Rue Morgue
9. Innocent Exile
10. Another Life
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Compared to the debut this album has more filler songs imo but Killers, MITRM, Wrathchild, The Ides Of March, Purgatory, Genghis Khan weighs it up being an awesome album anyway.
1. Purgatory
2. Killers
3. Murders in the Rue Morgue
4. Genghis Khan
5. The Ides of March
6. Wrathchild
7. Another Life
8. Prodigal Son
(9. Twilight Zone)
10. Innocent Exile
11. Drifter
I can't express how much i love Purgatory, it's so simple but yet so full of energy and awesomness! 1:15- everytime i hear that part i wanna air drum so bad. I wished they would play this live!
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I don't like Killers nearly as much as the debut, but it's still a good album.
1. Wrathchild
2. Murders in the Rue Morgue
3. Killers
4. Innocent Exile
5. Genghis Khan
6. Purgatory
7. The Ides of March
8. Prodigal Son
9. Another Life
10. Twilight Zone
11. Drifter
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As much as I hate to go with the crowd, I'm forced to agree that I think the debut had stronger songs, and Killers (while having it's incredible moments) had more filler.
But I'm going to give it another spin tonight, because I haven't heard some of these songs in quite some time...and I seem to remember that every time I hear them, they're always better than I remember them being.
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Killers had more filler
You know you've had too much coffee when you start giggling to stuff like this :rollin
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I'm on the other side of the debate. Killers is, imho, the vastly superior album of the Di'Anno era, with the title track being my favourite song recorded with Di'Anno (yes, higher than POTO). Other tracks like Prodigal Son, Purgatory and Wrathchild seal the deal for me, but I don't regard any of this filler all the same - I can listen to any track on this album and it rocks.
I also loved how the songwriting matured, I guess that's Adrian's influence shining through.
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Am I the first person to mention the arrival of Martin Birch in the producer's chair?
Gonna talk about it even if I'm not. Birch was pretty much the sixth member of Iron Maiden during their glory days, and there are few combinations where the band and the producer worked together so perfectly as Maiden and Birch. Killers finds Maiden still fitting the pieces together-one's still to come, and Dave Murray and Adrian Smith haven't quite developed their telepathic link and become the finest twin guitar team in the history of heavy metal-but it's coming. That being said, I like the debut better than Killers. Killers has a bit more filler than the debut, and it is still a bit raw and punky in parts-Maiden was still shedding that rougher sound as late as Invaders on NOTB-but it's a solid album and a worthy follow up to the debut.
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Killers is my favourite Maiden album. better production than the debut, better songs, better cover.
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Killers is the black sheep of Maiden's catalog IMO. It has great songs and is a good listen but there is just something different to everything else they have done. It's my least fav Maiden album, but saying that it's stronger than a lot of bands best work out there.
Love Prodigal Son, Murders, Khan, and the amazing underrated Purgatory.
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better cover.
Ah yea that's a whole new discussion right there, the covers is and always will be an important factor in Maidens history atleast Derek Riggs covers and i fully believe that the LP version is the only format making the covers any justice! It was always fun trying find Dereks stamp.
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I was afraid I would be alone in feeling Killers is a step below the debut overall but it seems I'm not. It's another very good effort I just feel there are more songs on the debut that are classic Maiden tunes for me. Having said that Killers and Wrathchild are just awesome!
It feels like the MUSIC on the second album was definitely headed down the road we were soon to know Maiden for and in my opinion it seems obvious on several of the songs on this album that Di'Anno didn't exactly fit for where the band wanted to take their music later on. It's good but I think Di'Anno was a better fit for the songs of the debut.
1. Killers
2. Wrathchild
3. Prodigal Son
4. Murders in the Rue Morgue
5. The Ides of March
6. Genghis Khan
7. Purgatory
8. Drifter
9. Innocent Exile
10. Another Life
11. Twilight Zone
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Yeah the cover is great. There is one nugget, if you look closely, related to Iron Maiden gigs.
SPOILER ALERT!
Ruskin Arms
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The songs on Killers are good, but I get the impression that the band was rushed to have their second album released as soon as possible, which probably effected the songwriting. It's also a known fact that some of the songs that weren't good enough for their debut ended up here. Given that, some of these tracks certainly are great. The production needs to be mentioned as well, since I think Martin Birch did a brilliant job. Also, welcome aboard, Adrian Smith - he didn't write any song yet, but you can already feel the magic in his guitar solos here.
The Ides of March - Terrific melodies and a fantastic short opener that sets the mood for the rest of the album perfectly.
Wrathchild - The hit from the album, present in the concerts to this day. Just a great song.
Murders in the rue morgue - Probably my favorite song on the album. Fast, melodic, with great dark lyrics. Most of the lyrics on the album are pretty dark, though.
Another life - Extremely repetitive, but still fairly enjoyable.
Genghis Khan - Better than Transylvania - yeah, I went there. It's very wild and progressive in the first two minutes, before some of the most beautiful, delay-driven guitar harmonies in their entire career kick in.
Innocent exile - I love the groove in this song, it gives me a strong Thin Lizzy vibe in some sections. Incredible bass playing.
Killers - Truly a classic, and if I'm not mistaken the first Iron Maiden song to feature what happened to be a trademark of theirs: a gallop. Di'Anno shines, belting out those lyrics like crazy.
Prodigal son - I was never too crazy about this song, mostly because the chord progression doesn't to a whole lot to me. They have better ballads, but it's still solid.
Purgatory - The fastest and heaviest song on the record, but still very melodic with a memorable and catchy chorus.
Twilight zone - This was a B-side for a reason. It's just a fine song.
Drifter - I love how the riff sounds sinister and dark when it begins, but then drums kick in and suddenly we have this groovy, almost rock and roll song. One of my favorites on the album.
The album has its highlights and a couple of classics, but overall, it isn't as remarkably strong as their other 80s releases in my opinion. I don't return to it very often, I have to admit. 8.5/10
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Huge Maiden fan, will definitely be following this. Right from the get-go, the band was writing timeless classics like POTO which I still consider a Maiden Top 10 song (especially the Live After Death version). As a proud "get off my lawn" type of guy, I need to mention that the brilliance of the album covers and sleeves would be totally lost on today's digitized generation. :'(
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Huge Maiden fan, will definitely be following this. Right from the get-go, the band was writing timeless classics like POTO which I still consider a Maiden Top 10 song (especially the Live After Death version). As a proud "get off my lawn" type of guy, I need to mention that the brilliance of the album covers and sleeves would be totally lost on today's digitized generation. :'(
I don't think so - there's plenty of us who drool over detailed album covers on vinyls, believe me :)
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Also, theseoafs, you might wanna edit the thread title. :smiley:
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Well, I'm gonna have to make some better contributions to this thread.
First off, I almost never listen to Maiden's first two albums. Maiden's just not the same without Bruce, and honestly I'll take even Blaze era over Paul Dianno.
But listening to them again, I have to admit that they're not all that bad. Actually, I'd say both albums are better than TNOTB, which I believe to be overated in the extreme. Both are also better than Fear of the Dark and No Prayer, two of the worst Bruce albums.
As an interesting aside, an increasingly greater number metal purists seem to prefer Paul to Bruce these days. I can't understand why, but I do have an idea: Under Bruce, Iron Maiden defined what heavy metal was, expanding it by leaps and bounds first. They brought theatrics and complexity into metal, as well as the expectation of technical proficiency in all areas. Lyrically, Bruce brought his passion for history, philosophy, and religion to the table, which greatly complimented Steve Harris' horror-themed stuff. This new type of hard rock that was not only more lyrically sophisticated but also very theatrical and (later) symphonic set the framework for most of the heavy metal in the 90's and much in the 00's. Without Iron Maiden's musical and lyrical influences, it's hard to imagine Power Metal, Symphonic Metal, Progressive Metal, and the various other forms which gained traction during the last two decades. Unfortunately, those forms all stem from what Maiden did after they got Bruce, and those forms are also what silly metal purists like more and more to reject.
Anyway, just some food for thought.
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@Mladen: Whoops! Fixed. Thanks for pointing this out to me.
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sorry Late to the Party...but need to go back to the first album
I was standing in a local record store ( yes it was many moons ago...) and as some of the old fogies can attest they actually used to have a turntable where the clerks would play whatever they felt like in the store, they usually had a small stand somewhere near the turntable where they displayed the album cover
As i was flipping through the bins browsing all of a sudden I hear the most incredible music I have ever heard . I look up as the clerk was placing the album cover on the stand and I was taken back my the sight of this obvious decayed body . I asked the clerk who the hell were these guys...he said he wasn't really familiar with them that the album had only come in a few days before but he couldn't stop playing it.
That began my love affair with IM, unfortuaneatly by the time Somewhere in Time ...came around I was starting to listen to the entire Thrash movement and got heavily enduldged in it. I later went back and filled out my Maiden catalogue, but the sameness of the music and songs (I know this is what makes Maiden unique) just never grabbed my attention the way the early albums did
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Both the Di'Anno albums are very strong, though the band would certainly reach far greater heights later. I think I have to say that Killers is ever so slightly the better album. The "filler" in terms of the last track made for the album is actually Genghis Khan, which turned out to be one of the highlights. The worst song on any pressing I think has to be Twilight Zone, though Prodigal Son drags a bit. I think they should do a little less Sanctuary and Running Free and a little more Drifter as a set closer these days, especially because I want to have a chance to yo yo yo. Even without the yos, though, I think it is the best song out of the three and deserves more recognition. Excellent Di'Anno vocals. Before I get carried away, I'll do a quick song-by-song.
The Ides of March - Is it possible that this was one of the earliest instances of "short instrumental at the beginning of the album" that has been used so many times since (The Hellion on Screaming for Vengeance, Into the Lungs of Hell on So Far, So Good... So What?, Dialectic Chaos on Endgame)? In any case, brilliant song and probably my favorite of the album's two instrumentals. I love how they got both guitarists playing solos in there. Perfect intro to the record.
Wrathchild - One of Harris' first compositions, and still holds its own against later Maiden songs. Great bass (well, you can say that about any Maiden song), and I just LOVE that moment when Di'Anno or later Dickinson (or Bayley) screams before the second verse. Absolutely full of energy.
Murders In the Rue Morgue - Lovely melodic intro goes into a very fast-paced and almost frantic-sounding song. One of the highlights on the album. Only major complaint: It seems like Bruce never learned the lyrics to it, so every performance of the song with him just repeats various fragmented parts of the lyrics.
Another Life - Best song of the Harris "hey, let's repeat these verses three times" school. Some great guitar work by Smith and Murray, and Clive Burr on those drums! In the earlier days they did used to have Clive play a drum solo in the midddle of the song. Check it out on the footage of the band at The Ruskin Arms in 1979 on The Early Days DVD
Genghis Khan - As stated, the lesser instrumental but still a highlight. Can you believe that this was written to fill up space on the record?
Innocent Exile - This one seems to be a pretty mundane track, and maybe it is in the context of the album, but listen to it on its own and it shines! Harris is obviously the star of this track, but it does have that kind of groove that they only ever did with Clive on the drums.
Killers - The title track does not disappoint. Some of Di'Anno's best vocals.
Prodigal Son - As I said, drags a bit, but it's a decent ballad.
Purgatory - Another very fast, daring track. It is not surprising that this album heavily influenced the thrash bands.
Twilight Zone - Awesome riff, and every Dave Murray song must be treasured because they're rather rare, but unfortunately it doesn't really go anywhere and probably is worst on the album.
Drifter - See above.
Quick comment on the debut, since I missed that one: Phantom of the Opera and Remember Tomorrow are classics, Strange World is an unusual Maiden song but is very good and Transylvania may be the best of the instrumentals. Running Free and Sanctuary are good in their own right but pale in comparison to later Maiden songs, and both are far better live than in the studio. Charlotte is underrated but not really a classic; I do love the way Di'Anno's "cause you're making..." runs into Davey's solo. Prowler is a good opener and though the lyrics are juvenile, there have been worse lyrics in that department ("Moving my hips in a circular way..." (Whoever finishes that line and can name the source without cheating gets a cookie)).
Iron Maiden the song is the worst on the debut. I think it may be the worst song Maiden released until Fear of the Dark brought the gift of Chains of Misery, The Apparition and Weekend Warrior. Well, maybe not if you count Mission From 'Arry (another cookie for whoever quotes the iconic line from this recording without cheating). Still, played live, Iron Maiden rocks. Sure, it's not the most cleverly constructed song there's ever been. Sure, the lyrics aren't great and they consist of the same puns repeated three times. But go to a Maiden show and see if that matters to you then. You'll be singing right along about how Iron Maiden's gonna get you no matter how far. As anyone at who has been to a Maiden show will attest, this isn't a song. It's an event. Especially as it heralds the coming of Eddie. So, yeah, the studio version isn't that great, but live the song is killer, and I'm glad that they'll never stop playing it.
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I was pleasantly surprised by both the Di'Anno albums. Growing up in Australia, I was always a huge fan of The Angels (THIS (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Angels_%28Australian_band%29) one), and when I first heard 'Iron Maiden' (and 'Killers' shortly after), I was struck by just how similar Di'Anno's vocals were to Doc Neeson's of The Angels. So, for me personally, early Maiden was almost like listening to a heavier, more diverse incarnation of The Angels, and I gotta say that I quite liked it.
But, with that being said, I've never been a huge fan of 'Iron Maiden' and 'Killers', as far as the material goes. When compared to the rest of the band's material, I just find it a little flat, and a little lacking in dynamics. The music entertains me, but doesn't excite me. I respect the albums, though; I do understand why they're so adored and highly regarded among fans. But I'm afraid that no amount of respect can make me enjoy these albums in the same way I enjoy Iron Maiden's later material.
When I think of 'Iron Maiden' and 'Killers', I think of two albums that display the modest beginnings of one of my favourite bands, and depict the first stage of the band's own 'evolutionary process'. I more own these albums for collection's sake, rather than listening pleasure. Because, aside from a few choice cuts - "Remember Tomorrow", "Running Free", "Purgatory", "Genghis Khan", the second half of "Innocent Exile", and maybe, maybe "Phantom of the Opera", "Murders in the Rue Morgue" and "Prowler" - there isn't much else of interest to me, and there are moments on the albums where I simply zone out, as a result of hearing consecutive songs that are bereft of any unique, distinguishing qualities.
Overall, I consider the Di'Anno albums to be the equivalent of Motörhead's first handful of albums. They're good albums, yes, but they're still reflective of a band trying to find their feet. It was only after this period that the band actually started becoming interesting. And I don't mean any of this as an insult; to me, this is just how it is: 'Iron Maiden' and 'Killers' were an admirable beginning, but largely uninteresting. However, aside from all that, they are very important albums, because they laid all of the groundwork for what would eventually grow into the Iron Maiden that the world knows today. All the qualities were there - the speed, the theatrics, the disguised complexity, the general subject matter/lyrical content, etc. All of these traits can be found on these early albums, in their infancy. 'Iron Maiden' and 'Killers' were the early works of a band that would later move onto bigger things, but their influence on the band would remain.
So, overall:
- The Di'Anno albums were an important part of the band's history.
- They were an admirable attempt for a band starting out.
- Are they all that great on their own merits, context aside? Not really; aside from a few highlights, the albums' content is largely just 'okay'.
- Would I / do I return to them for my own listening pleasure? No.
- Are they Iron Maiden's worst albums? No.
- Would I concede that the albums are probably better than I give them credit for? Yes, but I was merely stating my opinions and perspective.
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Someone that's more familiar with the early 80's british invasion bands will have to clarify this, but I used to play in a band with another guy that was a huge maiden fan and he played me a song from an album from one of the other british bands of the time. It was The Ides of March note for note except for the guitar solos. I'm not sure, but he told me that the song pre-dated Killers being released.
Does anyone else know about this?
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It's Thunderburst from Samson's album Head on. The band features Thunderstick on drums, who used to play in Maiden. During that time, Steve and him wrote what would become The Ides of March and Thunderburst. The difference is, Steve Harris is credited on that Samson album as a co-writer of Thunderburst, but Thunderstick isn't credited on Killers.
Also, gotta agree with 425, I'd love to see Drifter as a concert closer. :metal
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Never knew that, just checked Thunderburst, cool but Ides of March slays it. I need to check Samson out still.
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I was pleasantly surprised by both the Di'Anno albums. Growing up in Australia, I was always a huge fan of The Angels (THIS (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Angels_%28Australian_band%29) one)
heh....I used to cover their song Marseilles....never thought I'd see them mentioned here :omg:
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heh....I used to cover their song Marseilles....never thought I'd see them mentioned here :omg:
Well, I never expected another person here to know about them, since they're the furthest thing from prog you can get, and there's next to no Australians on this forum. But hey, here we are; it's a small music world.
I think Guns N' Roses used to cover "Marseilles" as well, by the way. So I guess that must've been their biggest hit in the States (or outside of Australia, for that matter).
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Never knew that, just checked Thunderburst, cool but Ides of March slays it.
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Anyway, while I'm here, I might as well drop the next album off.
THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST - 1982
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/1f/Iron_Maiden_-_The_Number_Of_The_Beast.jpg/220px-Iron_Maiden_-_The_Number_Of_The_Beast.jpg)
1. "Invaders"
2. "Children of the Damned"
3. "The Prisoner"
4. "22 Acacia Avenue"
5. "The Number of the Beast"
6. "Run to the Hills"
7. "Gangland"
8. "Total Eclipse"
9. "Hallowed Be Thy Name"
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Short version: it's The Number of the Beast, what else do you need to say?
Long version: Bruce Dickinson's arrival isn't quite the last piece in the puzzle-that's when Nicko shows up-but Maiden is close to becoming Iron Maiden as we know them today. Murray and Smith are beginning to develop that telepathic link as a twin guitar team, Bruce's sheer talent brings a wider range of potential to the band's music-which really comes into play with the next album-and the rougher, punkier edges are being smoothed off, leaving a lean, sleek as hell metal machine. It's not perfect-Invaders is a bit messy and I never knew how Gangland made it with Total Eclipse as a b-side. I think some of the guys in the band themselves wonder why they did that today, in fact-but with the title track, Run to the Hills, and Hallowed Be Thy Name on it, it's definitely a classic metal album, and Children of the Damned, The Prisoner, and 22 Acacia Avenue are only a step behind those three tracks. I find I prefer Piece of Mind and Powerslave to it, but it's a seminal, defining moment in the history of metal. When it came out, you had a sense that Iron Maiden was going to be a special band, but I will admit I didn't see the quantum leap in songwriting that was about to come with Piece of Mind.
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At the time it came out TNOTB was a great album, but for me suffered slightly from coming after Killers. The highs are huge but Gangland (Only DT's jazzversion can save this song at all) and Invaders drag it down a little.
Bruce was definitely a trade up- what a voice in those days.
And you can't beat seeing one of your favourite bands regularly on the shite-awful Top Of The Pops. The video to RTTH was funny, and another awesome cover to study in depth.
World domination was on its way.
It has its detractors but being there at the time was awesome.
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Damn, this is going waaaaaaay too fast. I'll try to give it a listen tomorrow...
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No big deal but shouldn't the OP present the next album?
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Damn, this is going waaaaaaay too fast. I'll try to give it a listen tomorrow...
No worries; we're going to dwell on this one, I think.
No big deal but shouldn't the OP present the next album?
Midterms are keeping me from spending any significant amount of time on this, including making a NOTB write-up. I'll give my thoughts when I have the chance, but in the meantime I'm sure you guys will be able to make conversation. Sorry about the confusion.
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Like Jaq, I love those three tracks too. Hallowed might be my favorite IM tune of all time, but I'm not huge on Maiden, so that might change
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Midterms are keeping me from spending any significant amount of time on this, including making a NOTB write-up. I'll give my thoughts when I have the chance, but in the meantime I'm sure you guys will be able to make conversation. Sorry about the confusion.
:facepalm: :facepalm: at me for missing that you were the OP! :blush
Carry on....
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This is actually my favorite Iron Maiden album. Every track on here slays. But even to this day, Hallowed Be Thy Name sends shivers down my spine.
That just might be the greatest heavy metal song ever written.
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TNOTB is a bottom-tier Maiden album, despite it's importance to both Maiden's development and heavy metal in general. Though Bruce was a great addition to the band, Number was the first time Maiden started going for all-out theatrics with their music on a regular basis. Some of these songs are great, while others are not.
I thought "Invaders" was awesome when I was younger, but I can't stand it now. It's just so cheesy. From this track, we basically learn that Bruce is a so-called "operatic" singer and, as we'll see later, he seems to also have an affinity for snarling the word "raping".
"Children of the Damned" is good, but uneventful. Kinda boring to the slower more pensive songs Maiden would do later.
"The Prisoner" is a little bit bland, but the chorus is awesome. The song has no right being 6:00 minutes, though.
"22 Acacia Avenue" is silly, but highly memorable. Some really good vocal melodies from Bruce, except they're ruined by how strained and flat his voice sounds.
"The Number of the Beast" is still great, and a one-of-a-kind song in Maiden's discography. The opening riff and scream are classic.
"Run to the Hills" wouldn't care if I never heard this song again. It's good, but it's overplayed. There's that "RAPING" again.
"Gangland" LOL. Forgettable song. Bruce sounds like he drank a carton of milk before singing the chorus. Special Note: DT's version is the only good one, though James sounds like HE's the one who downed the gallon of milk before singing the rest of that cover album.
"Total Eclipse" is a decent tune, but anything sounds good on the back of "Gangland". Once again, Bruce's vocals are wince inducing.
Finally, there's "Hallowed by Thy Name", the obvious rallying point. In a way, this song, and this song alone, justifies the direction Maiden decided to veer off into with Bruce. And thank God they did, because the next album is great.
Overall, TNOBT is an incredibly mixed bag. Some good songs, some bad songs, and immature performances from Bruce that are both bad and somehow impressive at the same time. It's a short album, but drawn-out songs and a bad run toward the middle-end make it seem MUCH longer than it really is.
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"Total Eclipse" is not from the original release of the album. I don't know how many of you whipersnappers know that :P
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"Total Eclipse" is not from the original release of the album. I don't know how many of you whipersnappers know that :P
I had the 45.
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Beast Over Hammersmith is an absolutely incredible live album, and every Maiden fan should listen to it.
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Bruce's vocals on TNOBT.
Even though I mentioned it my post above, I have to bring this up to be a more focused area of discussion, since it's always bothered me.
Is it just me, or does Bruce stink-up TNOBT? Sure, there are flashes of great singing. But mostly he sounds bad. Flat, and strained, like he's forcing every syllable out.
He does not sound this way on Piece of Mind. He DOES sound a little bit strained again on Powerslave, and on Live after Death, but for the most part his vocals otherwise on the next couple of studio albums are very good. I've never listened to Donington or a Real Live/Dead one, but I've always just assumed the vocals are Live After Death quality or worse.
Live counterparts to TNOTB songs on Live at Hammersmith sound way better than the studio versions vocally, IIRC
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This is actually my favorite Iron Maiden album. Every track on here slays. But even to this day, Hallowed Be Thy Name sends shivers down my spine.
That just might be the greatest heavy metal song ever written.
Not to take anything away from Hallowed Be Thy Name, but according to Rob Halford, this is actually the greatest heavy metal song ever written: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dlA25sqDvw
And, you know, Halford is a REALLY smart dude.
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Really, Halford said that? Cool, killer tune from Y&T.
TNOTB was my first maiden album and introduced me into the world of heavy metal. I think the album is still top tier Maiden and IMO Bruce sounds great.
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Is it just me, or does Bruce stink-up TNOBT? Sure, there are flashes of great singing. But mostly he sounds bad. Flat, and strained, like he's forcing every syllable out.
Are you talking about the album, or the song? If it's the song, maybe I can see that -- the melody is a little unusual, and a little bit out of Bruce's comfort zone. On the whole, though, I've never gotten that impression with Bruce. I think he sounds excellent throughout the album.
WRT to the Y&T song: it's pretty nifty, but it doesn't even come close to touching Hallowed.
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Invaders - Pretty fun song that sounds like it could have ended up on the first two albums. Personally I think this song gets way more shit than it deserves. I really quite like it, and one of the more underrated songs from the early Maiden days. Not a perfect song, but a good song that is pretty enjoyable.
Children of the Damned - This one has always been one of my favorites from the album. Slower and more calm, this song really shined with a catchy chorus and some great lyrics. One of the best on the album for sure, and I would rank it fairly high up among my favorite Maiden-songs.
The Prisoner - Another amazing song I've always felt is fairly underrated. This song starts off fairly low tempo but soon builds up into a faster pace and some very catchy hooks. The singing is great, the verses are nice and the chorus is really catchy. One of the best on the album.
22 Acacia Avenue - Pretty solid song. Would say it's "good but not great", but certainly a great follow-up to Charlotte the Harlot.
The Number of the Beast - Hard to really give a good opinion about it because it has been so overplayed over the years, on TV, on Radio, on their shows, etc. It's a classic for a reason, but not one of my favorite Maiden-tunes.
Run to the Hills - ^
Gangland - One of those songs that has never really clicked. As I'm listening now, I still think it's fairly solid. It's not bad or anything, but it's not one of those awesome songs either. Chorus is pretty catchy and I quite like it, but the rest hasn't stuck with me.
Hallowed Be Thy Name - Amazingly enough, I haven't gotten tired of this song. Despite being a classic I guess it hasn't had the same huge impact as TNOTB or Run to the Hills, but I still like the fact that the song is really enjoyable still. I think one of the best on the album, and one of the best songs the band did. Really amazing stuff.
The Album - This was never really among my favorite Maiden-albums, but I think it's a classic for a reason. Most of the album consists of very strong songs or classics, with less filler if you compare it to albums like the debut or Killers. Pretty darn solid album overall, and a good starting point if you want to check out the band.
Song-rankings:
1. Hallowed Be Thy Name
2. Children of the Damned
3. The Prisoner
4. Invaders
5. The Number of the Beast
6. Run to the Hills
7. 22 Acacia Avenue
8. Gangland
Invaders higher than most would rank it probably, the two classics are fairly low, but part of the reason is that I've heard them so much that they've lost some appeal.
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Awesome album. My second favorite.
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This was the game-changer for Maiden, with Bruce arriving behind the mic, but while it is tremendously important to the band's career and probably even the development of heavy metal in general, this is also easily the weakest of the "classic" albums (NOTB -> SSOASS). Yeah, The Prisoner, Children of the Damned and Hallowed Be Thy Name are all awesome, but songs like Gangland or Run to the Hills just aren't capable of holding the album quite as high as those three tracks might suggest.
Small Hallowed Be Thy Name anecdote: I have never actually seen Maiden live, but in November, I was at a Trivium/As I Lay Dying show, including two opening acts, and between every act, there was some music coming from the speaking - a little quieter, but you could still make it out quite well. We got some awesome stuff that night that way - Creeping Death, Seasons in the Abyss, To Live Is To Die, Tornado of Souls, you know, the metal classics. Then, the room went pitch-black, before Trivium, the last act of the evening would come onstage and everyone expects them to start, but they don't. The whole room stays black and from the speakers, Hallowed Be Thy Name starts playing, as loud as if the band were actually playing it, and everyone was singing along! Nobody cared that it wasn't the real thing, everyone went fucking nuts and screamed out their hearts. One of my favourite concert moments, and while the rest of the evening was great, that just had so much magic to it.
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Really, Halford said that? Cool, killer tune from Y&T.
Yup, he did. :metal
Scorp: Cool story. :tup
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Listen to any Maiden albums yet, boss?
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I have to chime on 22 Acacia Avenue....
Cheesy lyrics aside... The intro is really good, but fairly straightforward.
But there is just something about that riff that starts at 1:32. I don't say that 22AA is one of the greatest *songs* IM ever wrote...because as a whole, it has it's flaws. BUT THAT RIFF!!! THAT RIFF is one of the coolest things I'VE EVER heard. That riff is one of those riffs that is *SO F-ING GOOD* that when it starts, I don't even hear anything else in the song. Bruce's vocals just become a background instrument.
That is easily one of the coolest riffs in metal...period.
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I have to chime on 22 Acacia Avenue....
Cheesy lyrics aside... The intro is really good, but fairly straightforward.
But there is just something about that riff that starts at 1:32. I don't say that 22AA is one of the greatest *songs* IM ever wrote...because as a whole, it has it's flaws. BUT THAT RIFF!!! THAT RIFF is one of the coolest things I'VE EVER heard. That riff is one of those riffs that is *SO F-ING GOOD* that when it starts, I don't even hear anything else in the song. Bruce's vocals just become a background instrument.
That is easily one of the coolest riffs in metal...period.
I was just getting ready to defend this song and then I seen this post and decided that my work had already been done.
22 is my favorite song from this album and this is probably the reason why.
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One of my favorite Maiden albums. Maybe its because I'm still really in my infancy of Maiden listening compared to most but none of the classic songs from the album are overplayed for me (yes even Run to the Hills!)... I love every song on this one except Gangland and Total Eclipse which really are lacking.
1. Hallowed Be Thy Name
2. Children of the Damned
3. The Number of the Beast
4. The Prisoner
5. Run to the Hills
6. 22 Acacia Avenue
7. Invaders
8. Gangland
9. Total Eclipse
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A very good album. Hallowed Be Thy Name is a sure milestone for its genre and The Number of the Beast is just fucking badass. The Prisoner is great, 22 Acacia Avenue is quite complex, but delicious and Total Eclipse is among the most underrated Maiden songs. Too bad that Gangland was on the original LP, it is overshadowed by all the other great tracks.
I don't really like the production on the album, it's a step back from Killers. Children of the Damned would be better with better production.
Ranking:
1.Hallowed Be Thy Name
2.The Number of the Beast
3.22 Acacia Avenue
4.The Prisoner
5.Invaders
6.Children of the Damned
7.Run to the Hills
8.Gangbang
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I was pleasantly surprised by both the Di'Anno albums. Growing up in Australia, I was always a huge fan of The Angels (THIS (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Angels_%28Australian_band%29) one), and when I first heard 'Iron Maiden' (and 'Killers' shortly after), I was struck by just how similar Di'Anno's vocals were to Doc Neeson's of The Angels.
Missed this. Angels are spectacular. Never thought about that but you are right, Dianno and Doc's vocals are similar. Hopefully Doc can get through this brain tumor he has just been diagnosed with.
Also, sorry for derailing, but going back to the early days, I have always been a fan of the cover of Women in Uniform. The original is by Aussie glam rocker, Skyhooks. Here's the original;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb4AdU6rbFc
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My first Maiden album and probably one of my least favourite of them and that's mainly for the reasons Perpetual Change stated. I'm always baffled how often this album shows up on 'classic metal albums' lists and while I see it's been a very influential record towards Maiden's later career, the album in itself holds almost nothing to other 'classic metal albums' or Maiden's discography in general. Needless to say, I think it's incredibly overrated, but it's still not a *bad* album.
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There are some amazing songs, but also some ok ones. Pretty solid overall, but it still doesn't hold a candle to my favorite Maiden albums.
Hallowed Be Thy Name
The Prisoner
Run to the Hills
Children of the Damned
The Number of the Beast
22 Acacia Avenue
Invaders
Gangland
Total Eclipse
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Wow. I guess I am the only one who feels like Bruce sounds really strained and flat on TNOTB. Weird. Oh well.
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Wow. I guess I am the only one who feels like Bruce sounds really strained and flat on TNOTB. Weird. Oh well.
For me he sounds great. Metal great.
Children Of The Damned is a top 10 maiden song for me.
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Beast is easily my favorite Maiden album. 6 out of the 8 tracks are flat out Maiden classics. I actually love Gangland..don't understand the hate.
As far as how Bruce sounds, I just think the band sonically jumped up a level with Piece Of Mind (which to me is where Bruce sounds the best he's ever had).
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Listen to any Maiden albums yet, boss?
Workin' on it. From NOTB, I don't have the album, so I haven't commented yet. But I have actually heard quite a few of the album versions of these songs. Run To The Hills, obviously. But some others as well. I'm just becoming familiar with these tracks, and it's a bit distracting to have the DT versions in my head without really knowing the originals yet. But I'm liking the originals a lot. But as far as full albums, I only have one so far: Piece of Mind. So I'm waiting for that one to post more detailed comments. ;)
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I actually love Gangland..don't understand the hate.
Same here. After only knowing the DT version, I YouTube'd the original and was sort of taken aback by how different it is. :lol But I really like it.
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Listen to any Maiden albums yet, boss?
Workin' on it. From NOTB, I don't have the album, so I haven't commented yet. But I have actually heard quite a few of the album versions of these songs. Run To The Hills, obviously. But some others as well. I'm just becoming familiar with these tracks, and it's a bit distracting to have the DT versions in my head without really knowing the originals yet. But I'm liking the originals a lot. But as far as full albums, I only have one so far: Piece of Mind. So I'm waiting for that one to post more detailed comments. ;)
Man, I love IM, but I heard DT's cover of To Tame A Land first, and the IM version just feels so... wrong. :lol
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The first two albums made Iron Maiden big, but The Number of the beast made them huge. The band needed a vocalist like Bruce Dickinson, who gave them more opportunities musically and even more diversity than the band had already had. His performance on this album, in my opinion, is absolutely stellar - I've been around all sorts of boards and spoke to so many friends and Iron Maiden fans in life, and this is the first time I actually hear someone saying that Bruce sounds weak on here. He sounds much better on the album in comparison to live shows from the subsequent tour. I'll agree on one thing, though, which is that he got even better with the time.
Invaders - A fast opener with some cool ideas musically, but Bruce gives it a great vibe with specifically accenting certain words. It's his first song with the band, and he already sounds so relaxed.
Children of the damned - It reminds me of Remember tomorrow with its contrast between mellow verses and a heavy riff that follows. I gotta say, I'm slightly underwhelmed by the verses, but the rest of the song is terrific.
The Prisoner - My 2nd favorite song on the album and one of their best songs ever. Iron Maiden choruses hardly get catchier than this. It's gonna be fantastic to hear it live on this tour.
22 acacia avenue - This song takes a while to get going, but it grabs me from that riff that jammindude mentioned. Dave Murray plays a wonderful bluesy solo, which is the song highlight.
The Number of the beast - I can only imagine how influential this song was to every young metal band on the planet when it came out. Everything about it is brilliant and I love it start to finish.
Run to the hills - Very overplayed, but when I manage to avoid it for a while and then return to it, I remember how great it actually is. A hit for a reason.
Gangland - It's a fun, fast song, but probably my least favorite on the album. What a shame that it's sandwiched between other masterpieces.
Total eclipse - What a sinister song. It should have been on the original copy of the album instead of Gangland, and not just the B-side. I particularly enjoy the stuff Clive does in the intro, and the chorus is very dark.
Hallowed be thy name - My favorite song of the album that probably belongs in my top 5 Maiden songs. I'm sure many fans would agree with me. Not to like this song is not to like Maiden.
Like its predecessor, the album sounds slightly rushed, but the songs are much better. It had enough ''ingredients'', so to speak, to become a enormous success and one of the biggest, best selling, most influential heavy metal albums ever released. Can you say classic? 9/10
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Just a thought...but from the posts I'm reading...the Old Fogies seem to love the album, those born after the album was released seem it hold it in lesser regard ( those having heard the latter albums prior to NOTB)
As someone who was into Maiden from the get go ( and having the privledge of seeing Maiden perform some of these songs prior to the actual album release) , This album is and will always be my favorite of the Bruce era. The first time hearing these songs I was blown away and some of the songs on this album still are some of my favorite IM songs of all time ( Number/Children/Acacia/Hallowed)
Clives' input on the first 3 albums are really what makes me love these albums so much
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You know, listening to the originals on YouTube, I have to say that there isn't a single song on this album that I don't like. They all sound great. I wasn't expecting to say this, but I think I might actually prefer this album to Piece of Mind by a good margin.
Not sure how that fits in with wkiml's post, since I am kind of in between the two extremes he posted. I qualify for Fogey status (as I specifically recall when NOTB and Piece of Mind were released). I heard some of the songs back then, to the extent they were periodically on the radio or MTV. But I didn't listen to Maiden actively at all and couldn't have told you what more than a couple of their songs sounded like. But as I am now discovering them, I am mostly liking the early material, even though I feel it obviously sounds dated.
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You know, listening to the originals on YouTube, I have to say that there isn't a single song on this album that I don't like. They all sound great. I wasn't expecting to say this, but I think I might actually prefer this album to Piece of Mind by a good margin.
:metal :metal Gotta say that I prefer POM, but both albums are so good that it doesn't make all the much of a difference.
Just a thought...but from the posts I'm reading...the Old Fogies seem to love the album, those born after the album was released seem it hold it in lesser regard ( those having heard the latter albums prior to NOTB)
I'm a young'un, but I definitely "get" NOTB. It kicks ass. In fact, I might as well do a track-by-track while I'm here.
Invaders - Definitely one of the weaker tracks on the album. The verses and chorus just come off as weird to me -- not that it makes an immense difference when so much good music is to come.
Children of the Damned - Oh, hell yes. Probably my 2nd favorite on the album. COTD is atmospheric, beautiful, and sinister. The intense choruses, reminiscent of Remember Tomorrow, provide a really interesting sonic contrast over the course of the song's first few minutes, and the outro is one of Maiden's best. Nothing but good things to say about this one.
The Prisoner - Another wonderful song. The introductory riff rocks, and it makes for a nice backdrop under the solo. The verses are suitably energetic and rocking, but the choruses are what carries this one; it's just so damn catchy.
22 Acacia Avenue - A bit of a controversial song, I see. 22 is a stellar rocker, and my 3rd favorite on the album. I don't find the lyrics "cheesy" at all, either. This is classic Maiden, right here.
The Number of the Beast - What can I say about this one that hasn't already been said? This is a deserving Maiden classic.
Run to the Hills - Again, another deserving Maiden classic. Listening to the album, I have to say that I prefer RTTH to the title track; I think I'd put it at no. 4.
Gangland - Eh, nothing special here. There's nothing wrong with this song, it's just not very good, which is a problem when you're surrounded by such universally adored music.
Hallowed be Thy Name - This is the one. The best song on the album, and one of the best Maiden songs ever written, period.
So, ranking-wise, I think we're looking at something like this:
1. Hallowed
2. Children
3. 22
4. Hills
5. Beast
6. Prisoner
---
7. Gangland
8. Invaders
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Well, I've only had POM since yesterday, so maybe I'll change my tune after a few more listens. :lol
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I think Piece of Mind is better by a wide margin, but Number doesn't have anything as bad as
Inatime where dinosaurs roamed the earrrraaaaaaah
Inaland where swamps and caves werearaahHoOOOAAAAAAAMMMMMMEE
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^That's exactly right. Very few Maiden songs get as bad as
Inatime where dinosaurs roamed the earrrraaaaaaah
Inaland where swamps and caves werearaahHoOOOAAAAAAAMMMMMMEE
...but we'll get there in due time.
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Oh man the debut for mr Air Siren! What can i say? Masterpiece? Yes indeed! The best? Naw not really but pretty damn close.
During the SBIT world tour Hallowed Be Thy Name was the closer and one of the songs that almost made me cry of joy.....especially during the "scream part"! Hallowed, The Number, Children, Run, The Prisoner, 22 Acacia, Invaders are all classics for me and for all the right reasons. To bad not all are live standards though!
I have to give Clive some love and even though i love Nicko and respect him like nothing else i think Clive's playing was a very very important part of the iconic "Maiden sound" and the success that followed, too bad he wasn't a part of it.
My rank:
1. Hallowed Be Thy Name
2. The Number of the Beast
3. Children of the Damned
4. The Prisoner
5. 22 Acacia Avenue
6. Run to the Hills
7. Invaders (Ahh Steve's bass play during the verse.)
8. Gangland
9. Total Eclipse
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This thread has inspired me to get back into Maiden. Unfortunately, all my Maiden CD's got very scratched over the years and I threw them all out a year or so ago, and all I have on my computer is the first couple of albums, and they're mp3s for some reason, so I may be doing a re-buy of their discography. I'll try to keep up with this thread, but you guys seem to be flying through the discography pretty fast.
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Listen to any Maiden albums yet, boss?
Workin' on it. From NOTB, I don't have the album, so I haven't commented yet. But I have actually heard quite a few of the album versions of these songs. Run To The Hills, obviously. But some others as well. I'm just becoming familiar with these tracks, and it's a bit distracting to have the DT versions in my head without really knowing the originals yet. But I'm liking the originals a lot. But as far as full albums, I only have one so far: Piece of Mind. So I'm waiting for that one to post more detailed comments. ;)
Man, I love IM, but I heard DT's cover of To Tame A Land first, and the IM version just feels so... wrong. :lol
That song in general seems like it's missing something. Never thought it was as good as literally any of their other "epics".
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Same here. I'm suddenly obsessed with Maiden. Is "En Vivo" any good? It sounds good on Spotify, but is it worth it, if I already have a ton of Iron Maiden DVDs?
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Same here. I'm suddenly obsessed with Maiden. Is "En Vivo" any good? It sounds good on Spotify, but is it worth it, if I already have a ton of Iron Maiden DVDs?
Well it's much easier on the eyes than RiR and DOTR. It's not edited by Steve Harris so that already makes it better.
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ot trying to knock the thread off-topic but, looking through Iron Maiden's DVDs, it's really shocking when you see how poorly much of the band's material is still represented, considering how many DVDs the band has. There is STILL no good DVD that covers a fair amount of post-Powerslave pre-Blaze era material. Blaze era material not on DVD already will probably NEVER get there. AMOLAD is completely unrepresented, AFAIK.
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Same here. I'm suddenly obsessed with Maiden. Is "En Vivo" any good? It sounds good on Spotify, but is it worth it, if I already have a ton of Iron Maiden DVDs?
The documentary is awesome, if i remember correctly it focus around the killer crew.
ot trying to knock the thread off-topic but, looking through Iron Maiden's DVDs, it's really shocking when you see how poorly much of the band's material is still represented, considering how many DVDs the band has. There is STILL no good DVD that covers a fair amount of post-Powerslave pre-Blaze era material. Blaze era material not on DVD already will probably NEVER get there. AMOLAD is completely unrepresented, AFAIK.
The IM setlist live is like the hot argument/topic amongst IM fans since like forever. :lol You can safely say IM never shock when it comes to choosing setlist, other than some few times!
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I'm waiting in my cold cell when the bell begins to chime
Reflecting on my past life and it doesn't have much time
'Cause at 5 o'clock they take me to the Gallows Pole
The sands of time for me are running low
When the priest comes to read me the last rites
I take a look through the bars at the last sights
Of a world that has gone very wrong for me
Can it be that there's some sort of an error
Hard to stop the surmounting terror
Is it really the end not some crazy dream?
Somebody please tell me that I'm dreaming
It's not easy to stop from screaming
But words escape me when I try to speak
Tears they flow but why am I crying?
After all I am not afraid of dying
Don't I believe that there never is an end?
As the guards march me out to the courtyard
Someone calls from a cell "God be with you"
If there's a God, why has he let me go?
As I walk all my life drifts before me
And though the end is near I'm not sorry
Catch my soul 'cause it's willing to fly away
Mark my words believe my soul lives on
Don't worry now that I have gone
I've gone beyond to seek the truth
When you know that your time is close at hand
Maybe then you'll begin to understand
Life down there is just a strange illusion
Hallowed be Thy name
Sry but i just love the lyrics on this one!! :heart
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You know, when the topic of Number of the Best comes up, I usually find myself nodding silently in agreement with those saying it's a relatively weak album, until I actually listen to it. It's not their best album by a long shot, but it is a supremely fun album. I really wouldn't count any of the songs on NotB as being actively bad, some are just less good (even "Invaders" and "Gangland"). It does have a few 'overplayed' songs but those songs are still pretty awesome and great to sing along or headbang to.
In short, Iron Maiden have made much better albums and much worse albums, but NotB is a classic for a reason.
1. Hallowed Be Thy Name
2. The Prisoner
3. Number of the Beast
4. Children of the Damned
5. Run To The Hills
6. Total Eclipse
7. 22 Acacia Avenue
8. Gangland
9. Invaders
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Ah, The Number of the Beast. Not Maiden's best album, but a pretty damn good one.
Invaders - I don't care what anyone says, this is a fantastic opener. There's that dominant Steve Harris bass, some very good solos, and Mr. Dickinson announces his presence with authority on those lyrics. "InVAders *doodooloodlelee*" I don't know, maybe it is cheesy, but it is a fantastic bit of heavy metal, and I wish they would play it live, I think it would slay as an opener and be a very pleasant surprise (though they do not exactly have a history of bringing out never-before-played songs, as those of us who have been pining for Alexander the Great well know).
Children of the Damned -
BD: "I wonder if I made myself clear enough on Invaders... The point I'm trying to make is that listening to this and with me on the vox will change your life."
SH: "Here are the vocal melodies for this next song"
BD: "Never mind, I think it will be perfectly clear."
Seriously, a hauntingly good semi-ballad that puts the new singer front and center. A lot of confidence they had in Bruce, and it was certainly not misplaced.
The Prisoner - This, I think, is sort of the forgetten track of the album, and I think that's a shame because this is another great atmospheric track, with excellent solos by Dave and Adrian.
22 Acacia Avenue - Aside from that one (you know the one I mean), this is the best constructed song on the album and it is bar none the most underrated on it. Dave may seem to steal the spotlight with his solo, but those of us who are well-versed in the compositional abilities and styles of Maiden's three guitarists know that this is a H song though and through. Of course, you'd also know this if you knew some band history; that Steve had seen Adrian playing this song with another band when he was scouting guitarists and two years later asked him if he still had the music to it so it could go on the new album. An incredibly energetic song with good vocals by Dickinson ("You're running away don't you know what you're doing"), and, again, excellently tight construction. I'm not a musician so I don't know how to describe it, but basically this may well be the most complex song on the album and it flows beautifully as one piece from the opening riff to the closing guitar bursts.
To anyone who calls the lyrics silly, do think about the actual meaning of them. This isn't a song about "Oh, I saw a prostitute, let's laugh at her". To borrow a quote from one commentary, "they seem to insult and to mock Charlotte The Harlot, but they secretly bleed for this girl who suffers and sells her body" (source (https://www.ironmaidencommentary.com/?url=rants/rant26&lang=eng&link=features)). The words to this song are an anti-prostitution masterpiece.
The Number of the Beast - Very ominous guitar riffs and melodies; while this one is slightly overplayed it is a classic. Also, contains the indisputable greatest scream in the history of screams.
Run to the Hills - Not as well-constructed as the aforementioned and clearly a below-average Maiden song. Still has good vocals and a memorable Dave Murray solo; and a pretty good sing-along part.
Gangland - Another much-hated track. I love the energy of this one; it never fails to get me on my feet. While it is the weakest on the album, it is a very enjoyable short song and, while I hear myself getting repetitive here, Bruce sings very well and Adrian plays a good solo.
Total Eclipse - This time I won't praise Bruce's actual singing, but the way that the vocal melodies interact with the rest of the music is quite good. Still, not among the best on the album, though it should have made it instead of Gangland.
Hallowed Be Thy Name - Best song on the album, best song by Maiden up until this point. But don't make me choose between it and a number of other songs. My only complaint is that compared to its many live versions, it's weak in the studio. Any of the live versions is better than a studio version because Bruce does the long "life down here is a just a strange illusion" and it overall just has more energy (which is just true of Maiden live period, they are simply a better live than studio band). Also, while it maybe heresy to the Church of Adrian Smith, I enjoy most of Janick's solos on this song better than H's (I say most because, as those who are familiar with Janick know, he's prone to onstage improvisation which sometimes works out but often does not).
Rankings:
1. Hallowed Be Thy Name
2. 22 Acacia Avenue
3. Children of the Damned
4. The Number of the Beast
5. The Prisoner
6. Total Eclipse
7. Run to the Hills
8. Invaders
9. Gangland
Oh and rankings for the debut and Killers because I forgot:
1. Phantom of the Opera
2. Remember Tomorrow
3. Transylvania
4. Strange World
5. Prowler
6. Running Free
7. Sanctuary
8. Charlotte the Harlot
9. Iron Maiden
1. Wrathchild
2. Murders in the Rue Morgue
3. Killers
4. Purgatory
5. The Ides of March
6. Genghis Khan
7. Another Life
8. Innocent Exile
9. Drifter
10. Twilight Zone
11. Prodigal Son
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Eh, I think "Won't Be Fooled Again"'s scream tops that list
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Hey 425, you seem pretty knowledgeable on Maiden - which of Janick's solos in HBTN would you say is the definitive one?
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Enjoying this thread a lot, especially some longer posts. DTF is a hivemind of people who talk about music awesomely.
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Funny story, this was my first Maiden album but my high school friend who did the cassette tape-to-tape transfer taped Side 2 first so I always thought the album opened with the title track until later on. He added on a few tracks from POM which ran out halfway through DWYBO. Needless to say I was hooked for life after a couple listens.
My rankings:
1. Hallowed be thy Name - no explanation necessary obviously
2. The Prisoner - LOVE the intro, and the rest is great but also is one of the early examples of "chorus abuse"
3. 22 Acacia Avenue - musically complex song like DT would write. And :metal THAT riff
4. Number of the Beast - heavy stuff for 1982. Instrumental section is killer. Too bad Harris doesn't know how to play bass
5. Invaders - I guess I like this one a little more than most.
6. Run to the Hills - way too overplayed and overhyped for my taste. Solo is great, have always loved Dave's whammy attack
7. Children of the Damned - IMO not too great except for the chorus
8. Gangland - punky song that belonged on one of the earlier albums
I can't really comment on Total Eclipse because I've never owned it. I have it on the Early Years DVD but haven't listened enough. Need to do that. Yeah, and I still prefer Clive to Nicko.
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By rank, from best to worst.
1. "Hallowed Be Thy Name" - This is a brilliant, timeless song that I will never tire of. It was the second Iron Maiden song I ever heard, so naturally I'm going to be quite fond of it. But, all bias aside, I genuinely consider it to be one of the finest moments in metal, full stop. And it's an absolutely perfect Maiden song; it's everything that a Maiden song should be - theatrical, well-written, constantly building, and damned powerful. Still, it unfortunately doesn't save 'The Number of the Beast' from being my least favourite Iron Maiden album.
2. "Children of the Damned" - A fine song. Not particularly special, but it's a solid, respectable metal tune. It features most of the elements that make a great Maiden song, it has a nice, big-sounding chorus, and Bruce's vocal performance is pretty good, too.
3. "22 Acacia Avenue" - Yeah, this song isn't marvelous, and being placed directly after "CotD" doesn't do it any favours. I think the lyrics are bloody awful, and the chorus is unimaginative. "So why is this song #3 on my list?" one might ask. Well, for one thing, it doesn't bore me. It goes through stages; it progresses. No section of the song is overly stellar, but none of them wear out their welcome; they soon get out of the way, and the song jumps to the next part precisely at the right moment. It keeps things interesting. Plus, the song does kinda rock, I will admit, especially in the middle and the outtro.
4. "The Prisoner" - My favourite part of this track is the intro; it's very entertaining and memorable. As for the song itself... eh, it doesn't do much for me. It's just not hugely exciting, and there's nothing that stands out to me; there really isn't much more to say than that. But I guess I can't be too harsh on it; it is rather charmingly emblematic of a bygone era of metal that everyone collectively looks back on quite fondly. And it's also more memorable than most of the other material on the album; it's got a bit of character to it, at least. But, as far as redeeming qualities goes, that just about wraps it up.
5. "Run to the Hills" - It's fast, it's boisterous, it's galloping and it's memorable... But I just don't really like it, unfortunately. Also, this is not the sort of song I can listen to over and over; it just doesn't have that quality to it. But obviously the world of popular rock music thinks differently, so I've been over-exposed to this piece of music to the point of nausea, which has only caused me to grow increasingly bitter towards it. It took a lot of restraint and composure not to place this lower on the list simply out of spite.
6. "Total Eclipse" - This song just washes over me without grabbing my attention at all. No matter how many times I listen to this song, I still struggle to remember how the hell it goes. It is a useless, pointless piece of music. Why was it ever even made? What person hears this and thinks "My word, that was marvelous! I'm going to listen to it again!"?
7. "Gangland" - For all it's pace and tenacity, this track is just so flat and lifeless. Also, it's one of the numerous songs that feels as though it was thrown together in a matter of minutes, with very little thought applied at all.
8. "Invaders" - All of the criticisms I've made of the other tracks so far, all rolled into one, with the addition of being intolerably annoying.
9. "The Number of the Beast" - Look, for me, there is just nothing enjoyable about this song. The enjoyment that everyone else derives from this song simply eludes me. I said over in the other thread that I think this is the worst song that the band has ever written*, and I was not rash in saying that; I meant it. No, it's not because of the over-exposure, it's not because it's the only song that non-Maiden fans have ever heard from the band, and it's not because of the popularity; it's because I don't like it. Nothing grabs me, nothing appeals to; all the song does is annoys me and irritates me. The guitar riff gets to me, the chorus gets to me, Bruce's vocals get to me, the cheerful melody gets it me... This seems to be a problem with a lot of positive metal - sometimes the recipe goes wrong, and this certainly appears to be one of those times. But not many others seem to share this opinion (obviously), so I'm at a loss; I don't know what's happened here - why I feel so differently about this song than the rest of the metal community. It's sort of the musical equivalent of pumpkin: most people seem to like it, a lot seem to love it, but I just find it to be a dreadful creation that leaves a sickly-sweet taste in my mouth.
*excluding B-sides
Anyway, that's my opinion of 'The Number of the Beast'. Aside from my top 3, it's either flat and unimaginative, or it's grating and irritating, and sometimes it's both. "But it's a classic!", some may argue. But I don't much care; I don't want my music to be classic, I want it to be good.
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Awesome album :metal
1. Hallowed Be Thy Name
2. Children of the Damned
3. The Prisoner
4. The Number of the Beast
5. Run to the Hills
6. 22 Acacia Avenue
7. Invaders
8. Gangland
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Hmm, I was expecting more conversation about this one! Anyway, let's plug along.
PIECE OF MIND - 1983
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/85/Iron_Maiden_-_Piece_Of_Mind.jpg)
1. "Where Eagles Dare"
2. "Revelations"
3. "Flight of Icarus"
4. "Die with Your Boots On"
5. "The Trooper"
6. "Still Life"
7. "Quest for Fire"
8. "Sun and Steel"
9. "To Tame a Land"
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So, I'd wrote something about this album awhile ago, and I might as well post part of what I had here:
While people were generally blown away with the improvement Bruce Dickinson made to Iron Maiden by providing vocals to The Number of the Beast, it is not untilPiece of Mind, his second album with the band, that Bruce's presence is fully felt. Dickinson has no songwriting credits on The Number of the Beast. One Piece of Mind, he's credited on four songs.
Bruce was, and still is, a pretty interesting guy. He had always been passionate about history, and studied it in school. He was also big into military things. As a boy, Bruce Dickinson founded a "war games" club at his school. As a young adult, he served in the Teritorial Army before deciding to pursue a degree. Bruce was also into sports, literature, and aviation: interests which he'd dabble in professionally later, as he would begin to veer away from Iron Maiden. Today, Bruce has written a book, won fencing competitions, and pilots professionally. In retrospect, you listen to Piece of Mind and you can't help but realize that Bruce wasn't just influencing Iron Maiden; He was influencing his band-mates, too, and they in turn were becoming more like him.
Just listen to some of the Bruce-penned (or, at least, co-penned) songs on Piece of Mind, like "Sun and Steel", "Die with Your Boots On", and "Flight of the Icarus". Or, listen to non-Bruce penned songs like "Where Eagles Dare" and "The Trooper". Bruce Dickinson is all over this record, and Maiden is a different band because of it.
On The Number of the Beast Bruce is recognized for his powerful vocals. After just one album, however, Bruce's role expanding from simply being Iron Maiden's singer. After Piece of Mind, Bruce Dickinson is also Iron Maiden's frontman, and best lyricist. Just listen:
She came to me with a serpent's kiss
As the eye of the sun rose on her lips.
Moonlight catches silver tears that cry.
So we lay in a black embrace,
And the seed is sown in a holy place,
And I watched and I waited for the dawn.
Iron Maiden were already an established band when they recruited Bruce, but Bruce was a natural leader who was just as intelligent and creative as he was a vocal powerhouse. The Number of the Beast was the album Iron Maiden released with that impressive new guy on vocals. Piece of Mind is that great record by Iron Maiden; you know, Bruce Dickinson's band.
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If it weren't for the two to three filler songs here, this would be the best IM album ever (Sun and Steel, Quest for Fire and sometimes Die With Your Boots On). The rest of the album reaches highs that are some of the highest in IM's discography, especially Where Eagles Dare and To Tame a Land. The closer, especially, is probably my third favourite IM track overall and simply a masterpiece. Oddly enough, this album took the longest for any Maiden album for me to get into, but it's definitely worth it when it clicks.
Also, this is one of my favourite Iron Maiden covers - many later covers feel very cluttered, I like how this one pretty much one colour and one motif, without trying to insert as many nuggets as humanly possible, like Somewhere in Time does.
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I was a young guy, who liked a wide variety of bands, but honestly, tended to lean more towards hard rock than heavy metal at the time this album came out. Sure, I liked some metal acts-Maiden, Priest, Ozzy-but I largely loved bands that you would consider classic rock or hard rock today, and I was deep in a love affair with Def Leppard's Pyromania when the video for Flight of Icarus debuted on MTV. (Don't laugh-most of us hard rock fans weren't too fond of Photograph, but we loved the HELL out of the rest of the album.) And Flight of Icarus blew me AWAY. I remember being awed by it, going to listen to some music later-namely Pyromania-and turning it off, going, "nope, I need the new Maiden album." Had to mow a couple of yards, but it came to pass that I bought Piece of Mind, and I put it on my cheap ass stereo, only to be promptly blow across the room by Nicko's opening drum fill and statement of intent playing on Where Eagles Dare.
Iron Maiden had finally arrived. Clive Burr was a fantastic drummer, but the arrival of Nicko gave them a drummer who could go toe to toe with Steve's bass lines and come out looking damn good. Dickinson had started writing songs-Revelations would be his best song for Maiden if he hadn't written Powerslave-and Dave Murray and Adrian Smith had become the best twin guitar team in the world. Everything about Piece of Mind, from the songwriting to the production to the performances, was a quantum leap forward from NOTB. I had the delight to see Maiden on this tour, their first US headlining tour, and it was amazing. Even after Metallica came along not too long after this and astounded me with Ride The Lightning, Iron Maiden was my favorite band, and they remain one of my favorites to this day, just because of this album. To a fan of metal and hard rock back then, this album was like a thunderbolt from the heavens-true, it has a couple of weak tracks in Quest for Fire and Sun and Steel, but back then Maiden's filler songs kicked the ass of every other metal band going.
While I acknowledge that Powerslave is a better album, Piece of Mind is my favorite Iron Maiden album for sentimental reasons. It did more for my taste in heavy metal than any other album I can think of.
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It took me longer to like this one, as I liked the speed of TNOTB and POM had some slower tracks. I think QFF and SAS are weaker than anything on TNOTB, but the rest of the tracks really make up for it. Where Eagles Dare is a Top 3 Maiden track for me, while TTAL, Revelations, and The Trooper are pretty much flawless as well. Also, POM is in contention for the best sounding Maiden record. Great production.
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Among their best albums.
The cover art is just sick! I have to give credit to Derek Riggs, he has made some great cover arts.
There are three songs that are just fantastic: Revelations, Still Life and To Tame a Land. Revelations is heavy and slow song with terrific lyrics and fantastic delivery by Bruce Dickinson. Still Life is a masterpiece, beginning with a slow intro and quiet first verse, until the distortion kicks in at the first pre-chorus. The song really showcases the Dave Murray's songwriting skills.
No one has commented the backmasked message? At the time when POM was released, heavy metal music was overlooked by many and some fanatic Christians accused bands about being satanic. Piles of The Number of the Beast vinyls were burned at the stake in the religious midwest of US. People even listened vinyl albums backwards to find hidden satanic messages. Iron Maiden wanted to fool around with these guys and the mysterious sounding spoken part doesn't consist any message from Satan when listened to backwards, but Nicko McBrain himself. The drunken drummer imitated Uganda's dictator Idi Amin, saying:
What 'ho said the t'ing with three 'bonce', do not meddle with thing you don't understand
Priceless :lol. The lyrics are inspired by Harris's fear of drowning and are catchy, in a melancholic sense.
To Tame a Land has cool Eastern vibe and excellent guitar work throughout, especially the outro is very beautiful. Bruce throws some real great vocals here, JLB's attempt pales at comparision.
Flight of Icarus is a quite fun song, and it has one of the best H solos ever. The Trooper is solid, but overplayed. Die With Your Boots On has some real heavy rockin' riffs, but is a bit too tame to my mind, they should have made it a bit heavier.
I don't really care about Where Eagles Dare, due to long instrumental section I find quite uninteresting. The opening fill is definately legendaric. Quest for Fire is OK and Sun and Steel the mandatory filler.
Nicko is on flames throughout the album, he rocks! Also I find this the best sounding Iron Maiden album and it is very high among the best sounding albums by anyone. The bass is majestic, the drums pound and the guitars are just plain great.
Ranking:
1.Revelations
2.Still Life
3.To Tame a Land
4.Flight of Icarus
5.The Trooper
6.Die With Your Boots On
7.Where Eagles Dare
8.Quest for Fire
9.Sun and Steel
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A step up from TNOTB- which in itself is a feat.
Bruse was on fire here and was an integral part of IM by the time this was released, rather than just the new guy.
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Where Eagles Dare - Pretty sweet song. Remember the first time I heard it, and I really enjoyed Bruce's singing in it. Right now looking back at it, I think it's a very solid tune. I like it quite a bit, and that's about it I guess.
Revelations - Another great song. I remember seeing a live video of this one where Bruce plays guitar (Live After Death?), which was really cool. This song has some nice variation between the more melodic guitar-passages and what builds up to the chorus. One of the better songs on the album for sure.
Flight of Icarus - A Maiden-classic I suppose. Pretty catchy song, though it never seemed to click for me compared to some of the other big hits. I can see why Nicko doesn't like the song that much. Personally I don't think it's bad or anything, a fairly solid song.
Die With Your Boots On - I have quite nostalgic and warm feelings towards this one. Because one of the first live-experiences I have with Maiden was seeing their live-performance here in Gothenburg on TV back in 2005. This was on the tour where they played songs from the debut to Piece of Mind. So this song was among the songs. I really enjoyed the live performance, and the song got stuck on my head. It's catchy and fun, not one of their best, but good considering how straight forward it is.
The Trooper - Does this song really need an introduction? Classic Maiden, and a song most people have probably heard somewhere. I think this song is pretty great. Most of the classic Maiden-songs have been really overplayed for my taste, not by myself but from appearing everywhere, in games, movies, documentaries, tv, whatever. This song hasn't gotten stale in the same way as Run to the Hills or The Number of the Beast, and I still quite enjoy it.
Still Life - Pretty good and underrated song. Doesn't sound that "typical" Maiden, and Bruce's singing sounds a bit different early on in the song. I like this one quite a bit, would almost consider it a B-Side, though more a "forgotten" song, and it's quite nice.
Quest For Fire - Probably my least favorite on the album, but it's not all bad. It has a few weaker points like the lyrics and not being very memorable compared to some of the other songs. But despite this, I think it has a pretty catchy chorus that I sing along to every time. The chorus is the one redeeming part that makes this song alright for me, and I quite enjoy that aspect of it at least.
Sun and Steel - A bit like the previous song, except better on many points. I think it's more memorable with probably better lyrics, better riffs. This song also has a very catchy chorus that makes the song much better than it had been otherwise. A fairly solid song overall.
To Tame a Land - This one has always been a favorite, and I guess it's a bit more "progressive" than many other Maiden-songs from this time period. It has a very majestic and epic feel to it, and makes an epic ending of the album. Lyrically the song might not be one of their better songs, but musically it delivers.
The Album - This album has always been hard for me to place. To me the song only has one or two real "classic" Maiden-songs, The Trooper and Flight of Icarus. The other songs are pretty mixed, some awesomness in To Tame a Land and Revelations, Where Eagles Dare and Still Life are sweet as well. It's songs like Quest For Fire and Sun and Steel which throws me off a bit, and makes it hard for me to rank. Upper half of the Maiden-discography though, I really like it.
Song-rankings:
1. Revelations
2. To Tame a Land
3. Still Life
4. The Trooper
5. Where Eagles Dare
6. Die With Your Boots On
7. Flight of Icarus
8. Sun and Steel
9. Quest For Fire
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I have to say, this album sounded better to me now than it ever has. Every song kicks ass, even the lesser ones. And of course, The Trooper.
I've always liked that To Tame A Land kind of foreshadows the music on Powerslave, with it's middle eastern/Egyptian vibe. I've always thought the music, and especially the cover art (especially the 80s ones) kind of told this story about Eddie, who dies on Piece of Mind, is dead on Powerslave and seen as a great Egyptian Pharaoh, and while dead moves through time in some supernatural way in Somewhere In Time, enters this 'other world' on SSOASS, and then comes back to life on No Prayer For The Dying.
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Personally, it is PoM and not NotB that I think of as the most overrated of the 'classic era albums.' It does have some great songs but the quality is just all over the place for me.
Where Eagles Dare is a pretty great opener. An epic song to kick off the album with, even if the rest doesn't quite live up to it.
Revelations I know a lot of people love, love, love but I've never seen it as anything more than a good song. Not much more to say about this.
Flight Of Icarus is a great song and one of my favorites from the album.
Die With Your Boots On is utterly pedestrian (maybe not Gangland pedestrian, but not much better) and mostly just forgettable. The chorus is pretty awful too.
The Trooper may be the popular song on the album, but it's popular for a reason. It might be my favorite on the album. It's catchy, memorable, fun and just all-around great. It's certainly a better popular song than Run To The Hills, not that that's a bad song but anyways...
Quest for Fire is awful and nothing on NotB (or many other Maiden albums) comes quite close to its abysmalness.
Still Life is just kinda... there, I like it when I listen to it, but beyond that, I couldn't specify a single, memorable thing about the song. It almost immediately fades from my brain. It's almost similar to Total Eclipse from NotB in that way, although I think I like Total Eclipse a bit more.
Sun and Steel Like Revelations, my opinions on this run contrary to most Maiden fans, who seem to view this as weak or filler. I think it's a fun, catchy song. It's short and never boring.
To Tame A Land is a good song, but it's never clicked with me like the other album-closing epics that Maiden did during their classic albums. I enjoy Hallowed and Rime much more and TTaL is probably on a similar level to Alexander The Great, good but not great.
My ranking:
1. The Trooper
2. Where Eagles Dare (this could switch with The Trooper depending on my mood)
3. Flight of Icarus
4. Revelations
5. Sun and Steel
6. To Tame A Land
7. Still Life
8. Die With Your Boots On
9. Quest for Fire
This was also the first Maiden album I owned, legally, and while I enjoyed a lot of the songs on the Greatest Hits album I 'acquired' beforehand, this took a long time to click with me. If it wasn't for getting Number of the Beast and Powerslave right after, I might not have become a big Maiden fan.
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Killer album, very raw, no bullshit, no frills, just a bunch of rocking songs. Lots of highlights here.
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I have to say, this album sounded better to me now than it ever has. Every song kicks ass, even the lesser ones. And of course, The Trooper.
I've always liked that To Tame A Land kind of foreshadows the music on Powerslave, with it's middle eastern/Egyptian vibe. I've always thought the music, and especially the cover art (especially the 80s ones) kind of told this story about Eddie, who dies on Piece of Mind, is dead on Powerslave and seen as a great Egyptian Pharaoh, and while dead moves through time in some supernatural way in Somewhere In Time, enters this 'other world' on SSOASS, and then comes back to life on No Prayer For The Dying.
Even when PoM came out, I heard widespread belief that the album covers were telling a story as they went.
The first album was his escape from the asylum. Killers is him back on the loose again. NotB is his decent into madness, and PoM is his recapture.
And don't forget that between PS and SiT there was the live album this depicts him coming back to life before he then begins to travel through time...
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An even bigger step up from The Number of the beast - Bruce is fully unleashed, both vocally and lyrically, and I have to agree with PC that he obviously had a huge impact on the rest of the guys in the band. The album also marks the debut for Nicko McBrain, who truly delivers an impressive performance, he's a very unique drummer.
Where eagles dare - The instrumental section can get tedious, but the song certainly isn't without its strengths. The intro is one the most famous Maiden moments and Bruce hits some impressive notes, which makes the song still pretty cool overall.
Revelations - Bruce steps up to the plate and writes some incredible lyrics, it's brilliant how this is the first song for which he got credit. It's extremely progressive and the guitars are all over the place.
Flight of Icarus - The lyrics tell a classic story that comes alive through Bruce's spectacular singing, the chorus is particularly huge. I also need to mention the beginning to Adrian's solo: gorgeous notes in the right place, nobody does it like Adrian.
Die with your boots on - Nothing about this song really stands out, and there are certain parts I don't enjoy very much. It's not a bad song by any means, just the one I'm very likely to skip when listening to the album.
The Trooper - The studio version sounds too slow compared to the live performances, but it's still highly enjoyable and a true Maiden anthem.
Still life - Once again, Bruce makes a story come alive, and quite a scary story it is. This has to be one of my all time favorite Iron Maiden songs. I bet Nicko loved it as well, because at the very end you can hear him saying ''Yeah! That was fucking great!''
Quest for fire - I don't know if the album really needed this song, but the guys apparently liked it enough to include it. It doesn't do a lot for me musically, not to mention lyrically.
Sun and steel - This was one of the first Iron Maiden tracks I honestly loved, and I still have a soft spot for it. The chorus is infectious and the guitar harmony is very memorable.
To tame a land - Groundbreaking chord progressions and key changes, obscure arrangement, over-the-top guitar harmonies, chilling vocal melodies, tremendous bass lines - Maiden hardly gets better than this. My favorite on the album and my 2nd favorite Maiden song. I was delighted when DT covered it.
The band was just getting better and better - Piece of mind indicated that thee of their best records are yet to be created. 9/10
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I have to say, this album sounded better to me now than it ever has. Every song kicks ass, even the lesser ones. And of course, The Trooper.
I've always liked that To Tame A Land kind of foreshadows the music on Powerslave, with it's middle eastern/Egyptian vibe. I've always thought the music, and especially the cover art (especially the 80s ones) kind of told this story about Eddie, who dies on Piece of Mind, is dead on Powerslave and seen as a great Egyptian Pharaoh, and while dead moves through time in some supernatural way in Somewhere In Time, enters this 'other world' on SSOASS, and then comes back to life on No Prayer For The Dying.
Even when PoM came out, I heard widespread belief that the album covers were telling a story as they went.
The first album was his escape from the asylum. Killers is him back on the loose again. NotB is his decent into madness, and PoM is his recapture.
And don't forget that between PS and SiT there was the live album this depicts him coming back to life before he then begins to travel through time...
Ohhhh I forgot all about Live After Death!!! So I guess he dies again in SSOASS. I picture that album is he becomes like an all powerful genie or something, is defeated, but then returns from the dead in NPFTD.
Then he becomes a tree in FOTD.
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Hey 425, you seem pretty knowledgeable on Maiden - which of Janick's solos in HBTN would you say is the definitive one?
Sorry for not getting back to this, I generally am very busy on weekdays. As far as official versions I would say to go with Rock In Rio. The whole band was on fire that night and Dave put a different spin on his solo as well before turning it over to Janick who just perfectly captured the frantic mood that I expect from a Janick Gers Hallowed solo. En Vivo! is almost equally as good. Failing those, he plays it very differently from the original on Flight 666, but it is also well played. Note that these are post reunion - it is a bit of trivia I think that Janick kept the solo for Hallowed even after Adrian's return. In fact, he played a number of Adrain solos post reunion: Hallowed, Revelations and Heaven Can Wait. Also, The Trooper and The Evil That Men Do (if I'm remembering correctly) feature simultaneous Smith and Gers playing, which is also quite impressive, check this out on Rock In Rio or En Vivo!.
As for Piece of Mind: One of my top 4 Maiden albums, probably #3 (we haven't gotten to the others later so I'll state them as we get to them). Quest for Fire is nowhere near as bad as everyone says and only pulls the album down a small amount. And Sun and Steel is amazing, don't know why anyone has anything mean to say about that one.
Where Eagles Dare - Mr. McBrain announces his presence with authority and then off into that incredible riff! That incredible, adventurous riff! This song has some of the most irresistibly catchy vocal melodies as well as excellent lyrics that Bruce never seems to remember. The instrumental section is similarly brilliant, with Murray's playing in particular a highlight and those guns in the background.
Revelations - The best song written solely by Bruce and a highlight on this album. Though it clings to a only couple of riffs, it uses them brilliantly. Harris's bass during the quiet verses is notably good as a melodic instrument, but the real star on this track is the songwriter, Mr. Dickinson himself. Now, to be honest, I'm not entirely sure what he's singing about and have yet to see a totally satisfactory interpretation. But whatever it is, he belts it out with a passion! The little gasp in "I watched her and I waited for the dawn" is one of those orgasmic moments in music, as is "Los Angeles, can you feel it?" Well, I wasn't alive in 1985 and I've never been to Los Angeles, but yes, Bruce, I can feel it.
Flight of Icarus - Never underestimate a four minute Maiden song. Never. And this is IMO the best in that category. Unfortunately they don't play it live anymore due to a dispute over tempo (Nicko and Steve want it fast like on Live After Death, Bruce and Adrian want it slow like in the studio) (I prefer the slow version). This song is a great example of imagery through music and lyrics: Bruce does it in the verses with lines like "The crowd breaks and a young boy appears" and Dave does it on the concluding solo. Try listening to that solo and imagining Icarus frantically flapping his flaming wings before falling into the sea.
Die With Your Boots On - Rather unremarkable as compared to a lot of other Maiden songs, but it's very catchy and I love the last chorus when Bruce says "if you're gonna try try then just stick around", with the "try" twice.
The Trooper - I've never been as enamored with this song as others seem to be. It's surely a brilliant and tightly constructed song, and maybe the best illustration of the Maiden gallop and Harris's skills as a bassist, but I certainly don't find it to be the best on the album, or even above the middle of the album.
Still Life - A Dave Murray song is a special treasure because they come along so rarely and we need to hold onto each one and give it eternal love. Which may sound weird to say about one of the most haunting songs ever, but I said it anyway. Dave's subtle guitar playing and Bruce's similarly atmospheric vocals give this one its mood. "Hand in hand and we'll jump right down into that pool/Can't you see, not just me they want you too/Oh, we'll drown together, it will be forever"
Quest for Fire - Ignore the lyrics for a minute. No, humans and dinosaurs did not live at the same time. Get over it. Now listen to the bass playing. Brilliant right? Now listen to that solo section. Don't listen to the vocals on the chorus, listen to the vocals on the verses ("... the land was swamp and caves WERE HOME!"). Sure, it's the worst on the album, but not the worst in the catalog by any stretch of the imagination, and most other bands would be proud to have Quest for Fire in theirs. Also, at one point Dave said that this was his favorite of his solos.
Sun and Steel - One time while we were listening to this song, my non-metal listening father mentioned to me that he liked this band because they always sounded passionate and like they were enjoying themselves. I think of this now every time I hear this song and he's absolutely right. I think this song is just an average 80s Maiden track, but certainly not a filler, and I thought it was cool how he picked that out of what most would consider a subpar track in the catalog.
To Tame a Land - Just a gorgeous song. At first, it feels a bit off-puting compared to other Maiden epics, but it really is on par with all the rest. Just pick one bit of brilliance, the "he has the power to make it all end" going into the solo section. Great bit of music.
1. Revelations
2. To Tame a Land
3. Flight of Icarus
4. Still Life
5. Where Eagles Dare
6. Die With Your Boots On
7. The Trooper
8. Sun and Steel
9. Quest for Fire
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Never underestimate a four minute Maiden song. Never.
Amen bro :metal
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That's what I miss on their recent releases. Though they are some of the best albums of their career, they just don't seem to be that interested in writing a high number of great, short songs anymore. It's not like they can't; The Alchemist is brilliant IMO.
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I have to say, this album sounded better to me now than it ever has. Every song kicks ass, even the lesser ones. And of course, The Trooper.
I've always liked that To Tame A Land kind of foreshadows the music on Powerslave, with it's middle eastern/Egyptian vibe. I've always thought the music, and especially the cover art (especially the 80s ones) kind of told this story about Eddie, who dies on Piece of Mind, is dead on Powerslave and seen as a great Egyptian Pharaoh, and while dead moves through time in some supernatural way in Somewhere In Time, enters this 'other world' on SSOASS, and then comes back to life on No Prayer For The Dying.
Even when PoM came out, I heard widespread belief that the album covers were telling a story as they went.
The first album was his escape from the asylum. Killers is him back on the loose again. NotB is his decent into madness, and PoM is his recapture.
And don't forget that between PS and SiT there was the live album this depicts him coming back to life before he then begins to travel through time...
Ohhhh I forgot all about Live After Death!!! So I guess he dies again in SSOASS. I picture that album is he becomes like an all powerful genie or something, is defeated, but then returns from the dead in NPFTD.
Then he becomes a tree in FOTD.
Harder for me to see a theme after SiT...but I feel pretty confident that the running theme ended at some point. Probably when Riggs stopped doing the covers. Maybe even before. Maybe he got sick of coming up with the next part in the story and just said, "F it, I'm just going to draw cool pictures."
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The theme ends at Seventh Son. If you notice, every change to Eddie made-his lobotomy, the cybernetic enhancements-are visible on the cover art of Seventh Son. His lobotomy scar is visible under the cyborg enhancements on SiT, and he retains the cybernetic enhancements and the top of his head is removed at the lobotomy scar on Seventh Son. No Prayer For The Dying is a fairly generic Eddie grabbing someone from a grave. I doubt there's a story line for the covers, especially since NotB was meant to be a single cover and became instead the album cover.
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The theme ends at Seventh Son. If you notice, every change to Eddie made-his lobotomy, the cybernetic enhancements-are visible on the cover art of Seventh Son. His lobotomy scar is visible under the cyborg enhancements on SiT, and he retains the cybernetic enhancements and the top of his head is removed at the lobotomy scar on Seventh Son. No Prayer For The Dying is a fairly generic Eddie grabbing someone from a grave. I doubt there's a story line for the covers, especially since NotB was meant to be a single cover and became instead the album cover.
You learn something every day.
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It helps that I owned them on vinyl and could more easily see the details. :lol
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My favorite Maiden album we've discussed so far.
The Trooper
Flight of Icarus
Where Eagles Dare
To Tame a Land
Revelations
Die With Your Boots On
Quest for Fire
Still Life
Sun and Steel
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I happen to like Number of the Beast a tad more
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Love this album as well. Though I'm still at a point with Maiden that I have a hard time really ranking albums overall this is another that is up there. Lots of songs I really enjoy but I'm sorry people, "Quest for Fire" is just horrid IMO. It really pulled my opinion of the album down a lot even with the majority of the rest of the album being pretty awesome.
"Sun and Steel" is pretty meh for me as well and to pair them near the end of the album kind of hurts it. "To Tame a Land" is quite a cool song but by the time I get to it I seem to always feel bummed after the spectacular start to the record, that the two songs before it really kind of kill the vibe. Regardless of that its still a damn good album. :metal
1. Where Eagles Dare
2. The Trooper
3. Flight of Icarus
4. Revelations
5. To Tame A Land
6. Still Life
7. Die With Your Boots On
8. Sun and Steel
9. Quest for Fire
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The vocals in Quest of Fire are absolutely hilarious. Love it.
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Quest for Fire has some of Bruce's highest ever recorded notes. My ranking;
Where Eagles Dare
To Tame A Land
Still Life
The Trooper
Revelations
Quest For Fire
Die With Your Boots On
Sun and Steel
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That's would be my ranking almost exactly. Maybe squeeze Revelations in between Eagles and Tame
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'Piece of Mind' is really the point where Iron Maiden actually became Iron Maiden - the larger-than-life entity; the theatrical, epic, progressive, proficient, and intelligent metal powerhouse that (in my eyes, at least) stood unrivaled as the champions of the genre. Like Jaq said, this album was a quantum leap from it's predecessor; they'd come a long way from the tenacious punk band they were on the first two - maybe three - releases. And I think Perpetual Change was right on the money when he attributed this transformation to Bruce Dickinson's influence. It's doesn't take long for one to tell that Bruce is (and was) a well-read, smart, intelligent, charismatic, and... well, cultured guy (not to mention, creative - but that goes without saying). And it was his personality (his essence, if you will) that had obviously permeated Iron Maiden as a band, and made such an impact on their direction. This album was articulate (both musically and lyrically), it was smart, it was diverse, and it was adventurous. Overall, it was simply head-and-shoulders above 'The Number of the Beast'. It wasn't a perfect album, but it's probably one of Maiden's better albums, and was most certainly their best album up until that point.
As far as highlights go, "To Tame a Land" really was the centrepiece of the album, featuring all the elements that made the album so strong, but condensed into one 7-minute piece; every superlative I used in my previous paragraph can be applied to this single song as well. Sometimes I find it hard to believe that this song was only penned by one guy, but hey, it seems to be something that Harris is able to do consistently. And, along with "When the Wild Wind Blows", "Powerslave", "For the Greater Good of God and "Blood Brothers, it's one of his strongest, and is also the album's finest moment. But, while it is the best song on the album, it doesn't win that spot easily; it's very closely followed by "Revelations" and "Still Life", which are both just marvelous. I really love the riff of "Still Life", especially in the quiet intro, when it's at its most prominent.
"The Flight of Icarus" is simply epic, and finishes very strongly. The scream at the end also rivals the iconic scream in the opening moments of "The Number of the Beast" (the song itself trumps "TNotB" in every way possible, though). "The Trooper" is also another great song, but probably doesn't deserve all of the praise it gets. "Where Eagles Dare" is another solid track, with memorable qualities and strong songwriting. "Die With Your Boots" is almost as good, but falls short due to the poor direction that the chorus takes; it starts off promisingly, but it sounds to me like they didn't really know what they wanted to do with it. They obviously wanted to write a chorus with the words "Die with your boots on if you're gonna die...", but didn't have any good ideas on what to write after that. So, we're left with a sub-par chorus. Oh well.
And while I want to like every song on this album, there's unfortunately a couple on here which just aren't great. "Sun and Steel" is pretty much the very definition of 'filler', and doesn't really excite me at all. Still, it's better than the majority of the material on 'The Number of the Beast'. And then there's "Quest for Fire", and there's no point me saying anything about this track, because every criticism for it has already been said, and let's just say that I agree with them all.
Anyway, here's my personal ranking. No real surprises; it's quite a safe, standard list:
1. "To Tame a Land"
2. "Still Life"
3. "Revelations"
4. "Flight of Icarus"
5. "The Trooper"
6. "Where Eagles Dare"
7. "Die With Your Boots On"
8. "Sun and Steel"
9. "Quest for Fire"
Hmm, I was expecting more conversation about this one! Anyway, let's plug along.
I think everybody used up their best 'TNotB' talking points over in the other thread, to be honest.
Never underestimate a four minute Maiden song. Never.
Amen bro :metal
Double amen! Best example: "The Fallen Angel" (which is exactly 4 minutes, funnily enough). Like "Flight of Icarus", it's one of the shortest songs on the album its featured, yet one of the most powerful and epic-sounding. Songs don't have to be long to have a grand quality.
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Could there be a better introduction for Nicko than Where Eagles Dare? Anyway this album took me awhile to appreciate to the full, i'm not quite sure why because it's obviously a good album. I think at the time for me it kind of got in the shadow of all the other 80s albums but that's just my experience. But once i discovered To Tame A Land i was all over PoM.
I remember watching Live After Death back in the days and always thought Bruce was so cool when he picked up that guitar in Revelations.
PoM was actually the first album i bought on LP. Where Eagles Dare, To Tame A Land, Still Life, The Trooper, Revelations, Flight of Icarus and Die With Your Boots On (Sonata Arctica does a pretty cool cover of this) are all awesome songs.
Btw i have to give some love to Nicko! I adore his personality to the full because he's one of those that you could let lose in a room and he will do everything to make sure everyone has a good time! (I have been to a clinic with Nicko and that was basically a stand-up routine :lol). He may be a "metal drummer icon" but you won't find icons more down to earth like him.
My Rank:
1. Where Eagles Dare
2. Revelations
3. To Tame A Land
4. Still Life
5. The Trooper
6. Flight of Icarus
7. Die With Your Boots On
8. Quest For Fire
9. Sun and Steel
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Anyway this album took me awhile to appreciate to the full, i'm not quite sure why because it's obviously a good album. [...] But once i discovered To Tame A Land i was all over PoM.
Pretty much my story exactly ;D.
I think the reason is that most of the songs aren't instantly memorable. The best content of the album requires a bit of attention and a few extra listens to fully sink in. Meanwhile, the catchiest numbers are actually the lesser tracks as far as songwriting goes. So, upon your first one or two listens, it's easy to write this thing off. But, as we all know, that would be quite the mistake.
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Anyway this album took me awhile to appreciate to the full, i'm not quite sure why because it's obviously a good album. [...] But once i discovered To Tame A Land i was all over PoM.
Pretty much my story exactly ;D.
I suspected i was not alone on that one. :)
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That's what I miss on their recent releases. Though they are some of the best albums of their career, they just don't seem to be that interested in writing a high number of great, short songs anymore. It's not like they can't; The Alchemist is brilliant IMO.
Yeah, I agree with this. It seems like some of the shorter ones are afterthoughts to balance the albums. Still, Coming Home, Monteseguer, and Mother Of Mercy are so great. Coming Home is knocking on my Maiden Top 10's door.
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Okay, so I bought this album Thursday, and have been listening to it when I can since then (which unfortunately does NOT include listening to it at work since the enhanced CD basically gives my computer a lobotomy and makes it completely freak out). I'm not finding it as immediately accessible as NOTB, but it's still VERY good. The seemingly pointless repetitiveness in Where Eagles Dare was very offputting at first, but I think I've gotten over it. Wish I could go on and on about every single track, but the one that stands out right now is Flight Of Icarus. And the reason for that is, basically, it was on autorepeat all weekend because my wife was out of town, and my seven year old discovered that he loved the song and wanted me to keep repeating it. I popped the CD in Saturday morning as I was driving them to Tae Kwon Do, and then we had to drive around and run some errands afterwards. When Flight Of Icarus came on, it played about halfway through, and then I hear his voice from he back seat ask, "Dad, what's this song called?" Since it has a funny name, I had to stop and explain the story to him. He wanted to listen to it a few more times, so I basically kept repeating it. Then when we were driving around yesterday, he goes "Dad, put on that song about the guy whose wings caught on fire and crashed into the ocean!" So I did, and I hear this little voice in the back belting out the chorus. :lol I think we probably listened to that song a dozen or so times.
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Quality time with the kids! :lol
Where Eagles Dare certainly caught me off guard too when PoM came out. What an assault.
The beginning of that song is my ringtone. :metal
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When I was still in a band, we used to play Flight of Icarus in the garage like 12 times a day :D
That's pretty fitting about your kid, though. Iron Maiden have always drawn large appeal from adolescents interested in history and mythology. That, I think, was one of Bruce's huge influences on the band. Steve Harris usually wrote about horror, and Bruce didn't write on NOTB, but on PoM Bruce really stepped into a great role, becoming not only the singer but one of the band's best songwriters. He has writing credentials on Icarus, DWYBO, Sun and Steel, and Revelations; all of which were unique songs topically for the band at that time, but wound up becoming staple topics on IM albums later.
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^My band did "Flight of Icarus" "The Trooper" and "Hallowed Be Thy Name" :metal
This album smokes
"Quest For Fire" does not exist. I refuse to acknowledge it.
Every other track is killer
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"Quest For Fire" does not exist. I refuse to acknowledge it.
:lol I definitely have my share of those kinds of tracks from various bands. I don't currently feel that way about Quest For Fire, but maybe I will some day. It is a goofy song, but it's also quite catchy. Just seeing this post got the chorus stuck in my head.
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Damn you! That chorus is going to be in my head for a week now :lol
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In a tiiiiiiiiiiime when dinosaurs walked the ea-a-aaaarth
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Damn you! That chorus is going to be in my head for a week now :lol
:rollin Hey, I'm not the one who brought it up. Pro Tip: Where Eagles Dare is easily just as catchy. I currently have that one stuck in my head, but at slightly higher volume so that it drowns out Quest For Fire. :biggrin:
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:rollin
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The chorus of Quest for Fire is actually decent. It's just the opening lines that always get me
Inna time where dinosuars roamed the earrrarara
Inna land where swamps and caves WERRRR HOOOOOOOOAOAAAAAAAAA
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For me QFF is the only low point on a great album.
I love Sun & Steel but that's the hair metal fan in me ;D
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For me QFF is the only low point on a great album.
I love Sun & Steel but that's the hair metal fan in me ;D
Sun And Steel, now THAT'S a catchy song.
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A quick track by track for me -- I'll move us on to Powerslave in the morning.
Where Eagles Dare -- Mr. McBrain announces his entry into the group, and the beginning of the group's string of albums with their classic lineup, with aplomb. The instrumental work is truly incredible here, though I agree it gets just a bit repetitive in the middle.
Revelations -- This album also marked the transition into a more mature writing style -- the band moved away from the "horror" style into myth, religion, war, and science fiction. As has been mentioned, Mr. Dickinson's contributions can't be underestimated -- this is a fantastic song, and largely thanks to Bruce's contributions.
Flight of Icarus -- Never knew that the reason this one isn't played any more is a dispute over the tempo. (For the record, I prefer the slower tempo of the studio version.) Anyway, we've got another deserving Maiden classic here. This is a fine song to listen to a dozen times at the request of your son -- at least it wasn't Quest for Fire, bosk. :lol
Die With Your Boots On -- Eh, this one is fine. A little filler-y in comparison to much of the album, but a very strong tune on its own. (One of the posters mentioned that Bruce's little bit of vocal improv in the last chorus -- the "try, try" -- is pretty cool, and I agree that this is a special little embellishment.)
The Trooper -- Really, what is there even left to say about this one? This song is Maiden.
Still Life -- A fantastic, haunting, underrated little gem. They should pull this one out in modern tours -- it seems to me like this one would fit right in along with Brave New World and Paschendale. NIGHTMAREEEEESSSSSSS
Quest for Fire -- Nahhhh.
Sun and Steel -- Nothing special about this one, but it's really just a bit of filler. Entirely inoffensive.
To Tame a Land -- And thus began the age of really proggy epics. This is a truly unique and excellent piece.
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Kinda disappointed in this thread. Everyone's just giving their track by tracks and rankings, and there is no discussion at all. It has, so far, been the exact opposite of the other discography threads Orbert runs.
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Revelations -- This album also marked the transition into a more mature writing style -- the band moved away from the "horror" style into myth, religion, war, and science fiction. As has been mentioned, Mr. Dickinson's contributions can't be underestimated -- this is a fantastic song, and largely thanks to Bruce's contributions.
Really well summed up :tup.
Die With Your Boots On -- Eh, this one is fine. A little filler-y in comparison to much of the album, but a very strong tune on its own.
This word is being applied to "Die With Your Boots On" a lot, but I don't really know if the it's justified here. "DWYBO" is a really memorable track, and I think that a fair bit of effort was devoted to it. As far as down-sides go, it merely falters in its direction; it just feels a little misguided, and could have used a revision or two. But to call it 'filler', I'm not so sure.
To Tame a Land -- And thus began the age of really proggy epics.[...]
Actually, one could argue that it began at the end of the previous album, with "Hallowed...".
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Kinda disappointed in this thread. Everyone's just giving their track by tracks and rankings, and there is no discussion at all. It has, so far, been the exact opposite of the other discography threads Orbert runs.
Perp, I wish I could contribute more. Between work and the Blizzard, I just haven't had the time. It sucks making long posts on my phone.
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Kinda disappointed in this thread. Everyone's just giving their track by tracks and rankings, and there is no discussion at all. It has, so far, been the exact opposite of the other discography threads Orbert runs.
Perp, I wish I could contribute more. Between work and the Blizzard, I just haven't had the time. It sucks making long posts on my phone.
I get it. I guess I'm being a bit selfish, since I was so excited about this I actually wrote my post in advance while on lunch at work, but it seems to have gotten buried under tons of lists and rankings and stuff... which is pretty much what has been happening this whole thread. If anyone else agrees with me and wants to make a concerted effort to promote better discussion here, cool. If not, I'll just quietly withdraw from the front rows and head up to the balcony of this thread.
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I get where you're coming from, but especially stuff like 425 posts have been both very informative and discussion-inciting to me, and it did fit the spirit of what the thread is supposed to be. I'd contribute more, but I'm not really of an age where I have any interesting anecdotes to contribute concerning early IM stuff, you know?
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I just want to come back to this for a second:
I wasn't expecting to say this, but I think I might actually prefer [Number Of The Beast] to Piece of Mind by a good margin.
Having had the chance to listen to Piece of Mind quite a few times now, I like it a lot more than I did just a few days ago. But here's the issue: As much as I'm liking it, there are two songs in particular (Quest For Fire and Sun And Steel) that I don't dislike, but could just as well do without if they weren't there. On NOTB, there isn't a single track I would discard if given the opportunity. Either way, both are very strong albums. I'm hoping we can have a bit more discussion on them before moving on to the next one. I'm thinking about picking up Power Slave, but my dilemma is that I don't want to overdo it and buy too much at once and not really take the time to familiarize myself with the songs. If I just pick up a huge chunk of the discography all at once, I will surely end up overlooking a lot of good stuff that I just don't end up giving the time to. Eh, I'll probably pick up Power Slave anyway, and then just hold off on other stuff after that.
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Have you picked up any reunion stuff? I wouldn't make the mistake of overlooking that, especially if the dated sound is one of the things detracting from your experience now.
I might get stoned for suggesting a greatest hits record, but... there's a lot of great stuff on this two-disc set, especially considering the price: https://www.amazon.com/From-Fear-Eternity-Best-1990-2010/dp/B004Y03LQ2
Ultimately, it's not a greatest hits record since you can't really say that Maiden have had many "hits" since the 80's. It's more akin to DT's "Greatest Hit and other cool songs" thing.
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'From Fear to Eternity' is actually a really great compilation, and features a lot of my favourites. I'm not usually a fan of compilations, but I'm glad this one exists, mainly because of the fact that it gives Maiden's latter-day material some well-deserved exposure.
Still, I'd suggest buying the individual albums themselves. Particularly their last four, since they actually work really well as albums, and not just song collections.
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Yeah, you're missing out on a lot of great stuff if you just go with the compilation, but at least the compilation isn't a collection of singles that never took off. It's more like a collection of songs the band like, and are likely to play live, targeted to people who are going to Maiden but maybe haven't heard their music since the 80s.
BNW is decently represented, though "Out of the Silent Planet" is underated.
Almost all the good stuff from DoD is there, except for "Journeyman", which IMO is a top 10 IM tune.
AMOLAD is well-represented, but that is really an album that needs to be taken whole, so yeah.
And literally all the good stuff from TFF is there, except the title track, which is pretty good but not great.
Plus, you get "Paschendale", "The Clansman", and "Where the Wild Wind Blows"-- three top 5 Maiden songs right there.
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Have you picked up any reunion stuff? I wouldn't make the mistake of overlooking that, especially if the dated sound is one of the things detracting from your experience now.
No, not yet, but I intend to. I'm probably eventually going to get everything. I'm just taking my time and don't want to oversaturate. Not sure whether to pick up a compilation. On one hand, it seems like a waste since I'll eventually be picking up probably the entire discography (or at least a good chunk of it). On the other hand, it'll likely whet my appetite for albums if there are certain standout tracks that I end up liking a lot. Not sure. Just playing it by ear at this point.
Back to POM for a second, one thing that stands out to me more on this album than on other isolated Maiden songs I've heard is that the bass is mixed VERY well. Harris plays some VERY nice walking bass lines that are very up front in the mix, but at the same time are not overbearing. His reputation speaks for itself, obviously, but for me just now really being exposed to a lot of his playing for the first time, I'm struck by what a great feel he has for his instrument and how it fits into the overall song structure. His influence on other rock/metal bassists is also very apparent. There was a very obscure band I latched onto in the '90s, for example, called Die Happy. Their bass player, Greg Chaisson (who was in Steeler with Yngwie, Badlands with Jake E. Lee, and some other bands), did a lot of really similar stuff, and listening to POM, it is obvious to me that during the era that Greg was with Die Happy, they really tried to emulate a lot of Maiden's sound, including the very prominent melodic wakling bass lines. So, yeah...Steve Harris! :metal
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I just want to come back to this for a second:
I wasn't expecting to say this, but I think I might actually prefer [Number Of The Beast] to Piece of Mind by a good margin.
Having had the chance to listen to Piece of Mind quite a few times now, I like it a lot more than I did just a few days ago. But here's the issue: As much as I'm liking it, there are two songs in particular (Quest For Fire and Sun And Steel) that I don't dislike, but could just as well do without if they weren't there. On NOTB, there isn't a single track I would discard if given the opportunity. Either way, both are very strong albums. I'm hoping we can have a bit more discussion on them before moving on to the next one. I'm thinking about picking up Power Slave, but my dilemma is that I don't want to overdo it and buy too much at once and not really take the time to familiarize myself with the songs. If I just pick up a huge chunk of the discography all at once, I will surely end up overlooking a lot of good stuff that I just don't end up giving the time to. Eh, I'll probably pick up Power Slave anyway, and then just hold off on other stuff after that.
I'd take Sun & Steel over Gangland and Invaders, though I don't actually mind Invaders.
But Bosk1, Powerslave is a great album. No point denying yourself a great album. There will be time to take a rest when the standard started to drop with Fear Of The dark and No Rest- not to mention the Blaze albums. others won't agree.
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Yeah, you may be right.
By the way, keep meaning to say this, but keep forgetting: Nice Jack Butler avatar. :tup
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Steve Harris is the man. One thing this thread hasn't been covering so far are the live concerts and documentaries. We've already missed a few of those, and a great one that covers the period from the beginning of IM to PoM is the The Early Days documentary, which is an absolute NECESSITY for Iron Maiden fans. It's great. You can't watch it without coming away with understanding that Steve Harris was (and to a large extent still is) Iron Maiden. I'd argue that PoM saw Bruce stepping up to a role of almost equal standing. Ultimately it's the meshing of Steve Harris' initial vision with Bruce's new ideas that complete IM, and PoM is the first time we really hear that (Bruce didn't write on TNOB, nor did he have anything to do with the direction of the record).
I agree that standards plummet with FotD and NPFTD. There's no need to get those albums, honestly, especially since the best versions of the best song are on every live release the band have done since then. Bruce era 90's Maiden is absolutely the bottom of the barrel. Blaze era isn't quite as bad, but neither is it anywhere near as good as the 80's and reunion stuff.
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Bosk, treat yourself to a live album before you buy a compilation.
And hell yes, Steve Harris :metal
I think I told you that in your original thread.
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Here's what I think about Piece of Mind: it's the album that improves the most when the songs are played live.
"Where Eagles Dare" gets its pointless and momentum-killing repetition excised live.
"Revelations," "Flight of Icarus," "Die With Your Boots On," and "The Trooper" all get sped up (they were too slow on record).
And of course "Quest for Fire" and "Sun and Steel" don't get played at all.
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I just want to come back to this for a second:
I wasn't expecting to say this, but I think I might actually prefer [Number Of The Beast] to Piece of Mind by a good margin.
Having had the chance to listen to Piece of Mind quite a few times now, I like it a lot more than I did just a few days ago. But here's the issue: As much as I'm liking it, there are two songs in particular (Quest For Fire and Sun And Steel) that I don't dislike, but could just as well do without if they weren't there. On NOTB, there isn't a single track I would discard if given the opportunity.
I agree with that, if you're talking about the original release (sans "Total Eclipse") I regard "Total Eclipse" in the same way as QFF and SAS)
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I YouTube'd Total Eclipse last week and really liked it.
"Revelations," "Flight of Icarus," "Die With Your Boots On," and "The Trooper" all get sped up (they were too slow on record).
I was really confused when I read that and literally said to myself, "This must be the Battlestar Galactica thread, because here's GP making absolutely zero sense again." You are a silly, silly person.
EDIT: By the way, WHY DOES MY STUPID COMPUTER HAVE SUCH A PROBLEM WITH A 1998 "ENHANCED CD"?! EVERY TIME I TRY TO RIP PIECE OF MIND SO I CAN ACTUALLY LISTEN TO IT AT WORK, MY COMPUTER COMPLETELY FREAKS OUT AND LOSES ITS MIND (NUGGET?)! >:(
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I YouTube'd Total Eclipse last week and really liked it.
"Revelations," "Flight of Icarus," "Die With Your Boots On," and "The Trooper" all get sped up (they were too slow on record).
I was really confused when I read that and literally said to myself, "This must be the Battlestar Galactica thread, because here's GP making absolutely zero sense again." You are a silly, silly person.
I have to agree, i think the tempos are great on the albums and infact for the most part too sped up live!
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Yeah, I agree. Funny thing: I actually heard the LAD version of most songs on POM first, and even though I had no idea of knowing that they were actually supposed to be slower, I repeatedly thought "You know, this is cool, but they should slow it down a little." Especially Flight of Icarus is an offender here, it's so much better in the studio than live.
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I YouTube'd Total Eclipse last week and really liked it.
"Revelations," "Flight of Icarus," "Die With Your Boots On," and "The Trooper" all get sped up (they were too slow on record).
I was really confused when I read that and literally said to myself, "This must be the Battlestar Galactica thread, because here's GP making absolutely zero sense again." You are a silly, silly person.
I'll have you know that Steve Harris agrees with me.
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STEVE HARRIS HAS NEVER EVEN SEEN BATTLESTAR GALACTICA!
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I just want to come back to this for a second:
I wasn't expecting to say this, but I think I might actually prefer [Number Of The Beast] to Piece of Mind by a good margin.
Having had the chance to listen to Piece of Mind quite a few times now, I like it a lot more than I did just a few days ago. But here's the issue: As much as I'm liking it, there are two songs in particular (Quest For Fire and Sun And Steel) that I don't dislike, but could just as well do without if they weren't there. On NOTB, there isn't a single track I would discard if given the opportunity.
I agree with that, if you're talking about the original release (sans "Total Eclipse") I regard "Total Eclipse" in the same way as QFF and SAS)
For some reason I don't even consider Total Eclipse as part of the album as it wasn't on the original. Strange as I do consider Twilight Zone as being part of Killers and that was a single b side too.
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I'm hoping we can have a bit more discussion on them before moving on to the next one.
Sure thing.
Have you picked up any reunion stuff? I wouldn't make the mistake of overlooking that, especially if the dated sound is one of the things detracting from your experience now.
I might get stoned for suggesting a greatest hits record, but... there's a lot of great stuff on this two-disc set, especially considering the price: https://www.amazon.com/From-Fear-Eternity-Best-1990-2010/dp/B004Y03LQ2
Yeah, bosk, make sure not to forget the reunion stuff. I think the reunion albums are pretty much all masterpieces and I plan to hit them pretty hard discussion-wise.
I wouldn't go with the greatest hits record, though. From Fear to Eternity has a fine tracklist, but it will just be redundant if your ultimate goal is to purchase most of Maiden's catalog (which it should be).
We've already missed a few of those, and a great one that covers the period from the beginning of IM to PoM is the The Early Days documentary, which is an absolute NECESSITY for Iron Maiden fans.
I do plan on hitting the "major" live albums, starting with LAD. I wasn't sure about including the documentaries, but if people want to talk about them then there's no reason not to.
Kinda disappointed in this thread. Everyone's just giving their track by tracks and rankings, and there is no discussion at all. It has, so far, been the exact opposite of the other discography threads Orbert runs.
I'll think about what I can do to change this in the future. On that note, guys, if you have any other suggestions for the thread, make sure to throw them at me. I'm not protective of the thread's identity -- all I wanted was a casual place to talk about Maiden's albums, and I'm pretty much happy with however that gets incarnated because the participation so far has been really awesome.
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I've done what I can to bring the discussion, because I got over rankings and lists a few years ago and find myself a better music fan for it, but part of it really is simply...it's Iron Maiden. They're pretty much a band that you can safely say "what else is there to say?" and get away with it.
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^Well, my suspicion is that will change as we go along. "What else is there to say?" might be a natural reaction if you're asked to say a few sentences about Hallowed, but my impression is that there's still a lot left to say about Seventh Son, The X Factor, and Brave New World, among others.
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STEVE HARRIS HAS NEVER EVEN SEEN BATTLESTAR GALACTICA!
Though if he had there'd be a song about it.
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Bosk, just to beat a dead horse, if you are continuing in chronological order - after Seventh Son, skip the 90s. You don't want to waste time and money on that period when you can be listening to the 4 reunion albums. Maiden's output is IMO conveniently sliced up that way:
80s - amazing
90s - meh
00s - good to excellent
As mentioned, a live album and that Early Years box set would be great additions also. One thing you'll see about the guys in IM, in contrast to the scary image they originally tried to create; they really are some of the nicest, most soft-spoken guys in the history of metal.
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STEVE HARRIS HAS NEVER EVEN SEEN BATTLESTAR GALACTICA!
Though if he had there'd be a song about it.
:clap:
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:rollin
Edit: I can just imagine the lyrics. Here's a sample:
[CHORUS]
So say we all (x8)
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Yeah, not sure I'm going to go chronological. I'll probably get Power Slave next since it is highly rated and is the next up for discussion, and then I'll get either a live album or a studio album from the 2000's. That's probably my preference for now, but it may also be influenced by whatever the record store has in stock as well.
Actually, that leads me to something I remembered just last night. When I started my Iron Maiden recommendation thread last week, I mentioned the fact that I never got into them in the '80s due to a combination of not being overly impressed with their sound from the limited stuff I heard, and also being misinformed about the subject matter of their material, primarily because of NOTB. But there was one other factor I had forgotten about. It was simply a matter of inconvenience for awhile. But let me explain... I was in middle school and just beginning high school during the classic Maiden era. And there was no music store in my town. The vast majority of the music I owed came from me spending my paper route money through Columbia House, where I would pick what I wanted from the monthly catalogs they would send, and I would fill out the little return card for that month and wait several weeks for the shiny new cassette tape to show up in my mailbox. The nearest record store was off the beaten path, so getting mom and dad to take me there wasn't a common occurence, and it was a pretty long bike ride, so I rarely did it on my own unless there was something Columbia House didn't offer that I really wanted. Well, guess what? Columbia House didn't have any Iron Maiden. None. I actually thought about buying Piece Of Mind at one point, but it wasn't in the catalogs. And what little I had heard from Maiden didn't justify the long bike ride. So they pretty much just slipped off my radar and stayed that way for a long time. I had forgotten that part of it, but there you have it. Funny how just the ordinary circumstances of life like that can lead to musical discoveries or lack thereof. :lol
EDIT: :rollin @ the BSG song posts.
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Also, question: Just out of curiosity, do people find it fun, or do you find it annoying, having a complete Iron Maiden n00b actively participating in the thread?
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I certainly think it's fun. Honestly I would think it was pretty lame if nobody new got into Maiden as a result of the thread.
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Piece of Mind is solid. A bit more solid for me than TNotB. Powerslave though is a whole new level for me. But I'll save my discussion of that for the next segment.
You know... I am learning that i know a TON more Maiden than I thought. Kinda disappointing that when I actually saw Maiden in 2010 (with DT of course) the set was mainly newer Maiden. If it was more 80's orientated I would already be a huge IM nut. Also I have found that a lot of their stuff clicks so much faster live than studio takes..
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Also, question: Just out of curiosity, do people find it fun, or do you find it annoying, having a complete Iron Maiden n00b actively participating in the thread?
I like it, and think it brings an interesting perspective. Especially if you're going chronologically for awhile, I am pretty interested in seeing how you (and others, obviously) view Maiden's development through the 80s. Bruce's arrival and TNOTB is usually considered a landmark moment for the band, but I feel like the band really came into their own with PoM, when Bruce started writing lyrics and making decisions with the band. Bruce was just a hired-gun on TNOB, but he was there for the entire writing process during PoM and, I think, every IM record afterwards. I really think the Iron Maiden sound develops by leaps and bounds between TNOBT and PoM, and while there are changes and progressions after that, those are much more gradual. Maiden were doing fine without Bruce, but his arrival really put a battery in the backs of every other member.
As far as first Maiden experiences, I saw the number "666" on a Maiden record when I was like 12 years old, and for the longest time I completely stigmatized them and assumed they were a purely evil, Satanic band, even though I'd never heard their music. Keep in mind that, at the time, I'd already heard some genuinely depraved music, like Limp Bizkit and Rob Zombie, and I always assumed that Iron Maiden were probably some screamo, drug-doing, Satan-worshipping act. By the time I was 15-16, I was a lot more open-minded, and had already started playing guitar and listening to progressive music like Dream Theater and Tool. At school, I made a friend who brought over the Visions of the Beast and Live after Death VHS's, because he was surprised how I'd never listened to Iron Maiden. After showing me a couple songs like "Flight of the Icarus" and "Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner", I slowly realized that, for a long time, I'd simply projected all my worst fears about what "evil" music sounded like onto Iron Maiden. I was even shocked that they were a "singing" band, since screamo was becoming popular by then and I'd always just assumed an evil druggie band like Maiden would be screamers. That same friend let me borrow "Piece of Mind" and "Dance of Death", and I was instantly hooked.
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Also, question: Just out of curiosity, do people find it fun, or do you find it annoying, having a complete Iron Maiden n00b actively participating in the thread?
Personally, I think it's extremely cool to see someone who has never really delved into their music doing it now. Especially someone of your, um, er, well, you know...um....age :P (I love you, bro :-* )
:rollin
Edit: I can just imagine the lyrics. Here's a sample:
[CHORUS]
So say we all (x8)
Oh my god! :rollin :lol :rollin
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By the way, I've always thought it was very interesting how Iron Maiden sort of "fooled" people who didn't know any better. What with their crazy-ass evil skeleton-like mascot and songs with lyrics like "666 the number of the beast" pretty much everyone thought they were into some kind of Devil worshiping crap. I guess it was easy to see it that way on the surface, but anyone who took an honest look at their lyrics would most certainly have to come to a completely different conclusion.
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nm
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Well, this is a bit off topic in terms of the discography, but I'll post it anyway.
Found Live After Death on YouTube earlier and listened. I watched a few bits here and there, but mostly just listened. Then found Rock In Rio. Listening now.
:jawdrop:
How is it possible that it took me this long to realize how awesome this band is? I just don't understand...
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Rock and Rio is the show to get, if you only get one! But it looks like you're gonna be like the rest of us, getting 'em all :D (Actually, there are too many, and a few I don't have... but Rock in Rio is an absolute necessity IMO).
Maybe you should just get that next. Though I've heard "En Vivo!" is really just as good, too, and more up to date.
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I'm seriously pissed off right now that I missed the opportunity to see them with DT.
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That was a nice show. Though I'd seen them three times before, it always always on blast-to-the-past tours, so with DT was the first time I saw them play newer material live. The newer stuff really makes use to those long, "celtic" sounding clean intros that you won't really hear becoming more frequent until later records, starting with songs like "Fear of the Dark". It was very special and chilling to hear that kind of music performed at night.
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Rock and Rio is the show to get, if you only get one! But it looks like you're gonna be like the rest of us, getting 'em all :D (Actually, there are too many, and a few I don't have... but Rock in Rio is an absolute necessity IMO).
Maybe you should just get that next. Though I've heard "En Vivo!" is really just as good, too, and more up to date.
En Vivo's fantastic, and on the whole I think I prefer it to Rio (but that's because the setlist is quite a bit stronger). On that note, in comparing the setlists for the two albums, it occurred to me that AMOLAD hasn't been represented on any official live albums so far. Pretty lame, if you ask me -- it's a killer album.
I'm seriously pissed off right now that I missed the opportunity to see them with DT.
Those shows were fucking incredible, dude -- like PC, the TFF tour was my first time hearing a number of Maiden's more recent masterpieces live, including Brave New World, Dance of Death, No More Lies, and Blood Brothers. Make sure to catch them on their next non-history tour.
Anyway, it seems like the conversation is sort of drifting away from POM, so I'm going to move us forward. (If you want, feel free to keep talking about live stuff, though we're going to hit our first live album after Powerslave anyway.)
Powerslave - 1984
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1c/Iron_Maiden_-_Powerslave.jpg)
1. "Aces High"
2. "2 Minutes to Midnight"
3. "Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)"
4. "Flash of the Blade"
5. "The Duellists"
6. "Back in the Village"
7. "Powerslave"
8. "Rime of the Ancient Mariner"
Here's the big one -- Maiden's most ambitious, extensive album to date, which would be followed by their most ambitious, extensive tour to date. The one-two punch of Aces High and 2 Minutes to Midnight is perhaps the best in Maiden's entire discography -- except for maybe The Number of the Beast and Run to the Hills, you'd be hard-pressed to find another adjacent pair of songs that are equally successful, well-known, catchy, classic, and purely Maiden. For the most part, I could take or leave the album's middle half -- in comparison to the rest of Maiden's instrumentals, there's nothing special about Losfer Words, and Back to the Village is suitably energetic and fun, but I never got into The Duellists or Flash of the Blade. No matter, because the album's last 20 minutes are its best. Powerslave and Rime of the Ancient Mariner are fantastic, sprawling, well-constructed epics that deserve every bit of acclaim they've gotten.
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I can't actually pick a favorite Maiden album, but that one is definitely in the top-tier. Really groundbreaking, phenomenal stuff.
Powerslave
Aces High
Rime of the Ancient Mariner
2 Minutes to Midnight
Flash of the Blade
Back in the Village
The Duellists
Losfer Words (Big Orra)
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For the most part, I could take or leave the album's middle half -- in comparison to the rest of Maiden's instrumentals, there's nothing special about Losfer Words, and Back to the Village is suitably energetic and fun, but I never got into The Duellists or Flash of the Blade. No matter, because the album's last 20 minutes are its best. Powerslave and Rime of the Ancient Mariner are fantastic, sprawling, well-constructed epics that deserve every bit of acclaim they've gotten.
I know that a lot of people feel this way about the middle of PS, but in my opinion this is the first album without any sort of let-down at any point. Yes, some songs are better than others, but every single track on the album is stellar.
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For the most part, I could take or leave the album's middle half -- in comparison to the rest of Maiden's instrumentals, there's nothing special about Losfer Words, and Back to the Village is suitably energetic and fun, but I never got into The Duellists or Flash of the Blade. No matter, because the album's last 20 minutes are its best. Powerslave and Rime of the Ancient Mariner are fantastic, sprawling, well-constructed epics that deserve every bit of acclaim they've gotten.
I know that a lot of people feel this way about the middle of PS, but in my opinion this is the first album without any sort of let-down at any point. Yes, some songs are better than others, but every single track on the album is stellar.
Can't say I agree -- I've always found that compared to Maiden's previous albums, PS has just as much, or even more, filler. For me, it won't be until SIT that we see a uniformly stellar Maiden album.
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I'll save my giant "meh" for SiT later. But for now, I will stick with PS being absolutely an all-time Maiden classic. Not a single song on here I don't absolutely :hefdaddy .
*IF* there was a slow point for me (and it's not by much at all, so don't think I'm hatin)......it's the title track. *FLAME SUIT ON* It's really cool, and probably better live...but I never got while people hold it up as untouchable. It's simply good.
Aces High/2 Minutes to Midnight is the greatest 1 & 2 of the entire Maiden catalog. Rime is the best album closer. And even the so called "filler" is top-tier Maiden. This album really earns it's place as a classic.
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I'll save my giant "meh" for SiT later. But for now, I will stick with PS being absolutely an all-time Maiden classic. Not a single song on here I don't absolutely :hefdaddy .
*IF* there was a slow point for me (and it's not by much at all, so don't think I'm hatin)......it's the title track. *FLAME SUIT ON* It's really cool, and probably better live...but I never got while people hold it up as untouchable. It's simply good.
I'm not sure I've ever seen so much fail in one place. :lol
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I'll save my giant "meh" for SiT later. But for now, I will stick with PS being absolutely an all-time Maiden classic. Not a single song on here I don't absolutely :hefdaddy .
*IF* there was a slow point for me (and it's not by much at all, so don't think I'm hatin)......it's the title track. *FLAME SUIT ON* It's really cool, and probably better live...but I never got while people hold it up as untouchable. It's simply good.
I'm not sure I've ever seen so much fail in one place. :lol
Biting tongue.....want to spar with you so badly on that album (in a bromance kindof way) but don't want to derail thread........MUST....RESIST.... URGE TO ***MEH***
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Come back in a week or so. :tup
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But I will address the title track since it's still OT.
IDK, I remember from the first time I heard it that most of the main riffs just never stuck out at me as much as the rest did. Hard to put my finger on really since the main riff for Losfer Words (an often overlooked track) has always made me wanna throw up the horns and bang my head all the way til it ends.
And that intro riff for Flash of the Blade??? OMG....that totally kicks ass. (one of the first riffs I learned to play on my electric guitar) The Duelists is a track I would put on near equal footing with PS, and is probably the weakest track on the album. But that's not really saying much considering the high caliber of this album.
My ranking:
1. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
2. 2 Minutes to Midnight (can't believe I'm not sick of it...but it is probably my all time favorite among IM's "overplayed" tracks)
3. Aces High
4. Losfer Words
5. Back in the Village
6. Powerslave
7. Flash of the Blade
8. The Duelists
and 6 and 7 are near to a tie. But NO track on this album is lower than an 8 out of 10...and that's saying a lot.
EDIT: I'm aware that I just compared PS to TD, and then ranked it two spots higher. It's just that PS *does* have a certain "epic" feel to it. Sometimes those bottom three all get mixed around according to mood. And I'm just in a weird one right now.
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I haven't listened deeply enough to rank the tracks yet but this has been the only album so far that I haven't been able to find anything I dislike about. :tup
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Fine album, only The X Factor has reached this level since 1984.
Aces High is overrated to my mind, however, the solos are cool. 2 Minutes to Midnight is better, I've slowly grown to like it. Guitar work is absolutely brilliant, and I love the lyrics (Prime time Belsen feast, yeah).
Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) is often overlooked by the fans, but I like it. It is fun song with a jamming kind of mood in it and fits the album like a glove. Flash of the Blade's instrumental somewhat drags, but otherwise I like it.
The Duellists is my favourite from the album. The song continues the medieval mood present in "Losfer Words" and "Flash of the Blade". Actually, every song excluding Back in the Village is placed somewhere in the history. Anyway, The Duellists has high-energy verses, catchy chorus and lengthy, melodic interlude, which I consider to be one of the finest moments in the entire Iron Maiden discography. Back in the Village is a song people love to hate, but I love it. Probably the wackiest riff in history of Iron Maiden. It's such a shame that neither were played live.
Powerslave and Rime of the Ancient Mariner are the true fan favourites, and I quite like the both, though Powerslave took me a loooong time to digest. Outro is just damn badass! Rime of the Ancient Mariner continues the majestic guitar work and is truly an epic song, which cannot be said about today's "epics" such as "When the Wild Wind Blows", which just rolls over 3 different riffs for 11 minutes (boooooring!).
Ranking:
1.The Duellists
2.Back in the Village
3.2 Minutes to Midnight
4.Powerslave
5.Rime of the Ancient Mariner
6.Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)
7.Aces High
8.Flash of the Blade
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My favorite Maiden-album.
Aces High - A Maiden-classic opens off the album in a great way. Personally this song might have been slightly overplayed, so I have gotten a bit tired of it. But it remains a great song with lots of energy and a catchy chorus.
2 Minutes to Midnight - This one was able to stand the test of time for me. Despite the song being almost everywhere, I haven't really gotten tired of it. It's a very good song, some great guitar-riffs and a catchy chorus. Classic Maiden.
Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) - One of the overlooked songs on the album. I think this one is pretty solid, has that "jamming"-feel to it, and it has some pretty memorable parts. I don't think it quite lives up to Transylvania (to make a comparison with a previous instrumental), but it is a very solid song.
Flash of the Blade - Some people would call this one of the "filler"-songs, but I love it. The intro has some powerful guitars and I love how the song builds up from that. The chorus is pretty catchy as well. I was a bit sad when they didn't play this on the Powerslave/SiT/SSOASS-tour a few years ago, would have loved hearing it live.
The Duelists - Another pretty underrated song. At first I thought it was difficult to get into, because it doesn't have a very classic Maiden-intro, it's more "chug-chug"-guitars than those clean guitars I'm used to. The song has some good lyrics and a very catchy chorus. Solo-section is pretty great too.
Back in the Village - Great song. I remember loving the chorus when I was younger, and while the rest of the song took more time getting into, it happened over time. There's some great riffing by Adrian (if I'm not mistaken) and some groovy basslines by Steve. Solid song overall.
Powerslave - Best song on the album and my favorite Maiden-song overall. It has that evil and almost twisted intro, one of their darkest/heaviest, and the main-riff is just groovy as hell. The guitar-playing in particular in this song stands out to me, the intro-riff, the other main-riff that comes before the singing kicks in, and the solo-section. The song also has some of my favorite lyrics from the band, and the chorus is just catchy as hell.
Rime of the Ancient Mariner - Another fantastic song, and probably my second favorite on the album. It's one of the band's most epic songs and hearing it live was amazing. Loved the way they used the ship on stage during the song as well, gave it an even more epic-feeling. Not much else to say, one of their best. Lots of amazing riffs and awesome parts.
The Album - Like I said, my favorite Maiden-album. Love the "theme" surrounding it, and it has my favorite Maiden-song on it. While all songs are not 5/5, the album doesn't really have any bad songs, and the ones I would rank the lowest are still very solid and fun songs, so they don't drag the album down really. Will probably pick this one up on Vinyl, I don't have any Maiden on vinyl yet, but I figured this being my favorite of them, it would be worth having. Plus it was recently reissued as a picturedisc.
Song-ranking:
1. Powerslave
2. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
3. 2 Minutes to Midnight
4. Flash of the Blade
5. Back in the Village
6. Aces High
7. The Duelists
8. Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)
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One of my fav albums of all time, it's perfect.
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This probably should have featured in my top 50. It's a great album. One of the few IM albums with no filler (Maybe losfer...?) Title track is awesome- Mariner is epic. I love the chorus and the harmonies on Flash.
2nd best Maiden album with Killers for me, and only loses out by awhisker, and that whisker is probably nothing more than nostalgia as Killers was my first IM album.
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This is Iron Maiden at the top of their fame, at least in the 80s. One might argue they're bigger right now. No words can stress how huge this album was, not to mention the subsequent tour. I wasn't around back then, of course, but I watched the documentaries and read plenty of interviews - that was really something special in the history of metal. The album is also special for me, since it was the first Iron Maiden record I bought and listened to. It was the summer of 2006 and my mother wanted to buy me a present for managing to get into the high school that I wanted. So we went to a music store, I picked this CD, and it changed my life forever.
Aces high - A classic Maiden opener with soaring vocals, fast tempo and killer riffs. Great war related lyrics, something that will become much more prominent on later Maiden releases.
2 minutes to midnight - Here's a song that Adrian describes as ''typical rock and roll song'', which is strange - I do hear the good old rock and roll influences, but the song itself pushes some boundaries.
Losfer words (Big 'orra) - My least favorite Maiden instrumental, the band probably wrote it quickly in order to complete the record. It's still good, and I especially like the ending.
Flash of the blade - Incredible riffs and a very catchy chorus. The instrumental section needs to be mentioned, as one of the few with no respective guitar solo, but it contains some lengthy, complex harmonies instead, which I love.
The Duelists - Good song. I especially like the part starting at 4:15.
Back in the village - I'm gonna go out on a limb and say this is my favorite song on Powerslave. Adrian delivers one of his best riffs ever, the harmonies are tremendous, the chord progression in the pre-chorus is very original, and I love the chorus, although I can see why many might find it tedious. I think it would be perfect for live sing along, which makes me wonder why this song was never performed live. Top 5 Maiden song.
Powerslave - Can't go wrong with a riff based on the oriental scale, and there are some simple background vocal harmonies in the chorus, which you don't hear too often in a Maiden songs. Davey delivers the goods with his solo.
Rime of the ancient mariner - This epic was the absolute highlight of the concert I saw in 2009. Everything about it is amazing. In my opinion, it was one of the very first songs that laid the foundations for progressive metal.
So yeah, lets discuss how unquestionably awesome Powerslave is. ;D 9.5/10
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Well, this is a bit off topic in terms of the discography, but I'll post it anyway.
Found Live After Death on YouTube earlier and listened. I watched a few bits here and there, but mostly just listened. Then found Rock In Rio. Listening now.
:jawdrop:
How is it possible that it took me this long to realize how awesome this band is? I just don't understand...
Well, at least you finally found out. Any favourites so far?
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That was a nice show. Though I'd seen them three times before, it always always on blast-to-the-past tours, so with DT was the first time I saw them play newer material live. The newer stuff really makes use to those long, "celtic" sounding clean intros that you won't really hear becoming more frequent until later records, starting with songs like "Fear of the Dark". It was very special and chilling to hear that kind of music performed at night.
Ahh, also known as "those twee Morris Dancing bits" in my house :biggrin:
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Ah, Powerslave. First IM record I bought upon release. I don't know what to say that hasn't already been said. The cover artwork is amazing. The beginning of the title track solo section is easily one of my favorite IM pieces of music, that gorgeous melodic baseline under Dave's epic solo. I agree with the general concensus that the "book-ends" of AH/TMTM and PS/ROTAM are much stronger than the middle of the album, but those tracks are SO good and SO legendary that the album as a whole always ranks from 2 - 4 on my list. That they continued to improve after this album is quite an impressive feat.
Bosk, when you listen to this sucker I hope you are using headphones at max volume :metal.
One thing we need to tackle at some point, maybe in the other thread, is a Top 10 solo list for Dave and Adrian. Dave's first PS solo would be high on that list for me.
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Powerslave is an astounding album, though it's also more superficial than Piece of Mind which preceded it, and Somewhere in Time, which came afterwards.
All the elements are here, and mostly better than ever. Bruce sounds a *little* tired and strained, but still manages to give some of his best vocal performances with the band yet, especially on "Rime". Adrian and Dave also really come into their own on this album; you can hear them competing, and beginning to forge their own soloing identities apart from one another.
There are no bad songs on Powerslave, but neither are there any absolutely spectacular ones, even if "Rime" comes close. There's nothing as bad as "Gangland" or "Quest for Fire", and nothing as good as "Hallowed Be Thy Name" or "Revelations".
Ultimately, Powerslave is a very "cool" album that just doesn't move me as much as other Maiden records, except for maybe during the last half of the "Rime". I've noticed that most people who really like it tend to focus on how great the riffs and solos are. That makes sense to me, since the album is maybe Maiden's strongest, purely in that regard.
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"Flash of the Blade" is the obvious weak link. The rest of the songs range from very good ("Losfer Words", "The Duellists") to Maiden's very best ("Powerslave"). It probably has the strongest "top 4" of any Maiden album, with both the two opening and two closing tracks being bona-fide classics in every sense.
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Is Powerslave your favorite IM song?
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It's my favorite at least. :P
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Iron Maiden's masterpiece and their best album in terms of quality running away. Like I said before, Piece of Mind is my favorite Maiden album largely for sentimental reasons, but speaking from a critical standpoint, Powerslave has the band's best collection of songs and performances. I remember racing out to buy it the day it came out, coming home, popping on my cheap turntable, and finding my jaw not just dropping, but remaining dropped permanently in total awe. The one-two punch of Aces High and Two Minutes To Midnight remains to this day not just the best start to a heavy metal album ever, but one of the best starts of an album regardless of genre. The album loses a little gas with Losfer Words, which is Maiden's least good instrumental, and Flash of the Blade is merely there, though it has an interesting structure for a Maiden song. I actually rate The Duellists higher than many because it has an epic instrumental break, though in terms of sequencing the album does come off a little odd in terms of lyrical content, with two songs about swordplay back to back.
Side two-and yeah, it's side two, I had it on vinyl, I still think of my old vinyls in terms of sides-starts off with the energetic Back to the Village, which is a punchy, good side opener, but let's face it, everyone's here for the last two songs. On any other album, Powerslave would have been the best song going away, and I understand why people would say it was the best, because it's really good. A sprawling epic with an amazing chorus, fantastic solos, and man, Nicko killing it on the drums going back into the main riff at the end of the instrumental break. Top ten Maiden song easily.
And last of all, Rime of the Ancient Mariner. An interesting aspect to this song, for me at least, was that way back then, really long songs-anything over 10 minutes-in what I had listened to always started quietly and then exploded into a more heavy way. That's been the structure of a great many longer Iron Maiden songs since then, though the band has only exceeded 10 minutes on two more occasions since Rime. I remember reading an interview with Steve Harris during the production of the album, where he remarked that he had written a 13 minute long song, and my mind immediately figured it would have the start quietly, build big structure I was used to. Imagine my shock then when that immense opening riff started, and the song didn't really become quiet until that more ambient section towards the middle, with the narration from the poem. Rime is a collection of fantastic riffs, each one of them good enough by themselves to propel a song, great solos from Dave and Adrian-what amazes me about this song is, while it's 13 minutes long, it doesn't do so by having lots and lots of lead breaks and instrumental space. Dave solos, Adrian solos, there's some harmony guitar work, that's it. No endless trade offs between every verse, just a well structured song*.
In fact that's one of the things that stands out about this album; the structure of the songs. There's not a wasted note on the album. Everything is in it's right place. As fantastic an album as it is now, if you're only just coming to it, Powerslave on release was mind bogglingly good. It wasn't long after this that I discovered Metallica, who found ways to awe me with sheer speed and aggression, but even Ride the Lightning didn't awe me as much as Powerslave did then. Fantastic album.
*To spare you the trouble of attempting to guess which 13 minute 80s metal epic I am thinking of here, and bear in mind it's a song I like, it's Halloween by Helloween, a song hyped by advertising strictly due to its length. As it was a 13 minute long metal song only a few years after Rime, we were clearly meant to draw comparisons between the two.
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Wow, I never realized the Powerslave song was so popular. To each his own, I guess! Half of my favorite Maiden tunes are from the reunion era, so I know my opinions are a bit unconventional.
I'd like to focus a bit more on the diverging individuality between Adrian and Dave for a minute. Listen to Powerslave, and it's the first time you really start being able to tell them apart, and that's only really during to the leads and solos. But being able to recognize that there are different and more than one guitar players became crucial to Maiden's sound. Listen to any part of any reunion album, and you can hear two, sometimes three, guitars playing different parts, or sometimes just the same part but with a slightly different tone or phrasing. That type of extremely natural, organic guitar layering has become a staple of the Iron Maiden sound, and is damn refreshing compared to most other band's recordings, where one guitar player is just layered a bunch of times so that it sounds "big". Maybe that kinda modern layering does make the music sound "big", but I think Maiden's way is more natural and powerful.
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I'll say that it has aged very well. I actually wasn't that impressed when it came out.
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Haven't managed to pick it up yet, but I'll try to listen to the individual songs and chime in in a bit. On impulse, I swung by the Best Buy at my exit on my way home last night to see what they had. No Powerslave, unfortunately, but I did pick up NOTB and Somewhere In Time.
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Haven't managed to pick it up yet, but I'll try to listen to the individual songs and chime in in a bit. On impulse, I swung by the Best Buy at my exit on my way home last night to see what they had. No Powerslave, unfortunately, but I did pick up NOTB and Somewhere In Time.
Somewhere in Time is my favorite! It will kick your white pasty arse. ;D
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Haven't managed to pick it up yet, but I'll try to listen to the individual songs and chime in in a bit. On impulse, I swung by the Best Buy at my exit on my way home last night to see what they had. No Powerslave, unfortunately, but I did pick up NOTB and Somewhere In Time.
Somewhere in Time is my favorite! It will kick your white pasty arse. ;D
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It's amusing to me the people saying they avoided Maiden because of their satanic/evil image. As a teenager, anything controversial didn't repel me, it drew me in. Those Parental Advisory stickers were a godsend: it helped me find music that I knew would piss off uptight adults.
That being said, I also actually knew a lot about a lot of bands before trying them out because I'd read Hit Parader and Circus magazines. (To you youngsters, a "magazine" was a periodical publication printed on actual paper that would come out every month or so. :P
Also, question: Just out of curiosity, do people find it fun, or do you find it annoying, having a complete Iron Maiden n00b actively participating in the thread?
Annoyingly fun. ;)
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I can't actually pick a favorite Maiden album, but that one is definitely in the top-tier. Really groundbreaking, phenomenal stuff.
I don't know if I'd use that word to describe this album. I mean, perhaps "Rime..." might have broken a bit of ground, be it largely due to its ambitious length and scope. But the rest of the album? Not really. Most of the tracks can actually be described as Iron Maiden "playing it safe". And sure, "Powerslave" (the song) is progressive and was somewhat unconventional for the time period. But, to me, it just feels like a continuation of "To Tame a Land" - they share many similar traits. So, to call "Powerslave" innovative is to discredit "To Tame a Land". Was 'Powerslave' a good album? Yes. But was it groundbreaking? I certainly don't think so.
[...]even the so called "filler" is top-tier Maiden.
I guess you and I have a very different opinion of what constitutes "top-tier Maiden".
And that intro riff for Flash of the Blade??? OMG....that totally kicks ass.
Agreed! One day the riff simply popped itself into my head, and I'd completely forgotten what song it came from, or even who the artist was. After finally stumbling upon the track, my eyes basically just lit-up, and I've loved "Flash of the Blade" ever since.
Fine album, only The X Factor has reached this level since 1984.
Well, there's an uncommon opinion. It's great to see some love for 'The X Factor', though :tup.
The Duellists is my favourite from the album. The song continues the medieval mood present in "Losfer Words" and "Flash of the Blade". Actually, every song excluding Back in the Village is placed somewhere in the history. Anyway, The Duellists has high-energy verses, catchy chorus and lengthy, melodic interlude, which I consider to be one of the finest moments in the entire Iron Maiden discography.
"The Duellists" has never appealed to me, unfortunately :-\. For me, it bears too much resemblance to "Losfer Words", which had already overstayed its welcome for me.
Rime of the Ancient Mariner continues the majestic guitar work and is truly an epic song, which cannot be said about today's "epics" such as "When the Wild Wind Blows", which just rolls over 3 different riffs for 11 minutes (boooooring!).
I've never really understood this criticism, myself (mainly referring to "WtWWB"). Firstly, go listen to the song again; there are more than three riffs in there. Besides, even if you consider the riff count to be short, I don't believe one can argue with the quality of said riffs, especially the central one. They're well-written, they're interesting, they're entertaining, and they're evocative. In addition to that, they're diverse. The opening riff is haunting yet peaceful, the second riff is folky and beautiful, the third is driving, the fourth has a grand quality to it, the fifth is vivacious and almost celebratory, the sixth if a simple yet powerful riff with an appropriately foreboding tone, and the seventh is grandiose and climactic, and flows perfectly back in to the repeated first and second riffs. In fact, 'perfect flow' would be the best way to describe "WtWWB". Despite the variety in its many musical passages (and yes, there are many, if you pay attention), it still maintains its solidarity and its sense of natural progression. This track is perfectly pieced-together and constructed in such a way that ensures that each moment heightens the intensity of the song. It also features some really clever transitions which aid the song greatly in this regard.
But even with all that aside, I don't think riffage is the main thing to focus on in this track. This is largely a melody-driven song, and the melodic elements are ultimately what we should focus on. The vocal melodies throughout the track are just sublime, and are so, so memorable. And, ultimately, it's the vocal melodies that are the driving point of this song. From the classic feel of the main refrain, to the well-crafted transitional vocal passages, to the tasteful use of embellishment where appropriate - the vocal melody weaves its way through every changing section of the track, and ties the song together in a way that just feels so organic. You may compare this song to "Rime of the Ancient Mariner", point out that it's dissimilar, and then infer that it's inferior for that reason. But the fact of the matter is that Iron Maiden weren't trying to re-create "Rime.." at all; rather, they were writing a song that focused on atmosphere, storytelling, profundity and, most of all, melody. Though it may be similar in length, it's very different in structure, and that's because the intent behind it was different.
For what it is, "When the Wild Wind Blows" is nothing short of utterly superb.
Losfer words (Big 'orra) - My least favorite Maiden instrumental, the band probably wrote it quickly in order to complete the record. It's still good, and I especially like the ending.
I agree whole-heartedly here, and I share the very same theory.
Flash of the blade - Incredible riffs and a very catchy chorus. The instrumental section needs to be mentioned, as one of the few with no respective guitar solo, but it contains some lengthy, complex harmonies instead, which I love.
I also agree with you on this one. I think "Flash of the Blade" deserves all of the (limited) acclaim that it gets. I don't know how it can be considered to be weak, especially by those who, in the same breath, praise the four songs it lies between.
Powerslave is an astounding album, though it's also more superficial than Piece of Mind which preceded it, and Somewhere in Time, which came afterwards.
[...]
There are no bad songs on Powerslave, but neither are there any absolutely spectacular ones, even if "Rime" comes close. There's nothing as bad as "Gangland" or "Quest for Fire", and nothing as good as "Hallowed Be Thy Name" or "Revelations".
Ultimately, Powerslave is a very "cool" album that just doesn't move me as much as other Maiden records, except for maybe during the last half of the "Rime".[...]
This pretty much sums up my feelings towards the album. I feel that it is a step backwards from the brilliance of 'Piece of Mind', but still a respectable effort. It has some very fun moments, some epic moments, and some very impressive moments, but most of the content is merely on an 'alright-to-good' level, and some of the content really bogs down the album, and causes it to suffer a bit as a whole.
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Annoyingly fun. ;)
:lol Fair enough.
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"Where the Wild Wind Blows" is top 3 Maiden for me. It's up there with Paschendale. Also, thinking that "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" somehow has more variety than "Where the Wild Wind Blows" is just untrue. They're about the same, except WWTWB is more balanced overall, with the sections each getting about an equal amount of length, whereas RotAM is way more repetitive, though still really good.
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I'm gonna go on a diffrent route than most people here and say that all the albums up until Powerslave have made more impact on me than Powerslave have, as an album. Don't get me wrong both the title song and Rime are in my top ten list and Aces High is an awesome song but i have to say that song is meant to be heard live with the Winston Churchill speech and to be honest that is what my ears are used to so everytime i hear the studio version i feel like something is missing. :sadpanda:
2 Minutes To Midnight are one of those songs that i really never understood why it has made such a big impact amongst IM fans, it's a good song and yes i do agree it's a classic but mostly because fans and the band praise it so much. 2 minutes don't hook me like other Maiden classics do is probably what i'm trying to say. Still it's one of the better ones on the album.
Regarding the middle songs like Losfer Words, Flash Of The Blades, The Duellists i don't have much to say other than Flash Of The Blades has an awesome intro. I like Back In The Village though, awesome guitars and solos!
Powerslave and The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner is on a whole new universe compare to the rest of the album and they deserve every bit of praise they can get.
Rank time:
1. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
2. Powerslave
3. Aces High
4. 2 Minutes to Midnight
5. Back in the Village
6. Flash of the Blade
7. The Duelists
8. Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)
I have to give some love to the cover!! :heart
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Is Powerslave your favorite IM song?
Yes.
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This album kicks ass in so many ways. I love every track but my favorites are pretty much the same as most:
Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner
Powerslave
Two Minutes To Midnight
Aces High
Back In The Village
The Duelists
Flash of The Blade
Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)
By the way, anyone actually know what a "Big 'Orra" is?
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I always thought that it stood for "Big Horror"
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On a side note, the b-side Mission From 'Arry is one of the greatest things I've ever heard.
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I remember reading an interview with Steve Harris during the production of the album, where he remarked that he had written a 13 minute long song, and my mind immediately figured it would have the start quietly, build big structure I was used to. Imagine my shock then when that immense opening riff started, and the song didn't really become quiet until that more ambient section towards the middle, with the narration from the poem.
Great point. I think I would have a problem thinking of another metal epic starting off with a bang, the quiet intro became pretty much the obvious and most usual way to start the song. And I also share your love for Halloween, although I prefer Keeper of the seven keys. I like both of them just as much as I like Rime.
And it's great to have someone new to Maiden around to keep us updated. So, bosk, I envy you quite a bit, I wish I could discover Maiden again and have that kind of excitement.
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I always thought that it stood for "Big Horror"
I always thought it was Irish slang for being disappointed or surprised. Not sure though.
edit- there you go
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/begorra#English
Etymology
Alteration of by God
Interjection
begorra
(Ireland) A mild minced oath; a euphemism for "by God".
I've been listening to some of the upcoming albums as I've never been a big fan of them and wanted up to date feedback for the discussion. Seems I've been a bit harsh in the past as songs i was convinced I didn't like I enjoyed. Oh well, discussion for a later date.
X Factor still seems to suck though :biggrin:
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Um...WOW. Can't wait until it's time to discuss the next album. :biggrin: But I'll shut up about that for now...
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Um...WOW. Can't wait until it's time to discuss the next album. :biggrin: But I'll shut up about that for now...
I'll say this. I wasn't crazy about Powerslave when it came out, but when Somwhere In Time came out, I was floored as well. At the time, I considered it my favorite thing they'd done to that point.
And that tour...My God..might be my all time favorite concert I've ever seen in my life!!!!
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Um...WOW. Can't wait until it's time to discuss the next album. :biggrin: But I'll shut up about that for now...
I'll say this. I wasn't crazy about Powerslave when it came out, but when Somwhere In Time came out, I was floored as well. At the time, I considered it my favorite thing they'd done to that point.
And that tour...My God..might be my all time favorite concert I've ever seen in my life!!!!
Given how many shows you've seen, that's pretty high praise.
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Um...WOW. Can't wait until it's time to discuss the next album. :biggrin: But I'll shut up about that for now...
I'll say this. I wasn't crazy about Powerslave when it came out, but when Somwhere In Time came out, I was floored as well. At the time, I considered it my favorite thing they'd done to that point.
And that tour...My God..might be my all time favorite concert I've ever seen in my life!!!!
Given how many shows you've seen, that's pretty high praise.
Well it was a perfect night. I went to college 20 minutes north of Providence and I went with my best friend from college. We got down to the floor and between Waysted and Maiden, I run into my two best friends from high school completely unplanned.
But the show was great. An epic run of Rime Of the Ancient Mariner/Heaven Can Wait/Phantom Of The Opera/Hallowed Be Thy Name all in a row!!!
This was the days before you would know the setlist, right, so when they evr busted into Phantom..probably my favorite all time concert moment..so unexpected!
Here's some shots: I've posted these before..
March 30, 1987
Providence Civic Center
(https://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z246/TACPics/SIT1.jpg)
(https://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z246/TACPics/SIT2.jpg)
(https://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z246/TACPics/SIT3.jpg)
(https://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z246/TACPics/SIT4.jpg)
(https://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z246/TACPics/SIT7.jpg)
(https://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z246/TACPics/SIT6.jpg)
(https://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z246/TACPics/SIT8.jpg)
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Awesome photos Tac! :tup
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Powerslave is yet another great Maiden album, but one that seems to be held in slightly higher regard by the long-time fans than myself. The big 4 on this album are exceptional classics but again there are two songs I feel drag the album down. Flash of the Blade isn't bad but it does nothing for me. Back in the Village's chorus absolutely kills the song for me it's monotonous and the way it's sung grates on my nerves for some reason. The Duelists and Losfer Words are ok by me with some interesting musical parts and nothing to make me dislike them.
It seems looking back that this is where the band really permanently solidified their prominence in the metal landscape. Although they had switched singers and band members all 4 albums to this point were generally of high quality and they were only taking things to higher and higher levels in the studio and in concert with promise of more to come.
My Rankings:
1. Aces High
2. Powerslave
3. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
4. 2 Minutes to Midnight
5. The Duelists
6. Losfer Words
7. Flash of the Blade
8. Back in the Village
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"Where the Wild Wind Blows" is top 3 Maiden for me. It's up there with Paschendale. Also, thinking that "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" somehow has more variety than "Where the Wild Wind Blows" is just untrue. They're about the same, except WWTWB is more balanced overall, with the sections each getting about an equal amount of length, whereas RotAM is way more repetitive, though still really good.
Yeah, my thoughts exactly. And "When the Wild Wind Blows" is also top 3 for me, along with "Dance of Death" and "Brighter Than a Thousand Suns" (though sometimes they switch places with "Blood Brothers").
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Oh yeah, it's "When"... hehe. :facepalm:
But that's a solid top three. Mine are, I think, 1.) "Paschendale" 2.) "When The Wild Wind Blows" and 3.) "Dance of Death", but "Only The Good Die Young", "Still Life", "Revelations" and "Journeyman" are up there, too. Weird how DoD isn't a great album, but the good stuff is REALLY good.
Powerslave just doesn't have any top 10 Maiden tunes for me. I like all the songs a lot, but SiT is much stronger, as was PoM. Again people seem to love the riffs and leads and solos of Powerslave, but that's never been what attracted me personally to Maiden.
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All I have to say is....
"Through the fog and ice"
or as I used to hear it...
"Through the fucking ice"
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Oh Powerslave...
I started my Iron Maiden fandom with Piece of Mind and The Number of the Beast and while I eventually grew to love those two albums, it wax Powerslave that cemented my love for this band. Is it a perfect album? No, "Losfer Woods" is their weakest instrumental and while "Back in The Village" and "The Duellists" aren't terrible songs, it kinda ruins the flow of the album a bit to have the two weaker tracks sandwiched right in the middle. No, Powerslave isn't perfect but it contains so much condensed awesomeness that I can forgive its few weaknesses and even the weaker songs have some redeeming aspects.
It certainly helps that the album starts off with the incredible one-two punch of "Aces High" and "2 Minutes to Midnight." I've always been a much bigger fan of "Aces High" than "2 Minutes..." but I would feel guilty complaining about either. I'll never understand the criticisms of "Flash of the Blade" as that's a great song but I seem to have some contrary opinions when it comes to Maiden. "Losfer Woods" is the only track that seems filler-y and when I was first listening to the album, I'd skip the track usually but it isn't really a bad song, just a bit uneventful. It's the only song I have trouble coming up with anything positive to say. "The Duellists" has a pretty neat solo and "Back in the Village" is actually a pretty good song with a great riff and cool solo, only the chorus drags it down a bit.
"Powerslave" has one of my favorite Maiden riffs of all time, maybe my favorite with some excellent singing and lyrics to back it up. It's likely my favorite on the album and one of my favorite Maiden songs easily.
"Rime..." is a classic for a reason. Funny how I rated it rather low when I first heard it. I wasn't a stranger to long songs when I got into Maiden, but I think the slow, ambient section got to me a bit. Now, I couldn't imagine the song without that bit.
So Powerslave is maybe not the best Maiden album, but for me, everything came together with their sound here. Was The Number of the Beast a more important album and was Piece of Mind more revolutionary for Maiden? Maybe, likely it is. I wasn't a fan back then so I can only go off what others say. Did Maiden make other better, more consistent albums? Perhaps, but Powerslave is what I think of when I think Iron Maiden. When I want my fix of Iron Maiden, I go to Powerslave.
And I don't see that changing anytime soon.
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I have to give some love to the cover!! :heart
Definately!
By the way, anyone actually know what a "Big 'Orra" is?
'Orra refers to "or a", something you let out of your mouth when you don't know what to say. The word "Big" just refers to it, that one doesn't really get anything to one's mind, even when trying hard. "Losfer Words" means "Lost for Words". So, they wrote an instrumental, because they had nothing to say!
On a side note, the b-side Mission From 'Arry is one of the greatest things I've ever heard.
Some cunt's recording this :lol.
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Mission from 'Arry is absolutely hilarious. I had no idea what the hell was going on until I watched the story behind it on The Early days part 2 documentary. :lol
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Oh yeah, it's "When"... hehe. :facepalm:
Haha, don't worry, I do stuff like that all the time; the only difference is I'm just usually lucky enough to edit it out in time before anyone sees.
But that's a solid top three. Mine are, I think, 1.) "Paschendale" 2.) "When The Wild Wind Blows" and 3.) "Dance of Death", but "Only The Good Die Young", "Still Life", "Revelations" and "Journeyman" are up there, too.
"Paschendale" is nothing short of amazing. Is there anything more epic than the "Into jaws of death we go..." section? And anything more climactic than the "Blood is falling like the rain..." section?
Weird how DoD isn't a great album, but the good stuff is REALLY good.
This is a pretty common opinion: 'DoD' has really high highs, but suffers from inconsistency. I personally don't agree with it, though. The album may suffer due to its jarring fluctuation between styles, but not due to inconsistent quality. If you ask me, every song on there is either very good or great. I really don't consider any of it to be 'filler'. Each song features really strong elements/moments which justify their inclusion on the album.
Powerslave just doesn't have any top 10 Maiden tunes for me. I like all the songs a lot, but SiT is much stronger, as was PoM. Again people seem to love the riffs and leads and solos of Powerslave, but that's never been what attracted me personally to Maiden.
Does 'SiT'?
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Mission from 'Arry is absolutely hilarious. I had no idea what the hell was going on until I watched the story behind it on The Early days part 2 documentary. :lol
Yes i love that one and i must also highlight all the Listen with Nicko episodes on the First Ten Years series if anyone has missed those!
Here's a good start:
Listen with Nicko part 1 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQr_DqWcjjg)
Btw here's the one we're he talks about Mission from 'Arry amongst other things:
Listen with Nicko part 6: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj3XWmQieXs)
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This thread should also go through the solo albums afterwards.
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Man, that would be sweet! :metal
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The most impressive thing about Mission From 'Arry is that the band actually had the balls to release it. What an incredible look into the workings of a band. What makes people loyal to bands is that they are drawn to the perceived personalities of the members.
You know when a band releases something like that, they are being honest.
Maiden for life :metal
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UP THE IRONS!! :metal :metal :metal :metal :metal :metal
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:metal :metal
Powerslave also brought one of my favorite Maiden B sides..... Rainbow's Gold.
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This thread should also go through the solo albums afterwards.
I was coming back to this thread just to post that!
Bosk, the 2 mandatory solo albums are both by Dickinson: Accident of Birth and Chemical Wedding. Both way more Maiden than Maiden was in the 90s. A little darker and heavier, especially CW.
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Just a suggestion, should we not have a seperate thread for that?
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This thread should also go through the solo albums afterwards.
Sure thing. I'm not super familiar with Bruce's material outside Accident of Birth and the Chemical Wedding but I definitely should be.
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Just noticed that I haven't posted my thoughts on Powerslave. Here we go:
In essence, I agree with the general consensus. The bookends of the album are all fantastic, some of Maiden's best, with the title being the standout, easily. The middle of the album isn't quite up on that level, but except for Losfer Words (which is pretty uninteresting for me), they are pretty cool tracks as well. Back in the Village is probably my favourite of the bunch, because the main riff is pretty awesome. The chorus is a little pedestrian, but it works for the song.
All in all, this is certainly an essential album, but often, upon listening to it, I find myself being slightly bored in the middle, which is probably enhanced by the fact that I know that twenty minutes of Maiden's best are to follow.
1. Powerslave
2. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
3. 2 Minutes to Midnight
4. Aces High
5. Back in the Village
6. Flash of the Blade
7. The Duellists
8. Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)
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You guys are crazy. I've always thought Losfer Words was one of Maiden's most enjoyable instrumentals. Goes well with the overall Egyptian theme. Not to mention it :metal
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Yeah, never had an issue with Losfer Words either. The only thing is I think it would have been better at track number 5 or 6, as opposed to 3.
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Listened to all of the tracks individually on YouTube. I'd put Rime up near the top. I liked all the other tracks, including the instrumental, so I'm honestly not sure what I would put at the bottom yet. Maybe Aces High, but not sure--not because it's bad or anything, but just because it just feels like such standard Maiden that on first listen, it doesn't feel like it brings anything new to the table. But I dunno. Too early to tell. All I know is, I've been listening to Maiden nonstop for a week now, and I'm starting to feel saturated. Need a short break...
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Listened to all of the tracks individually on YouTube. I'd put Rime up near the top. I liked all the other tracks, including the instrumental, so I'm honestly not sure what I would put at the bottom yet. Maybe Aces High, but not sure--not because it's bad or anything, but just because it just feels like such standard Maiden that on first listen, it doesn't feel like it brings anything new to the table. But I dunno. Too early to tell. All I know is, I've been listening to Maiden nonstop for a week now, and I'm starting to feel saturated. Need a short break...
Live After Death will come next -- you've already heard it, so this'll be a good time to take your break.
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Oh, I didn't realize you were going to mix in live albums. You may have said that, but I didn't catch it. Yeah, I'm liking what I'm hearing, but it's a bit overwhelming since it's all new music to me, and I've basically listened to four studio albums (the three I bought, plus Powerslave) and two live albums in a week. It's just a blur of a LOT of music.
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Listened to all of the tracks individually on YouTube. I'd put Rime up near the top. I liked all the other tracks, including the instrumental, so I'm honestly not sure what I would put at the bottom yet. Maybe Aces High, but not sure--not because it's bad or anything, but just because it just feels like such standard Maiden that on first listen, it doesn't feel like it brings anything new to the table. But I dunno. Too early to tell. All I know is, I've been listening to Maiden nonstop for a week now, and I'm starting to feel saturated. Need a short break...
Listen to it with a fresh set of ears once you've had a break. It might be typical Maiden, but it's one of those song that's executed so brilliantly that it simply doesn't matter how typical or predictable it is. I actually consider it to be the best off the album, and that's coming from somebody who generally likes his music to be as proggy as possible. I like Maiden when they experiment and expand, but this is one of those cases where a simple formula works well.
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Oh, I didn't realize you were going to mix in live albums. You may have said that, but I didn't catch it. Yeah, I'm liking what I'm hearing, but it's a bit overwhelming since it's all new music to me, and I've basically listened to four studio albums (the three I bought, plus Powerslave) and two live albums in a week. It's just a blur of a LOT of music.
Yeah, I've never been a big believer in shotgunning through discographies. Taking your time is best. I took me around 2 years to get to all of DT, and, while I've been listening to Maiden for like 8 years, I still don't even have every studio album. If you feel saturated already, best bet is just cool off and mix your Maiden in with a playlist of stuff you like. Then when you're ready for new stuff, pick up a reunion album!
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Same. When I get into a band I really like for the first time, I take my time, enjoy and get to know the current album. Depending on how much I like them, it may take a year or two before I have most or all their albums. I too recommend enjoying what you have and know for now, and then maybe later you feel you're ready for another album. Seventh Son and a reunion album would be good ones to get, any of them will be good.
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I was thinking about how dark and deep Seventh Son is compared to other Iron Maiden albums. But... damn, we're getting way ahead of ourselves. I'm gonna watch Live After Death tonight.
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Seriously?! Aces High is awesome, but that's simply my opinion. Rime is so awesome, such an ambitious work
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I was thinking about how dark and deep Seventh Son is compared to other Iron Maiden albums. But... damn, we're getting way ahead of ourselves. I'm gonna watch Live After Death tonight.
Ohh can't wait for that discussion! (https://www.umop.net/emoticons/excited4.gif)
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Rime is the second best IM song behind Hallowed be Thy Name.
And yes, please take time off to let your ears fully digest the awesomeness that is maiden.
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Oh, I didn't realize you were going to mix in live albums. You may have said that, but I didn't catch it. Yeah, I'm liking what I'm hearing, but it's a bit overwhelming since it's all new music to me, and I've basically listened to four studio albums (the three I bought, plus Powerslave) and two live albums in a week. It's just a blur of a LOT of music.
Yeah, I've never been a big believer in shotgunning through discographies. Taking your time is best. I took me around 2 years to get to all of DT, and, while I've been listening to Maiden for like 8 years, I still don't even have every studio album. If you feel saturated already, best bet is just cool off and mix your Maiden in with a playlist of stuff you like. Then when you're ready for new stuff, pick up a reunion album!
I agree. Break was much needed.
Okay, I'm ready now. Let's go! *buckles up*
:D
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By the way, Mr. Seoafs, a thought just occurred to me. Obviously, it's your thread, and you can run and title it anyway you see fit. But there is one and only one correct title for the next installment, and I fully expect to see it. It must be: "The Iron Maiden Discography v. Scream for me, Long Beach!"
You know of what I speak.
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......Screeeeeeeaaaaam for me!! :metal
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Whatever you say, boss.
LIVE AFTER DEATH -- 1985
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c9/Iron_Maiden_-_Live_After_Death.jpg)
1. "Intro: Churchill's Speech"
2. "Aces High"
3. "2 Minutes to Midnight"
4. "The Trooper"
5. "Revelations"
6. "Flight of Icarus"
7. "Rime of the Ancient Mariner"
8. "Powerslave"
9. "The Number of the Beast"
10. "Hallowed Be Thy Name"
11. "Iron Maiden"
12. "Run to the Hills"
13. "Running Free"
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:rollin :clap:
I've seen this on YouTube twice now, and it's just such a great show. Really enjoyed it. Watching it a second time, I had the thought that there should be some sort of contest for most energetic front man. I think they should have a few stages all facing each other in a huge ring, and each band sets up and starts playing, and a band is considered "out" when their front man can no longer run and jump around the stage at the same pace as Bruce. I fully expect that two hours or so into it, everyone else would have dropped and it would be a fight to the death between Bruce Dickinson and Gary Cherone. :lol
Anyhow, some great versions of these songs on here. Some feel a bit too sped up at times, but not enough to really ruin them.
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Bosk has said most of what's to be said, but I'd like to add that the intro of Churchill's Speech and the way it segues into Aces High is awesome. Other than that, the guys are on fire and deliver some great stuff, with my favourites being Hallowed Be Thy Name, Powerslave and Rime, I actually prefer the live versions to the studio versions here by a large margin. Maiden are, I think, a live band through and through, and pretty much every live version I have heard is at least on par with their respective studio versions.
Also, I'd like to mention that Disc 2 is completely awesome as well. Die With Your Boots On could have been cut, because I don't really like it (I'd have loved to have a live version of, I dunno, Still Life or something instead), but the live versions of Wrathchild, 22 Acacia Avenue, Children of the Damned and Phantom of the Opera are all amazing as well.
All in all, I'd say that this is my favourite Maiden live album, mainly because of the rather balanced set (alright, the first two albums are criminally underrepresented) - Rock in Rio and En Vivo! focus a little too much on the respective recent albums, even though they both feature awesome playing and a great show.
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Live After Death is good, but it was a major missed opportunity. The Hammersmith shows from very early on in the tour had longer setlists, better performances (especially from Bruce), and I liked the sound of the recordings better too (you can hear some of the tracks recorded at Hammersmith on the extended version of Live After Death).
Hopefully they'll be released in their entirety at some point, like the Beast Over Hammersmith show was.
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:hefdaddy
Holy crap watching it right now.
SO ENERGY! SO POWAH! SO MAIDEN!
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Hopefully they'll be released in their entirety at some point, like the Beast Over Hammersmith show was.
Totally forgot about that one. That's the best Maiden live album right there. Killers live completely slays, not to mention Total Eclipse.
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What do you guys think about the intro of Aces High being played on tape rather than by the band?
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Doesn't bother me at all
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Live After Death is good, but it was a major missed opportunity. The Hammersmith shows from very early on in the tour had longer setlists, better performances (especially from Bruce), and I liked the sound of the recordings better too (you can hear some of the tracks recorded at Hammersmith on the extended version of Live After Death).
But as to the length of the set lists, keep in mind the historical context. The length was just about standard in the age of casette tapes and VHS video. Metallica kind of broke the mold on that a bit later with a multi-tape box set for Binge & Purge, but that was a VERY notable exception. It's different now in the age of CDs and DVDs (and BluRay) that have more capacity, and are compact enough that multi-disk sets are easy to do. Not that a longer set couldn't have been done then, but they were uncommon.
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Live After Death is good, but it was a major missed opportunity. The Hammersmith shows from very early on in the tour had longer setlists, better performances (especially from Bruce), and I liked the sound of the recordings better too (you can hear some of the tracks recorded at Hammersmith on the extended version of Live After Death).
Hopefully they'll be released in their entirety at some point, like the Beast Over Hammersmith show was.
I really think their live sound suffers at times without that third guitar in there. Musically, these days, their live sound is absolutely breathtaking. Unfortunately, Bruce is a shadow of what he used to be, but we all grow old and that's just life.
I'm glad I got to see them live back in the day.
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I really don't get the complaints about Bruce's vocals sounding strained and off-key in Live After Death, since I've always felt he sounds strained and off-key on plenty of sections of plenty of studio albums. But, going by the comments in this thread thus far, I'm the only one who ever feels that, so whatevs. Water off a duck's back.
This is a great show. I have the DVD, and am going to watch it later tonight, which will be easier to accomplish than trying last night :P. I also will probably watch the History of Iron Maiden pt. II, since I haven't even seen that yet.
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I really don't get the complaints about Bruce's vocals sounding strained and off-key in Live After Death, since I've always felt he sounds strained and off-key on plenty of sections of plenty of studio albums. But, going by the comments in this thread thus far, I'm the only one who ever feels that, so whatevs. Water off a duck's back.
This is a great show. I have the DVD, and am going to watch it later tonight, which will be easier to accomplish than trying last night :P . I also will probably watch the History of Iron Maiden pt. II, since I haven't even seen that yet.
Actually, I I thought there were a few places on AMOLAD where they probably could have chosen a lower key....."Mother of Mercy" is a prime example. The chorus is actually painful to listen to. Which is a damned shame because if the song was a semitone lower in key he probably could have nailed it.
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Oh, and I LOVE "Live after Death" always have :metal
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I was born, raised and still live in Long Beach, CA. I saw Maiden at Long Beach Arena (where LaD was recorded) in like, 2003 maybe? Dio and Motorhead opened for them. Yes, Bruce gave us a few "SCREAM FOR ME LONG BEACH!!!!"s. Each time, I pee peed. It was white pee pee.
Oh, and I LOVE "Live after Death" always have :metal
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I really don't get the complaints about Bruce's vocals sounding strained and off-key in Live After Death, since I've always felt he sounds strained and off-key on plenty of sections of plenty of studio albums. But, going by the comments in this thread thus far, I'm the only one who ever feels that, so whatevs. Water off a duck's back.
This is a great show. I have the DVD, and am going to watch it later tonight, which will be easier to accomplish than trying last night :P . I also will probably watch the History of Iron Maiden pt. II, since I haven't even seen that yet.
Actually, I I thought there were a few places on AMOLAD where they probably could have chosen a lower key....."Mother of Mercy" is a prime example. The chorus is actually painful to listen to. Which is a damned shame because if the song was a semitone lower in key he probably could have nailed it.
Mother of Mercy isn't on AMOLAD ;)
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Yeah, I know, I meant to edit that, but was too lazy. The point stands though. The chorus on that song is painful to listen to
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I really think their live sound suffers at times without that third guitar in there. Musically, these days, their live sound is absolutely breathtaking.
I was comparing live footage from Live After Death and from Flight 666 / En Vivo and yea the live sound is amazing with the 3 guitars. The older live footage sounds... lacking.
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I really don't get the complaints about Bruce's vocals sounding strained and off-key in Live After Death, since I've always felt he sounds strained and off-key on plenty of sections of plenty of studio albums. But, going by the comments in this thread thus far, I'm the only one who ever feels that, so whatevs. Water off a duck's back.
This is a great show. I have the DVD, and am going to watch it later tonight, which will be easier to accomplish than trying last night :P . I also will probably watch the History of Iron Maiden pt. II, since I haven't even seen that yet.
Actually, I I thought there were a few places on AMOLAD where they probably could have chosen a lower key....."Mother of Mercy" is a prime example. The chorus is actually painful to listen to. Which is a damned shame because if the song was a semitone lower in key he probably could have nailed it.
Yeah, I feel like that on lots of songs. In general, he has much more control over his voice in lower registers, whereas the higher he gets, the more it seems like he's straining to hit the highest possibly on-key note. But either way, he's still awesome.
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I go back and forth on him and Rob Halford as "best metal vocalist ever"
I think from a purely technical standpoint, Halford blows him away with his 4 and half octave natural voice range. But Dickinson is a much better entertainer.
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What do you guys think about the intro of Aces High being played on tape rather than by the band?
It dosen't bother me that much, i think it's actually more a visual thing because they want the band to enter when the full song begins.
On a side note: DT - Intro to Pull Me Under on "The Rudess Experiment".
Barely noticed the change. :lol
On a second side note: Myung rocks his ass of on that show! :metal
Ok carry on.......
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I also like that Live After Death was highly educational as well. I never knew this previously, but apparently the iron maiden can't be bought. Iron maiden can't be sought. Wow, who knew, right?
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Yeah, but that doesn't really matter, because if you wait, then iron maiden's gonna get you anyway.
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Was also nice to hear about Queen Victoria smoking a couple of joints in the bathroom to get some relief from her period pain :lol
#28minutesin
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On the discussion of three guitars, Rime sounds very noticeably better on flight 666. Some songs I don't notice it as much but that one stands out to me. And of course wrath child.
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Really, any song where they break into those famous dual-guitar harmony lines where they have extra tracks on the original recordings (Rime is a good example) they sounded pretty thin with only two guitars on the live stage.
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Also, on the aces high intro, to me its OK they don't play it because it plays into the live setting where they come out to the big blast. They actually played the intro to moonchild during the somewhere back in time tour but didn't during the maiden England tour. While musicly I like the band play it, but for build up to the intro its fine by me if they don't play it.
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I thought some tracks were missing. I bought this one on vinyl, and it had 5 additional tracks on it.
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Was also nice to hear about Queen Victoria smoking a couple of joints in the bathroom to get some relief from her period pain :lol
#28minutesin
Yeah, there were a lot of cheers during this story. Apparently Maiden fans really, really like history?
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Live After Death.
It's easy to look across the breadth of Maiden's career now, with a near-endless series of live releases from them, to forget how monumentally GOOD and essential a live album Live After Death is. And how important; it was one of the earliest concert video/live album releases to be readily accessible. There were earlier ones, but by the mid-80s VCRs were far cheaper and easier to buy. VHS tapes were usually incredibly expensive until, really, the late 80s, so Live After Death was important because the VHS was as readily accessible as the album. It was, in fact, the very first VHS tape I ever bought, and I in fact STILL have it, though I naturally bought the DVD when it came out. Nowadays, of course, Maiden has settled into a groove of studio album-DVD with live album, so it's become typical, but back then, this was amazing. Live After Death is my favorite live album period, showing Iron Maiden at their height, when they, arguably, the best heavy metal band in the world. I don't usually recommend buying live albums when someone asks what they should buy from a band, but Live After Death gets a recommendation every time.
I'd also like to point out that this thread has launched a massive listening of Maiden for me, which has resulted, in some odd way, in Iron Maiden reclaiming their spot as my favorite band. A spot that they lost in 1988 or so to Metallica. What a come back! :lol
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Wow, you're easy, dude. Just to mess with you, I think I'm going to start a George Michael discography thread after this. Then maybe a Nelson discography thread. Then maybe...
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Would only work if I was ever as passionate a fan of those acts as I was Maiden, and from 1983 to 1988 I LOVED Maiden. I'll hold you to the Nelson thread though. :lol
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Wow, you're easy, dude. Just to mess with you, I think I'm going to start a George Michael discography thread after this. Then maybe a Nelson discography thread. Then maybe...
I'm up for the latter... 1st and last albums were great. :biggrin:
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I really don't get the complaints about Bruce's vocals sounding strained and off-key in Live After Death, since I've always felt he sounds strained and off-key on plenty of sections of plenty of studio albums. But, going by the comments in this thread thus far, I'm the only one who ever feels that, so whatevs. Water off a duck's back.
This is a great show. I have the DVD, and am going to watch it later tonight, which will be easier to accomplish than trying last night :P . I also will probably watch the History of Iron Maiden pt. II, since I haven't even seen that yet.
Actually, I I thought there were a few places on AMOLAD where they probably could have chosen a lower key....."Mother of Mercy" is a prime example. The chorus is actually painful to listen to. Which is a damned shame because if the song was a semitone lower in key he probably could have nailed it.
I really like AMOLAD but Bruce is straining. FF was too painful to me- I can't listen to it. On LAD he was awesome.
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I think that could possibly be my first ever live album, it's magic. Although Bruce is incredibly flat through most of the concert. The touring schedule really took a toll.
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I hardly ever listen to the live albums, but I love watching DVDs. Life after death is probably the one I watch the least, to be honest, just because Bruce sounds weak and off-key to my ears throughout the show. But when I play Aces high, Revelations or Rime on Flight 666 DVD... Now, that's the way you sing it, Bruce! :hefdaddy
If anyone didn't buy the DVD, do it, there's a fantastic documentary on the second disc that tells the story about the recording of the album and the tour, it gives a fantastic insight into all of it. :smiley:
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Watched the concert and the doc last night. Thoughts to come.
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My all time favorite live album. Though it is tied with Live At The Inferno by Raven.
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Also....I found it rather odd that the OP on this album doesn't include the *complete original* tracklisting? ???
Another oddity for you old timers. You can double check me if you want, but for a long time the album was the only place you could hear the long version of Running Free with the audience participation. The original cassette release (at least the ones my friends and I had) had the edited single version that was released to radio. When the single disc CD was released, that was also the shortened version AFAIK. So it wasn't until the full 2-disc version re-release that we got the original full length version of Running Free on CD either.
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Also....I found it rather odd that the OP on this album doesn't include the *complete original* tracklisting? ???
Another oddity for you old timers. You can double check me if you want, but for a long time the album was the only place you could hear the long version of Running Free with the audience participation. The original cassette release (at least the ones my friends and I had) had the edited single version that was released to radio. When the single disc CD was released, that was also the shortened version AFAIK. So it wasn't until the full 2-disc version re-release that we got the original full length version of Running Free on CD either.
Can't say I noticed :blush I usually watch the vhs/dvd/bluray. Not heard my vinyl for 20 years.
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I didn't even realize they had a single off of LAD and that if they did, that it would be Running Free.
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I didn't even realize they had a single off of LAD and that if they did, that it would be Running Free.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_After_Death
Under the section on "Chart Performance" you can see the singles that were released.
EDIT: Even better...here's the section on the single itself...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_Free
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Yeah, they used the edited live version as a promo video too, I believe.
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I have seriously never had an issue with LAD's vocals. Just listened to it yesterday. It's live and it's good!
Also, if Quest For Fire was an instrumental, it would be way better than Losfer Words.
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Okay, so Powerslave is good and all, but here's where things really start getting good.
SOMEWHERE IN TIME - 1986
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9b/Iron_Maiden_-_Somewhere_in_Time.jpg)
1. "Caught Somewhere in Time"
2. "Wasted Years"
3. "Sea of Madness"
4. "Heaven Can Wait"
5. "The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner"
6. "Stranger in a Strange Land"
7. "Deja-Vu"
8. "Alexander the Great"
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Haven't listened to Somewhere In Time much yet... minus Deja Vu and Alexander the Great. Taking a slight break to digest...
but...
DAT ALBUM ARTWORK :hefdaddy
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Or not.
Huge disappointment after Powerslave for me. A couple of excellent tracks (Alex, Wasted Years, Deja Vu), a couple of stinkers (Seas, Loneliness) and alot of ok stuff. I listened to it again a couple of days ago and I didn't dislke it as much as I always thought I did, but its not a great album for me.
It's got a great cover though (nuggetsz!!!)
Confession time- I've always struggled with Maiden's guitar sounds and here it started getting worse.
Feel free not to agree with me :biggrin:
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Another Maiden highlight. Love the sound and overall atmosphere on this, an incredible album. My favs are the title track, Sea of Madness, Long Distance Runner, Deja Vu and Alex. Monster album.
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This is *the* album where the chorus' took a REALLY SEVERE nosedive. There were a few songs before this album that just repeated the name of the song over and over again...but this album is just flat LAZY. Even Charlotte the Harlot had more variations in the chorus than Heaven Can Wait...does that seem right to you???
The addition of synths was pulled off to varying degrees, but it was a little off-putting at the time. All the classic metal bands were starting to soften up, and the thrash metal underground was in full swing. It was albums like this and JP's Turbo that just drove me deeper and further towards "The Big 4" that I had already started to get into in 1984/5.
Still, there are some decent tracks that I still like. Wasted Years is fun, but got old. I *LOVE* Sea of Madness and don't understand the hate that song sometimes gets. I really dislike the studio version of HCW, but the live version convinced me that it was in fact a pretty cool song. The title track is ok. Never cared for LotLDR, Deja Vu or Alexander the Great. :tdwn
On this album, I pretty much abandoned Iron Maiden for awhile, and got totally into the budding thrash movement. I wouldn't hear about SSoaSS until almost a full year after its release, and I have to admit that I liked that one right away and felt it was MUCH stronger than SiT....but that's for the next discussion.
My ranking:
1. Sea of Madness
2. Wasted Years
3. Stranger in a Strange Land
4. Heaven Can Wait
5. Somewhere In Time
6. Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
7. Alexander the Great
8. Deja Vu
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Great album. Some of the tracks (ok, most) seem to be one or two minutes too long, but they are all still really good. Lyrically, SiT is leaps and bounds ahead of Powerslave. Musically, I like its more complex arrangements. That synth that hovers over many intros and choruses like an ominous stormcloud on the horizon became central to Maiden's later sound.
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Another one of my favorite Maiden albums. Very epic stuff.
Caught Somewhere in Time
Wasted Years
Alexander the Great
Stranger in a Strange Land
Heaven Can Wait
Deja Vu
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
Sea of Madness
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It had to happen sooner or later.
Somewhere In Time, I've noticed, tends to be held in higher regard today than it was when it came out. It's the first Iron Maiden album of the 80s, at the time of release, to not be seen as being better than its predecessor. It's the first album amongst my circle of Maiden fans where I first began to hear of grumbles of "it's not as good as it could be" or even "I didn't like it." It wasn't the arrival of synthesizers that did it-we were heaping our scorn, that year, wholly upon Turbo by Judas Priest-but it was, and even to me, who liked SiT upon release, simply not as good as the previous few albums. Maiden had peaked. There's some great songs on it, though a few of them simply feel a little long by a minute or two, and the band seems to be somewhat in cruise control on the album. There's a sense of obligation to some songs-Alexander The Great feels like its going through the numbers as the album's epic number, though I submit that the next longest song on a Maiden album was going to have it's work cut out for it after Rime of the Ancient Mariner. The lack of Dickinson credits on the album really stands out, though Adrian Smith does contribute a lot more here than he normally did back then.
There is one missed opportunity lyrically on the album, one that I can't believe the band didn't take, since repeating lyrics a lot has been a trademark of theirs since the start. Deja Vu has two verses broken up by a guitar break. If there was ever a time for the band to repeat a verse and it actually FIT the song, it was there with Deja Vu. :lol
Time's been kinder to this album, and my opinion of it has improved over the years. But back then, this was the first Maiden album to be called merely good. And amongst old school Maiden fans, believe it or not, that was actually a trend that, with the next album, was going to get worse.
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Well, in retrospect, Maiden were wrong about keyboards, and their stance against it was always amazingly hypocritical for a band that worshipped Deep Purple.
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Love SiT. My rankings:
1 Caught Somewhere in Time
2 Déjà Vu
3 Alexander the Great
4 Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
5 Stranger in a Strange Land
6 Wasted Years
7 Heaven Can Wait
8 Sea of Madness
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Somewhere in Time is similar to Powerslave in that it's demarcated fairly heavily between absolute classic Maiden and some mediocre filler.
1. Wasted Years
2. Stranger in a Strange Land
3. Caught Somewhere in Time
4. Sea of Madness
5. Heaven Can Wait
6. Deja Vu
7. Alexander the Great
8. Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
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Damn, I was so busy with school that I missed Powerslave. Despite the fact that no one cares, I feel in the spirit of completism that I must fold a few short remarks on that album into this post.
Aces High - Not as good as everyone says it is, but still a brilliant song. Adrian steals the show with his solo, but Davey and Bruce also shine.
2 Minutes to Midnight - As someone else said, I oddly don't get tired of this song at all, despite having heard it so many times. The instrumental section is the best part, particularly H's solo (yes, I'm obsessed) and the part where 'Arry does his machine gun bass when they play it live (you know precisely the part I'm talking about). I also love Janick's interpretation on the lead, right before the song goes into the main chorus. Adrian's lead just lets Nicko make the transition, but Janick plays a lovely guitar medley right there to make that change.
Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) - Goes back and forth with Transylvania as my favorite Maiden instrumental. It's not a top 50 song, but it serves its purpose very well. Possibly my favorite of the "Fillerslave" part of the album.
Flash of the Blade - Excellent vocal and guitar melodies. Goes back and forth with Losfer as my favorite of the middle.
The Duelists - A very good 4-5 minute song can be found in The Duelists. Unfortunately, it is 6 minutes. Despite this, it is another very good song. Because ALL Maiden songs are very good songs. Even The Apparition.
Back In the Village - When I first heard the album it was my least favorite, but lately it's been creeping up. I find it necessary that I must again mention the guitar soloing of Adrian Smith.
Powerslave - While Bruce's best song is Revelations, Powerslave is almost as good. Great vocal melodies, great solos particularly from Dave. I also love that on the Somewhere Back In Time Tour they added synths to the chorus where the backing vocals originally were. Adds a tone of desperation to the music.
Rime of the Ancient Mariner - MAYBE Maiden's best. It's entirely possible. What I do know is that you would be hard pressed to find a better three minutes of music than the part immediately after the quiet section (the music leading up to the lyrics beginning with "the curse it lives on in their eyes" through the "raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin" and the guitar solos).
1. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
2. Powerslave
3. 2 Minutes to Midnight
4. Aces High
T5. Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)
T5. Flash of the Blade
T7. The Duelists
T7. Back In the Village
Sorry about that inappropriately timed post, now on to the main attraction. Which is one of Maiden's best.
Caught Somewhere In Time - You couldn't ask for a better opener. The intro to this song is orgasmic, and it then continues into the just nonstop, kickass verses and chorus. Mr. McBrain is a hardworking man who doesn't get enough credit for what he does, and this song proves it. And then Dave with a very good solo and then OMIGOD ADRIAN (this is like THE Adrian Smith album, so I probably be saying that a lot) what a brilliant solo. Just... Adrian's solo to the wwwwwwwrrroooooooowwwwwww to the main riff to Brucie's "Like a wolf in sheep's clothing... And I know where you belong". Dickinson/Smith was a match made in heaven. Before this write-up I was confident that DT had eclipsed Maiden as my favorite band, but I'm caught now in two minds. Woooaaaah woah.
Wasted Years - OMIGOD ADRIAN (see?). This is Mr. Smith's song through and through, and man I wish he'd write more lyrics. I also love H's vocal delivery on the chorus when Bruce lets him sing it. And that solo. Just...
Sea of Madness - Also known as Adrian Smith kicks your ass for at least the fourth time this album. I love the way the quiet middle part transitions back into the main song.
Heaven Can Wait - The least good of all the musical miracles on this album. But great solos from Dave and Adrian (this time I prefer H's to Janick's solo) and the audience participation part is pretty awesome live.
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner - Another great song for Nicko, there's nothing to complain about at all on this track. Great vocals from Bruce.
Stranger In a Strange Land - I love the way this song opens, I love Adrian's lyrics, I love Bruce's vocals ("Here me calling reeeeeescuueeee meeeeeeeee"), and then halfway through the song, there's a sudden OMIGOD ADRIAN and also an OMIGOD STEVE, when the best guitar solo ever in the history music takes place. I just collapse into a puddle on the floor when the random person says "HAI!" and the solo goes into the fast section.
Deja Vu - And a lovely Dave Murray song with yet another brilliant intro. Lyrics are a bit silly, but that's easily forgiven.
Alexander the Great - This song is just a blast of Steve Harris and Adrian Smith brilliance. The instrumental section is an orgasmic music moment, particularly Adrian's solos.
1. Alexander the Great
2. Stranger In a Strange Land
3. Caught Somewhere In Time
4. Wasted Years
5. Sea of Madness
6. The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
7. Deja Vu
8. Heaven Can Wait
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Somewhere in Time is similar to Powerslave in that it's demarcated fairly heavily between absolute classic Maiden and some mediocre filler.
1. Wasted Years
2. Stranger in a Strange Land
3. Caught Somewhere in Time
4. Sea of Madness
5. Heaven Can Wait
6. Deja Vu
7. Alexander the Great
8. Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
Here "filler" obviously means "songs I don't like as much as the others".
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My song ranking;
CSIT
SOM
TLOTLDR
ATG
DV
WS
SIASL
HCW
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All the songs are good, I think, but a few do feel like they need some trimming. Especially the title track and Heaven Can Wait.
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Oddly, this was the first Maiden album where it took me a few listens to "get it", but once I did it has been my favorite since 1986. Master of Puppets and Reign in Blood had come out earlier in the year, and you can see that Maiden was trying to stay relevant with double-timing the beats on songs like JDV and TLOTLDR. Another comment on the drumming is that Nicko is one of those proud old-school drummers who doesn't really care for double pedals or 2 bass drums, but he doesn't need them because his right foot is FAST and he sure proves it on this record. The synths and keyboards add layers that create a deep, majestic wall of sound.
At this time Metallica was becoming my favorite band, but in the back of my mind I always knew Maiden was the superior outfit. They're sure proving it again this millenium. Anyway, my rankings are slightly unconventional in that I love HCW, with the chorus only detracting a little from the song IMO. None of the songs are weak, my least favorite TLOTLDR would be a great achievement for an ordinary band.
1. HCW
2. CSIT
3. SIASL
4. WY
5. DJV
6. ATG
7. SOM
8. TLOTLDR
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My first Iron Maiden album. It hasn't aged particularly well and I don't really like the sounds on the album, guitars sound really dated.
Here the things started to slip downwards, but the album is still good. Caught Somewhere In Time is a fast-paced rocker with cool melodies. The chorus is over-repeated, however. Adrian Smith performs a flaming solo, and I don't really know how Nicko's right foot doesn't get tired. Wasted Years was a good choice for a lead single, it is very catchy and H puts out again a wicked solo.
Sea of Madness has always been my least favourite on the album. The main riff is heavy and good, but unfortunately it becomes too soft. Heaven Can Wait isn't one of my favourites, but I gotta admit that the choir part sounds great.
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner is one of the most underrated Maiden songs. It is very fast and melodic, shame that they played it live only once. Stranger in a Strange Land goes in mid-tempo, and is quite dark track. And H does it again. Dat solo :heart.
Deja-Vu has some good melodies and a catchy chorus, but floats a bit and doesn't really get anywhere. It should also have a proper solo.
And the best is left for the last. Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C.) (surprisingly little people write the whole name) showcases the Maiden on it's best. Soaring melodies, high-pitched vocals and a huge chorus. Instrumental section is near mindblowing. Again, I don't get it why they never played this live. Dave Murray has said in an interview that it has so many different sections and a complex structure that it wouldn't work well live. But how well Rime of the Ancient Mariner or Sign of the Cross do? Bullshit.
Ranking:
1.Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C.)
2.The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
3.Wasted Years
4.Caught Somewhere in Time
5.Stranger in a Strange Land
6.Heaven Can Wait
7.Deja-Vu
8.Sea of Madness
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I pretty much hated Somewhere In Time when it came out. At that point in my life I was NOT interested AT ALL in having anything but guitar, bass, drums and vocals in my metal. When I heard those synths on this album I was -literally- disgusted. I remember buying the cassette and playing it once or twice, maybe three times and putting it away and never going back to it. I basically decided that Maiden had just screwed up because they had a boat-load of cash after the World Slavery Tour and had gone out and bought a bunch of toys for the studio.....I remember hoping that this was just some fad that they'd get out of their system so that they could return to making crunchy, guitar-heavy albums with NO KEYS OF ANY KIND!! :|
What in the blue fuckstick mothergumption codfish was I thinking about? :facepalm: :lol
Today, I really enjoy this album a lot. I'm not sure where I'd rank it in the overall catalog, but I definitely would put it in the top 6 or 7 albums....
Favorite tracks:
Alexander The Great
Deja Vu
Wasted Years
Stranger In a Strange Land
The Loneliness of The Long Distance Runner
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"Caaught somewhere in tiiIIIIIIiiiIIIIImmme!!!" :metal
One of my top 5 IM songs.
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Great album. Some of the tracks (ok, most) seem to be one or two minutes too long, but they are all still really good. Lyrically, SiT is leaps and bounds ahead of Powerslave. Musically, I like its more complex arrangements. That synth that hovers over many intros and choruses like an ominous stormcloud on the horizon became central to Maiden's later sound.
Speaking of lyrics, I think IM has been consistently good-to-great for a long time. FF has some great lyrics. Harris can get VERY wordy and there are a ton of songs where Bruce has to memorize 8, 10, 12 or more verses. Crazy.
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This is gonna somewhat contradict some stuff I've been saying all along, but after listening to the album steady for a few days these are my thoughts: Somewhere in Time really is an interesting album. As I've argued throughout this thread, Bruce Dickinson became more than "just the singer" during Piece of Mind. Well, by the end of the World Slavery tour, Dickinson was completely burnt out, and wanted Maiden to make a change in creative direction. After some much needed time off, Maiden eventually went back into the studio, and this time Bruce brought a few acoustic songs with him to present to the rest of the band. Bruce was thinking it was time for Maiden to mix-up their discography a bit, and write something that could be their own Physical Graffiti. But Bruce's songs were ALL rejected, and, as a result of even bringing them up, Harris felt Bruce had lost it. Bruce was shunned, and became "just the singer" again. As a result, Bruce has NO writing credits on Somewhere in Time. It's a real shame, but you can hear it. While Somewhere in Time is less topically superficial than Powerslave, it is still nowhere near as good lyrically, and really suffers as a result of Bruce being put back on training wheels. I've always felt that Bruce is Maiden's best lyricist, and he simply wasn't allowed to write any songs on SiT.
So it's easy for me, looking back, to see why fans are so torn on Somewhere in Time. On one hand, here's Maiden completely rejuvinated from the taxing World Slavery tour, sounding more energized and sleeker than ever. On the other hand, something is missing. Out of all the classic Maiden albums, Somewhere in Time is the least "Maideny", and sometimes when I listen to it I feel like I'm not listening to Iron Maiden at all, but instead listening to an Iron Maiden from the future where Bruce has been replaced with a heartless, cyborg doppleganger.
Fans always point to other things to explain why SiT is worse than the other Maiden albums. They point to redundant choruses, synthesizers, production, and so on. But. on Seventh Son of a Seventh Son Maiden proved definitively that all those elements can be utilized incredibly well. The real problem with Somewhere in Time is an intangible one: Bruce just isn't into it. Bruce was more burnt out than anyone after World Slavery, and didn't like being shut-out of writing.
So there has been my thesis statement all along with this thread: Iron Maiden is at least 50 percent Bruce Dickinson, and if Bruce is shut-out, marginalized, or just not feeling the material, you're not gonna get great Iron Maiden records. Steve Harris actively sought Bruce when coming up with the SSOASS record, which re-energized Bruce, and the results speak for themselves. That, in a nutshell, is why people love SSOASS, but are lukewarm on SiT. That is also why FotD and NPftD stink.
Anyway, good album. Not sure I like it as much as I used to, but it's still be number 6 or 7 on my list.
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Hmm...very interesting take. As a pretty new fan with only three albums under my belt (in addition to having seen Live After Death and Rock In Rio a few times each), I would say that even though I don't have a ton of Iron Maiden experience to draw from, that still seems to ring true.
My thoughts on Somewhere In Time later...
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It'll be interesting to read your take, since it's one of your first Maiden album. I didn't get SiT until well near the end.
Maiden seem to have been in a weird place at that point in their history. Harris and/or Maiden's producers seem to have wanted to be able to compete with thrash and the harder-edged metal bands coming out, like Metallica and Slayer. but weren't sure how to go about it. One thing's for sure: between Bruce, Adrian, Dave, and Nicko, Maiden were NEVER going to match Metallica or Slayer in terms of speed, heaviness, or brutality. Maiden just weren't built that way. On the other hand, Bruce always brought an "artsy" flair to Maiden, and letting him take Maiden by the reigns meant a complete 180 from the general direction of metal. Adding synths and then later letting Bruce step back up as a creative leader in the band for SSOASS seems to have represented a gradual move to becoming "deeper" and "more artistic" than thrash, but after that Maiden seems to have abandoned that in favor of going back to their punkier, more straightforward roots. However, there's no question in my mind that reunion Maiden is largely based in that SiT/SSOASS era direction.
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Adding synths and then later letting Bruce step back up as a creative leader in the band for SSOASS seems to have represented a gradual move to becoming "deeper" and "more artistic" than thrash...
Yeah, and on this album, it isn't just the synths that jump out at me as being part of such a marked change in their sound. Yes, the synths do make their present felt (heard). But the guitar tones are also VERY different from past albums, and are very processed and effects laden, although still very heavy and crunchy. Even if you remove the synths, the guitar tone and production makes this album sound more in line with the slick, processed '80s metal sound that you were hearing from all kinds of hard rock acts during the time, from glam, to pop rock, to heavy rock. The prior albums are just much more raw and had a more organic guitar sound.
Harris and/or Maiden's producers seem to have wanted to be able to compete with thrash and the harder-edged metal bands coming out, like Metallica and Slayer. but weren't sure how to go about it. One thing's for sure: between Bruce, Adrian, Dave, and Nicko, Maiden were NEVER going to match Metallica or Slayer in terms of speed, heaviness, or brutality. ...but after that Maiden seems to have abandoned that in favor of going back to their punkier, more straightforward roots.
Well, I hear you, but here's the thing: Thrash really is just a heavier outgrowth of punk. Ask any of the guys in the Big 4 bands or any of the other early thrash bands where their sound was influenced from, and the responses will be pretty much a who's who of punk. Thrash was just a sped-up, heavier outgrowth of punk, and you really hear that in early Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, etc. You are right that Maiden wasn't quite going for the heaviness of thrash, but their sound really is similar in many respects. One thing that jumped out at me right away in recently buying NOTB and Piece Of Mind, and hearing songs from other early albums as well, is that you can definitely hear the punk influence being taken in a different direction that is not dissimilar at all from the direction that thrash took. There are some definite differences, but there are just as many, if not more, similarities, IMO. Iron Maiden could never be confused with a thrash band, but to me, their sound is definitely a close cousin to the thrash sound. And that has been one of the most fascinating and enlightening part of my recent journey into Maiden. As I've posted over and over, I had heard some of their songs throughout the years, but never really paid close attention to their songs. I wasn't really deeply aware of what comprised their signature sound. Hearing it now, it is VERY obvious to me that there is a whole other distinctive branch to the "punk family tree," so to speak, and it is fastincating to kind of compare that side by side with how thrash grew and evolved from the same punk roots.
And to tie that back into the current album being reviewed, it is also intensely interesting to see such a stark departure from the "classic" Maiden sound on Somewhere In Time. The classic sound and the punk influence are definitely still there, but this is a very different Maiden album.
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Well, I read some great reviews and opinions up to this point, hopen mine will add at least something usefull. I came into Somewhere in time having read a review stating that ´McBain is all over the place, rhythmically´, which I interpreted as a bad thing, like, as in ´not steady´. Which listening to the album for the first time, totally proved me wrong off course. McBain´s drumming is great, as usual. I started listening to it (after having marvelled over that fantastic cover artwork) expecting NOTHING. I mean, Synths?!!! One could just have well pasted the label ´contains poop´ all over it!
First thing that struck me however, was how good the album sounded. Soundwise, it´s probably their greatest sounding album to date. The shorter songs on it, I loved instantly. Wasted years? OMG, that chorus! The longer tracks though.....not so great. Especially Alexander the Great, I feel just trudges on and on and on....etc. Also TLOTLDR....yeah. It´s a long, long song and, other then the runner, isn´t going anywhere fast.
Now, Stranger in a strange land....wow. I mean, could there be a song with a greater build up and athmosphere? Bruce may or not been creatively involved, but he SHINES here in the verses builiding up that tension majestically! Laaaannnnd of iiiice and Snooooooowwww! I mean, the band just draws you in there, into the story.
So in short, expected nothing, got a great, fantastic sounding album, ending up loving it to bits, barr for the long tracks.
Now, not to speak before my turn but I expected a LOT of the follow up, SSOASS....but absolutely HATED that one, at first....
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Listened to the album again; I really can't hear that Bruce is phoning it in. PC, you are obviously very tuned into Bruce and what he brings to the band so I won't debate you on this - but to me, Harris is the heart and soul of the band so when he's on his game the material will be great even if Bruce is at 90% instead of 100%. There is great material on this album, and like most Maiden albums the songs where Harris is the sole writer are my favorites.
Regarding thrash, it really was a marriage of punk and the NWOBHM of which IM was a forerunner, so it makes sense you would hear elements of Maiden in early thrash. As Hetfield once said, "we took Iron Maiden and Diamond Head songs and shot them through a cannon".
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And to tie that back into the current album being reviewed, it is also intensely interesting to see such a stark departure from the "classic" Maiden sound on Somewhere In Time. The classic sound and the punk influence are definitely still there, but this is a very different Maiden album.
Agreed, with this and the rest of your post. I have an inkling (somewhat supported by the Early Days documentary) that Iron Maiden were always being produced and managed by guys maybe 10-20 years older, who were looking for a rockin’ band in the vein of Deep Purple or Led Zeppelin. Problem is, that stuff had gone out of style, and they knew they were gonna need to mainstream a punkier or thrashier band that could have cred in both worlds.
Adding Bruce to the roster seems to have cemented management reaching that goal, since Bruce Dickinson after all was management’s idea. Bruce was definitely artsier and more mainstream than Paul Dianno, and his entire style seems to be the antithesis of punk (before joining Maiden, he used to wear some kind of white robe on stage—Maiden put him in leather jackets and studded wristwear).
To be clear, Harris never wanted the band to be a “punk” or “thrash” band, either. He wanted a hard rock band with melodic twin guitars. The band turned down opportunities to become a full-time punk unit, where record companies would have given them deals in exchange for having their hair cut and died colors. In the end, both Harris and management got a little bit of what they wanted. Management got Bruce, who was really a throwback to mainstream 70’s rock, and Harris got his second guitar player.
The problem that set-up for the later 80’s is, I’d imagine, that while Maiden were initially extremely successful, their rebranding of 70’s hard rock wasn’t exactly going to get more popular. Plus, by becoming that, Maiden had cut-out the thrash option early. It’s no surprise to me that Maiden became more symphonic and progressive through the heyday of thrash and, later, hair, because they had to do that to stay ahead of the curve.
Now, not to speak before my turn but I expected a LOT of the follow up, SSOASS....but absolutely HATED that one, at first....
Heh. Can't wait!
Listened to the album again; I really can't hear that Bruce is phoning it in. PC, you are obviously very tuned into Bruce and what he brings to the band so I won't debate you on this - but to me, Harris is the heart and soul of the band so when he's on his game the material will be great even if Bruce is at 90% instead of 100%. There is great material on this album, and like most Maiden albums the songs where Harris is the sole writer are my favorites.
Regarding thrash, it really was a marriage of punk and the NWOBHM of which IM was a forerunner, so it makes sense you would hear elements of Maiden in early thrash. As Hetfield once said, "we took Iron Maiden and Diamond Head songs and shot them through a cannon".
As far as Bruce goes... he's not really phoning it in. But he's not writing lyrics, either. He's doing a great job of being "just the singer", but unfortunately I think Maiden is really missing his creative ideas here.
As far as NWOBHM, you're exactly right. Modifying my statement, I'd say that while Maiden management wanted a hard-rock sound, Harris avoided taking the band down the path of punk or thrash in pursuit of what would later be called NWOBHM. I guess it took all the years of success for Harris to gain the confidence he needed to realize that his band WAS NWOBHM, and could do whatever the hell he wanted them to do :P
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I was just thinking about it more thoroughly....
Even though Maiden was never known for overly elaborate chorus'...they at least mixed it up a bit previous to this album. It seems to me that if Run To the Hills would have been written post-SIT, the chorus would NOT have been "Run to the Hills...Run for your lives"....but just simply "Run to the Hills" repeated 4 times.
Of the previous *THREE* albums (NotB-PS) only Children of the Damned and Back in the Village have only the name of the song repeated over and over again as its' chorus. You could also make a case for The Trooper only having the repetitious "AAAAAAaaaaaa's" for its chorus.
That's only two songs total (maybe three) from the entirety of the previous three albums!!!
Here you have that many on side one!! The title track and HCW. I would also make a case that TLotLDR (while not being strictly just the title) is a fairly monotonous chorus as well. The songs are pretty decent...but I think this is where the trend of "REPEAT THE CHORUS" really gets it's start. And while SSOASS is a musically more complex and interesting album....the chorus' did not improve....and I personal don't feel they have EVER really recovered. If anything, it's worse now.
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I've always liked SIT for the pure energy and concept and i feel alot of the songs are really underated. I can't belive Alexander The Great don't get more recognition, that songs is amazing, seriously!!
The Lonliness Of A Long Distant Runner, Stranger In A Strange Land, Deja-Vu, Caught Somewhere In Time and of course Wasted Years are all excellent songs. Heaven Can Wait and Sea Of Madness are OK but that leaves the album with only two mediocre songs and that to me is a good grade.
Did i point out this album have alot of underated songs....i did right? Yea and i say it again this album have alot of underated songs! :millahhhh
Rank:
1. Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C.)
2. Wasted Years
3. The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
4. Caught Somewhere in Time
5. Stranger in a Strange Land
6. Deja-Vu
7. Heaven Can Wait
8. Sea of Madness
Three final points:
1. The cover is THE best Maiden cover ever!
2. Why Maiden, do you consistently play Heaven Can Wait LIVE and not Alexander The Great, CSIT, TLatLDR, SIASL or even Deja-Vu??
3. Why Maiden, do you consistently play Heaven Can Wait LIVE and not Alexander The Great, CSIT, TLatLDR, SIASL or even Dej.....oh wait! :yeahright
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When did people start listing the birth and death dates as being part of the title for Alexander The Great? I've owned SiT on three different formats and on all of them, on the cover, the song was listed as being just Alexander The Great....the dates only appeared on the lyric sheet. Has there been a more recent reissue that added the dates to the official title?
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Don't know, in this case i just copy and pasted it....because of the lazy factor i'm in at the moment! But your right the dates are not listed on atleast my album but for some reason Spotify have the dates! :P That may be the evil source!
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I thought the dates were always in the original title.
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Enter the synths! And unlike some other bands around this time that used keyboards as a dominant instrument which watered down their sound significantly (Judas Priest, for example), Maiden knew how to incorporate them into their sound and use them as a background layer that gives the songs a great atmosphere. Another thing that particularly sticks out are the fantastic lyrics, which to me sound incredibly personal and from the heart. Along with the keyboards, that created a vibe that exists throughout the record and defines its sound - a Maiden album had never before been so emotionally charged, lyrically touching, gorgeously melodic. Not to mention it kept pushing the boundaries in terms of their progressive influences.
So, whatever Bruce wanted to bring to this album, there was no need and no room for it, the album style was pretty much set. The album was fantastic without his contribution, and I hope he figured that, if something's not wrong, don't fix it. I hope so, because when I listen to the album, I can't hear him sounding worse here in comparison to their previous works.
Caught somewhere in time - The moment I hear the synthesizer chords and the guitar harmony at the very beginning, I get goosebumps. I have absolutely no problem with the repetition in the chorus - I'm having trouble realizing when I'm bothered by repetition and when I'm not. I love the chorus for The Final Frontier, the chorus in No more lies on the other side bores me. This chorus is epic.
Wasted years - Adrian Smith becomes the mastermind for the only three songs in the history of Maiden, and it's no wonder why this one became a timeless classic. Beautiful lyrics and an insanely infectious chorus.
Sea of madness - Damn, that's a heavy riff! You can't really predict that this song will eventually get to the most mainstream sounding Maiden chorus ever. I guess I'm talking way too much about the choruses, but that's one of this album's strengths in my opinion.
Heaven can wait - What you guys find repetitive and tedious about this song is just entertaining to me, it probably has to do with the fact that a major key is so exotic for Maiden. And that ''Take my hand...'' verse just makes me happy, not to mention the sing along that follows.
The Loneliness of the long distance runner - Fantastic lyrics, I think they perfectly portray how the band felt during their eleven month long tour. And the guitar harmonies are all over the place, they send chills down my spine whenever I hear them. I'll mention that my city of Belgrade was the only place that got to see this song live back in 1986. I'm not bragging, I wasn't even born back then, it's just a fun fact for you guys. ;D
Stranger in a strange land - Now these are just pure, raw emotions. Adrian pours his heart and soul into this song and delivers my favorite guitar solo of his, and one of the most heartfelt solos I've ever heard. Quite an unusual vibe for a Maiden song, I gotta say, but that makes it even more unique.
Deja Vu - Just a plan fun song, again with phenomenal guitar harmonies. Nicko delivers the goods as well. I'd connect the lyrics with their previous tour once again, that might be a theme that's present on a couple of tracks here. There's nothing to dislike about this song, I consider it very underrated.
Alexander the Great - The great epic closer, there are only two other that I prefer over this one. And even though Steve didn't really check the facts about this great man (I wouldn't know either, but some other fans were interested enough to do the research), the song doesn't suffer from it at all. And how about that section in 7/8? That's some good stuff.
In short, music hardly gets better than this. My favorite Iron Maiden album, and my 2nd favorite album of all time.
10/10
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Long Distance Runner I think has my favourite Maiden harmonies of all time, they are perfect.
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I just finished listening to the album for the first time in several years. I remember when it came out and thinking that the guitars and synths had a very "futuristic" sound to them and it made sense considering the overall theme of the album. Now it makes the album sound somewhat dated. I was always of the opinion that they achieved their best guitar tone/sound on the previous album and it was all downhill after this.
There are still some great songs on this album and I don't think that there are any "stinkers" on it, but it's not an album that I return to very often. I have to very much be in the mood to listen to it and if it wasn't for this thread I probably wouldn't have pulled it out any time within the foreseeable future.
Something that should be mentioned, the b-sides for the singles from this album are probably the best ones that they ever did. Juanita is a fairly good rocker. Sheriff of Huddersfield is good for a laugh. Reach Out and That Girl are very cool "pop-rock" songs. In fact, I'm more inclined to hear those songs by themselves than anything on the album most times.
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Something that should be mentioned, the b-sides for the singles from this album are probably the best ones that they ever did. Juanita is a fairly good rocker. Sheriff of Huddersfield is good for a laugh. Reach Out and That Girl are very cool "pop-rock" songs. In fact, I'm more inclined to hear those songs by themselves than anything on the album most times.
Yea i was about to mention that. Reach Out and That Girl are really fun songs! :metal
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The first Maiden album I was really able to get into and still right near the top of my favorites from the band. I very much appreciate the changes they were able to make while still being Maiden. It's a shift in their sound but they did it so well and still remained true to who they are which I think is extremely important for bands who have such long careers. SIT is much more even throughout for me than the albums that preceded it with no real clunkers.
Song Rankings:
1.Wasted Years
2.Caught Somewhere in Time
3.Alexander the Great
4.Stranger in a Strange Land
5.Deja-Vu
6.The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
7.Sea of Madness
8.Heaven Can Wait
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I already said a good deal of what I wanted to say above, but here's a bit more. Again, new fan here, and one who has only had this album for a little over a week. I have five Iron Maiden albums total: Number Of The Beast, Piece Of Mind, Powerslave, Somewhere In Time, and Rock In Rio (yeah, I just went out and got Powerslave and Rock In Rio. What can I say? I'm a full-on Maiden addict now.) I say all that to say that I can't say I am intimately familiar with the Maiden discography, but I have a good flavor for the classic era material, and I've at least heard live versions of a fair number of the newer material. And I can't really say where I rank this album. They are all good for a lot of good reasons.
This album is a departure in terms of sound and style, and that's not a bad thing. I don't think that in and of itself makes it better or worse than any of the others. What I can say is that after now having gotten used to how different it sounds, I can appreciate it as a truly great album. I'm REALLY liking it. 7 of the 8 songs on the album are top notch, with Heaven Can Wait being the only exception. Not sure if I could rank all songs on the album, but the standouts are:
1. Alexander The Great: With the exception of Revelations, this might be my favorite Maiden tune so far.
2. Stranger In A Strange Land: Big huge anthem. I like. I remember the song from the '80s and must have seen the video on MTV, although I do not remember the video at all.
3. Caught Somewhere In Time: Great opener.
4. Wasted Years: The very upbeat chorus seems out of character for the song, but has quickly grown on me.
Again, with the exception of Heaven Can Wait, the other songs are very good as well. But those are my tops.
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bosk, I'd be surprised if Heaven Can Wait didn't grow on you. To my knowledge, it's more or less widely regarded as a SiT classic.
Though maybe I'm just saying that because it's one of my favorites off the album and I can't see anyone thinking it's the worst song on the record. :lol
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Something that should be mentioned, the b-sides for the singles from this album are probably the best ones that they ever did. Juanita is a fairly good rocker. Sheriff of Huddersfield is good for a laugh. Reach Out and That Girl are very cool "pop-rock" songs. In fact, I'm more inclined to hear those songs by themselves than anything on the album most times.
Man, thanks for reminding me of the B-Sides, those are all really good. Especially Reach out and That girl. And Sheriff is pretty funny as well. ''We're on a mission from Rod...''
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Something that should be mentioned, the b-sides for the singles from this album are probably the best ones that they ever did. Juanita is a fairly good rocker. Sheriff of Huddersfield is good for a laugh. Reach Out and That Girl are very cool "pop-rock" songs. In fact, I'm more inclined to hear those songs by themselves than anything on the album most times.
Yea i was about to mention that. Reach Out and That Girl are really fun songs! :metal
True.
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I already said a good deal of what I wanted to say above, but here's a bit more. Again, new fan here, and one who has only had this album for a little over a week. I have five Iron Maiden albums total: Number Of The Beast, Piece Of Mind, Powerslave, Somewhere In Time, and Rock In Rio (yeah, I just went out and got Powerslave and Rock In Rio. What can I say? I'm a full-on Maiden addict now.) I say all that to say that I can't say I am intimately familiar with the Maiden discography, but I have a good flavor for the classic era material, and I've at least heard live versions of a fair number of the newer material. And I can't really say where I rank this album. They are all good for a lot of good reasons.
This album is a departure in terms of sound and style, and that's not a bad thing. I don't think that in and of itself makes it better or worse than any of the others. What I can say is that after now having gotten used to how different it sounds, I can appreciate it as a truly great album. I'm REALLY liking it. 7 of the 8 songs on the album are top notch, with Heaven Can Wait being the only exception. Not sure if I could rank all songs on the album, but the standouts are:
1. Alexander The Great: With the exception of Revelations, this might be my favorite Maiden tune so far.
2. Stranger In A Strange Land: Big huge anthem. I like. I remember the song from the '80s and must have seen the video on MTV, although I do not remember the video at all.
3. Caught Somewhere In Time: Great opener.
4. Wasted Years: The very upbeat chorus seems out of character for the song, but has quickly grown on me.
Again, with the exception of Heaven Can Wait, the other songs are very good as well. But those are my tops.
Maybe I'm blind, but did you give us a write-up of TNOTB or POM yet? Just curious. Looking a bit ahead, when you get to the reunion albums you may like them even more due to the DT-like epicness and arrangements of many of the songs. I think it's likely you have not heard your favorite IM song yet.
Due to this thread, every time I try to listen to anything else lately I have to stop and go back to IM. :lol
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Yeah, I've never been big on Heaven Can Wait. That chorus is awful, and the song has absolutely no business being seven and a half minutes.
The version on Flight 666 is slightly more tolerable.
EDIT: Listening again, it's a pretty good song. I always just think of it as the annoying "hevecan wait~~~"x8 song, and always forgot how good the instrumental and "take my hand" sections are.
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The song gets a lot if flak for the chorus but its very good musically. The song does have a special place in my heart though because I got to go on stage with them for it in 2008.
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The song gets a lot if flak for the chorus but its very good musically. The song does have a special place in my heart though because I got to go on stage with them for it in 2008.
Please do share!
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"Heaven Can Wait" is one of many Maiden songs that doesn't really find it's raison d'etre until it's performed live.
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The song gets a lot if flak for the chorus but its very good musically. The song does have a special place in my heart though because I got to go on stage with them for it in 2008.
Lucky bastard. ;D
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"Wasted Years" may have my favorite Iron Maiden vocal harmonies ever. dat chorus :hefdaddy
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"Wasted Years" may have my favorite Iron Maiden vocal harmonies ever. dat chorus :hefdaddy
:tup
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Maybe I'm blind, but did you give us a write-up of TNOTB or POM yet? Just curious.
Not really. I posted a few thoughts, but that's it. When NOTB was being done, I didn't even have it yet. I had heard DT's covers and had heart the originals on YouTube, but that's it. For Piece Of Mind, I had just gotten it, so I wasn't really able to form my thoughts to do a thorough writeup.
Looking a bit ahead, when you get to the reunion albums you may like them even more due to the DT-like epicness and arrangements of many of the songs. I think it's likely you have not heard your favorite IM song yet.
Quite possible. But I'm not sure when I'll actually get them. Remember, I've bought 5 Maiden albums in the span of about a week-and-a-half and have listened to little other music since I started. I'm kinda on Maiden overload right now. :lol I have no plans to pick up anything else for awhile. Of course, plans sometimes do change...
I will say that I've really liked the newer material that I have heard on Rock In Rio and Flight 666 (listened over the weekend while I was, unforutnately, having to work). So I think I will definitely like the latter albums as much as I am liking the early stuff.
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Just keep in mind that the quality takes a gigantic nose dive after SSoaSS and doesn't really return (other than the odd track or two here and there) until Brave New World.
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^Yep. That's a 4-album string that you won't have to listen to for quite a while.
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While its true that there is a four album nosedive, the x factor is really quite good.
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Maybe I'm blind, but did you give us a write-up of TNOTB or POM yet? Just curious.
Not really. I posted a few thoughts, but that's it. When NOTB was being done, I didn't even have it yet. I had heard DT's covers and had heart the originals on YouTube, but that's it. For Piece Of Mind, I had just gotten it, so I wasn't really able to form my thoughts to do a thorough writeup.
Looking a bit ahead, when you get to the reunion albums you may like them even more due to the DT-like epicness and arrangements of many of the songs. I think it's likely you have not heard your favorite IM song yet.
Quite possible. But I'm not sure when I'll actually get them. Remember, I've bought 5 Maiden albums in the span of about a week-and-a-half and have listened to little other music since I started. I'm kinda on Maiden overload right now. :lol I have no plans to pick up anything else for awhile. Of course, plans sometimes do change...
I will say that I've really liked the newer material that I have heard on Rock In Rio and Flight 666 (listened over the weekend while I was, unforutnately, having to work). So I think I will definitely like the latter albums as much as I am liking the early stuff.
Yup, take your time and digest. You only have 5 "essential" studio albums left: Seventh Son and the 4 reunion albums.
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Oh good. :lol
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"Wasted Years" may have my favorite Iron Maiden vocal harmonies ever. dat chorus :hefdaddy
Oh man I agree 100% I've sang that harmony so many times driving around because it's such a great chorus.
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While its true that there is a four album nosedive, the x factor is really quite good.
It's got some good tracks on it (two or three at most), and I think it has benefited greatly by the passage of time, but I think without Bruce Dickinson, Iron Maiden is pretty much....meh
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Here's what I think: Without Adrian Smith, Iron Maiden is pretty "meh"
Just look at the discography - all of the best albums feature Adrian Smith, imho
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Here's what I think: Without Adrian Smith, Iron Maiden is pretty "meh"
Just look at the discography - all of the best albums feature Adrian Smith, imho
This, plus out of the Bruce Dickinson solo albums, the two with Adrian are the best.
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Here's what I think: Without Adrian Smith, Iron Maiden is pretty "meh"
Just look at the discography - all of the best albums feature Adrian Smith, imho
I didn't know Adrian Smith played on The X Factor. ;D
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While its true that there is a four album nosedive, the x factor is really quite good.
It's got some good tracks on it (two or three at most), and I think it has benefited greatly by the passage of time, but I think without Bruce Dickinson, Iron Maiden is pretty much....meh
Blaze's tuneless flat warbling kills those albums for me.
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While its true that there is a four album nosedive, the x factor is really quite good.
It's got some good tracks on it (two or three at most), and I think it has benefited greatly by the passage of time, but I think without Bruce Dickinson, Iron Maiden is pretty much....meh
Blaze's tuneless flat warbling kills those albums for me.
Let's just be honest, his vocals suck
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Well, it's been a few days, and the conversation is drifting elsewhere, so I'm going to move us right on ahead. (Feel free to keep talking about SiT if you have anything else to say about it.)
SEVENTH SON OF A SEVENTH SON - 1988
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c0/Iron_Maiden_-_Seventh_Son_Of_A_Seventh_Son.jpg)
1. "Moonchild"
2. "Infinite Dreams"
3. "Can I Play with Madness"
4. "The Evil That Men Do"
5. "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son"
6. "The Prophecy"
7. "The Clairvoyant"
8. "Only the Good Die Young"
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Another Maiden album I vividly despised when it was released. It took me well over a decade to come back to it and like it. Oddly enough, it was when I really started getting heavily into Dream Theater and had grown to accept the presence of keyboards in metal that I developed a great fondness for this album. As far as I'm concerned, Iron Maiden's last "classic era" album that's worth listening to.
Probably their most progressive album to date.
Not sure where I'd rank it in the overall catalog, maybe....um.....SEVENTH :P
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I'm with Kirk's on this one.
Initially i thought this was another subpar Maiden album I spent years thinking I disliked only to find when I played it recently that there are only a couple of songs I don't like. I don't love it but it's not as bad as I thought. Still can't stand The Prophecy though. And I can't really see the "concept album" in it-- it's very vague.
The guitars again sound odd to me- too much Def Leppard's Pyromania to them. There's no power to them.
Still, infinitely better than what was to follow for many years.
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And I can't really see the "concept album" in it-- it's very vague.
True. I recall that the band members have even reflected on how half-baked the "concept" was.
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The guitars again sound odd to me- too much Def Leppard's Pyromania to them. There's no power to them
Well, through Pyromania, Lep were widely considered to be a NWOBHM band, so that's not necessarily a bad similarity.
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I still don't like the guitar tone on this album or Somewhere In Time. Too processed. I think their modern sound, which is closer to Powerslave-era sound is pretty killer though.
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"Seventh Son..." fights for the best album with "Powerslave" for me, depending on my mood. Very melodic, but also proggy. Top 10 Maiden songs are on that album, like the title track, The Clairvoyant, The Evil That Men Do, and Moonchild. I've always adored the acoustic outro to The Prophecy, very Opeth-like. I used to not care for Can I Play With Madness, but having re-listened to the album recently, my opinion has changed, and I think it's an amazing Iron Maiden tune.
Bosk, if there's one more album to get before you go on major Maiden-overload, make it Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son.
You should definitely get the first 2 albums sooner or later, they are fun albums. Then skip to the 2000s reunion albums.
Keep in mind, that the four albums between SSOASS and BNW do include the odd great tune, like Fear Of The Dark (especialy the Live/Dead version, also found on Best Of The Beast), Sign Of The Cross, and The Clansman (again, better versions out there with Bruce singing).
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And I can't really see the "concept album" in it-- it's very vague.
True. I recall that the band members have even reflected on how half-baked the "concept" was.
Yeah, Bruce has been vocal about his disappointment with it. He and Harris had a bunch of conversations early on about the story of the album, but in the end only really half the songs on the album follow a discernable story, while the others are just centered around the general theme of "good vs. evil", which is already a general Iron Maiden theme... I'm really interested to see how Part III of "The History of Iron Maiden" pans out, since Parts I and II gave a pretty honest look at Maiden's past.
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Best Maiden album ever. Full stop.
All tracks here are amazing, and many of them are pretty underappreciated. The only tracks that saw serious live rotation outside the Seventh Tour of a Seventh Tour and the Maiden England tour last year, I think, are Can I Play With Madness? and The Evil That Men Do, possibly The Clairvoyant. Interestingly, they are the weakest tracks on this album for me, though they are still absolutely stellar on their own, but so many gems of this album have undeservedly been forgotten - Moonchild, The Prophecy and Only the Good Die Young, to only name three examples.
Honestly, I agree that the concept isn't really all that great, it's a pretty strange and pretentious story, but let's face it, it's all about the music here, and boy does the music deliver. The best example would probably be the amazing buildup in the middle of the title track, which is one of my favourite Iron Maiden moments ever.
So yeah. I can kinda understand why some people don't like this album as much, but to me, this is Iron Maiden at their absolute peak.
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Song ranking time:
1. Moonchild
2. Infinite Dreams
3. Only the Good Die Young
4. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
5. The Evil That Men Do
6. The Clairvoyant
7. Can I Play With Madness?
8. The Prophecy
Very solid album top to bottom. Most of the '80s albums had a couple weak songs, but things are pretty solid here. Although "The Prophecy" shows signs of the soon-to-come plodding '90s malaise.
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While its true that there is a four album nosedive, the x factor is really quite good.
It's got some good tracks on it (two or three at most), and I think it has benefited greatly by the passage of time, but I think without Bruce Dickinson, Iron Maiden is pretty much....meh
Blaze's tuneless flat warbling kills those albums for me.
Let's just be honest, his vocals suck
If we start going through solo albums, I really hope you listen to Blaze's. It's really amazing how poorly handled his Maiden performances were when you hear him with material better catered to him. He's an awesome vocalist.
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While its true that there is a four album nosedive, the x factor is really quite good.
It's got some good tracks on it (two or three at most), and I think it has benefited greatly by the passage of time, but I think without Bruce Dickinson, Iron Maiden is pretty much....meh
Blaze's tuneless flat warbling kills those albums for me.
Let's just be honest, his vocals suck
If we start going through solo albums, I really hope you listen to Blaze's. It's really amazing how poorly handled his Maiden performances were when you hear him with material better catered to him. He's an awesome vocalist.
Not in my definition of awesome. He's a pub singer who got lucky. He is better on his own stuff but his range is so narrow it hardly qualifies as range at all.
Saying that, Silicon Messiah is a fine album.
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Seventh Son of A Seventh Son is, indeed, an album time has been kinder to. People coming to Maiden as young metal fans today listen to it and accept it as a flat out classic, and praise it.
People who liked Iron Maiden at the time it came out? We hated the damn thing.
Okay, slight exaggeration, but this is the album where people started jumping ship from the Maiden bandwagon. I myself moved on to Metallica as my favorite band after Seventh Son came out. There's one amazing song in the title track, two really good ones in Infinite Dreams and Moonchild, and a sea of mediocrity, topped off by the absolutely dreadful Can I Play With Madness. The guitars lack bite, the production feels flat, and the band seems to be running in place. I re-listened to it recently in preparation for this thread, wondering if my opinion of it would change. Nope. It's still about half a good album. The half-baked concept bleeds into the songwriting, the production, everything. I think a lot of people these days coming into Maiden are fonder of it simply because the band followed this up with four absolutely dreadful albums, so this is seen as a high point. It really isn't, though.
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Blaze is a unique singer, and his solo albums are incredible, but let's save that discussion when his albums pop up.
7th Son is a special album. It's just unique and has a different feel again for Maiden, it has a couple of plodders IMO, but the title track is one of the greatest things the band has ever done. That instrumental section is absolutely incredible. Only the Good Die Young is underrated as hell too.
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My rankings
The evil that men do
Seventh son of a seventh son
Infinite dreams
Moon child
Only the good die young
The clairvoyant
the prophecy
Can I play with madness
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Here's what I think: Without Adrian Smith, Iron Maiden is pretty "meh"
Just look at the discography - all of the best albums feature Adrian Smith, imho
This, plus out of the Bruce Dickinson solo albums, the two with Adrian are the best.
Doesn't really mean anything regarding Bruce's solo albums IMO, yes his guitar playing make everything more exciting for the Maiden fan, but in reality, he only wrote two songs on each album, and they weren't the strongest on the album IMO. The best song he wrote for Bruce was the b-side Ghost of Cain.
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Here's what I think: Without Adrian Smith, Iron Maiden is pretty "meh"
Just look at the discography - all of the best albums feature Adrian Smith, imho
This, plus out of the Bruce Dickinson solo albums, the two with Adrian are the best.
Doesn't really mean anything regarding Bruce's solo albums IMO, yes his guitar playing make everything more exciting for the Maiden fan, but in reality, he only wrote two songs on each album, and they weren't the strongest on the album IMO. The best song he wrote for Bruce was the b-side Ghost of Cain.
But they "feature" him, that's the point.
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Bosk, if there's one more album to get before you go on major Maiden-overload, make it Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son.
You should definitely get the first 2 albums sooner or later, they are fun albums. Then skip to the 2000s reunion albums.
Keep in mind, that the four albums between SSOASS and BNW do include the odd great tune, like Fear Of The Dark (especialy the Live/Dead version, also found on Best Of The Beast), Sign Of The Cross, and The Clansman (again, better versions out there with Bruce singing).
I don't want to bog down this thread, but I've opened the other one because I would like to further discuss. Go here: https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=35660.msg1516414#msg1516414
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Once again, I just gave the album a listen for the first time in a very long time just like with the previous one.
There was some potential on this album, but the production absolutely kills it. IM is guitar driven band and there's no two ways around it. While the guitar playing on this album is good, the sound of them is horrible and there are times where they sound like they were mixed to be more of a back ground instrument to fill space.
There are some good songs (Only the Good Die Young, Infinite Dreams and The Evil that Men Do), some ok songs (Moonchild and The Clairvoyant) and some absolute stinkers with The Prophecy being the absolute worst of the bunch.
Bruce's voice really seems to started to have suffer from their endless touring on this album as well. However, there are some really good lyrics in some places, but the choruses are especially terrible.
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I like the Prophecy, Davey has a knack for really good harmonies. IMO, Madness is the stinker of the bunch.
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Okay, so awhile ago I tried to figure out the "story" of Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. This is what I have. It is a mix of research, conjecture, and conversations with friends, but ultimately it is my interpretation. I hope sharing this will help drum-up some good discussion, at least.
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One day, Steven Harris is bored on the SiT tourbus, and decide to take a break from watching movies to read a book: Orson Scott Card's Seventh Son. Harris is enamored by the concept, and decides he wants to write a concept album about it. Harris, who initially shunned Bruce's attempts to take Maiden in a more artistic, conceptual direction now calls him up immediately, and the two get to talking about the "Seventh Son" concept. Bruce loves it, and SSOASS is born.
In Card's world, many people have a limited supernatural ability, or "knack" to do some task to almost perfection.
Alvin Miller, who is the seventh son of a seventh son, discovers that his knack far surpasses those of everyone else. In particular, he can change both living and nonliving matter simply by force of will (hence the title "Maker"). This power comes at a cost, however; not only does Alvin feel a great responsibility to use his power for good, but there are forces that actively seek his demise.
That, in a nutshell, is what Iron Maiden's SSOASS is about. The story and theme are elaborated in two different ways: sometimes, through the eyes of the main character, and other times through the perspective of anonymous narrator. In most songs, you actually get a bit of both. Anyway, onto the story...
The protagonist, a nameless character sometimes referred to as the "Moonchild", other times "The Clairvoyant", is born with supernatural abilities; namely, the ability to see the future and see people for whether they're truly good or evil. As emphasized in the opening track "Moonchild", forces of evil are present during the Seventh Son's birth. Bruce, who wrote Moonchild, fills the song with satanic imagery that almost reminds you of William Blake's darker poetry dealing with the same topic. The gist of the song explains how the Devil (referred to as Lucifer, The Scarlet Whore, and other wonderful names) wants the Seventh Son aborted, so that it can never use its powers for good. There is, of course, the option that the child will use his powers for evil, but that isn't a really big concern for the Devil: as is seen later, evil already has a strong hold on the physical world. A potential new disciple (of many) isn't worth the risk of a force of good in the world.
"Infinite Dreams" follows are protagonist through adolescents and puberty. The song is about the protagonist being pulled by good and evil "Wouldn't you like to know the truth/of what's out there, to have the proof?/and know just which side you're on/Where would you land, in heaven or in hell?", but it's also about general adolescent curiosity regarding the universe and life's big question. The last line can't be understated, as it deals with reincarnation, which is a central theme of the album: "I like to think that when we die/ we get another chance, another life".
"Can I Play With Madness" seems to be just Maiden blowing off steam. But thematically/conceptually, it is of some importance. "The
prophet gazed at his crystal ball/there was no vision there at all", etc. It's about the rejection of religious authority, which comes up a few times in the album. People tend to think "The Prophet" and the "Clairvoyant" are the same person, but I don't. "The Prophet" is a religious authority who forsees the downfall of the protagonist, who is the true "Clairvoyant". "The Prophet" sees that the Seventh Son's tampering with the supernatural is leading to his own destruction, though, which is something the Seventh Son can't see about himself.
"The Evil That Men Do" is one of the more enigmatic songs on the record, and seems to hold key details on the "story that never was told" of SSOASS. The chorus seems consistent with the idea seen later in "Only the Good Die Young"; that "evil lives forever" because good souls are sent to heaven, leaving only the evil ones back to earth. But there's also a lot of weird details that just have no context whatsoever "the seven lie slain and the book of life opens before me"? What does that even mean? "Slept in the dust with his daughter eyes read with the slaughter of innocence"? I just don't get it. It reminds me of sacrificial killings, or something. Maybe, in a version of the story that was never implemented, the Seventh Son kills innocent women as sacrifices to achieve some kind of evil powers. But that's 100 percent guess on my part.
The title track seems to wrap up the concept of the album, while not really giving any new key details. It obviously is supposed to be building up to same major cosmic event where 7 angels and 7 demons war for the Seventh Son's soul, but that event never happens.
The next (and last) three songs are all commentary on the life of the Seventh Son after the fact.
"The Prophecy", regal and "classic" sounding, shows us the religious figure-"The Prophet" from earlier-lamenting how no-one believed him about what would happen to the Seventh Son. "The Clairvoyant" is much of the same; the first two verses are the Seventh Son worrying that he's gotten himself into deep shit ("I can't control it anymore"), while the last verse is someone else confirming that the Seventh Son "couldn't foresee his own demise". The last song, "Only the Good Die Young", seems to be the Seventh Son explaining why he chose evil over good, which seems to be a combination of never coming to terms with his own sins and mistakes and the evil that pursued him his whole life, and just not getting along with authority figures (because he's able to see what evil, hypocritical assholes most of them really are). So, yeah, not many details in those last 3-4 songs. We get the epilogue, but not the ending. The Seventh Son obviously sides with evil and gets burnt, literally--but we never find out how, or why.
* * *
That, anyway, is my interpretation of Iron Maiden's "almost" concept album. Like many Iron Maiden songs, it deals with good and evil, and reflects a genuine spirituality and belief that there IS evil in the world, and lots of it, and much of the time it's masquerading as good in the form of religious institutions which are almost always implied to be the Papacy. Like "Montesigur" on Dance of Death, SSOASS is almost gnostic: God is out there somewhere, but the physical world is a ugly, evil place.
And honestly, you want Maiden being a little misanthropic. When they get too cheery, we get songs like "Wildest Dreams".
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Just keep in mind that the quality takes a gigantic nose dive after SSoaSS and doesn't really return (other than the odd track or two here and there) until Brave New World.
Barry, I love your "We're Blood Brothers" post you did on mp.com's forum years ago. I hope you still have that lying around.
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Thanks Perpetual, nice interpretation. I thought I read somewhere many years ago that the "daughter" in TETMD was supposed to be the Devils daughter given to the main character to try and lure him to evil with lust. I can be wrong, I don't think I've ever put that much thought into the story.
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Thanks Perpetual, nice interpretation. I thought I read somewhere many years ago that the "daughter" in TETMD was supposed to be the Devils daughter given to the main character to try and lure him to evil with lust. I can be wrong, I don't think I've ever put that much thought into the story.
Oh, interesting. That explains the "slaughter of innocence" and the "Seventh lies slain", meaning the loss of his innocence through lust fulfills the Devil's mission for him never becoming a power of good. Very interesting, and very Blake-ian, too. Maiden were never once to pass on literature lectures!
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Such an amazing album. Might actually be my favorite of theirs.
The Clairvoyant
Infinite Dreams
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
The Evil That Men Do
Moonchild
Only the Good Die Young
Can I Play With Madness
The Prophecy
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My Favourite Maiden Album!
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
Infinite Dreams
The Prophecy
Moonchild
Only The Good Die Young
The Clairvoyant
The Evil That Men Do
Can I Play With Madness
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As I was saying before. I was so disappointed with SiT, that I never bothered to pick up SSoaSS. But then about a year after it had been out, a friend showed me his cassette, and when Moonchild started playing I WAS HOOKED!
The chorus still suffer terribly...but the music was a lot better IMO. And the concept didn't hurt, even if it was a bit suspect.
My ranking:
1. Moonchild
2. The Clairvoyant
3. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
4. Infinite Dreams
5. The Evil That Men Do
6. Can I Play With Madness
7. Only the Good Die Young
8. The Prophecy
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I like the Prophecy, Davey has a knack for really good harmonies. IMO, Madness is the stinker of the bunch.
I agree 100%.
Keep in mind, that the four albums between SSOASS and BNW do include the odd great tune, like Fear Of The Dark (especialy the Live/Dead version, also found on Best Of The Beast), Sign Of The Cross, and The Clansman (again, better versions out there with Bruce singing).
No way, they just don't sound right with Bruce. Of course Bruce is a better singer, but I adore Blaze also. His voice is even more powerful than Bruce's, as you can hear in the climax of The Edge of Darkness.
bosk, don't ignore Blaze-era albums. They're like, um Falling into Infinity, some like, others don't.
Then into SSOASS.
This was the third Iron Maiden album I've heard, after SIT and FOTD. I didn't like it at first, but it grew on me and it is somewhere in the middle in my ranking. Not as good as the five first or The X Factor, but some really good tracks.
The overall sound is way better than on SIT and I really like the synths by Michael Kenney.
Moonchild might be the heaviest Maiden song. Bruce is on fire. What can I say, a great song. The second track, Infinite Dreams, is a bit ballad-ish and features some of their best guitar work ever. The middle section is awesome, but I don't like the solo. In fact, this album has my least favourite guitar solos. Before The Final Frontier.
Can I Play With Madness? is a true chestburster. There is nothing in the song I like. Or well... the single cover is cool. Horrible track. The Evil That Men Do was great at first, but I have worn out to it.It was good live though. There are loads of more interesting Maiden tracks around. And again, I don't like the solo. Jesus Adrian, where went stuff like Caught Somewhere in Time or even Flight of Icarus?
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son is one of the most popular Iron Maiden songs, and if you think it is for a reason, I recommend you to close your eyes for a moment #blasphemy.
It has some cool parts though, but it just moves forward veeeery slooooowly forward in the first section. The melody before the choir part is nice, but the choir is boring and goes on for too long. The ending soloing is good, but nothing spectacular before the outro melody. I feel they tried too hard to make something ultra-epic and the result is a bit over the top, almost in a comical matter. I'd give it maybe 3,5 out of 5.
The Prophecy is, hands down, the most underrated Maiden song. It's just perfect. There are loads of melodies and they all are just awesome. And I love the acoustic outro to bits.
The Clairvoyant should have been the lead single of the album. It is a bit complex, but fast and catchy. Interesting melodies and a huge chorus. Only the Good Die Young is a solid album closer, not their best song, but adequate anyway. Nice bass solo.
I don't view this as a concept album. The title track, The Prophecy and The Clairvoyant are clearly connected, but I can't see a story around it, only a common theme.
Ranking:
1.The Prophecy
2.The Clairvoyant
3.Infinite Dreams
4.Moonchild
5.The Evil That Men Do
6.Only the Good Die Young
7.Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
8.Can I Put a Filler On Otherwise Cool Album?
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Well, what can I say? I rushed to the record store once again, come releasedate, to pick it up. Listened to about one and a half track. Thought: :huh:
Then I thought: 'Well it's Maiden, so it's bound to get better" and went to check out counter anyway. The guy behind the counter (who knew me as a longtime customer) looked at me and said: 'You're one of the few to actually buy it'! That should've gave me a hint right there.
Got home, went through the ritual of admiring the cover (vinyl in those days, very nice) and thought: 'Well, this is VERY different!'
Then I put the record on and sat there for two tracks going: 'this isn't going anywhere, is THIS Maiden?' and 'WTF, acoustic guitar??' >:(
It says a lot, I think that when 'Can I play with madness' came on I thought: 'Well finally! Something that sounds like Maiden!'
In short, conceptalbum or not, I HATED it HATED, HATED, HATED it.
It took me a long, VERY long time to start appreciating the record for what it is. Different. Very different, in my book. Must have took big balls for the band to go out there and release it as it is.
Alas, after this one, things wouldn't get better for a long time....
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I don't hold this album in as high regard as others seem to. The title track is a Top 10 song for me, but there is a big drop-off after that. As was mentioned, the rhythm guitars really lack bite.
1. SSOASS
2. ID
3. TP
4. TC
5. M
6. OTGDY
7. TETMD
8. CIPWM
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"the seven lie slain and the book of life opens before me"? What does that even mean? "Slept in the dust with his daughter eyes read with the slaughter of innocence"? I just don't get it. It reminds me of sacrificial killings, or something. Maybe, in a version of the story that was never implemented, the Seventh Son kills innocent women as sacrifices to achieve some kind of evil powers. But that's 100 percent guess on my part.
Sometimes certain lyrics just "sound cool" and don't really serve any tangible purpose in carrying the narrative forward. Really enjoyed your analysis of the story, man. :tup
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"the seven lie slain and the book of life opens before me"? What does that even mean? "Slept in the dust with his daughter eyes read with the slaughter of innocence"? I just don't get it. It reminds me of sacrificial killings, or something. Maybe, in a version of the story that was never implemented, the Seventh Son kills innocent women as sacrifices to achieve some kind of evil powers. But that's 100 percent guess on my part.
Sometimes certain lyrics just "sound cool" and don't really serve any tangible purpose in carrying the narrative forward. Really enjoyed your analysis of the story, man. :tup
:tup
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"the seven lie slain and the book of life opens before me"? What does that even mean? "Slept in the dust with his daughter eyes read with the slaughter of innocence"? I just don't get it. It reminds me of sacrificial killings, or something. Maybe, in a version of the story that was never implemented, the Seventh Son kills innocent women as sacrifices to achieve some kind of evil powers. But that's 100 percent guess on my part.
Sometimes certain lyrics just "sound cool" and don't really serve any tangible purpose in carrying the narrative forward. Really enjoyed your analysis of the story, man. :tup
Thanks! I was hoping it'd be worth posting! Those lyrics do indeed sound awesome, regardless of what they mean.
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I just have to point out how crazy the difference in opinion is on these albums. One of the great things about IM is that they are who they are through and through.. if anyone hears a song of theirs playing just about anywhere people generally familiar with rock/metal know its Maiden; but the band varied things just enough to not be stagnant and to fans of their older sound must have really thrown them for a loop. Cause I get caught off guard reading some of the thoughts on these.
Having said all that, do people feel Iron Maiden fits better as a proggy/epics/metal band, a raw punk/nwobhm band, or somewhere in between? I enjoy it all and appreciate what seems to be an effort by the band to not get stuck in one area and be stagnant with their sound.
I can say if it weren't for SIT and SSoaSS I probably wouldn't be as big a fan of the band as I am. Their early albums while they really rock and are totally classic Maiden, sound much blander to me than the stuff that came later. I think the extra atmosphere and expanding sound fit much better with Bruce's vocals than trying to play straight up heavy riffs etc. but of course that's just my opinion. As I've noted while we've gone through discussion of the earlier albums I enjoy them highly as well but for me things really came to perfection during this stretch.
With SSoaSS again there is no song I really don't like, that seems to happen some on the rest of the IM releases. While I don't concern myself with the concept I do really enjoy the album as a whole and individually as songs as well. Very difficult for me to rank the songs on this release as they all could be higher up the list for me depending on the day or my mood etc. This album is usually fighting it out with a couple others for the title of my favorite Maiden album.
My song rankings:
1.Moonchild
2.Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
3.Infinite Dreams
4.The Evil That Men Do
5.The Clairvoyant
6.Can I Play With Madness
7.Only the Good Die Young
8.The Prophecy
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^^ Good question. I guess I prefer Maiden with the heavy riffs combined with the epic format, like ROTAM. Otherwise I tend to go for the shorter, faster heavy numbers like Aces High, The Prisoner, Where Eagles Dare, etc.
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I'm in absolute shock from all these posts from people who hated the album at first. I thought this album was beloved from day one. Also, huge thanks to Perpetual change for explaining the concept and to cramx3 for adding a bit more to it. I've always had my own interpretation of the story, and overall it lines up nicely to what you guys had to say.
My opinion about the album to come later this evening...
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I'm in absolute shock from all these posts from people who hated the album at first. I thought this album was beloved from day one. Also, huge thanks to Perpetual change for explaining the concept and to cramx3 for adding a bit more to it. I've always had my own interpretation of the story, and overall it lines up nicely to what you guys had to say.
My opinion about the album to come later this evening...
You're 21 years old. I think you had to live through the era to understand what it was like. Metal with keys in it these days is very.....normal. Back then, it was....blasphemy.
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I'm pretty surprised as well by the initial negative feedback. I guess its all relative. To me, I don't see a huge difference in sound (besides synths) in SiT and SSoaSS compared to the three albums prior, but if I was listening to it as it came out, my opinion would probably be different. Its just had to say as my IM experience has been very different than someone who grew up listening to them. For me, AMoLaD was the first "new" IM album I experienced and that album was different than the previous but I loved it yet fans from the 80s didn't always like it.
I think I personally enjoy the mix of the two sides of IM. That's what makes BNW such an awesome album.
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What can i say about SSoaSS? The best Maiden album ever, that's what!! It's my number one Maiden album and the last album of the classic era. This album will always have a special place in my heart.
But as many have claimed it was not a direct hit for me, it took a chunk of years before i fully appreciated the album. I've always known about the classic songs but didn't bother checking out the "fillers" (*sigh, my ignorant pre-me mind was not fully capable of understanding the awesomness of the songs). But there was one song other than the classics that kept haunting me and it's not the one your thinking of though. Only the Good Die Young was actually THE song that kind of made me realise that there's actually good songs beyond the classics. I was about 14-15 and was not an avid album listener i had my favourite songs and was fine with that, didn't bother about the "boring songs" (once again i apologize my pre-me). Only the Good Die Young changed all that because here was a song that actually was really cool and for some reason never considered a "classic" and was never played live....what kind of sourcery was that?
From there on it went and i started checking out other "non classics" on their other albums like To Tame A land, Purgatory, Strange World, Still Life, Deja-Vu, The Prisoner, all the singles and so on.....! Now this spans over alot of years just to be clear. You probably know that you have these moments in your life when you discovere certain aspects of your favourite band that you haven't heard or seen before and how big those moments can be. By then i was all over Iron Maiden and devoured everything in my path of Maiden related stuff. I should point out that SSoaSS was not my favourite album yet though. That would all change because of another song and this was a BIG one that also happend to be on the same album as the first song i talked about.
The title song was the one that settled Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son to be that special album to me. To me this album have all the elemets that i love about Maiden: Epic songs, alot of good melodies, awesome concept and the synths creates this mood that fits the theme of the album really good.
My rank? Pffh i think not....OK take this then:
1. Moonchild
1. Infinite Dreams
1. Can I Play with Madness
1. The Evil That Men Do
1. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
1. The Prophecy
1. The Clairvoyant
1. Only the Good Die Young
Really good cover yet again!! :metal
Btw did anyone else notice how good Moonchild worked live during the SWBIT tour?
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That was a great opening song! :metal
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In my opinion, Seventh son of a seventh son is their most epic, most diverse, most progressive and most experimental record to date. It's no wonder they went downhill from here - they might have been aware that they simply can't improve on this. I am so happy that they are returning to the songs from this album on this year's tour, and I just can't wait to see them live.
Moonchild - What a way to get a concept album started! The clean intro is beautiful, then there are some obscure sounding keyboards before the guitars kick in and you're in for a wild ride with this in-your-face classic. Bruce is going absolutely crazy here.
Infinite dreams - Nice melodies all around. I especially enjoy that ''Help me...'' section, and the ending is very powerful as well.
Can I play with madness? - I'm gonna go out on a limb (again) and say this is my favorite song on the album. I love everything about it, especially the catchy chorus, cowbell and Bruce being free with the way he sings the verses. Just a terrific song.
The Evil that men do - A classic Iron Maiden song. Not much to say, this is what the band is all about.
Seventh son of a seventh son - I'm just ecstatic every time I hear it. I love how it starts as your usual verse-chorus-verse-chorus song, and then morphs into their most sinister sounding quiet section, leading into a spectacular instrumental madness. The chorus gives it a great touch.
The Prophecy - One of many forgotten gems by Dave Murray. The entire song is brilliant, but I especially love the acoustic outro, which might be the most underrated moment in the history of the band. Also, Bruce delivers the best performance of his career. Yep.
The Clairvoyant - It took me years to appreciate the chorus, because it's highly unusual for Iron Maiden. But then again, that's what makes the album so unpredictable and interesting throughout. I like how the solos suddenly kick in after the first chorus.
Only the good die young - The thing that stands out about this song (as a matter of fact, it's quite present on this album) is Bruce's raspy voice. He used it perfectly here, unlike the following albums. And there's that gorgeous outro...
This is another album where every song is great, and there's nothing about it I would change. My 2nd favorite Iron Maiden album and, of course, one of my favorite albums of all time. 10/10
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I am so happy that they are returning to the songs from this album on this year's tour, and I just can't wait to see them live.
Hellyea! :metal
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What can i say about SSoaSS? The best Maiden album ever, that's what!! It's my number one Maiden album and the last album of the classic era. This album will always have a special place in my heart.
This. I find myself agreeing with a lot of your post as this was one of the albums that got me into serious music listening as well :tup
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Yea SSoaSS was so awesome live. The stage show and everything was just awesome.
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What can i say about SSoaSS? The best Maiden album ever, that's what!! It's my number one Maiden album and the last album of the classic era. This album will always have a special place in my heart.
This. I find myself agreeing with a lot of your post as this was one of the albums that got me into serious music listening as well :tup
Nice to hear! :)
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Seventh Son. This may be the big one, though I haven't been able to fully decide yet (The X Factor is a big contender, and Blaze is in my top 10 favorite singers, so :P , but we'll get to that when we get to it).
This is one of those albums that is purely good, start to finish, without a single subpar moment. So is The X Factor, so is Somewhere In Time, so is The Final Frontier.
I think the stories here about the reaction in 88, by the way, is a good indication to the closed-mindedness and genre confinement of some music fans, particularly metal fans. To me, if someone loves some of a band or a musician's material, they should be willing to follow them in a musical direction I would normally not look, and even if they dislike this new material to respect the artist's direction. Seventh Son was the proggiest Maiden album (which makes me wonder who exactly the DT fans are who disliked it) to this point, but the music and the attitude remained very similar to earlier releases, with the only change being keys which added to atmosphere and mysticism. This album is a gateway drug to Maiden's proggier releases (the most recent two), which are in turn a gateway drug to prog metal (I got to DT via Maiden).
Moonchild - I would not consider this a full concept album in the SFAM or Operation: Mindcrime sense; I think the description of "half-baked concept" is accurate. However, the whole album revolves around the same themes, and a story can be found if one theorizes deeply enough. And, of course, it is a complete circle. "Seven deadly sins, seven ways to win..." And then that intro. If that intro doesn't scream to you that this album will be epic, then we have a problem. Bruce provides some very nice vocals, especially the final scream, and the solos and lyrics are excellent.
Infinite Dreams - If you doubted it on Moonchild, you cannot doubt that this album is an epic now. This song builds so exquisitely to orgasmic heights with yet another Bruce scream and some amazing guitar solos (again).
Can I Play With Madness - If there is a weak link, this is it. But still, a very good song.
The Evil That Men Do - Lives on and on and on and on and on. Just another example of a 4 minute song kicking 8 minutes worth of ass. Great intro, good solo (that H and Janick play together these days!) and I love the vocal melody on "Circle of fire, my baptism of joy at an end it seems".
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son - This. Song. Is. Just... It's epic. It's the very definition of epic, as well it should be as the final manifestation of the 80s Maiden epic (but we see shades of this song on the very next album in Mother Russia, and the formula continues to evolve in Sign of the Cross; both it and SSoaSS belong in the top 10). If I could pick one perfect bit of the song, it would be the solo section, when Dave and then Adrian in succession take you to heaven.
The Prophecy - At first, not the strongest, but it is one hell of a grower. And the acoustic part at the end is beautiful (aftermath to the disaster?) and is a great transition to...
The Clairvoyant - Along with Flight of Icarus, the best Maiden song under 5 minutes. Steve is a beast on this song, as is Bruce. But personally, I have a love also for Blaze Bayley's method of singing this song. Not as technically excellent as Bruce's, and not as full on passionate, but there's something to the way he sings it... I don't know, check it out if you like Blaze, if you don't, stay away.
Only the Good Die Young - One of the most underrated songs in Maiden's discography, certainly the most underrated 80s track. Great solos from both guitarists and Harris. A perfect ender to a great album, and they need to bring it out someday to close a concert. "So I think I'll leave you with your bishops and your guilt/So until the next time/Have a good sin"
1. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
2. The Clairvoyant
3. Moonchild
4. Infinite Dreams
5. Only the Good Die Young
6. The Evil That Men Do
7. The Prophecy
8. Can I Play With Madness
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I think the stories here about the reaction in 88, by the way, is a good indication to the closed-mindedness and genre confinement of some music fans, particularly metal fans.
That statement couldn't be further from the truth for me, atleast. I don't hold this album is high regards, yet this was right around the time that I started to discover early genesis and early yes. It's also around the time in my life that I started getting into Fates Warning. I've always had a fairly broad appreciation for music and it started as being a fan of rock music mostly in my youth. I have no problem with bands experimenting with different styles and sounds. It just needs to be done well and in my opinion SSoaSS was not done well.
Maiden wern't the only ones in the "metal" genre that were experimenting with this sort of thing at the time. Queensryche had released Rage for Order right around this time and I consider that album (as many other people do) to be a near masterpiece.
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Only the Good Die Young - One of the most underrated songs in Maiden's discography, certainly the most underrated 80s track. Great solos from both guitarists and Harris. A perfect ender to a great album, and they need to bring it out someday to close a concert. "So I think I'll leave you with your bishops and your guilt/So until the next time/Have a good sin"
This is so true that it almost hurts! Why Maiden, why?
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Well to put it into perspective from my point of view: I liked Fear of the dark better when it came out, and given the crap that album's gotten I have to say that ANY album released by Maiden was still WAY better then anything else on the market those days.
What this thread does do, however (!) is make me want to go back and listen to each and everyone of these albums or buy em all again on cd! (thanks, Bosk1!) :hefdaddy
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Sorry, late to the party here...
The first Maiden album I heard was Live After Death - one of the kids at school taped it for me, and I must have worn that tape out. It totally blew my teenage mind away. This was not just the first maiden album I'd heard, it was also the first METAL album I'd heard, so it clearly had an effect, as it turned me into a metalhead overnight! :metal (And they say the Devil has all the best tunes...)
Somewhere In Time was the first "new" Maiden album I bought when it was released, and it will always have a special place in my heart for that reason. Wasted Years and Strange Land are great songs, and I don't understand the hate for Heaven Can Wait, as it's an absolute classic.
Seventh Son was, at the time, quite simply The Greatest Album Ever. I went to see Maiden live for the first time at Donnington, and then again a few months later at Wembley.
Listening to it again, time has not been kind to it. The 80's was a bad time for good music, and rock bands were forced to adapt or die. The album had a very contemporary production which stood up well at the time (Can I Play with Madness hit number 3 in the UK) but sounds a little tinny today (As does Presto by Rush, TBH). I don't understand the hatred for CIPWM - it's a great tune.
I seriously played this album to death - thanks, Mom, for not moaning too hard! - and can honestly say there isn't a weak song on it. Shame things go downhill hereafter...
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I have a love also for Blaze Bayley's method of singing this song.
Me too. We're talking about ''...shadows that are dancing on the walls'' and those verses, right? I love how he sings it lower, he's more powerful and comfortable singing it that way and it sounds fantastic.
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I tell ya, Seventh Son is one of their best albums, and yet so different than what they've done up to this point, while I didn't care that much for Somewhere In Time
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I think the stories here about the reaction in 88, by the way, is a good indication to the closed-mindedness and genre confinement of some music fans, particularly metal fans.
That statement couldn't be further from the truth for me, atleast. I don't hold this album is high regards, yet this was right around the time that I started to discover early genesis and early yes. It's also around the time in my life that I started getting into Fates Warning. I've always had a fairly broad appreciation for music and it started as being a fan of rock music mostly in my youth. I have no problem with bands experimenting with different styles and sounds. It just needs to be done well and in my opinion SSoaSS was not done well.
Maiden wern't the only ones in the "metal" genre that were experimenting with this sort of thing at the time. Queensryche had released Rage for Order right around this time and I consider that album (as many other people do) to be a near masterpiece.
Not to mention the fairly awesome Mindcrime album the same year. SSoaSS definitely suffered by comparison with me at the time, which may be why I thought I didn't like it for many years.
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I think the stories here about the reaction in 88, by the way, is a good indication to the closed-mindedness and genre confinement of some music fans, particularly metal fans. To me, if someone loves some of a band or a musician's material, they should be willing to follow them in a musical direction I would normally not look, and even if they dislike this new material to respect the artist's direction. Seventh Son was the proggiest Maiden album (which makes me wonder who exactly the DT fans are who disliked it) to this point, but the music and the attitude remained very similar to earlier releases, with the only change being keys which added to atmosphere and mysticism. This album is a gateway drug to Maiden's proggier releases (the most recent two), which are in turn a gateway drug to prog metal (I got to DT via Maiden).
Oh boy are you wrong.
In 1988 I was so far beyond being a closed minded metal fan that you can't quantify it. I listened to everything from the Beatles to ELO to Maiden and Metallica, and was at the height of my love of progressive rock. I listened to arena rock and ELP and Pink Floyd and 70s hard rock bands you probably haven't heard of, and owned albums by bands and acts as far afield as Prince and Saga. My dislike of Seventh Son had nothing to do with the keyboards or the progressive side...it simply wasn't a good album to me. By 1988, Metallica and Queensryche and Fates Warning were making far more interesting music to me than Iron Maiden was. Iron Maiden was my favorite band at the time, but that didn't excuse them from making a really mediocre album. And I don't subscribe to the theory that if I like the band, I should follow them no matter what they do. Sometimes bands do shit that sucks. :lol
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Since we are at this point in the discography, Id like to point out the releasing of Maiden England on DVD/CD at the end of March. I've only seen some of this concert and it's pretty awesome. Can't wait to get the DVD.
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On that note, I'll throw out ME right now. I'm not sure how much discussion this one will get -- we'll see -- but I'm all for it if it keeps us from discussing No Prayer for another day or two.
MAIDEN ENGLAND -- 1989
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1d/IronmaidenMaidenengland.jpg)
1. "Moonchild"
2. "The Evil That Men Do"
3. "The Prisoner"
4. "Still Life"
5. "Die with Your Boots On"
6. "Infinite Dreams"
7. "Killers"
8. "Can I Play with Madness"
9. "Heaven Can Wait"
10. "Wasted Years"
11. "The Clairvoyant"
12. "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son"
13. "The Number of the Beast"
14. "Hallowed Be Thy Name"
15. "Iron Maiden"
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Never seen it but I can't wait.
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Just to also add to that, although your discography is correct, the release this March includes the whole tracklist from the concert.
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^Yeah, yeah. Honestly, with a lot of these early albums, there've been so many releases and re-releases that whatever tracklist I post will be incorrect one way or another. :lol
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Waiting for the re-issue that's coming out soon. :lol
I think you're gonna hear that a lot with this one.
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Yeah, really excited for this one, especially because it has the 3rd installment of the history of IM on it.
I had a couple of tracks from this on a special 12" (can't remember the exact tracks), Thought it was 'infinite dreams' and 'The Clairvoyant'.
Thought they sounded fantastic. So yeah, pretty excited! :metal
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Waiting for the re-issue that's coming out soon. :lol
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^Yeah, yeah. Honestly, with a lot of these early albums, there've been so many releases and re-releases that whatever tracklist I post will be incorrect one way or another. :lol
True, just highlighting it due to the re release soon.
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I didn't know about the upcoming re-release. I'll be sure to get it :metal
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Still have the VHS which has seen better days for me playing the shit out of it. Lovely tracklist, good to see Killers, Still Life, 7th Son, Infinite Dreams and the Prisoner. Not much to say about this one really. Bruce struggles, but still puts on a good show. This probably is the concert where Steve has that amazing click the most in his bass, I love that. Nicko, Dave and H do pretty much a flawless job. Actually, thinking about the guitar work, I don't think either player made any blunders whatsoever, everything really is played perfectly.
Don't really care about the extra tracks, but it will be nice to have this on DVD to revisit it. It was a concert that shaped my metal heart.
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The extra tracks are pretty much filler since its the same stuff on all their concerts, buy it is nice to have the complete set. And yea, the set list is "killer" with a few of the less played songs. I am pretty excited to see Still Life.
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Shame there's not going to be any Donington footage.
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Isn't that the setlist they just played recently at Greatwoods, TAC?
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Isn't that the setlist they just played recently at Greatwoods, TAC?
No it's a different setlist on this tour. We got Phantom and Afraid to shoot strangers, and no Hallowed or Infinite Dreams.
I listened to Maiden England on the way to Disney, and after Moonchild, Bruce seems to settle in, but definitely struggles to start.
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Shame there's not going to be any Donington footage.
Do you mean from Donington 88'? because i'm soooo with you then!
The tour saw the band headline the Monsters of Rock festival at Donington Park for the first time, performing to a crowd of 107,000, the largest in the venue's history.
:metal
Btw the music video for The Clairvoyant shows footage from Donington, correct me if i'm wrong but that show was never released, right?
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Yes it was never released. I believe they have a full recording of the show but I doubt it gets released possibly due to the negative press of that event from the deaths of fans there. I have heard that the show is a better performance than Maiden England. I haven't seen it though.
Also on the Maiden England 2012-13 tour they didn't play still life or killers.
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^Which is a damn shame, because I would have loved to hear both of those songs.
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it can be found on youtube :angel:
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Yeah. I uploaded the majority of the show (think the encore is missing) like 5 years ago. Decent quality given the era, too.
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Gotta be another Harris edit, though, right? It's like..... schizophrenic :mehlin
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Also on the Maiden England 2012-13 tour they didn't play still life or killers.
Or Prisoner, or Infinite Dreams. Truth be told, calling it the Maiden England tour was a reach, really.
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Well i found a pro-shot version if thats the one you mean? The sound is pretty good actually!
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Also on the Maiden England 2012-13 tour they didn't play still life or killers.
Or Prisoner, or Infinite Dreams. Truth be told, calling it the Maiden England tour was a reach, really.
They did play Prisoner actually! Sadly, they didn't really play anything more obscure than Seventh Son and Prisoner, however.
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Well afraid to shoot strangers was a surprise too, but besides the three songs it was pretty much SbiT tour again. I was really hoping for infinite dreams with the three guitars. Oh well, it was a great concert so I can't complain too much.
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Well i found a pro-shot version if thats the one you mean? The sound is pretty good actually!
I think the one that's labeled "pro-shot" on youtube just has the Maiden England sound dubbed over it.
This (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCGzS51Yxfk)is the original.
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Well i found a pro-shot version if thats the one you mean? The sound is pretty good actually!
I think the one that's labeled "pro-shot" on youtube just has the Maiden England sound dubbed over it.
This (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCGzS51Yxfk)is the original.
Holy shit, you're right. Wow, and the dude has the balls to be all indignant about how lucky we are that his video is even available. I just listened to it halfway through and am like "hmm, I thought this vocal performance was supposed to be so much better than Maiden England!"
Listening to your real one now.
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Wow, feedback issues much? :|
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Oh, okay, it wasn't the poster, but some other guy saying. Nevermind!
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I was referring to the audio in that "Moonchild" video that GuineaPig posted.
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Yes it was never released. I believe they have a full recording of the show but I doubt it gets released possibly due to the negative press of that event from the deaths of fans there. I have heard that the show is a better performance than Maiden England. I haven't seen it though.
Also on the Maiden England 2012-13 tour they didn't play still life or killers.
I was there that day. The deaths occurred during Guns n Roses' set so not sure Maiden can be blamed for that. Still the most scared I've ever been. I was off my feet for the first 3 songs, dragged along by the crowd. I just knew if I went down there'd be no getting back up.
We didn't hear anything about any deaths until we were on the way home.
Anyway, Maiden played a blinder as far as I remember.
I have the vhs of Maiden England. Don't remember much about it as I think I played LAD more.
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Anyway, been listening to this (Maiden England) in work today. It's pretty damn good! I'm excited for it to come out on DVD, because while I like "Live After Death", I feel like the vocals are extraordinarily weak on many songs-- Bruce strains and tries to shout to hear himself all night. Likewise, Beast Over Hammersmith is probably the best classic Maiden performance I've ever heard, but unfortunately the band hadn't written most of their best material yet by that point :P I dig the setlist, too, but I'd probably be more excited about it if those songs hadn't made it on newer DVDs I already have, too.
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Yes it was never released. I believe they have a full recording of the show but I doubt it gets released possibly due to the negative press of that event from the deaths of fans there. I have heard that the show is a better performance than Maiden England. I haven't seen it though.
Also on the Maiden England 2012-13 tour they didn't play still life or killers.
I was there that day. The deaths occurred during Guns n Roses' set so not sure Maiden can be blamed for that. Still the most scared I've ever been. I was off my feet for the first 3 songs, dragged along by the crowd. I just knew if I went down there'd be no getting back up.
We didn't hear anything about any deaths until we were on the way home.
Anyway, Maiden played a blinder as far as I remember.
I have the vhs of Maiden England. Don't remember much about it as I think I played LAD more.
what??? :o Damn! That's crazy!
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Well i found a pro-shot version if thats the one you mean? The sound is pretty good actually!
I think the one that's labeled "pro-shot" on youtube just has the Maiden England sound dubbed over it.
This (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCGzS51Yxfk)is the original.
Yea i thought there we're something iffy about it. Anyway thx for your link! :tup
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Wow, feedback issues much? :|
Yea! :lol
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Yes it was never released. I believe they have a full recording of the show but I doubt it gets released possibly due to the negative press of that event from the deaths of fans there. I have heard that the show is a better performance than Maiden England. I haven't seen it though.
Also on the Maiden England 2012-13 tour they didn't play still life or killers.
I was there that day. The deaths occurred during Guns n Roses' set so not sure Maiden can be blamed for that. Still the most scared I've ever been. I was off my feet for the first 3 songs, dragged along by the crowd. I just knew if I went down there'd be no getting back up.
We didn't hear anything about any deaths until we were on the way home.
Anyway, Maiden played a blinder as far as I remember.
I have the vhs of Maiden England. Don't remember much about it as I think I played LAD more.
what??? :o Damn! That's crazy!
It certainly was. We spent the next few songs passing people out over our heads to the front to safety. Don't remember much about the GnR set other than that.
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Anyway, been listening to this (Maiden England) in work today. It's pretty damn good! I'm excited for it to come out on DVD, because while I like "Live After Death", I feel like the vocals are extraordinarily weak on many songs-- Bruce strains and tries to shout to hear himself all night. Likewise, Beast Over Hammersmith is probably the best classic Maiden performance I've ever heard, but unfortunately the band hadn't written most of their best material yet by that point :P I dig the setlist, too, but I'd probably be more excited about it if those songs hadn't made it on newer DVDs I already have, too.
There are a couple of phenomenal radio bootlegs from the Japanese Killers tour. It's also a fascinating look at Maiden essentially playing speed metal.
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Speed metal?
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At that point Maiden were playing all of their songs significantly faster. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5QmAxTbyDY)
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Here's the entire thing. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jno1xcwUSoc)
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At that point Maiden were playing all of their songs significantly faster. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5QmAxTbyDY)
This is awesome.
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Here's the entire thing. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jno1xcwUSoc)
Holy crap! Thanks!
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I have this bootleg and its awesome. Great setlist.
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There's also a longer show from Osaka (although I have it labeled as Nagoya), I believe. Slightly different (as in longer) setlist. Not a soundboard boot like I remembered, but a very clear audience one.
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Also, here's a very clear show from the World Piece Tour. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfzqcaXYllM) Concert from before the album was released, and the closest thing you'll come to hearing "To Tame a Land" live.
It's also only the 7th show of the tour, so Bruce sounds very good. More proof that bands should record albums near the beginnings of tours, not at the very end (compare Bruce with how he sounds at the Westfalenhalle on the Early Days DVD).
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Shit, I really should have gone over this stuff when it was appropriate. I bet a lot of you have never seen/heard some great Maiden stuff that never made it to wide release.
For example, here's a pro-shot video (from a partly-televised gig in Philly) of the Adrian/Dave solo "Walking On Glass" from the Somewhere On Tour. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NevDFDf5d6c)
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Walking On Glass is beautiful and it's a damn shame they never released a live album from Somewhere On Tour or played it again on a future tour. There's a fairly high quality audience recorded bootleg from early in the tour, when they played it between Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Where Eagles Dare. Which may be the most epic three-song string ever.
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That's a pretty cool instrumental. It is a shame it never got an official release.
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Alright, fellas, the 80's, as well as the classic period, are over. Let's talk about No Prayer.
NO PRAYER FOR THE DYING - 1990
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5c/IronMaidenNoPrayerForTheDying.jpg)
1. "Tailgunner"
2. "Holy Smoke"
3. "No Prayer for the Dying"
4. "Public Enema Number One"
5. "Fates Warning"
6. "The Assassin"
7. "Run Silent Run Deep"
8. "Hooks in You"
9. "Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter"
10. "Mother Russia"
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Worst Maiden album.
That's all.
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I fucking love No Prayer. I'll explain why in a bit.
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I don't hate it, but from what I've heard, it's my least favorite of the bunch. How they went from SSOASS to... this, I'll never know, but there are a few songs I like off of it.
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The way Bruce sings "you're a tailgunna" always cracks me up.
Otherwise, this album is pretty lame. maiden were trying way too hard to make it seem like they weren't trying at all.
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My initial reaction to No Prayer as I listened to it upon release was "I see Maiden's going back to straight up metal."
My next reaction was "it's a shame they forgot to write anything remotely resembling a good song."
There's a lot that's wrong with this album. Start with the production, which would be the worst of the band's by far if The X Factor wasn't out there. Yes, I know, it's essentially recorded live by a mobile studio, but it still sounds awful. Next up, the departure of Adrian Smith. Adrian's departure robbed the band not only of his telepathic union with Dave Murray, but his sense of melody, both in his lead playing and his song writing. Jannick Gers is a good guitarist, but his style is so at odds with what Maiden did that, in my opinion, he never really fit in until Adrian returned and the three guitar line up was born. The songs are awful, either coming off as dull retreads of previous work or just utterly uninspired. The only songs these days I can bear to listen to are the title track and Mother Russia. It's not Iron Maiden's worst album-I'll reveal which one that is when we get to it-but it's the worst Dickinson album, and the worst of the Birch produced albums. Utter, total, colossal dreck.
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Since Maiden just got done with their last bit nostalgia tour, you gotta wonder what's next. I don't think they can get away with a 90's nostalgia tour, not even them.
But hey, maybe that means a new studio album!
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It's not Iron Maiden's worst album-I'll reveal which one that is when we get to it-but it's the worst Dickinson album, and the worst of the Birch produced albums. Utter, total, colossal dreck.
I agree with this, which maybe Ill reveal IM's worst album when we get to it too, because it hasnt come yet, but this is the first of a string of thier worst four albums. This album has some good parts, and most songs aren't bad songs overall, but bad for IM's standard. Bring Your Daughter... was a Bruce solo original song, and technically one of IM's biggest hits, but the song is terrible IMO.
My ranking:
No Prayer for the Dying
Run Silent Run Deep
Tailgunner
Holy Smoke
Mother Russia
Public Enema Number One
Fates Warning
Bring Your Daughter...
Hooks in You
The Assassin
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I literally havn't listened to this album in 20 years, but I'm going to force my way through it because of this thread.
On a side note to theSoafs, your choice of thread title for this round is hilarious :lol :lol :lol
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I've avoided getting into the material past SSoaSS for the longest time but will be going through it with you all as we get there. I have gone ahead and listened to both No Prayer and Fear of the Dark in preparation for discussion of them.
During this phase of Maiden they were under attack from some of their own fans from having previously added snyths etc. and the big stage metal scene had gotten stale and many of those metal bands were trying to strip it down and be more aggressive. I would say the next two albums could be described just that way but add in the issues within the band (Smith leaving and the issues with Bruce and the rest) and you have the clusterfu*k of these two releases.
For me on No Prayer it just seems they did everything they could to strip it down and offer the old raw Maiden style but the songwriting and ideas just weren't there. I can give it credit that at least it seems familiar to me. Fear of the Dark on the otherhand...
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Fear is a little bit better than this one, but on No Prayer Maiden at least still sound kinda like Maiden. NPftD has Maiden being themselves and kinda putting their worst foot forward, while Fear is just a sad and desperate attempt for Maiden to jump on a scene that was dying anyway.
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Agreed. I actually kinda like FotD, even though it's not great. This album, however is TERRIBLE. Worst Dickinson album...second worst Maiden album....and those are the only two albums I would consider to be *BAD* Maiden albums.
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OK. I think No Prayer gets shit on unfairly for a number of reasons. Here's why:
1. It came after Seventh Son. This makes it look bad for a number of reasons: Seventh Son is a great album, and it's also an album very much different sonically. The subject matter is more serious (or at least the tone is), and the music reflects that, what with the synths, more polished guitars, the long epics, your what-nots. Given Maiden's linear progression from punk band to proto-prog, No Prayer feels like a major regression. I suspect that if it had been released as Maiden's first album with Bruce people would love it a lot more. It's a lot more punkier and energetic, and would slot in well after Killers.
2. It's the first album after Adrian Smith's departure. H was a substantial part of Maiden's songwriting and sound, and is widely regarded to be Maiden's finest guitarist. I think people were going to look down on any album without him regardless, and spin any changes in Maiden's sound as "flaws" due in part to the lack of Smith.
3. It's stylistically similar to Fear of the Dark. Fear of the Dark is a pretty bad album, full of plodding songs with zero energy and a complete lack of memorable melodies (with a few notable exceptions). So No Prayer gets lumped in with the latter and gets dragged down with it (arguably the same situation happened with The X Factor).
4. There isn't a stand-out song. There really isn't a song on this album that you can point to and say "this is an all-time Maiden classic." Every other Maiden album has one, but this one doesn't. It is kind of glaring and a legitimate bone of contention, although I think it makes up for it by being consistently good otherwise.
5. People don't like change. Simple. This album is a big shift from Seventh Son in both songwriting and performances. The songs are shorter, punchier, less sombre. Bruce adopts a raspy singing tone on many songs. Janick's unrepressed chaos style of lead guitar is a huge contrast to Adrian's precision.
The last point leads well into why I think this is a great album...
1. Change is good. I love the "classic" albums. They're great. But I don't want Maiden to produce the same album over and over again. This even applies to the bandmembers; maybe it was good for H to leave for a while (and later Bruce). They were getting burnt out, and I'd much rather see them leave and bring in fresh blood than just put out uninspired material. Yeah, No Prayer is a big shift from what came before, but I appreciate the band switching things up. I wouldn't have wanted five more attempts at Seventh Son.
2. This album has tons of energy. The songs are fast, riff-heavy, and performed enthusiastically. They're all pretty up-tempo, and although the songs are much shorter, the writing itself is actually less lazy, I think. The riffing and solos are quite varied, and not repeated endlessly. There are no dreaded repeated lyrics during the choruses.
3. It's really fun. Compared to the rather sombre approach Maiden had to lyrics for much of the golden years, this album is really light-hearted in tone. Just compare the approach to the subject in "Tailgunner" and "Aces High." I think it's a nice respite from being serious all the time, and it makes them really groove live. There's also a lot of great melodies here, and Janick's lead style fits really well with the fast-paced songs.
4. What made this album great made the following tour great. The simple, no-nonsense approach to the material served Maiden's live shows well. I'm going to be the one to say it: the Seventh Son tour was kind of mediocre. The material itself was top notch, but the performances were off and I think the shows lacked energy. Maiden England is a definite downer compared to every other Maiden live video. But after ditching the spandex and the fancy stage elements, Maiden's live prowess returned. Seriously, the No Prayer tour kicked ass. Bruce sounded legitimately great on tour for the first time since Beast on the Road, Janick was a huge energy boost, and the show in general had a great feel to it.
OK, song rankings:
1. Run Silent Run Deep
2. No Prayer for the Dying
3. Hooks in You
4. Fates Warning
5. Public Enema Number One
6. Tailgunner
7. Mother Russia
8. Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter
9. Holy Smoke
10. The Assassin
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2. It's the first album after Adrian Smith's departure. H was a substantial part of Maiden's songwriting and sound, and is widely regarded to be Maiden's finest guitarist. I think people were going to look down on any album without him regardless, and spin any changes in Maiden's sound as "flaws" due in part to the lack of Smith.
Haha, no. I don't think this is a bad album because Adrian left, but Adrian did leave because it was a bad album: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Prayer_for_the_Dying)
The record marks the band's first line-up change since 1983; guitarist Adrian Smith left the band during the pre-production phase, unhappy with the musical direction it was taking,[1] and only having contributed to one song, "Hooks in You".
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There are no more memorable melodies here than on Fear, GP. There are actually less. Also, I disagree that it's "fun". A few songs are fun, and the rest suck.
Also, disagree about Maiden Englnd. Watched it for the first time Friday and absolutely loved it.
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I actually prefer Fear to No Prayer. It just has a higher number of "good" songs to "bad" songs imo.
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OK. I think No Prayer gets shit on unfairly for a number of reasons. Here's why:
1. It came after Seventh Son. This makes it look bad for a number of reasons: Seventh Son is a great album, and it's also an album very much different sonically. The subject matter is more serious (or at least the tone is), and the music reflects that, what with the synths, more polished guitars, the long epics, your what-nots. Given Maiden's linear progression from punk band to proto-prog, No Prayer feels like a major regression. I suspect that if it had been released as Maiden's first album with Bruce people would love it a lot more. It's a lot more punkier and energetic, and would slot in well after Killers.
2. It's the first album after Adrian Smith's departure. H was a substantial part of Maiden's songwriting and sound, and is widely regarded to be Maiden's finest guitarist. I think people were going to look down on any album without him regardless, and spin any changes in Maiden's sound as "flaws" due in part to the lack of Smith.
3. It's stylistically similar to Fear of the Dark. Fear of the Dark is a pretty bad album, full of plodding songs with zero energy and a complete lack of memorable melodies (with a few notable exceptions). So No Prayer gets lumped in with the latter and gets dragged down with it (arguably the same situation happened with The X Factor).
4. There isn't a stand-out song. There really isn't a song on this album that you can point to and say "this is an all-time Maiden classic." Every other Maiden album has one, but this one doesn't. It is kind of glaring and a legitimate bone of contention, although I think it makes up for it by being consistently good otherwise.
5. People don't like change. Simple. This album is a big shift from Seventh Son in both songwriting and performances. The songs are shorter, punchier, less sombre. Bruce adopts a raspy singing tone on many songs. Janick's unrepressed chaos style of lead guitar is a huge contrast to Adrian's precision.
The last point leads well into why I think this is a great album...
1. Change is good. I love the "classic" albums. They're great. But I don't want Maiden to produce the same album over and over again. This even applies to the bandmembers; maybe it was good for H to leave for a while (and later Bruce). They were getting burnt out, and I'd much rather see them leave and bring in fresh blood than just put out uninspired material. Yeah, No Prayer is a big shift from what came before, but I appreciate the band switching things up. I wouldn't have wanted five more attempts at Seventh Son.
First of all, I have a question and then I'll address some of the points that you made. The question is, why do I see so many people refer to Adrian Smith as "H"? I've been a Maiden fan since the mid 80's and I have never seen him refered to as "H" until I seen people talking about the band in this forum.
1. For me and many others, SSoaSS was the beginning of their downfall. I was looking for something different from the band after that album and I'm sure that I wasn't alone in those regards. This whole "people are afraid of change" deal is about as illogical as you can get. Especially when it's being used as an argument on a forum that features progressive music. If people were afraid of bands taking chances and didn't want them to progress then none of us would be here and everyone would be listening to 12 bar blues to get their rock fix.
2. You're absolutely right about the band suffering from not having Adrian's input. Janik's lead playing is more often than not a flurry of notes with little structure and adds little musical value to any composition.
3. I don't understand what you're 3rd point is, so I can't really comment on it.
4. Agreed.
5. See my answer to point 1.
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Regarding point 3, you could almost argue the opposite. NPftD was plodding, boring crap with few memorable songs or catchy melodies. FotD was much better, but nowhere near good enough to. Ake up for the massive dud that was No Prayer, especially since it suffered from many of the same problems.
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I actually prefer Fear to No Prayer. It just has a higher number of "good" songs to "bad" songs imo.
This. Fear's got some dreck on it, but the batting average is a lot higher that No Prayer.
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No Prayer was one of the first albums I got from Maiden, I have no problems with it. Even Maiden's bad songs are as good as a lot of bands good ones. The only songs I really consider average here is Holy Smoke and Maiden's worst song of all time, Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter.
Mother Russia is great, but the solo section gets let down by the blatant 7th son instrumental section rip off.
Dave's songs are top notch here and two of the best tracks of the album.
Hooks in You is interesting but nothing spectacular, especially since it came from H.
Run Silent and Tailgunner are just great songs from start to finish.
And the title track is simply one of the greatest Maiden songs of all time, it may even make my top 10 Maiden songs, underrated and just brilliant.
Good album,
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I think Bruce sums it up pretty good:
Dickinson states that this idea was a mistake, commenting that "it was shit! It was a shit-sounding record and I wished we hadn't done it that way. At the time, I was as guilty as anyone else in going, 'Oh great! Look, we're all covered in straw! What a larf!'
I bet they had alot of fun making the Holy Smoke (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dzSEenqc3w) video though! :rollin
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Regarding point 3, you could almost argue the opposite. NPftD was plodding, boring crap with few memorable songs or catchy melodies. FotD was much better, but nowhere near good enough to. Ake up for the massive dud that was No Prayer, especially since it suffered from many of the same problems.
You can call No Prayer many things, but "plodding" isn't one of them. It has none of the slowish mid-tempo songs that abound on Fear.
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OK, I think I'll impart my bootleg knowledge after every relevant album from now on.
Like I said before, I think the No Prayer tour was one of Maiden's best, so it's a damn shame that the only pro-shot footage of the tour is four songs that aired on Japanese TV. Here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgwOFFFqjDs)and here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhAWlbj8Ezk).
However there is another excellent soundboard bootleg from a combination of Maiden's shows at Wembley in 1990, albeit also uncomplete. Luckily all the No Prayer songs played live are present and accounted for. Here's "No Prayer" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16Y43s1VnHA)itself as an example. Listen to how great Bruce sounds.
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I have a killer boot from something called the War Machine, which might be the Wembley one. I think there is about 6 official live recordings of album tracks from this show too.
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Luckily all the No Prayer songs played live are present and accounted for.
Hmm..didn't know they use to play Mother Russia live.
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Here's "No Prayer" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16Y43s1VnHA)itself as an example. Listen to how great Bruce sounds.
Dave also fucking slays here, wow.
IMO, Daves best ever playing is on No Prayer and Fear. There is something about him on these two albums, he just rips like never before, astounding.
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This is just a very "meh" album to me. Couple of decent tracks scattered amongst a big fat slab of forgettable stuff. I really don't blame Adrian Smith one bit for bailing out.
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Luckily all the No Prayer songs played live are present and accounted for.
Hmm..didn't know they use to play Mother Russia live.
No, they never did. That's why I clarified that the boot included all that were ever played live.
Here's "No Prayer" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16Y43s1VnHA)itself as an example. Listen to how great Bruce sounds.
Dave also fucking slays here, wow.
IMO, Daves best ever playing is on No Prayer and Fear. There is something about him on these two albums, he just rips like never before, astounding.
I'd extend it to The X Factor and Virtual XI as well. I think the '90s has some of Maiden's best lead work, even if much of the rest of the material is largely uninspired.
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There are some good songs and some quite bad songs.
Tailgunner and Holy Smoke are both pretty dull hard rockers. Lyrics are great and the soloing awesome, but musically the both are pretty boring.
No Prayer for the Dying, on the other hand, must be a top 3 Maiden song. One of their most melodic tracks. It has quite a melancholic and beautiful feel. Public Enema Number One is also one of my favourites. It is again pretty hard rock influenced, but has some serious balls and attitude, and one of the best of Davey's solos. Yum.
Fates Warning starts quite the same way than Deja-vu, but turns out as a mid-tempo rocker. I love the verses and the double-guitar melody after the solo. A pretty good track.
The Assassin has some interesting parts, but is rather like a combination of different sections than a complete song. The chorus is really odd.
Run Silent, Run Deep is one of the most underrated Maiden tracks. The music is stellar, with probably the most complex double-guitar melody before the third verse. I love the lyrics also.
They can pin some medal on your chest
But in two more weeks
Dead like the rest
Hooks in You is listenable, but nothing special. Bring Your Daughter... To the Slaughter is just terrible. I don't like it. Boring 80's hard rock. Anyway, it is better than Bruce Dickinson's original version :P.
Mother Russia, like The Assassin, is a bit unconsistent, but better. It could have been better song if it was structured better.
All in all, this is easily the worst Maiden album until the date, but it has some of their best tracks and they have still made much worse albums.
I have to also mention the Golden Earring cover Kill Me (Ce Soir), which was recorded to a B-side for Holy Smoke-single. It is my favourite Maiden song ever recorded. I like how they used more the keyboard melody, which comes in pretty late in the original song.
And if you haven't seen the Holy Smoke music video, do yourself a favour and click here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dzSEenqc3w).
Ranking:
1.No Prayer for the Dying
2.Run Silent, Run Deep
3.Public Enema Number One
4.Fates Warning
5.Mother Russia
6.Hooks in You
7.Holy Smoke
8.Tailgunner
9.The Assassin
10.Bring Your Daughter... To the Slaughter
E:First of all, I have a question and then I'll address some of the points that you made. The question is, why do I see so many people refer to Adrian Smith as "H"? I've been a Maiden fan since the mid 80's and I have never seen him refered to as "H" until I seen people talking about the band in this forum.
As far as I know, it comes from the similarity of how "Adrian" and the letter "H" are pronounced.
Also, I just saw the GuineaPig's post. Good job :tup.
IMO, Daves best ever playing is on No Prayer and Fear. There is something about him on these two albums, he just rips like never before, astounding.
I'd extend it to The X Factor and Virtual XI as well. I think the '90s has some of Maiden's best lead work, even if much of the rest of the material is largely uninspired.
Yeah, I agree.
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Regarding point 3, you could almost argue the opposite. NPftD was plodding, boring crap with few memorable songs or catchy melodies. FotD was much better, but nowhere near good enough to. Ake up for the massive dud that was No Prayer, especially since it suffered from many of the same problems.
You can call No Prayer many things, but "plodding" isn't one of them. It has none of the slowish mid-tempo songs that abound on Fear.
I mean "plodding" more in the sense of lacking imagination.
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The problem with this album isn't the absence of Adrian Smith, because the band made some great albums without him. The problem isn't the presence of Janick Gers neither - some future albums would really benefit from his songwriting. It's just that maybe this simpler sound wasn't right for Maiden. I read comparisons to Killers and the debut, but this album is nowhere as diverse or progressive.
Tailgunner - Maiden albums usually open with a bang, but it's a shame when you're already underwhelmed with the first song.
Holy smoke - Significantly different from previous Iron Maiden singles, but still an extremely fun song with a cheerful mood. Janick's solo fits the song perfectly, I enjoy his chaotic solos from time to time, but later albums will prove that his strength is in the songwriting.
No prayer for the dying - This song sounds to me like it needed some ironing out. There's a gentle verse, some faster instrumental bits and a heavy section before the outro, but something's still missing.
Public enema number one - Nothing really stands out about this song. Dave Murray has written much better songs, obviously, but he went along with Steve's vision of a stripped down hard rock sound and delivered a track that fits with the rest of the record.
Fates warning - It used to be my favorite song on the album for a while, but for some reason it didn't stand the test of time.
The Assassin - This one is one of my very least favorite Maiden songs. I find it very derivative musically, and it has one of those choruses where the repetitiveness truly bothers me. I also think they handled this lyrical topic much better in some other songs.
Run silent run deep - Here's a pretty cool song. The intro sets the mood perfectly and the chorus is very memorable. Also worth mentioning is the awesome guitar harmony.
Hooks in you - Great riff, you can totally tell it's Adrian Smith. I also enjoy the chorus very much, it's a solid song overall.
Bring your daughter to the slaughter - Probably my favorite song on the album. It's not a great song, but I just think it's fun. Bruce's rasp doesn't bother me here as much as on some other songs, probably because it fits with the lyrics.
Mother Russia - It sounds to me like they're trying too hard to be epic, yet not create a long song. Had they relaxed a bit, it could have had potential. And man, what an anticlimactic ending! I know many people love this song, but I just don't feel it.
Overall, this is the only Iron Maiden album that has no song that I truly love. Some of them are fun, some of them are fairly catchy, but none of them are mind-blowing, which is a shame because I know they were still capable of making something groundbreaking - they just decided to go a different way and I totally respect that, but I'm not too crazy about it. Bruce said in an interview, that Maiden could have gone many different ways with this record and head into the future making something modern, but ultimately decided to ''go back in time'' and regress. He also said that, ironically, some Dream Theater demos sound better than this album. He might have been onto something... 7.5/10
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This and X Factor are the only Maiden albums I don't own. I'd not heard this album (other than the singles) until a few days ago as when it came out I'd kinda fallen out of love with Maiden. I wasn't overly impressed but it wasn't totally without merit.
I quite liked Mother Russia but it reminded me of Yngwie's Devil In Disguise. Not much else stood out. I'll listen again though.
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This album was a massive step-down from Seventh Son, no doubt, but the direct contrast to what I consider Maiden's masterpiece paints this album in a worse light than it deserves, I think - at least, that's what happened to me.
Judging this on it's own, it's no strong album, and some tracks really have me scratching my head and wondering what the hell was going on the heads of the Iron Maiden guys when they wrote them, like The Assassin, Tailgunner or Bring Your Daughter. However, it contains some tracks that are great as well and that are often overlooked, like the title track, Run Silent, Run Deep or Holy Smoke.
However, despite having its fair share of duds, this album is still miles better than Fear of the Dark, because even though it never, ever hits the highs of that albums title track, it is at least somewhat listenable throughout... but more on that later.
1. No Prayer for the Dying
2. Run Silent, Run Deep
3. Holy Smoke
4. Mother Russia
5. Fates Warning
6. Hooks in You
7. Public Enema Number One (worst Maiden title ever)
8. Tailgunner
9. The Assassin
10. Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter
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FYI, I really like the title "Public Enema Number One". I'm into playing on words.
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I haven't listened much to NPFTD or the three following albums so I'm not in the position to rank the songs on them yet. However, I will say that they're not as terrible as some people say. It's just that they're the least likely ones I'd listen to from Maiden.
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They aren't terrible overall, there are some good songs, but comparitively, its terrible. Also a few songs really stink.
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A few thoughts:
The stripped down production really hurts this album. How great would've Run Silent Run Deep have sounded if it was included on Somewhere In Time?
Adrian Smith was a huge loss. Period. At least musically.
Bruce sounds terrible on this. Though live, he still sounded OK, but the vocal production on this and Fear really undermine them.
My biggest problem with NPFTD is that they had an extended break and these are the best songs they could come up with? I remember when this came out, I got the advance 12" Holy Smoke single, and I was horrified. They had a half dozen B sides better than this!!
The title track is a TAC Top 15 Maiden song.
I also want to say this: That this was one of the best tours I've ever seen from them. Jannick brought so much energy. But I remember thinking that I had never sen Dave Murray so happy..and he always looks happy! There was so much joyful interaction between Jannick and Dave.
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This was back when I was still buying cassettes, and when I opened the booklet and saw that all of the track times started with a "4" I knew we were in trouble. I liked Tailgunner, but it was all downhill from there and BYDTTS is the WORST song IM ever did, not to mention the monumental stupidity of the title. The previous years the band had worked so hard to overcome their original cartoonish image and build up a proud legacy of greatness were blown up by this retarded album. I absolutely HATE it when great bands dumb down their sound - DT did this one time with FII but thankfully haven't since. After this I never expected to hear another great album from this band but I was very glad to be proven wrong. Of course I would have to suffer through 2 that were even worse to get there. If it seems I'm being overly harsh, remember I was one of the ones living through this period when a lot of metal giants were beginning a steep nose-dive.
1. Tailgunner (shoot me)
2. Mother Russia
3. No Prayer
4. Run Silent
5. The Assassin
6. Fates Warning
7. Public Enema (lol)
8. Holy Smoke
9. Hooks
10. seriously? the same band that has recorded dozens of the greatest metal songs ever put this title on an album? :facepalm:
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A few thoughts:
The stripped down production really hurts this album. How great would've Run Silent Run Deep have sounded if it was included on Somewhere In Time?
Adrian Smith was a huge loss. Period. At least musically.
Bruce sounds terrible on this. Though live, he still sounded OK, but the vocal production on this and Fear really undermine them.
My biggest problem with NPFTD is that they had an extended break and these are the best songs they could come up with? I remember when this came out, I got the advance 12" Holy Smoke single, and I was horrified. They had a half dozen B sides better than this!!
The title track is a TAC Top 15 Maiden song.
I also want to say this: That this was one of the best tours I've ever seen from them. Jannick brought so much energy. But I remember thinking that I had never sen Dave Murray so happy..and he always looks happy! There was so much joyful interaction between Jannick and Dave.
Pretty much agree with everything here. I don't hate this album as much as I do the two with Blaze on vocals, but I just find it kind of "meh" overall. I don't understand why they made it sound so.....flat and thin. And you are SO on the money about Bruce's vocals. It's an album that seemingly had a great deal of potential, but there are just too many things that drag it down.
Still, I have to admit, I gave it a couple of spins here over the last few days in the gym, knowing we'd be talking about it here and it was a pretty cool trip down memory lane. Still had to skip a few tracks, though.
Interesting side note: A good friend of mine, Christopher James Harrison, plays the role of Dave Murray in the only "officially sanctioned" Iron Maiden tribute band "HI-ON Maiden (https://www.hi-onmaiden.com/)" and he told me that they've had "Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter" in their set list for years because the fans always request it. (https://www.kirksnosehair.com/Portals/0/images/smilies/s9.gif)
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I've always liked Bring Your Daughter...
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Hey Bosk, got a rough idea of a Top 10 yet?
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I especially agree about Bruce being terrible. Live, he sounds good. On the album? BAD. I think the problem on the album is that Bruce was waaaaay under-rehearsed. Just listen to the "Holy Smoke". In that last verse, Bruce sounds like he's just singing lines from a page without knowing what they are, or what's coming next. Likewise, he sounds better live because he'd obviously rehearsed the songs several times by the time those shows were recorded.
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Hey Bosk, got a rough idea of a Top 10 yet?
This probably isn't the thread for it, but here you go: https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=35660.msg1520675#msg1520675
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I listened to a chunk of the album a little bit ago. Didn't dislike it... didn't love it. Tailgunner = lol :metal
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I have to also mention the Golden Earring cover Kill Me (Ce Soir), which was recorded to a B-side for Holy Smoke-single.
Yeah, we really are overdue a proper expanded and re-released version of Best of the B-Sides, aren't we?
NPFTD was pretty disappointing when it came out, and it's still pretty disappointing today. Nothing on it is particularly bad, but there's nothing particularly exciting on it either. Run Silent, Run Deep is probably the best song on there. The production across the board is pretty muddy.
But even a sub-par Maiden album is still worthwhile. Tailgunner is a fairly solid song, but after the opening onslaught of Moonchild on the previous album, it does get the whole thing off to a pretty damp start from which it never truly recovers. They were NEVER going to be able to follow SSoaSS without Adrian, or without being accused of becoming stale. New guitarist, new sound, new direction. There's some good stuff on here, but somehow it never really gels.
For me, NPFTD is the album that created the basic template for an IM album that has survived to this day - silly pop-metal numbers, plodding Steve Harris mini-epics and a closing song in odd proggy time signatures.
This album, and the 3 that follow, mark a real decline in Maiden's output, and that is unfortunate as the 90's was the era of grunge, and the band should have been on the top of their game if they wanted to compete. Looking back, it's a wonder Bruce didn't jump ship earlier.
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I listened to the album for the first time in about 2 decades. There's a couple of "ok" things here and there, but it was extremely under-whelming experience. Holy Smoke and The Assassin were almost painful to listen to, and I could swear that I heard one of the riffs from To Tame a Land being rehashed in one of the songs, but I couldn't tell you which one at this point.
This may have been a good album from almost any other band at the time that it came out, but Maiden had set the bar too high at this point in their career to get away with a mediocre release like this.
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Alrighty, we're moving on from No Prayer (and the illegal thread title I gave it) and on to FOTD. Have fun.
FEAR OF THE DARK - 1992
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/eb/Iron_Maiden_-_Fear_Of_The_Dark.jpg)
1. "Be Quick or Be Dead"
2. "From Here to Eternity"
3. "Afraid to Shoot Strangers"
4. "Fear Is the Key"
5. "Childhood's End"
6. "Wasting Love"
7. "The Fugitive"
8. "Chains of Misery"
9. "The Apparition"
10. "Judas Be My Guide"
11. "Weekend Warrior"
12. "Fear of the Dark"
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Why oh why in the living fuck is Eddie a goddamned tree?
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Why oh why in the living fuck is Eddie a goddamned tree?
It really looks like the cover of a Goosebumps book. :lol
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Yup, start of the ´lame´ covers.
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Definitely a step up from NPFTD. I like the experimental tracks Fear is the Key and Wasting Love where they were getting out of the comfort zone a little bit. Even the standard Maiden fare like ATSS, BQOBD, TF, and FOTD is plenty good. Unfortunately the album is also dragged down by some dreck, most notably FHTE and WW. I believe I like this one a little more than most, and like I said earlier I orginally got the cassette with all those extras on Side 2 so it was a fun listen.
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Really? I quite like it. I'd probably say it's my third favorite behind Somewhere In Time and Powerslave.
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Iron Maiden continued in the direction that started with No prayer for the dying. They kept producing old school sounding hard rock songs that I personally don’t really care for, because there are so many bands that do it better. I prefer their more progressive, experimental and epic side – although some of the songs here have some progressive moments, they’re still overly generic and uninteresting to me. Bruce also continues with his raspy singing, it’s even more dominant on this album and just not my cup of tea.
Be quick or be dead – It’s a heavy, fast opener that Iron Maiden is famous for, but it lacks the level of complexity that I expect from this band. Right from the start, Bruce bombards you with his aggressive voice, which doesn’t really appeal to me.
From here to eternity – A fun song with a very catchy chorus and some fine solos. It’s one of the few songs here with a memorable solo, so that’s another problem I have with this album – not a lot of solos stick with me.
Afraid to shoot strangers – My favorite song on the album and a fan favorite as well. The quiet clean verses are beautiful, there are some great guitar melodies, and everything about the heavy sections is flawless. I prefer the live version with Blaze, though.
Fear is the key – I forgot how good this song actually is. In terms of the arrangement, it’s one of the more complex ones. I enjoy the noisy bit that leads into a fantastic guitar melody, and then there’s that chaotic verse. Damn good stuff overall.
Childhood’s end – Most likely my least favorite Iron Maiden song. The lyrics themselves don’t sound too inspired, and I’m still not buying it because of the way Bruce sings them, I wouldn’t be surprised if he read them off a newspaper page. Some transitions are very lazy, especially the ending.
Wasting love – It’s not one of their better ballads. Listenable, but not too interesting.
The Fugitive – Probably the most bland Maiden song, because absolutely nothing about it sticks out. Not even the chorus.
Chains of misery – Great groove, heavy riff, and a catchy verse before the chorus. I’m not too crazy about the middle section, as it sounds cliche to me. The lyrics aren’t their most original neither.
The Apparition – It’s not the worst song on the album but it doesn’t offer any spectacular ideas neither. It’s interesting for the first minute or two, and then becomes immensely repetitive.
Judas be my guide – I used to like this song much more, but I guess it got old extremely quickly.
Weekend warrior – This one has an AC/DC vibe for the most part, which isn’t what I’m listening to Maiden for. The lyrics again talk about worldwide problems which were relevant at the time, and that worked fine for Fear is the key, but football hooligans? I don’t know…
Fear of the dark – An absolute classic and a fantastic album closer. I don’t need to mention that pretty much every live version is far superior to the one found on the album, so I rarely play the album version.
I have to agree with Bruce – the band was really stuck in the rut when they released this album. It was the right decision for him to leave, because the band needed a change. Luckily, a miracle happened on the next album… 6.5/10
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Ugh. Maiden's worst, I think. There's a decent album in the muck here: five songs could be cut, and the others given a little more life. This is an album that's generally lacking energy (with the exception of the opener). But it also has one of Maiden's most underrated songs.
Rankings:
1. Judas Be My Guide
2. Be Quick or Be Dead
3. Fear of the Dark
4. Afraid to Shoot Strangers
5. Childhood's End
6. Wasting Love
7. Fear is the Key
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a bunch of songs not worth ranking
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Seeming somewhat conscious of the fact that the “blast to the past” called No Prayer was a creative failure, Iron Maiden decide it’s time to modernize. Traditional comic book Eddie is done away with, for a new, more “modern” Eddie by a new more “modern” artist. Progressive elements get brought back into the mix. Stylistically, things are mixed-up a bit more than usual: Ballads and harder-edged songs are here, as if Maiden were saying “Ok, maybe it’s time to join in with some of these hair bands; their style is where the future of music is going, and we’d rather sound new than outdated.”
Ouch. If Maiden were trying to become more modern, Fear was a complete and total miss. Completely and utterly off the mark.
First off, new “Eddie” doesn’t really seem new at all. He looks like a Tim Burton Batman villain, meaning, he looks dated on arrival.
Secondly, Maiden were apparently too busy goofing off on Harris’ ranch to realize that the sun was setting for Hair at record-breaking pace. As with the cover, FotD is supposed to look and sound like a new Maiden, but it looks and sounds like a throwback.
I can’t imagine how that must have felt for the band. I mean, it’s not a terrible album, but it is the one Iron Maiden album where Harris and the band seem to have thoroughly failed to achieve what they were aiming for. Maiden are reaching to cover new ground on Fear, but they are coming up short. Not just a little bit short, either. They’re just way off.
That aside, the music is actually OK:
“Be Quick of Be Dead” is a decent opener that sort-of can stand up with the openers on the 80’s albums. “From Hear to Eternity” isn’t a great song, but it’s fun, and it’s held up live. “Childhood’s End” has some interesting stuff going on melodically, and seems like an early prototype of the reunion “sound” Maiden would continue to struggle to perfect in on over the next two more albums; the same goes for “The Fugitive”. And then there’s stuff like “Fear of the Dark”, which is just classic and, I’d argue, the real template for a great deal of reunion-era stuff.
But for all the stuff that’s pretty good, there’s something completely forgettable, like “Weekend Warrior”, or “Wasting Love”, which is Maiden trying to sell-out after it was already way too late.
Overall, Fear is noteworthy for a few reasons. One of them is because it’s a glaring representation of the reality that, in 1991, Iron Maiden were struggling with their identity as a band, and unsure of what they had to offer to the 90’s. But there’s a glimmer of hope, too, because Janick’s songwriting and playing is pretty good on this album. Part of the winning formula that Maiden would finally nail with Brave New World is brewing here, just not in a fully recognizable state.
Despite that, Maiden were really confused at this point, and it’d only get worst. If FotD represents a Maiden being pulled in too many directions at once, the next two albums are basically Maiden jumping off the deep end.
Grunge was becoming popular, and as the 90’s progressed, forms of rock even more removed from metal would takes its place.
In the meantime, bands like Dream Theater and others were emerging, and, in many ways, paving the trail for progressive and power metal to become the dominant voice of the marginalized “metal” genre, which was now a niche alternative to mainstream rock rather than the dominant form.
* * *
As an aside, does anyone else notice all the Marillion titles that riddle the two first 90’s Maiden albums… “Hooks in You”, “The Assassin”, “Childhood’s End”, all of which I believe are titles of Marillion songs. Always thought that was weird,
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Like I posted above somewhere, you can make a pretty decent CD-length album by taking the listenable tracks from this one and NPFTD and combining them, but even then it would be an album that would fall at or near the bottom of their catalog. Only the next two are worse.
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Regarding "Fear is the Key", here's an excerpt from Guitar World's December 2004 article, "The 100 Worst Riffs, Licks, and Solos of All Time":
29. IRON MAIDEN
“Fear Is the Key”
Fear of the Dark (1992)
GUITARIST: Janick Gers
Apparently, this song got its title from the instructions the band gave Janick Gers when he asked what key the tune is in. Not only does this track feature one of the most lightweight, wimpy riffs ever recorded by a metal band but the solo sounds like Gers was afraid of the strings. The only thing to fear about this song is the possibility that it may bore you to death.
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I can't say a lot about this that hasn't been said already. It contains two Maiden classics, which is more than you can say about NPFTD, but no song on No Prayer is as bad as Weekend Warrior, so they're kinda equal in my eyes. Some of the very worst that Maiden has to offer - though it only goes up from here.
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What's amazing to me is how awful Dickinson sounds on NPFTD and FOTD. I mean, on Seventh Son he sounded fine. Then..... (https://www.kirksnosehair.com/Portals/0/images/smilies/fart.gif)
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Yeah, people rank this album differently, but most here seem to be agreeing more-or-less on what the good and bad material is.
Personally, I've been doing some write-ups for lots of these entries, sometimes in advance based on anticipation of the next round, but I'm gonna be taking a break. I'm already feeling pretty damn burnt-out on Maiden, and if I force myself to listen to Live At Donnington, A Real Live Dead One, or either of the Blaze albums, I'm gonna be *really* burnt out by the time we get to the good stuff again. I'd rather actually be excited for that, so that means I'm taking a short break.
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Fear of the Dark, at least temporarily, arrests the slide into mediocrity that NPFTD began. It's true that the album has some dreadful lows-Weekend Warrior in particular-but it's highs are higher than NPFTD's highs, and it does have the title track, which is great on the CD and legendary live. Be Quick Or Be Dead is a punchy opener that I have no trouble with, Afraid To Shoot Strangers is one of the prototypes for how Maiden would construct epics in the future, along side the title track, and while From Here to Eternity and Wasting Love seem more at home on a straight up big hair metal album than on a Maiden album, they're not really that bad, and the former track's actually a lot more fun than I remembered. It's a little overlong by a few songs, though it is interesting that people frequently cite it as being the first Maiden album written for CD and its consequently got more filler than usual because of that, when it's actually only eight minutes longer than Powerslave. Fact is, the album's overlong because of bad songs, not because there's too many.
The production is worlds better than NPFTD, though it ends the band's association with Martin Birch, and with Dickinson's departure afterward, the process of departures was now complete. Maiden was without Adrian Smith, the melodic balance and center of the band-I'll argue when we get to the reunion that Smith is the guy who really holds the band together-Martin Birch, the producer that understood the band better than anyone has before or since, and Bruce Dickinson, another songwriting balance to Harris and the voice of the band. Iron Maiden was now Steve Harris' baby without anyone to really get in his way. Get ready for the pain.
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Top 5 Maiden album for me, I have always just been hooked on it. It's different, the band are experimenting, more time changes and time signatures and the band experimenting in different keys more. Plus Dave and Janick really explore what they can do in their playing.
I mean, check Janick's Fugitive solo, it starts in E, key changes to D, then key changes to C#, then repeats. Then Dave rips in E, then F#, then the final note is in the key of G I believe. Maiden have never done shit quite like this before. There are a couple of songs which are less impressive but also has some of Maiden's most underrated songs. Love it.
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Like I posted above somewhere, you can make a pretty decent CD-length album by taking the listenable tracks from this one and NPFTD and combining them, but even then it would be an album that would fall at or near the bottom of their catalog.
I couldn't agree more. If I combined the songs from these two albums that are above average, it would be these: Holy smoke, No prayer for the dying, Fates warning, Run silent run deep, Hooks in you, Bring your daughter to the slaughter, Afraid to shoot stranger, Fear is the key, From here to eternity and Fear of the dark. That would still be the weakest Maiden release in my book.
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Fear might be the band's weakest album, though I'm not in love with the Di'Anno era the way some seem to be and can't see either one of those as better in any significant way than No Prayer. No Prayer is a tightly constructed album which, despite being a step down from the 80s, has some very brilliant songs and no filler. Fear is the ONLY Maiden album with any filler at all as far as I'm concerned, and those are the three songs that are just significantly worse than the rest of the Maiden discography.
Tailgunner - Maiden's worst opener, but that's not saying much because this band knows how to open an album. Some of their few cringe inducing lyrics ("Nail that fuc- I mean, Fokker") are found on thi track, and there's no great moments musically. Probably the worst on the album, but it has a cool chorus. That's about it.
Holy Smoke - Based on these first two tracks, Maiden gave people a sort of bad first impression of the 90s era. But this song is a lot of fun, and if not taken as a 100% serious track, it's a cool one-off.
No Prayer for the Dying - At this exact point the album gets very good and Janick proves his worth as a guitarist. The energy just builds to "God give me the answer..." Beautiful compact song.
Public Enema Number One - Please ignore the title for the five minutes it will take you to listen to this song. This is a very good, energetic song, from Nicko's yell to the very end. Great guitar work by Mr. Murray, and great vocal delivery by Bruce. "CALIFORNIA DREAMING AS THE EARTH DIES SCREAMING!"
Fates Warning - Lovely intro, unfortunately the rest of the song is not exceedingly remarkable. Still, that intro.
The Assassin - Another fun song with some cool guitarwork and excellent vocals from Bruce. But not from Steve. Why they didn't just have a second Bruce sing "Better watch out" I will never know.
Run Silent Run Deep - Quite possibly the best on the album, this could easily have gone on an 80s album. Best music along with Mother Russia and definitely best lyrics.
Hooks In You - Very nice riff from Mr. H Smith and it's complimented oddly well by a good Janick solo. Another song that's just fun to sing.
Bring Your Daughter... To the Slaughter - This album's most overrated song, but not bad in any way.
Mother Russia - Second best on the album; somehow Maiden managed to compress their epic style into less than 6 minutes. Certainly a worthy Maiden epic. Good lyrics and delivery.
1. Run Silent Run Deep
2. Mother Russia
3. No Prayer for the Dying
4. Public Enema Number One
5. Hooks In You
6. Fates Warning
7. Bring Your Daughter... To the Slaughter
8. The Assassin
9. Holy Smoke
10. Tailgunner
Now on to Fear, I'm sorry for being so late all the time.
Be Quick or Be Dead - A heavily kickass opener with two good solos and Bruce's good vocals overcoming his middling lyrics.
From Here to Eternity - Say what you want about the early 90s; they delivered their fair share of FUN songs. Obviously this is a rather silly song lyrically, but it's not bad musically and Janick's whammy bar solo is enjoyable.
Afraid to Shoot Strangers - Easily the best on the album; emotional lyrics in the intro. This was best sung by (spoilers:) Bruce this past year, with a clean delivery (I have nothing against Bruce's 90s vocal delivery, it just doesn't fit this song), but almost equally well sung by Blaze. If you watch the official video for this, it has a good, Blaze-sung version of this song.
Fear Is the Key - This song is very excellent, but goes on for too long, dragging it down.
Childhood's End - So, most people count this as one of the best songs on the album, and I think if I tried to be objective, I could see that. But I have a prejudice against this song that may be unfair. I do not like humanitarian lyrics, generally, about hunger, and usually find them to be trite. I'm not ruling out the possibility that someone COULD do the subject justice, but Maiden didn't. These are my least favorite Maiden lyrics because they do seem very trite and pandering.
Wasting Love - A highlight on the album. Beautiful Bruce ballad, lyrics with which I sympathize, and good Janick solo.
The Fugitive - This song is a bit of an inside joke over at the MaidenFans forum when one user tried to argue that it is more musically complex than Starblind. I like Starblind better, but The Fugitive is a good song with an atmospheric intro and good vocals.
Chains of Misery - First of three fillers. Cheesy chorus, nothing going on musically.
The Apparition - Second filler, and worst Maiden song by a hair. Goes nowhere musically aside from an admittedly alright interlude in the middle, and lyrics and vocals are only average at best.
Judas Be My Guide - Third filler. JUST KIDDING this is a good song breaking up what would otherwise be a fairly poor three-song run. Great Dave Murray guitar work in particular.
Weekend Warrior - Third filler, for realz. Watchoo gowna do on Monday. Cheesy all around, but barely beats The Apparition for having musical progression,
Fear of the Dark - Second best on album, but overrated by casual fans. Way better live with an instrumental section that doesn't really get old, which is good because it has been played so damn much.
1. Afraid to Shoot Strangers
2. Fear of the Dark
3. Wasting Love
4. Be Quick or Be Dead
5. The Fugitive
6. Judas Be My Guide
7. From Here to Eternity
8. Fear Is the Key
9. Childhood's End
10. Chains of Misery
11. Weekend Warrior
12. The Apparition
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I really thought I disliked FotD but in playing it recently it stood up well. A few poor songs towards the end (not including the title track obviously) but it sounds better than any album since PS for me.
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425, The Fugitive is more musically complex than Starblind.
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This is a big step up from NPFTD in my book. Even if the album would have ONLY been BQOBD, ATSS, FHTE and the title track, those tracks ALONE blow everything on NPFTD out of the water. Most of the others are either slightly better than or at least on par with some of the better stuff from No Prayer. I disagree with the idea that this albums lows are lower than NP's.... It's not a great Maiden album, but to me it smokes No Prayer all the way around.
Anyone remember that FHTE was the next (and currently final AFAIK) chapter in the Charlotte the Harlot series?
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Yeah, Hooks in You and Eternity were loosley carrying on the Charlotte story. People argue that they are just references but I don't think the band has commented on it either way.
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I dislike Fear of the Dark more than No Prayer primarily because of Bruce's singing on the album. His seemingly determined focus to sing in that raspy style throughout (I assume to attempt to sound more aggressive?) just fails the songs IMO. As has been mentioned there are some tunes from this that are better than anything on No Prayer but the low points are lower for me. That's about all I can say about it at this point.
On the reunion albums does Bruce still heavily bring the raspy singing into the music? I had been somewhat excited to delve into the newer material as we go along but not getting my hopes up too high. It's not an outright killer for me but it definitely just isn't his thing IMO. He shines when singing not trying to sound tough or whatever it is he's attempting to do there.
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Liking the song "Fear of the Dark" does not make one a casual IM fan.
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On the reunion albums does Bruce still heavily bring the raspy singing into the music? I had been somewhat excited to delve into the newer material as we go along but not getting my hopes up too high. It's not an outright killer for me but it definitely just isn't his thing IMO. He shines when singing not trying to sound tough or whatever it is he's attempting to do there.
No. He sounds strained on some albums, but his vocals are overall very good and more operatic than ever. "Brave New World" features some of his best singing ever, period.
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I can only add a little to what's already been said here. Fear of the dark marked the end of the 'must buy on releasedate' albums for me. (wow! a double album!)
There seems to be almost no middle ground here. There are some really good songs on it, and a number of really bad ones. I remember quite liking Be quick or be dead, affraid to shoot strangers, From here to eternity, and even Wasting love. Overall, I quite liked it, except for some real stinkers. It's true that the band seemed to be struggling with their musical direction or identity. But I wasn't all that worried at that time.
And then....Bruce left.....
which entered a Maiden-less period for me personally.
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I have to also mention the Golden Earring cover Kill Me (Ce Soir), which was recorded to a B-side for Holy Smoke-single.
Yeah, we really are overdue a proper expanded and re-released version of Best of the B-Sides, aren't we?
Yep, Maiden has some pretty cool B-sides.
And to the topic.
This was the second Maiden album I've heard, the first was Somewhere in Time. I found half of this album very good, but the other one had some issues. Some tracks have opened to me, but it is still a bottom-tier Maiden album.
Be Quick Or Be Dead is a great opener, one of the fastest Maiden songs to date. Guitar solos here are just amazing. Some people hate Bruce's vocals on the song, but I think they sound evil. I also like the hectic music video. The computer graphics were something different on 1992, when compared to what they are today.
From Here to Eternity is a boring hard rock song, much in vain to Tailgunner. Good intro and solos, but nothing else. The music video is über-masculine, but fun.
Afraid to Shoot Strangers is often considered to be one of the classics from this period. I won't disagree. The song has very different structure, having four different parts: slow, mid-tempo, fast and outro in mid-tempo. Lyrics are a bit repetitive, but it doesn't bother me. I prefer Blaze singing this, though.
Fear is the Key is good and dark rock song, though the "Lies and lies and lies"-part sounds like a different song. The bridge "Now we live in a world of uncertainty" is awesome.
Many people like Childhood's End, but I don't. Some of the riffs has a nice Irish vibe, but the song doesn't really have anything special. And the lyrics are very cringe-worthy. Ughhh.
Wasting Love is one of the gems. A slow power ballad, a thing Maiden hadn't tried to do before, but they hit the mark with this one. They have done some similar songs later (Out of the Shadows, Coming Home), but they aren't nearly as good. The melancholic mood is well present, a very emotional song.
The Fugitive is alright, not a filler, but doesn't shine in anyway. Verses remind me of The Assassin from NPFTD.
The Apparition is always been lowly regarded, but I like it. It is much based on lyrics, which are great. The bass-guitar unison got to be appreciated. I don't see what's so much wrong with the song.
Chains of Misery is listenable, but not really interesting.
Judas Be My Guide might be my favourite of the album. Davey's handprint is showing, super melodic rocker and Bruce is on fire. It's a shame they never played this one live (and the fact that they played From Here to Eternity is a one too :P).
Weekend Warrior is not bad, no matter what anyone says. It's not their brightest moment, but a solid rocker anyway. I like how they wrote a song about football hooliganism, the topic which was important back then and is still. Dave delivers one of his best solos.
Fear of the Dark is overplayed... Bullshit. They should never drop this one from live sets. Epic in a Maiden style, full of great melodies and it has two sparkling solos. Singing the main melody with tens of thousands other fans at Helsinki Olympic Stadium was a great experience.
The album is too long. If it had 8 or 9 songs, I'd really like. Now there are too many "not bad, but nothing special"-songs. I like the cover art though, a great drawing by Melvyn Grant.
Ranking:
1.Judas Be My Guide
2.Fear of the Dark
3.Wasting Love
4.Be Quick Or Be Dead
5.Afraid to Shoot Strangers
6.Fear is the Key
7.The Apparition
8.Weekend Warrior
9.The Fugitive
10.Chains of Misery
11.Childhood's End
12.From Here to Eternity
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Judas Be My Guide is my favourite here too :metal
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I'd go as far as saying that Judas is Maiden's most underrated track.
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I'd go as far as saying that Judas is Maiden's most underrated track.
QFT
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I can get behind that.
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I'd go as far as saying that Judas is Maiden's most underrated track.
I'd echo that.
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I agree with what's been said so far. The great advantage of this being Maiden's first album of the CD age is that you can programme a CD player to just play the best tracks - and there's a really good 40 minute conventional length album in here trying to get out.
But the filler is..just...just...awful.
Am I alone in quite liking the Eddie-Tree on the cover?
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On the bootleg front, there's not much I can wholeheartedly recommend for this era. Largely because it's already pretty well represented, with two separate live albums for the Fear of the Dark tour, plus two more for Bruce's farewell tour the following year. There are two good Latin American TV broadcasts available (example (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwoDN0Lw-sE)) which while more energetic than the Donington show, probably aren't better overall due to being of lower visual/audio quality. There's also a pretty good show from Italy that was televised (and is in its entirety, minus the opener, on youtube).
All in all though, the Fear of the Dark tour was pretty damn good. It retained the energy of the No Prayer shows, Bruce was still in top form, and although the setlist was a bit weak it was still one of Maiden's better tours. However, the following Real Live tour was pretty shitty. The band doesn't sound very well rehearsed and Bruce was pretty awful. Really sounded like he stopped trying. However, this also marks the last time that Maiden actually gave a damn about mixing up the tracklisting on a live album.
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I'd go as far as saying that Judas is Maiden's most underrated track.
I know so many people that list Judas be my guide as one of their Maiden favorites, and I'm always bumping into positive comments about it on the internet. I'd call it overrated, but I'm in the minority that doesn't like it too much.
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No way it's overrated.
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Deer of the park...
Deer of the park...
I have a constant fear that Bambi's always near...
Sorry, I've had that stuck in my head the last couple of days and I thought that I'd share it and ruin someone else's experience with the song for awhile...
Anyways, I've been listening to the album the last couple of days. It's not quite as bad as I remember it being, but when it does get bad it hurts. Be Quick or Be Dead, The title track and Judas are pretty good songs. Fear is the Key sounds like it could have been a good song, but they just didn't know how to pull it off. And the rest of them I don't care if I ever hear again.
As far as Bruce's voice goes, I really wonder if he wasn't just burned out at this point rather than trying to have a different vocal style. It almost sounds like his voice is simply used up and he needed a "re-set".
Janik...I guess I'll just never get a feel for the guy's playing. Dave, on the other hand, I could listen to that man play for days on end and love every minute of it.
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Or as we used to sing:
Vera the Dog,
Vera the Dog,
I have a constant fear that Vera's always near...
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No way it's overrated.
Yeah I don't really see how a song like Judas would be overrated. If someone said the same about Run to the Hills or The Number of the Beast, I would totally understand it, but Judas?
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(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/487178_10151281283147051_101101265_n.jpg)
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I haven't been active in this thread, which is stupid, since Maiden is my all time favorite band.
Brief summary:
I love every album from the 80's.
Piece of Mind is my all time favorite album, with Revelations and To tame a land in my top 5 all-time favorite Maiden tracks.
Ranking 80's albums:
1. Piece of mind
2. Powerslave
3. 7th son
4. The Number of the beast
5. Killers
6. Somewhere in time
7. Iron maiden
NPFTD is my least favorite album from them (with Virtual XI). Nothing really sticks out as a really good track from that album. Mother russia comes close, but the rest is really meh for me..
So, onto Fear of the dark.
I really like it! When i got into Maiden i bought the albums chronologiccaly. Since NPFTD was a real letdown, i felt FOTD was a big step in the right direction.
It's still full of flaws, and ideas that feels unfinished and rushed.
As have been mentioned from many others, the album suffers mosty from being to long. If they had dropped two or three tracks, the album would have been much better as a whole IMO.
I really like he first half of the album, then it's really uneven until the title track comes thundering back, giving us one of the all-time greatest classics from them.
1. Be quick or be dead:
- I love this as an opener. The most in-your-face opening track since Where Eagles Dare IMO, and a truly unique and brutally fast and heavy track from Maiden. The music video rocks as well.
2. From here to eternity:
- It's pretty silly, but a fun rocker that i enjoy. Nothing extraordinary, but fun, simple and enjoyable.
3. Afraid to shoot strangers:
- A classic! I love this song, and i personally like Bruces delivery more than Blazes. Great arrangement, and wonderful melodies.
4. Fear is the key:
- I like the theme of the song. Im not really fond of the "lies and lies and lies"-part. I find it rushed, and silly. It could use a re-arrangement, and some better melodies. An OK track.
5. Childhood's end:
- I love this song! Great melodies, great lyrics, and a classic Maiden-arrangement.
6. Wasting love:
- This was my favorite song from this album for a long time. It's just a great power-ballad, which Maiden didn't really did often before this one. I love Wasting love!
7. The Fugitive:
- This is where the album starts to fall apart IMO. Fugitive is not bad, but it feels really uninspired and boring. I allways skip this one when i listen to the album.
8. Chains of misery:
- When the song starts, it feels like this is going to rock! When Bruce starts singing, and the song evolves, it just gradually becomes less and less interesting. Not a bad track, but could use some more developing. A good idea that they wasted.
9. The apparition:
- One of Maidens worst tracks ever. Its not teribble, but just completely forgetable.
10. Judas be my guide:
- Great Dave-track! It's a shame that a lot of Daves songs get shuffled away and never gets the attention they deserve. Like Deja Vu and The Prophecy, they never really get mentioned or played live. It's a shame, 'cause this one is one of their most underrated tracks ever!
11. Weekend warrior:
- I actually used to love this song. When i listen to it now it just seems boring and uninspired. Not their worst song ever, but a song that easily could have been skipped and used as a b-side.
12. Fear of the dark:
- Well, this is one of the biggest classics along with Hallowed and The Trooper. Great, and one of their best live-songs ever!
Album ranking: 6,5/10 - because it's so uneven. Drop the apparition and weekend warrior, and you've got a 7,5/8-album ranking from me.
An OK-album, with lots of great potential that they blew to many times.
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Deer of the park...
Deer of the park...
I have a constant fear that Bambi's always near...
Sorry, I've had that stuck in my head the last couple of days and I thought that I'd share it and ruin someone else's experience with the song for awhile...
Anyways, I've been listening to the album the last couple of days. It's not quite as bad as I remember it being, but when it does get bad it hurts. Be Quick or Be Dead, The title track and Judas are pretty good songs. Fear is the Key sounds like it could have been a good song, but they just didn't know how to pull it off. And the rest of them I don't care if I ever hear again.
As far as Bruce's voice goes, I really wonder if he wasn't just burned out at this point rather than trying to have a different vocal style. It almost sounds like his voice is simply used up and he needed a "re-set".
Janik...I guess I'll just never get a feel for the guy's playing. Dave, on the other hand, I could listen to that man play for days on end and love every minute of it.
QFT. I know it's PC to prefer Adrian, but I LOVE Dave's playing and sound. He's written my favorite IM tune. When you think about, Maiden has been blessed with 2 of the most melodic guitar players in the history of metal - it's no wonder the band sounds so good.
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When you think about, Maiden has been blessed with 2 of the most melodic guitar players in the history of metal - it's no wonder the band sounds so good.
No question about it. So overooked when ranking best guitarists, but Dave & Adrian have to be the quietest most unassuming guitar heros. They are both brilliant.
And Jannick really adds to the whole mix. The three part harmonies are incredible, and when he's focused, Jannick's a pretty good soloist and guitarist himself.
As far as Fear Of The Dark goes, I remember getting this when it came out, I was so happy that Maiden was BACK! Such a huge step up from No Prayer. That said, there is some junk on this album, which was evident right off the bat.
But the moment I heard Be Quick Or Be Dead (which really needs to be played live!) it was so intense.
And the title track! Oh my God! I remember rolling down my windows in my car and CRANKING IT!!!!!! My second favorite Maiden tune after Hallowed.
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When you think about, Maiden has been blessed with 2 of the most melodic guitar players in the history of metal - it's no wonder the band sounds so good.
No question about it. So overooked when ranking best guitarists, but Dave & Adrian have to be the quietest most unassuming guitar heros. They are both brilliant.
And Jannick really adds to the whole mix. The three part harmonies are incredible, and when he's focused, Jannick's a pretty good soloist and guitarist himself.
Dave and Adrian are both great guitarists alone, but together they were the best twin guitar team in the history of metal. Before them, you had generally a team where one guy was, for lack of a better term, first lead, and the other was second lead-Dave and Adrian became equals, and had almost a telepathic link as a team. In fact that's particularly a skill Adrian has in general. Go listen to Bruce's Accident of Birth, and it really comes across as Bruce and Roy Z's band plus Adrian. Listen to Chemical Wedding, and Roy and Adrian have become a team, seamlessly playing off each other. Jannick's a good guitarist, but I think he stood out like a sore thumb until the reunion, where he had both Dave and Adrian to play off of. Watch them live, and you'll realize that it's Adrian who is holding everything together while Dave lets fly with those speedy lines and Jannick just goes berzerk.
My renewed interest in Maiden has also turned me into a total Adrian Smith fanboy. :lol
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So, what's next? ;D
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I vote we keep going on studio albums. I don't think any of the live releases are worth much discussion until The Early Days. Or maybe Eddie's Archive.
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It's up to theseoafs to decide. If it were up to me, I would cram the two (or three) live albums prior to The X Factor into one discussion topic. But maybe it's just because I'm looking forward to the discussion about The X Factor. ;D
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I'd cram all the early 90s live albums into one post if it were my thread myself, just for space considerations. That and they're hardly what you'd call essential. :lol
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So, what would be the best live version of "Fear of the Dark"?
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The one on A Real Live One.
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Death on the road, as far as I'm concerned. But I also love the versions on Rock in Rio and Flight 666.
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It's up to theseoafs to decide. If it were up to me, I would cram the two (or three) live albums prior to The X Factor into one discussion topic. But maybe it's just because I'm looking forward to the discussion about The X Factor. ;D
That's what I was thinking too.
A REAL LIVE ONE/A REAL DEAD ONE/LIVE AT DONINGTON - 1993
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/08/Iron_Maiden_-_A_Real_Live_One.jpg)
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/44/Iron_Maiden_A_Real_Dead_One.jpg)
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/46/Ironmaidendoningtonrevised.jpg)
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It's been a while since I pulled out A Real Live/Dead One, but I listened to Live At Donnington last week, and it is excellent. Jannick rips on it.
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I'm not really all that familiar with these releases (I'll have to dig up Live at Donington again, which is, IIRC, the only one of these that I have), but I really, really like the cover for Live at Donington. It's a little cheesy, yeah, but it looks pretty awesome as a whole. Very metal. :metal
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I actually dont own a real live/dead one...
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I actually dont own a real live/dead one...
I don't own any of these, but I gave them spins on Spotify as we got closer to this point, and they're all good, solid live Maiden, but really not so essential that you should rush out and buy them.
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I'm going to not do an exhaustive overview.
Live At Donington
The good
- Bruce sounds great
- Lots of energy
- Adrian shows up
The bad
- Guitars are low in the mix and weak as hell
- Setlist is poor
A Real Live Dead One
The good
- Great mix of songs
- Some really energetic crowds
The bad
- Bruce sounds iffy
- The mix kind of muddy
- Somewhat sloppier performances all-around
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These live albums sure are popular.
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Listened to these only a couple of times, and I prefer Live at Donington. I prefer their reunion live albums, obviously.
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I love all of these albums. Donington is my fav, and the concert on VHS is awseome. IMO, the whole band just rips, especially Dave. Love the performances all round. Could have used some more obscure picks like what we see on ARLDO, but it's a great concert.
ARLDO, as a 2cd is awesome too. Awesome to see Tranyslvania, Prowler, Where Eagles Dare and the incredible performance of Remember Tomorrow.
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heh, I actually don't have any of those particular live albums. In fact, the only live Maiden album I own is "Live after Death"
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If someone were to remix the Donington album with the guitars much louder, it would be a great public service. They're soooo low in the mix. Listen to "Afraid to Shoot Strangers", and hear how the freakin' synth completely overpowers Dave and Janick.
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Donington is an underrated Maiden live album with a great set of songs and good performances from all members of the band. But, as has been stated, the guitars are a little low in the mix and are sometimes overpowered by the synths and even at times by Harris's bass. A Real Live One doesn't bring anything you don't get from Donington but A Real Dead One does, a lot of rare stuff, actually. And I may be imagining things, but I feel like the mix on ARDO is better than on ARLO.
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These live albums sure are popular.
Yep! Anyway, in the interest of not killing all discussion, we're moving on to the Blaze albums.
THE X-FACTOR -- 1995
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/21/Iron_Maiden_-_The_X_Factor.jpg)
1. "Sign of the Cross"
2. "Lord of the Flies"
3. "Man on the Edge"
4. "Fortunes of War"
5. "Look for the Truth"
6. "The Aftermath"
7. "Judgement of Heaven"
8. "Blood on the World's Hands"
9. "The Edge of Darkness"
10. "2 a.m."
11. "The Unbeliever"
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Absolutely the most underrated album in Maiden's catalog. I just love the dark intensity of almost all these songs, and they are written for Blaze...so his performance (IMO) is just stellar.
After hearing Bruce's version of Sign of the Cross on several occasions, I have to say that I disagree that his version is superior. He really doesn't sing it very differently at all...and it doesn't really sound like his heart is in it. Blaze OTOH really sings SotC with an intensity that I have never heard Bruce match. (Bruce might be technically more proficient...but really doesn't sing the Blaze songs with the conviction that Blaze did. Again...IMO)
Having said that, Blaze was still a poor choice for Maiden. He is FANTASTIC on this album....but there was no way in hell he was ever going to be able to do the old material in any way, shape or form that was going to be accepted by anyone. Thus leading to the obvious question, "What the hell was 'Arry thinking?" He could not have overlooked the fact that Blaze was being set up to fail on a grand scale. At least Judas Priest managed to get someone who could sing the hell out of the classic material. Iron Maiden made an incredibly boneheaded decision of finding someone who was never going to be able to pull off any of the old material live. (well....maybe the Paul Dianno stuff)
But as a stand alone, I think this album is better than either of the two albums that proceeded it.
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My favourite Iron Maiden album. The whole thing is something the band will never create again. It's dark, haunting, somewhat progressive and just downright depressing. Blaze puts through an incredibly raw and emotional vocal performace which suit the songs and the album perfectly.
Based on Steve going through rough times the output from the band here is absolute magic. The production is a bit flat, but it still works with the atmosphere of the album pretty well. I wish this cd was a 2cd set which also included Judgement Day, Justice of the Peace and I Live My Way. Incredible album.
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But as a stand alone, I think this album is better than either of the two albums that proceeded it.
No, I will raise you, IMO it's their best album, hands down.
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The X factor is one of my fav Maiden albums. I love the mood, the songs and while not a huge fan of Blaze, I do think these songs suit him. One thing I do hate is the production on the album. I mean really it sounds like crap. Not brickwalled or loud but downright flat sounding esp when you were used to the amazing standards Martin Birch had on all his albums.
I think I will spin it now.
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There is a long held notion about this album.
Stated simply, the notion is this: The X Factor is a brilliant album, but the production doesn't do it any favors, but hey, it's not Virtual XI at least!
It's a notion that I held for a rather long time. It's one I believe I even espoused on these forums somewhere. Nothing wrong with the album that a remaster or remix or something would fix. And again, hey, it isn't Virtual XI, right?
Here's the thing.
I hadn't actually listened to The X Factor in a very long time. Perhaps a decade. But given this thread and how I wanted to be up to date on my Maiden, I felt I owed it to myself to give it a spin, though I was sure I was going to have the same basic thoughts on it I had for years: a good album let down by the production. I put it on and started playing it, and, something nagged at me. Even during Sign of the Cross, which is a frankly amazing song, my opinion's not changed on that. It was about the time I reached Fortunes of War that I finally put voice to the nagging disquiet that had filled me as I had listened to it.
"This album" I said out loud, "is really fucking awful."
I finished it, and spun Virtual XI, and I came to the conclusion that I'm about to express-one which, judging by the response to it thus far, is going to go over like a lead balloon.
The X-Factor is Iron Maiden's worst album. By far. Virtual XI has Iron Maiden's worst song in the hilarious musical misjudgement that was The Angel And The Gambler, and it's by no means a good album, but The X-Factor is their worst album. It's Steve Harris with no one to balance him out, to tell him what to do (or what not to do), without a producer to reign him in, writing a group of songs that, other than Sign of the Cross, come off as weaker versions of far better songs (especially noticeable when you realize that they did Fortunes of War before, and a lot better, when it was Afraid To Shoot Strangers.) It has over it a vocalist with the range of a 50 year old shortstop after knee replacement surgery, who I actually feel bad for since by all accounts Blaze is a great guy, but he had zero business being in Iron Maiden. It has a production that turns the guitars to utter weaksauce while Harris' bass overpowers practically everything. It's a sprawling mess of an album by a band that not only had lost its way, but had a leader that didn't even realize they HAD.
A total, unmitigated disaster. I know, it's all too frequently praised as a classic, or even Maiden's best album, but man, I don't hear that at ALL.
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I just listened to the whole thing for the first time. I don't think it was really that bad. The fun riffs are still there. I don't really like Blaze's voice, but whatever. And I really like Blood On The World's Hands. The whole album sounds pretty dry. I'm satisfied though. Based on the horrible things I'd heard, I was expecting something much worse. Subject matter's depressing as hell. The IM sound I like is there, but it's drenched in a much more desolate theme, I'd say.
I'm not really a "ranking" kind of guy, but after a first listen I'd say I probably put it just a smidge ahead of No Prayer and probably on the same level as Fear Of The Dark, but below all the other Dickinson albums.
I honestly don't know where I'd rank the first two albums. I liked some songs on them, but I'm just pretty indifferent to them as a whole.
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I really think people need to stop thinking 'what if' and saying 'what should have been' when it comes to the Blaze albums. It's happened, the band have reclaimed their throne, so really, just take the albums for what they are and some may come to realise some of the beauty that's hidden there, instead of just thinking 'Man, I can't believe Maiden got Blaze to sing for them.' It's happened, take them for what they are.
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I can't believe Maiden got Blaze to sing for them.
Not trying to be cute, wolfking. But no one has EVER been able to explain to me how Blaze was able to beat out hundreds. Even on his solo albums, he doesn't sound THAT good, and he definitely doesn't have much charisma or stage presence.
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What I like about the RiR performance of tSotC is the faster tempo. I heard the RiR before the album version and it was a bummer when it felt slow. The song is great though.
I love Lord of the Flies, such a great Blaze song.
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The best Maiden album since Powerslave and one of the best also. Blaze breathed new energy into Maiden, which was using only about half of it's power before.
The album is very dark and heavy. Steve Harris was going through tough times, he was divorced, his father died and Bruce left the band. These events have impacted much to the album's mood and soundscape.
Many people bash the hell out of the production, but I like it. It is cold and heavy, and I don't want to hear this album with for example Fear of the Dark's or Virtual XI's production. The guitars sound quite bad in some places, but it doesn't really bother me.
I love Blaze's voice. His voice is very powerful. This album also features the most powerful vocal moment in their whole discography (more about it later).
This album began the trend of clean intro's, if I have done my math right, 9 songs out of eleven start with clean guitar. In this point they just aren't as long and abysmal as they will become.
Sign of the Cross is among the most progressive Iron Maiden songs to date. It is very dark, but the chorus gives some light in to it. I have also mention the solos, to my mind they are the best Maiden solo ever. The dark and proggy instrumental section is excellent.
Lord of the Flies took some time to open, but it's a cool hard rock track, better than for example Holy Smoke by miles. Pretty light when compared to the other album, but a nice song overall. The Death on the Road version is horrible.
Man on the Edge was the leading single and the fastest song on the album. The lyrics are inspired by the movie Falling Down and they might not make any sense if you haven't seen the film. A great film by the way. Quite frantic song, with some of the best Maiden guitar work. Beware the music video, it's seizure-inducing.
Fortunes of War is maybe the darkest song on the album, very emotional one. The lyrics are excellent and Blaze's delivery equally good.
Look for the Truth is often overlooked, and I don't see why. It starts with very beautiful intro, together with Blaze's vocals it sometimes gives goosebumps. When the main character in Fortunes of War has lost his hope for tomorrow, the narrator here is ready to fight against his fears. Very strong track, shame that it was never played live.
The Aftermath captures the mood of post-war emptiness. The battles are gone, what's next? What is worth living for? A very melancholic song. Some of the best Maiden lyrics ever, this is my nomination of the best Maiden lyrical moment:
Once a ploughman hitched his team
Here he sowed his little dream
Now bodies' arms and legs are strewn
Where mustard gas and barbwire bloom
Judgment of Heaven is the lightest song on the album. It's pretty fast-paced. The solo is very short, but the song has lengthy melodic interlude which makes it up. I don't like Blaze screaming "YEAH-YEAH!", it sounds a bit forced.
Blood on the World's Hands starts with a long bass solo. Again very dark song, inspired by the world's events back then, mostly the war in Yugoslavia. Quite progressive song, a very good one.
The Edge of Darkness is the first Maiden song with too long intro. But it's not as unbearable as some in the future. The song has many different parts and is very emotional. It has also the best Blaze vocals on the album. And here is the moment I was talking about.
Here I'm with the knife in my hand
AND I NOW UNDERSTAND WHY THE GENIOUS MUST DIE!
Geez.
2 A.M. is very depressed song. It is good, but my least favourite. The other 10 are simply just better.
The Unbeliever was the most experimental Maiden song back in the day and even when it is a bit dispersed, it is enjoyable. The chorus is great, Blaze really shines there. Odd, but good instrumental section.
Lyric-wise, this probably their best album.
I don't like the cover, it's too grotesque. The picture of Eddie in the electric chair is better:
(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQnVL7G-i9e5CdovIJpr5eFjwVtrSTgS9AlI6LcoN0Qnd5cVlu5tg)
I'm not making a ranking, it's too difficult! Judgment of Heaven and 2 A.M. are the two weakest songs, but I don't really know about the others.
E:My favourite Iron Maiden album. The whole thing is something the band will never create again. It's dark, haunting, somewhat progressive and just downright depressing. Blaze puts through an incredibly raw and emotional vocal performace which suit the songs and the album perfectly.
Based on Steve going through rough times the output from the band here is absolute magic. The production is a bit flat, but it still works with the atmosphere of the album pretty well. I wish this cd was a 2cd set which also included Judgement Day, Justice of the Peace and I Live My Way. Incredible album.
:metal.
Oh, the leftover songs. I like I Live My Way, but don't really care about the two others. So I think they made the right decision leaving JD and JOTP for B-sides.
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My biggest problem with TXF is that the songs just feel unfinished. It has some arrangement issues. Like The Unbeleiver, it has this incredible intro (one of their best ever) and then here comes this clunky verse.
But this album is incredibly bold.
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This album is a far cry from what I love about Maiden - fun, fast, "uplifting" metal like The Trooper, Aces High, and The Evil That Men Do. It's too dark and depressing for my taste. I gave it a new spin a few months ago and I dug a few more songs than before (Judgement Of Heaven, Blood On The World's Hands) but still, it's probably my least favourite Maiden disc.
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I can't believe Maiden got Blaze to sing for them.
Not trying to be cute, wolfking. But no one has EVER been able to explain to me how Blaze was able to beat out hundreds. Even on his solo albums, he doesn't sound THAT good, and he definitely doesn't have much charisma or stage presence.
thought exactly the same at the time. I thought it was an April Fool joke when I heard. I was familiar with Blaze from the Wolfsbane days (they were terrible btw) and couldn't believe they would choose him. Other power metal bands had emerged by this point with very good singers. Maiden got left behind.
I don't own X Factor and have only listened to it once on Spotify. Nothing very memorable other than SotC which I was familiar with from a compilation (BotB?). I do have virtual XI and find it to be ok, apart from the vocals that hold it back.
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A Real Live Dead One / Live at Donnington
Taking songs from different venues means that we get a great version of every song, but I'd always rather have a complete show, warts and all. Putting the older tracks on the second disc does rather make it the less essential of the two. Donnington was released as a kind of apology for getting ARLDO wrong. I quite like it, because I'm there, somewhere!
The X Factor
Yes, Blaze Bailey isn't Bruce Dickinson. Live with it.
Yes, without Dickinson and Smith on songwriting duties, Steve Harris steps up and fills the void, and some of his compositions are a little repetitive, to say the least.
Yes, some of the songs should have been re-arranged to suit Blaze's voice better - when he's in his range, he nails it, but when the band ask him to sing in Bruce's range (Fortunes of War, for example) he really shows the limits of his voice.
Yes, this is a darker, heavier and almost gothic version of Maiden. You won't find the likes of Bring Your Daughter... here. This is dark and depressing Maiden...
Yes, it probably is too long, and could do with losing a couple of filler tracks.
But it's a great album, better than NPFTD and FOTD. Sign of the Cross and Edge of Darkness are stunning, Man on the Edge rocks like Maiden hadn't for years, BOTWH is a really different song for Maiden, and even 2AM has its charms. Listening to this again, I was expecting it to not be that good - I was pleasantly surprised. If this had been the debut album by a new band, it would be regarded as an all time metal classic, but because it's the debut album by the "New Maiden" it's always doomed to be the most criminally underrated album in their catalogue. I actually want to listen to this again, and that's more than I can say for Virtual XI...
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I don't want to step on theseoaf's toes, but at this point Balls to Picaso and Tattooed Millionaire are already released. I do hope we get a chance to discuss some of Bruce's solo stuff as part of this thread.
Yes, Blaze Bailey isn't Bruce Dickinson. Live with it....
But it's a great album, better than NPFTD and FOTD.
No, it isn't, and if you think it is, you obviously have a very strange definition of "greatness". YOU "live with it"!
;)
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Can't contribute much here, I can't hum a single note from The X-Factor or Virtual XI and probably won't ever have the desire to go back and learn any of the songs. I haven't listened to either one since they came out.
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I don't want to step on theseoaf's toes, but at this point Balls to Picaso and Tattooed Millionaire are already released. I do hope we get a chance to discuss some of Bruce's solo stuff as part of this thread.
Yeah. If we do discuss the solo stuff - and I hope we do, since a lot of this material is really good - then I'll do it *after* we've finished with the core Maiden discography.
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The X Factor is by a decent margin Maiden's most divisive album. The spectrum runs from love, to indifference, to outright hate. Personally, I view it more or less the same way I do Maiden's reunion albums: a good album with great potential, frustratingly hindered by lay writing, baffling decisions, and a general sonic inferiority to Maiden's '80s material.
First off, Blaze Bayley. A lot of people wondered why Maiden chose Blaze of all people. I think there's a number of reasons: they had toured with Wolfsbane in the past (when Blaze had considerable more range to his voice) so there was the element of familiarity, and selecting Blaze would present a clean break from the years of Bruce. Make no mistake, the decision process here was probably 99% Steve Harris. Steve and Bruce had always had somewhat of a rivalry in terms of influence within the group, and that could very well be a reason he ended up picking a very different type of singer and frontman.
Blaze's stint with Maiden was pretty disastrous, to be honest. By 1994 he had already lost significant amounts of vocal range. He got in a motorcycle accident that ended up cancelling Maiden's plans to tour in 1994. Over the course of The X Factor sessions (which lasted almost a year), he got extremely frustrated with the lack of progress on the album, and delivered a mediocre and often indifferent-sounding performance. I really don't understand how it happened. He sounds so confident, assured, and dynamic on his solo albums. I don't know whether to blame him, Steve, the production, or what. During The X Factour he suffered from allergic reactions due to Maiden's production, and delivered performances ranging from good to godawful. Similar problems would plague him during the Virtual XI tour, along with being the (oft resented) face of Maiden's decline, especially in the U.S.
Blaze isn't the only one who sounds bad on The X Factor. The guitars are extraordinarily weak, and the drums sound very muddied. With Bruce gone, Steve took over full control, and there's plenty of rumours that postulate that Maiden's sonic decline has to do with the mix of his influence and hearing problems. Really, Harris is the only one who sounds good here, even as his play started to decline in terms of originality (this was the beginning of his bad habit of just strumming bass chords along with the chord changes).
Despite the weak production, Janick and Dave sound really good here (though not quite as excellent as they would on the next album). In a brooding, slow, dark album, their solos provide a great shot of energy and speed. People tend to credit the sound of this album entirely to Steve, but they forget that Janick actually received credit for 7 of the 11 final tracks, the most any guitarist has ever written for a Maiden album.
The songs themselves are pretty good. They could've used some more work, however; some feel like they're good ideas just in the process of being hashed out, and stumble awkwardly from moments of inspiration to moments of dullness ("The Aftermath" and "The Unbeliever" being two notable examples). The reason this album is so frustrating is that there are moments of true greatness here, that are constrained by the production and the performances. Seriously, compare this version of "Sign of the Cross" to the one on Rock in Rio, whose vitality destroys its studio counterpart. Or listen to "Lord of the Flies" on Death on the Road and hear how awesome that opening riff is with more dynamic guitars playing it. One of my biggest Maiden-related fantasies is to hear this album re-done live.
The last baffling thing I'll talk about: the non-inclusion of "Judgement Day." (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBpV6xv9TPI) Or "Justice of the Peace," (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xITc5IwhQ78) for that matter.
Song rankings:
1. Man on the Edge
-- Judgment Day --
2. Blood on the World's Hands
3. Lord of the Flies
4. Sign of the Cross
5. Fortunes of War
6. 2 a.m.
7. Judgement of Heaven
8. The Aftermath
-- Justice of the Peace --
9. The Edge of Darkness
10. Look for the Truth
11. The Unbeliever
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On the bootleg front: there are a handful of shows from the South American portion of the tour that were recorded professionally. There are three soundboard boots: one each from Brazil, Chile, and Argentina, with all three having been broadcast on television. Of the TV boots, the Chile one is good and complete, and features an infamous incident between Blaze and a serial spitter. The Brazil show is the highest quality, but lacking the encore. The Argentinian show is lower quality but complete, and available completely on youtube. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbBBZlyZII0)
Some live highlights. Seriously, these songs are so much better live. "The Aftermath" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_VcCHVztYs), "Blood On the World's Hands" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4RnZoMB8Eo), and "Fortunes of War" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ3AkPrH5lE).
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Great write-up, GP. Good bit of education, there! Do you know who else Maiden auditioned?
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I can sum up my thoughts on this album in one word: meh
Sorry, man, I tried to like it when it came out, tried to like it now. I just don't like it. And honestly, my entire opinion of it is not centered on Blaze. He's not that bad of a vocalist. The problem I have with this album, like most of the albums from the period where Adrian Smith was not involved, is I just don't like the songs.
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"Blood On the World's Hands" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4RnZoMB8Eo)
Holy shit, listen to the power of that voice! :metal But why the hell is he working the crowd during Steve's bass solo? :lol
I can't wait to give this album another listen before I join the discussion...
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Great write-up, GP. Good bit of education, there! Do you know who else Maiden auditioned?
They sifted through tons of tapes, but I believe the only other person they (by which I mean Steve, really) seriously entertained and did proper auditions with was Doogie White. Blaze had the inside track from the start, however, from past association.
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Thanks for all that info GuineaPig, it was a great read. I'm listening to Fortune of War and that melodic lead part in the middle of the song is giving me chills.
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Thanks for all that info GuineaPig, it was a great read. I'm listening to Fortune of War and that melodic lead part in the middle of the song is giving me chills.
The sort of bluesy Dave riff? It's one of my favourites. It's also completely impotent on the record itself.
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Yup the one that starts at 2:24, actually that whole part is kick ass esp when the keyboards kick in at 3:00. Awesome stuff.
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Do you know who else Maiden auditioned?
I believe it came down to Blaze and Doogie White.
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So, I gave the album a fresh listen. I really don't have anything good to say. I know that some of you guys are really into this stuff. If it get's ya off then more power to ya.
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The last baffling thing I'll talk about: the non-inclusion of "Judgement Day." (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBpV6xv9TPI) Or "Justice of the Peace," (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xITc5IwhQ78) for that matter.
It´s been a long time since i heard those two tracks, and they are much better than a lot of the song on the actual cd.. It´s truly a mystery why they where left out!!
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On the bootleg front: there are a handful of shows from the South American portion of the tour that were recorded professionally. There are three soundboard boots: one each from Brazil, Chile, and Argentina, with all three having been broadcast on television. Of the TV boots, the Chile one is good and complete, and features an infamous incident between Blaze and a serial spitter. The Brazil show is the highest quality, but lacking the encore. The Argentinian show is lower quality but complete, and available completely on youtube. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbBBZlyZII0)
Some live highlights. Seriously, these songs are so much better live. "The Aftermath" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_VcCHVztYs), "Blood On the World's Hands" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4RnZoMB8Eo), and "Fortunes of War" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ3AkPrH5lE).
Yeah, Blaze was very strong on his own songs live. No one should have expected him to be able to pull off the old material. And that video with the spitter is one of the greatest things I've ever seen.
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Enter Blaze Bayley, a new front man and a drastically different singer from the one that made the band famous. It's no wonder so many passionately hated this record back in the day, I discovered it 12 years late and had a problem with it even so, because everything was so different - the musical style is dark, the lyrics are even darker, the production is raw, and there's this unusual vocalist whose strength was in his lower and middle register and whose dark voice contributes to the mood of the album. After a while, I fell in love with everything I initially couldn't care less for. The X Factor is absolutely amazing. The amount of originality, progressiveness and inspiration strikes me as unbelievable - where was all of this on previous two albums?
Sign of the cross - The best song I've heard in my entire life. I'll just leave it at that.
Lord of the flies - A hit from the album that sticks out with its opening riff, catchy chorus and a memorable sing along part. Take a look at the live versions, the one from Death on the road is probably what you'll bump into first and watch how fans go crazy about it. It's a classic.
Man on the edge - The only fast song on the album, because an album this intense and dark requires something to slightly balance it out. It is an absolute classic whose chorus I loved from day one. If this one doesn't get you moving, I don't know what does.
Fortunes of war - The epic intro sets the mood for the song perfectly. The guitar melody that Dave delivers once the intro passes and distortion kicks in is incredible, his tone here and on the rest of the album is brilliant. Fantastic lyrics also.
Look for the truth - Another song with a great sing-along. Aside from that it's pretty solid but not one of my favorites on the record.
The Aftermath - Definitely one of my favorites on the album and one of those perfect songs. Everything about it musically is excellent, but the real winner here are the lyrics. In fact, if it weren't for A Matter of life and death, this would be their best album lyrically, hands down.
Judgement of Heaven - This song might appear lighter and happier than the rest of the album, but I find it just as dark. It contains a very catchy chorus and some glorious guitar harmonies that only Iron Maiden can deliver.
Blood on the world's hands - One of the most original songs they came up with while writing for the album. So many things about it musically are weird, and I personally immensely enjoy the weirdness. The bass solo is very nice as well.
The Edge of darkness - Blaze belts out those lyrics like crazy, I love his performance here. There's another beautiful guitar harmony between the two separate guitar solos.
2 AM - Probably my least favorite song on the album, but still really good. This is some depressive stuff - I don't know if Steve wrote the lyrics, but I'm guessing he did. Gers shines as well, his contributions to this album are not to be forgotten.
The Unbeliever - What an intro! Insanely progressive stuff, especially the verses. The chorus is also one of its strengths - Blaze does struggle to hit some of the notes, but some might argue that vulnerability of his voice gives the theme of the song a special touch. The solos are gorgeous, and the bit where two solos blend together gives me chills every time.
Since a lot of criticism towards The X Factor comes from dissatisfaction by Blaze Bayley, I need to say that, as far as I'm concerned, he was perfect for this album. He wasn't so perfect on Virtual XI, he wasn't too perfect live when it came to performing some material from Dickinson era, but he worked here. He's one of the reasons The X Factor is so special and not just one of my favorite Maiden albums, but also one of my favorite albums of all time. I'm happy to know a few people that share my opinion. 9.5/10
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Well said mate. I love seeing lots of positive comments towards this amazing album. :hefdaddy
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Mladen, those are my sentiments exactly.
I don't think Maiden's quite made a bad album. NPftD and FotD are at the bottom of my list, but The X Factor isn't anywhere near there.
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I can sum up my thoughts on this album in one word: meh
Sorry, man, I tried to like it when it came out, tried to like it now. I just don't like it. And honestly, my entire opinion of it is not centered on Blaze. He's not that bad of a vocalist. The problem I have with this album, like most of the albums from the period where Adrian Smith was not involved, is I just don't like the songs.
From the things I've heard from it, this about sums up my take as well. I YouTubed a few live clips of Blaze singing these songs, and he just does not seem to be a very good live singer. In studio, eh...he's not THAT bad, but...I dunno. There's nothing about him that I want to listen to either. And maybe he is a great singer when he's doing different material. I mean, to take Charlie Dominici as an example, I was under the impression that Charlie just wasn't a good singer, from hearing his work with DT. Then I listened to him doing his own material that he wrote with his voice in mind, and which played deliberately to his stengths, and I thought he sounded pretty good. But on the DT material, which is written for a different kind of voice than he possesses, he sounds terrible. When listening to Blaze in Maiden, I just don't care for his voice at all. But as Barry said, the issues with those songs don't stop there. They just don't sound good. But musically, they seem to have a lot more live breathed into them in a live setting. But the album tracks just sound lifeless to me.
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Blaze is a completely different beast when it comes to his solo material. Him and Maiden were just not a match, but somehow created a masterpiece.
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Hey M, great write up on the album. :tup
I actually love 2 AM.
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2am is so depressing it's scary. The atmosphere is just really dark and dense. And the instrumental section is like some sort of death march or something. Janick's solo portrays the mood real nice too.
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I think there is one thing I need to mention . . .
darker =/= better
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So I relistened, and I can say that while I understand all the criticism leveled at this album, I love it regardless. Yes, many of the songs are similarly structurally, but they are just so damn good that I find it hard to care. The atmosphere that this album has is one that Maiden has never captured again, and I doubt they will. It's not one of my absolute favourites, but it's a great listen and I enjoy it when it comes on. Standout tracks for me are Blood On the World's Hands, 2 AM and of course, Sign of the Cross.
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I think there is one thing I need to mention . . .
darker =/= better
I don't think anyone claimed otherwise. It's just that the darkness really appeals to some of us.
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I listened to the live versions of Blood On the Word's Hands and The Aftermath on my way to work this morning. Great stuff!
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC6iibJuzF8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC6iibJuzF8)
Not to be a dick, but by comparison.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC6iibJuzF8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC6iibJuzF8)
Not to be a dick, but by comparison.
Wow. Yeah, you know, these songs just have a different energy to them live, not to mention having Bruce on vocals. It's like they are completely different songs.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC6iibJuzF8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC6iibJuzF8)
Not to be a dick, but by comparison.
There's really no need to post that. Both of those versions that TAC mentioned are incredible versions of the songs. The band sound great and Blaze is in top form here.
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Wait.. I'm confused. What song versions are we comparing? I see a whole concert DVD posted so I'm not able to determine what songs we're comparing. I'm still new to the Blaze and reunion era IM so I apologize ahead of time.
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I think we're comparing the version of Lord of the flies from Death on the road to the studio version or live version with Blaze on vocals. I loved Bruce's performance of Sign of the cross and The Clansman, but his high voice kills the dark mood of this particular song, it doesn't sound right to me. But still kudos for the rest of the band and the fact that they pulled out the song from this album and played it live, I wish they did it more often.
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I think cyclopssss was trying to compare Blaze/Maiden live performances to Bruce/Maiden performances in general, which there really was no need to regarding TAC's post. I thought it must have been LOTF, but there was no timestamp to that song.
Really, the two songs TAC was talking about are incredible live performances from the Blaze lineup and Death on the Road is great too. Plus, I prefer Blaze's version of Flies over Bruce to be honest.
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Oh God, I wish I never posted that link now....lol. I guess I should clarify that what I tried to compare was the songs, but it's not a very fair comparison as the Bruce versions from the Dance of Death tour are DVD quality and the Blaze versions are a lot less, quality wise.
But to each his/her own. I never gave Blaze a fair chance, really. Never bought the cd's with him on them, so I can't really judge all that well. I guess I'm just so used to hearing Bruce on Maiden tracks that I never invested any real time in listening to X- Factor and Virtual X.
I guess, being a fan of the band I should try and make an effort to be able to judge it more fairly.
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Exactly what I was saying before. You have to go in and take them for what they are, go in with a clear mind when listening. It annoys me when people bash the Blaze era but don't really give it a good chance.
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Exactly what I was saying before. You have to go in and take them for what they are, go in with a clear mind when listening. It annoys me when people bash the Blaze era but don't really give it a good chance.
I've given it several listens over recent days but still don't rate it. Too many folky bass intros, but it's the vocals that kill it. Because he has no range all the songs sound the same vocal wise. It sounds unbalanced- the bass dominates. A great vocal could have covered it up but there isn't one. For example, SOTC starts great, good build up, then the verse starts and it's ruined.
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I don't have a problem with that then. if people really give it a go and still can't get into it, then that's completely fine.
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My problem isn't his vocal range. It isn't like Paul had much range either and I'm fine with what he did with the band. My problem with the vocals is the way that the lines were written themselves. Not the lyrics but the note and cadence choices. It's like he chose to follow the notes of the instruments exactly in spots instead of writing a melody over them in several spots. In turn, the vocals come off as staccato and jarring instead of flowing.
I've no problem if this technique is used on occasion, but it's used entirely way too much on each of the Blaze albums. It makes the music unlistenable to me.
Wolfking, I've tried to give these albums a chance off and on for 20 years. This is probably my favorite band of all time, but other than an odd track or two I just can't do it. I think that many other people have done the same and have reached the same conclusions as I have. It's great that you and many others like these albums and what he did with the band and I understand why you would want to defend the albums, but I think that you might be off-base when you say that people havn't given them a chance.
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I'm coming at it with a different perspective, but I still agree. Being brand new to Maiden, I can't say I've been trying for very long to give the Blaze songs a chance. But I can say this: When hearing most of the Bruce-era songs during both of his stints with the band, my reaction to the vast majority is immediately: "I really like this." My reactions to the songs with Blaze that I have heard: "I do not like this." It's really that simple. But to elaborate just a bit, I don't care for the studio versions. I don't like the tone or timbre of Blaze's voice. And instrumentally, the songs sound largely flat and lifeless to me. Then I go and listen to some live clips with Blaze. Instrumentally, they have more energy and punch, which takes them up a notch. But I still don't like the tone or timbre of Blaze's voice. So they're better, but still not something I'd say I like. Then I hear live version with Bruce, and my reaction is: "Yeah, I kinda like this." Instrumentally, the energy and punch is there, and vocally, the songs just sound better to my ears.
So I can't say I'm a fan of this part of the band's history. I guess that lumps me in with a bunch of "casual" IM fans, but I don't care. There's a lot of great stuff in the IM discography that I am discovering. I just can't be bothered to spend much time on the stuff I don't like, at least not right now.
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The shame is that even as Blaze sounds so much better on Virtual XI, everything else was so much worse. Nothing seemed to work out for Blaze in Maiden.
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When hearing most of the Bruce-era songs during both of his stints with the band, my reaction to the vast majority is immediately: "I really like this." My reactions to the songs with Blaze that I have heard: "I do not like this."
That's the crux of it, honestly. I've been trying over the past few days to get into the Blaze albums more (I never really did), but it's just not happening. The production is wacky, the songwriting is (with a couple of exceptions -- Sign of the Cross, Man on the Edge, Futureal) rather lame, and the vocals just don't sit right with me. I want to like the Blaze albums, but it's just not happening right now.
In other news, I've been listening to it quite a bit lately (though I never actually chimed in about it), and I've determined that No Prayer for the Dying isn't actually that bad, for all the crap I've been throwing at it since the beginning of the thread. The album doesn't take itself too seriously, but that doesn't bother me (I listen to Van Halen, for Christ's sake). It's a definite regression from SSOASS, but things wouldn't get really bad until Fear of the Dark, an album which I've found to be more or less unlistenable.
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The shame is that even as Blaze sounds so much better on Virtual XI, everything else was so much worse. Nothing seemed to work out for Blaze in Maiden.
I took to VXI easier as it seemed to get back to a classic Maiden feel. definitely not as adventurous or chancey as TXF.
One thing I think TXF songs could benefit from is the third guitar. There just feels like there are gaps in the music that Adrian could fill on nicely.
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Anyway, we're already talking about it, so here's Virtual XI.
VIRTUAL XI - 1998
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9d/Iron_Maiden_-_Vitrual_XI.jpg)
1. "Futureal"
2. "The Angel and the Gambler"
3. "Lightning Strikes Twice"
4. "The Clansman"
5. "When Two Worlds Collide"
6. "The Educated Fool"
7. "Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger"
8. "Como Estais Amigos"
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"The Clansman" is a fantastic song when executed properly.
"Lighting Strikes Twice" is really fun.
"The Educated Fool" is pretty good.
"Como Estais Amigos" is fantastic.
That's about all the good things I have to say about this album.
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I'm coming at it with a different perspective, but I still agree. Being brand new to Maiden, I can't say I've been trying for very long to give the Blaze songs a chance. But I can say this: When hearing most of the Bruce-era songs during both of his stints with the band, my reaction to the vast majority is immediately: "I really like this." My reactions to the songs with Blaze that I have heard: "I do not like this." It's really that simple. But to elaborate just a bit, I don't care for the studio versions. I don't like the tone or timbre of Blaze's voice. And instrumentally, the songs sound largely flat and lifeless to me. Then I go and listen to some live clips with Blaze. Instrumentally, they have more energy and punch, which takes them up a notch. But I still don't like the tone or timbre of Blaze's voice. So they're better, but still not something I'd say I like. Then I hear live version with Bruce, and my reaction is: "Yeah, I kinda like this." Instrumentally, the energy and punch is there, and vocally, the songs just sound better to my ears.
So I can't say I'm a fan of this part of the band's history. I guess that lumps me in with a bunch of "casual" IM fans, but I don't care. There's a lot of great stuff in the IM discography that I am discovering. I just can't be bothered to spend much time on the stuff I don't like, at least not right now.
There are plenty of us hardcore fans that do not like that era at all either, so don't feel apologetic about it.
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I remember being very happy with VXI when it came out. More of a classic Maiden feel.
Futureal was a great way to open the album.
The obvious classic here is The Clansman, as good as any Maiden song.
The last minute and a half of DLTTEOAS has to be one of the coolest bits in the entire Maiden catalog.
And the next Blaze era track that HAS to be resurrected is The Educated Fool!
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This album has some obvious standouts. Its best tracks are a cut above the best songs on <i>The X Factor</i>. It helps that the production is a lot more lively, even if it still sounds pretty bad. "Futureal" is one of the best openers the band ever produced. "The Clansman" is a bit ostentatious, but nonetheless pretty fun. "Como Estais Amigos" is probably Maiden's most underrated track (yeah, I know I said it about "Judas Be My Guide", but that title is much better suited here).
But there's just a ton of filler here. Really unmemorable stretches. The repeating choruses had grown in number to the point that they gained sentience and took over the album. If my memory serves me right, "don't you think I'm a saviour" gets repeated over 60 times, "lightning strikes twice" is in the 40s, and "don't look to the eyes of a stranger" is around that mark too. This album was mostly written by Steve, and it shows. Janick goes from writing 7 songs to only 1. Blaze only gets credit for three lyrics. Guess which songs don't feature endlessly repeating choruses?
Meanwhile, Blaze sounds good and sound do Dave and Janick. They really put in yeoman's work here, making the best of bad production and lazy song structures. They deliver some great, blistering solos. Nicko and Steve on the other hand, sound completely uninspired. I can't remember a single stand-out moment for the rhythm section on this album.
It's just so mediocre. A real shame. It was written and recorded in a hurry (as opposed to the long, drawn-out process of The X Factor), and it shows.
Song rankings:
1. Como Estais Amigos
2. Futureal
-- Virus --
3. The Clansman
4. The Educated Fool
5. Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger
6. Lightning Strikes Twice
7. When Two Worlds Collide
8. The Angel and the Gambler
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Remember the urban legend that it was actually Steve that played the drums?
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^ :lol No, I've never heard of that.
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On the bootleg front, there's a couple decent recordings. There are three soundboard bootlegs, one from each of Madrid, Stockholm, and Tokyo. They're all pretty good quality and have decent performances. Blaze's last show with the band in Argentina was broadcast on TV (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3BFHMOaiPk), but the quality is poor and not really worth it except for curiosity's sake. If you're really interested in a video bootleg, I would suggest the one from the show in Hamilton, Ontario, (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtCiE7LzAcg)which has better quality than the TV broadcast.
On the whole, the tour was rather lackluster. Smaller venues and crowds for the band. Much of the North American tour was cancelled because of another allergic reaction on Blaze's part. Blaze struggled with his voice for much of the tour. The only really noteworthy thing about this tour was that it was Maiden's longest in terms of show length; they typically played 20 songs, including some fairly long ones, meaning that the shows often went as long as 2 hours and 20 minutes or so. Maiden played a couple 20 song sets during the latter part of the Brave New World tour, but since then the standard has been 16-17 songs and an hour and 45 minutes.
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Bonus trivia question time: four songs originally written during the Virtual XI sessions resurfaced later and were released with the reunion line-up. Without cheating, try and guess which four songs were written during 1997-98.
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This is just a good Maiden record that has everything I like about Maiden - it's absolutely all there. Not a lot of fans share my opinion, or at least they didn't back in the day, so the lack of positive criticism about Virtual XI was one of the reasons this was the last Iron Maiden album with Blaze Bayley. He does a good job here, although he doesn't shine like on the previous album. Some of it has to do with the fact that this album sounds lighter and more ''cheerful", so to speak, than the rest of their discography.
Futureal - A great opener with a furious riff and a wild guitar solo, one of their shortest songs yet so energetic and powerful. Everything about it is awesome, they couldn't have opened the album in a better way.
The Angel and the gambler - It's easy to hear why so many people hate this song, but the chorus somehow grew on me and now I find it insanely catchy, I can't help but tap my foot, sing along or bang my head. And those retro keyboards give it a great touch.
Lightning strikes twice - A very interesting song with some great ideas in terms of arrangement, very original song structure as far as I'm concerned. Blaze sounds excellent in the chorus and the guitar solos stand out.
The Clansman - The entire band is on fire. This epic is a timeless classic and probably a fan favorite from the Blaze era. It's the only song the band resurrected on two tours since the reunion, so they obviously love it as well.
When two worlds collide - The only problem I have with this song is that it doesn't offer anything too interesting, it's pretty average for a Maiden song. Blaze struggles in the last minute, it's not a great moment for him.
The Educated fool - Incredible in every way, it's gorgeously melodic as much as it is heavy. Listen to Nicko in the last chorus, the man is a beast. The band needs to play this live again, although I find it hard to imagine how Bruce would fit.
Don't look to the eyes of the strangers - Here's where the repetitiveness isn't nearly as fun as it is on The Angel and the gambler. The lyrics aren't too impressive neither. I enjoy the instrumental section, though, they've never done anything like it.
Como estais amigos - One of the very few Iron Maiden songs that almost brought me to tears, it's one of the most emotional musical pieces that the band ever wrote. Blaze writes heartfelt lyrics and delivers a passionate performance. A tremendous album closer.
I don't think there's anything wrong about this album. The only thing that make me rank it near the bottom of my Iron Maiden list is the fact that a couple of songs bring it down, so it's not like the entire album has a problem like No prayer for the dying and Fear of the dark do. 8.5/10
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Bonus trivia question time: four songs originally written during the Virtual XI sessions resurfaced later and were released with the reunion line-up. Without cheating, try and guess which four songs were written during 1997-98.
I'm gonna say Dream of Mirrors is one.
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Nomad?
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Shit, you beat me to it, theseoafs, that was going to be my guess. No clue on the others
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Bonus trivia question time: four songs originally written during the Virtual XI sessions resurfaced later and were released with the reunion line-up. Without cheating, try and guess which four songs were written during 1997-98.
I'm gonna say Dream of Mirrors is one.
This one, absolutely. I love this song other than the intro which has the crappy "vocals follows the guitars exactly" thing going on that bothered me so much about the Blaze's vocals.
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Out of the Silent Planet? You have the vocals follow guitar lines here as well, quite prominently.
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Bonus trivia question time: four songs originally written during the Virtual XI sessions resurfaced later and were released with the reunion line-up. Without cheating, try and guess which four songs were written during 1997-98.
I'm gonna say Dream of Mirrors is one.
Nomad?
Two down, two to go.
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Bonus trivia question time: four songs originally written during the Virtual XI sessions resurfaced later and were released with the reunion line-up. Without cheating, try and guess which four songs were written during 1997-98.
Nomad, Dream of Mirrors, Mercenary and .....No More Lies, I think.
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I like this album. It's no X Factor but is has some terrific songs. Educated Fool is one of my top Maiden songs, it's incredible. Eyes of A Stranger is very underrated too.
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Bonus trivia question time: four songs originally written during the Virtual XI sessions resurfaced later and were released with the reunion line-up. Without cheating, try and guess which four songs were written during 1997-98.
Nomad, Dream of Mirrors, Mercenary and .....No More Lies, I think.
Correct... as far as I know. Interestingly enough, this tidbit didn't come out until Dance of Death did, largely because Steve is very secretive about behind the scenes stuff. Adrian revealed in an interview that 4 songs were leftovers from Virtual XI, and named "The Nomad", "Dream of Mirrors", and "The Mercenary." He claims to have forgotten the fourth but there's good reason to believe it's "No More Lies" (especially since he said it wasn't "Blood Brothers").
EDIT: Source. (https://maidenfans.com/2004/adrian-smith-admits-virtual-xi-leftovers-were-used)
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Yeah, I remember that interview too. It makes sense that No More Lies is from the XI sessions.
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I bought this one on release- mainly because it was a poor time for music for me and my cd buying obsession had to be fed :biggrin:
I like this one. Blaze is still Blaze of course, and the songs would be better with a different singer, but the songs are better and more balanced in the production. The sound is brighter. The Clansman is a great Maiden song.
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Didnt know that about those four songs, really interesting. Thanks!
I've always ranked this as the worst IM album and I think I did that because TAatG is by large and far the worst IM song. Its so terrible that it made the album terrible. However, I always liked a bunch of the songs on this album although none are in my top 10 or even top 15 probably. Listening to all these albums again though, this may be better than FotD now and maybe NPftD.
I really wish they'd do a few more songs with Bruce from this album as I think the performance could be amazing a la theclansman, but I don't think Bruce's version of Futereal is as good.
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Holy shit! This album is better than I remember it being, and that by a fair margin. Yes, the quality is spotty over the board, but there are some forgotten and underrated gems to be found here - Lightning Strikes Twice, The Educated Fool or Como Estais Amigos come to mind.
What really stands out on this album are two things: Blaze isn't really that bad as a vocalist, even on the stuff that is closer to the standard IM sound that TXF is. Of course, Bruce does it a little better, but there are really no tracks here that make me think that Blaze sucks. On the contrary, he delivers a great performance on the album - if I don't enjoy something, it's because of the songwriting, not because of his vocals.
The other thing that is great here is the lead playing. Janick really shines here and it features some of his best and most memorable solos, in my opinion. The Educated Fool comes to mind first, but all the other tracks are great too, like Lightning Strikes Twice or Futureal.
On the other hand, there are a lot of problems on this album. As other have already mentioned, the chorus repetition really gets out of hand here, and some songs are needlessly bloated (The Angel and the Gambler and Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger) past the point that is acceptable in any shape or form. When I'm asked for the twentieth time if I don't think that Blaze could be a saviour, I just want to hit my head on the table and cry out how they ever, ever thought that that was a good idea.
Still, this album gets way too much shit. It's not on par with The X Factor, but there are some albums outside of the Blaze era that I enjoy quite a whole lot less than this one.
Also, Virus kicks ungodly amounts of ass and should have never, ever been relegated to B-Side status.
1. Como Estais Amigos
2. Lightning Strikes Twice
3. Virus
4. The Clansman
5. Futureal
6. The Educated Fool
7. When Two World Collide
8. Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger
9. The Angel and the Gambler (though even that song has some pretty cool parts, like the main riff or the guitar solo)
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Virtual XI, until I re-assessed my Maiden list after listening to their work throughout this thread, was the worst Iron Maiden album to me for the longest time. Having moved out of that spot doesn't mean it's magically become loads better, as it really is a handful of good songs-Futureal, The Clansman, When Two Worlds Collide, and The Educated Fool-surrounded by some mediocre material and Iron Maiden's single worst song, period, in The Angel and the Gambler. More on that later. Blaze does better as the songs are more suited to his voice, so while he's still dogged by his limited range, at least the songs are making steps towards accommodating that. When Two Worlds Collide and The Clansman are flat out great songs, and I've always liked the riffs in The Educated Fool. I can understand why an urban legend has sprung up saying Steve Harris played the drums on this album. because I remember wondering if Nicko had flat out lost it because his drumming was so uninspired on this album.
And then there's The Angel And The Gambler.
I read somewhere that the intent of the song was to duplicate an audience participation part of a song, where the endless repetition was meant to imitate an audience singing along when the singer asks them to. It's bad enough that a lot of Iron Maiden songs are written seemingly with the notion of audience participation involved (you can pick out the parts in the quiet intros that you just KNOW the South American audiences are going to sing) but a song that was intentionally designed to feel like live audience participation is hilarious. The crowd singing the song works live, much like the drum solo and the guitar solo spot, because it's part of the live atmosphere. But when the sing along makes the live album, it's pretty much a skip. Why Harris thought putting the listener through that for however many times it happens-the one time I counted I lost count at 45 or so-amazes me to this day.
Another thing that didn't help this album for me was the fact that it was sandwiched, in terms of my purchasing albums, almost perfectly between Accident of Birth and Chemical Wedding. Here were Bruce and Adrian making amazing albums with Roy Z, while Maiden was putting out these poorly produced albums with a singer that didn't fit and ridiculous songs. The phrase "suffers in comparison" was MADE for that situation. :rollin
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I'll be sure to make Virtual XI my "album of the day" later. Never heard it.
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Ok as I've mentioned I'm going through this Blaze stuff and into the reunion stuff as a total noob. Just on first listen on The X Factor material it seems I love what the band did music wise but only some of the songs work with Blaze's vocals.
For example I think I'd really like "Sign Of The Cross" but his vocals are so flat it was as if the songs weren't written with his singing in mind. However I really dig "Blood on the World's Hands" and how his vocals fit there cause he isn't asked to really draw out any long vocal parts. It's mostly shorter punchy vocal melodies. When he's trying to sing longer melodies it just sounds so flat to me on first glance.
I am giving the stuff a chance though so we'll see how it goes!
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Just ran through two listens of VXI.
Just want to say that Lightning Strikes Twice is excellent.
Probably my biggest problem with these two albums is that the rhythm guitars sound terrible. No power at all. It really hurts a lot of these songs.
And while I love Blaze's voice, he just seems lost sometimes in some of these songs on these two albums, especially in the verses. And the chorus in The Educated Fool is so weak. It was made for Bruce. I would love to see where he could take it.
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I can't believe people even compare XF and VXI. To me, they are just WORLDS apart. The X Factor is IM's most under rated album, and a decent "mid-tier" effort.
VXI is....DRECK. As some have mentioned, Futureal is OK and The Clansman is pretty good. But I just CANNOT get past the endlessly repeating choruses. I mean...REALLY? REALLLLYY??? In a sea of people that were involved in this album, not ONE PERSON had the balls to say, "ya know, Steve....the audience loves those sing alongs....but don'tcha think maybe...."
Even the good songs on this album are just completely bloated and ruined. It is, IMO Iron Maiden's only "BAD ALBUM"...and I wouldn't wish the listening experience on anyone.
Listening to this album is on par with Chinese water torture. You start off thinking "this isn't so bad", and by the time it's done you're ready to claw your face off and sobbing for your mother to PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!!
This is the album where they became the joke they had created.
Yoko Ono's albums have more range and less repetition than this album does.
Blaze does the best he can to perform these songs with conviction....but at a point, I would have simply refused. "Steve, you'll have to loop the tape if you want it that badly...because I am NOT SINGING THAT CHORUS SIXTY F*(&IN TIMES!!!! EAT A DICK!!!"
In case you hadn't guessed...I really freakin hate this album. :hat
It's interesting that both Iron Maiden and Judas Priest found replacement singers for two albums. And in both cases, the first effort was really VERY good and showed quite a bit of promise (IM with TXF and JP with Jugulator) and in both cases, the second effort seemed to so bad so as to seem like an ATTEMPT at failure. (IM with VXI and JP with Demolition).
Oh well. On to Brave New World....that's all I have to say.
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Listening to this album is on par with Chinese water torture. You start off thinking "this isn't so bad", and by the time it's done you're ready to claw your face off and sobbing for your mother to PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!!
Dear lord :lol :lol
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In case you hadn't guessed...I really freakin hate this album. :hat
Yikes! I guess so! :lol
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Probably my biggest problem with these two albums is that the rhythm guitars sound terrible. No power at all. It really hurts a lot of these songs.
That's the biggest thing I notice too when listening. At times they just seem to have no crunch at all. I mean, some songs like Stranger, sounds like the boys are using the clean channel just turned up a little to get the slightest amount of distortion. Don't know what happened here.
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Listening now. As with X, not as bad as I feared. I think all the longer songs are the weaker ones though. Futureal is a fun opener. Oh, and The Educated Fool. Fucking awesome song!
The Angel and The Gambler was pretty awful though. That shit could have been majorly trimmed down. :lol
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Well, I guess I told it somewhere before, but I guess this is as good a place to share this story anyway.
It was my last day on a job in 1998, I had just gotten my 'going away present' : a portable cd player (with batteries) and it was a nice, sunny summer's day.
I went into town to soak up a little of the sun and shop for some cd's to play on my new toy.
I went into a shop in the old centre of town and, after moping around about the lack of choice, finally decided on two single-cd's by Metallica, who'd just released 'Garage Inc.' these two cd's had some nice live bonus tracks on them.
I decided to go to the McDonald's nearby and have a milkshake and sit on the little terrace they had in front, which was really tiny.
So there I was basking in the sun, listening to 'The thing that shouldn't be' or something, thinking about 'what the fuck am I going to do next for a job?' When who come walking up and taking some seats a couple of yards away from me? Steve, Jannick and Dave. My f'ing heroes for over 15 years. I think I actually choked on my milkshake, my jaw dropped to the floor. I couldn't help but stare while these guys were chattin' away like: 'Alright, mate? This is nice, innit?' I mean, I knew they were touring and in the country, but I never expected to see them up close. Now this was in the days before readymade mobile phones with camera's, but even If I'd had one, I would never ave gone up to them to ask them for a photo. I probably would have shat myself. And yeah, not two minutes later, here come Nicko and Blaze to join these guys.
All I could think was 'fuck me, why didn't I get tickets??!'
So yeah, that's my little story about this era of Maiden, the only time I've ever seen them up close, as I'm still to witness a concert by them.
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First off - the cover. Probably the worst IM cover to date. The graphics from the "Ed Hunter" video game are pretty basic, even by mid-90s standards. Why the game wasn't given away with this album rather than with another unnecessary greatest hits compilation I don't know. OK, I get the "virtual reality" thing, but where's the link to football? There's 11 players in a football team and the album was released in a World Cup year? Is that it? It just seems like they had two ideas that didn't go together, so they meshed them together anyway.
The dark, gloomy sound of TXF has gone, replaced with a more traditional, upbeat production, so I can see why some people prefer this album. The rhythm guitars are lost in the mix, Blaze's voice is too high, and the whole thing seems to have an "AM radio" feel to it. Still, there's some excellent guitar work here, and you can really hear it.
Futureal gets the album off to a good start, but then - oh dear. TA&TG is 5 minutes too long, and the "parp-parp" keyboards are just horrible, and totally inappropriate. Blaze sounds utterly bored singing the same lines over and over, which is no surprise, because we're bored listening to them. And to think this was the lead single from the album! What were they thinking!
When Two Worlds Collide is a great song, but Blaze's vocals are off, Lightning Strikes Twice is fun, Como Estais Amigos is an emotional closer. But those are the shorter songs. I don't get the love for The Clansman - it's another cliched Steve Harris plodder. It sounds much better on Rock In Rio, but the album version does nothing for me. The Educated Fool is everything I hate about Harris' songwriting - Lyrics don't scan? Then simply add another beat to the line! - and DLTTEOAS repeats the sins of TA&TG.
It's not all bad, by any means, but the ratio of good to suck is pretty poor, and so IMO this is the worst Maiden album, by a country mile.
What this record always sounds like to me is the sound of a band giving up. I think they were fully aware that their star had faded with Bruce's departure, and that they were stuck in a downward spiral of diminishing returns from here on in. They just weren't trying.
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I thought the Ed Hunter game was pretty damn good, and with the tracklist, was a nice package at a great price.
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Correct... as far as I know. Interestingly enough, this tidbit didn't come out until Dance of Death did, largely because Steve is very secretive about behind the scenes stuff. Adrian revealed in an interview that 4 songs were leftovers from Virtual XI, and named "The Nomad", "Dream of Mirrors", and "The Mercenary." He claims to have forgotten the fourth but there's good reason to believe it's "No More Lies" (especially since he said it wasn't "Blood Brothers").
EDIT: Source. (https://maidenfans.com/2004/adrian-smith-admits-virtual-xi-leftovers-were-used)
Now that's interesting. I'm also guessing No more lies was a leftover as well.
Also, great story, Cyclopssss. :tup
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I thought the Ed Hunter game was pretty damn good, and with the tracklist, was a nice package at a great price.
I've never played the Ed Hunter game, so I can't comment, but my point was more that Virtual XI feels like an advertisment for another product, and is cheapened as a result. I can't think of another album cover that has acted as an advert for something else in quite the way this one does.
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I don't know man, but as clever as the band has always been, merchandise-wise (the only band who can get away with wearing their own damn bandshirts on stage!) this game thing always seemed a bit contrived to me. It was like saying: 'Look kids! us old farts can be cool too!'. The same with all of those damned compilation discs 'greatest Ed' or whatever, seemed a bit of overkill to me. Every bloody fan bought all the albums, singles and picture-discs anyway.
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First off - the cover. Probably the worst IM cover to date. The graphics from the "Ed Hunter" video game are pretty basic, even by mid-90s standards. Why the game wasn't given away with this album rather than with another unnecessary greatest hits compilation I don't know. OK, I get the "virtual reality" thing, but where's the link to football? There's 11 players in a football team and the album was released in a World Cup year? Is that it? It just seems like they had two ideas that didn't go together, so they meshed them together anyway.
The dark, gloomy sound of TXF has gone, replaced with a more traditional, upbeat production, so I can see why some people prefer this album. The rhythm guitars are lost in the mix, Blaze's voice is too high, and the whole thing seems to have an "AM radio" feel to it. Still, there's some excellent guitar work here, and you can really hear it.
Futureal gets the album off to a good start, but then - oh dear. TA&TG is 5 minutes too long, and the "parp-parp" keyboards are just horrible, and totally inappropriate. Blaze sounds utterly bored singing the same lines over and over, which is no surprise, because we're bored listening to them. And to think this was the lead single from the album! What were they thinking!
When Two Worlds Collide is a great song, but Blaze's vocals are off, Lightning Strikes Twice is fun, Como Estais Amigos is an emotional closer. But those are the shorter songs. I don't get the love for The Clansman - it's another cliched Steve Harris plodder. It sounds much better on Rock In Rio, but the album version does nothing for me. The Educated Fool is everything I hate about Harris' songwriting - Lyrics don't scan? Then simply add another beat to the line! - and DLTTEOAS repeats the sins of TA&TG.
It's not all bad, by any means, but the ratio of good to suck is pretty poor, and so IMO this is the worst Maiden album, by a country mile.
What this record always sounds like to me is the sound of a band giving up. I think they were fully aware that their star had faded with Bruce's departure, and that they were stuck in a downward spiral of diminishing returns from here on in. They just weren't trying.
Word. This band would not have survived another album without Bruce and Adrian.
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The thing is, Steve wanted to throw in the towel because of his disappointment with the way fans treated The X Factor (''Rats in the cellar, you know who you are...''), but Dave Murray was actually the one who told him he strongly believes that the band still has a lot to offer. Steve pulled himself together, apparently, and the band went on - that's why I think they really gave their best on Virtual XI. Unfortunately, it still wasn't enough, so that's where the reunion came from.
I don't think there's too much difference stylistically and in terms of songwriting between Virtual XI and the two following albums. With AMOLAD, however, they switched some things around.
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I don't think there's too much difference stylistically and in terms of songwriting between Virtual XI and the two following albums. With AMOLAD, however, they switched some things around.
Someone earlier in the thread mentioned a correlation between TXF and AMOLAD. I thought it was an interesting comment to make. Based on what you just said, M, you can see all sorts of lines drawn.
Through all of the production issues, rhythm guitar shit sound, Blaze, etc... at the heart of these two albums is still Iron Maiden.
It'll never happen, but I would love to hear these rerecorded with Bruce and Adrian.
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I also see AMOLAD as The X Factor 2 in so many ways, but I didn't make that comment because someone said it a while ago. As far as I'm concerned, the Blaze albums are fine the way they are and I wouldn't like rerecorded versions, although live performances would be delightful.
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Not sure it was me, but I've said before than AMoLaD was a better TXF. The songs are very similar. IM were a better band in 2006 than in 1994.
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How the heck is AMOLAD even remotely similar to TXF? Sorry but I really don't get it.
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It has a similar darkish vibe, it has the long, drawn out songs, the "Steve Harris" song structure on almost every track. I mean, yeah, AMOLAD pretty much makes everything on TXF its bitch, but I get from where the comparisons come.
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It has a similar darkish vibe, it has the long, drawn out songs, the "Steve Harris" song structure on almost every track. I mean, yeah, AMOLAD pretty much makes everything on TXF its bitch, but I get from where the comparisons come.
I just don't hear it.
What is the Steven Harris song structure?
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It has a similar darkish vibe, it has the long, drawn out songs, the "Steve Harris" song structure on almost every track. I mean, yeah, AMOLAD pretty much makes everything on TXF its bitch, but I get from where the comparisons come.
I just don't hear it.
What is the Steven Harris song structure?
Broadly: long acoustic/clean intro. Chorus with repeated lines. Solo/instrumental section. Repeated clean/acoustic outro.
I think AMOLAD and TXF are quite similar in strong structure, especially those songs chiefly penned by Steve.
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The "let's start with a mellow guitar or bass intro that goes on for two minutes, then shift into heavier territory, featuring a solo, then have the mellow beginning again at the end". Granted, it's probably not only Harris songs that go like that, so it's probably a stupid name, but you know what I mean. I've always had the feeling that there are no albums where it's quite as prevalent as those two.
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I actually love the clean intros. I always thought it came with the Janick. With Adrian out, you had Dave, who was more melodic, and Janick, who was more progressive. Never knew that shift was Steve's doing.
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It became really noticeable on TXF. Seemed like every song was built that way.
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I actually love the clean intros. I always thought it came with the Janick. With Adrian out, you had Dave, who was more melodic, and Janick, who was more progressive. Never knew that shift was Steve's doing.
Janick contributes about 90% of the acoustic stuff. That's where his influence really is.
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I actually love the clean intros. I always thought it came with the Janick. With Adrian out, you had Dave, who was more melodic, and Janick, who was more progressive. Never knew that shift was Steve's doing.
It probably isn't if other, more knowledgeable posters say it isn't. I was just looking for a name and was trying to be little facetious. Never knew that that was Janick's doing.
And don't get me wrong, I love it as well, it's just that it gets a little tiring when there a whole album of that. Still, The Legacy is probably my favourite Iron Maiden track, so yeah.
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Sometimes I like the clean parts better than the heavy.
"The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg" is awesome and haunting during the clean stuff, but once the heavier verses kick in, I lose interest. "Dream Of Mirrors" is like 6 minutes of dark, swirling musical bliss until it's ruined by a needless timewarp and pep-up.
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The thing is, Steve wanted to throw in the towel because of his disappointment with the way fans treated The X Factor (''Rats in the cellar, you know who you are...''), but Dave Murray was actually the one who told him he strongly believes that the band still has a lot to offer. Steve pulled himself together, apparently, and the band went on - that's why I think they really gave their best on Virtual XI. Unfortunately, it still wasn't enough, so that's where the reunion came from.
I don't think there's too much difference stylistically and in terms of songwriting between Virtual XI and the two following albums. With AMOLAD, however, they switched some things around.
I think from the Maiden biography it was Dave and Nicko that were sitting together and having a drink discussing the situation. I think Steve was ready to end the band, but Nick and Dave were just like "No, fuck off, we still want to play. Why should we have to stop playing just because Steve wants to." I believe Nicko and Dave would have carried something on together no matter what, but I believe they told Steve what they were feeling and it gave him a kick up the ass and made him realise he is not the only person in the band.
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TXF and AMoLaD are also similar in themes about war.
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So as we wrap-up on the Blaze era, some final thoughts:
It's probably easier to appreciate these albums looking back than it was for people listening to them at the time. People who've gotten into Maiden since the reunion can listen to a Blaze album, and not have to experience them same anxiety that the band was done, or that they'd never do anything great again.
In the studio Blaze sounded underwhelming, but a survey of live bootlegs and his solo career does really confirm why he got the job. Yeah, he couldn't sing Bruce's material well, but he could sing his own material flawlessly. I've never seen a bootleg of a Blaze performance where he sings his own material poorly. His handling of the classics and lack of any real charisma on stage is what hasn't treated memories of those shows fondly, but he could be a good singer, when utilized properly.
Both Blaze albums sound unfinished, half-baked. TXF could have been great with some quality control in the production, while the atrocity that is "The Angel and the Gambler" seriously bogs VXI down, making it seem much worse than it really is.
Ultimately, these albums are kinda boring to me for the same reason why Maiden's first two albums are: while Harris is undeniably the pulse of the band, he's just kinda boring when he's running the show. He needs Adrian and Bruce, badly.
Anyone listening to "British Lion"?
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Perp, I pretty much agree with everything you said there.
It was a strange time to be a Maiden fan, especially when Bruce was putting out Balls To Picasso and Skunkworks which sounded so fresh. Nevermind the greatness of Accident At Birth.
I missed TXF tour when it came through here, but I did catch the VXI tour in Phoenix while we were on vacation in Arizona. It was such a small place that I actually felt kind of bad for them. I want to repeat that I was very happy with VXI when it came out, but I was really happy when they announced the reunion.
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Ultimately, these albums are kinda boring to me for the same reason why Maiden's first two albums are: while Harris is undeniably the pulse of the band, he's just kinda boring when he's running the show. He needs Adrian and Bruce, badly.
Anyone listening to "British Lion"?
Your last sentence gave me a chuckle :lol
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I honestly tried to make an effort to listen to the two Blaze albums, but I just don't like his voice at all. I can't wait to talk about Brave New World. In preparation, I'm curious what you old time fans reactions were when you heard Bruce was coming back? Was it like Christmas day?
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To give the short version, my thoughts were "yeah, after Chemical Wedding I can't say I shocked to see Bruce and Adrian back in Maiden." :lol
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I have to basically reiterate what every other person's been telling and say I actually like Blaze's voice on its own terms but I just think it bizarre that the leader of fucking Iron Maiden would, out of every metal singer ever at his disposal to pick, pick someone so unsuited for the job.
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I honestly tried to make an effort to listen to the two Blaze albums, but I just don't like his voice at all. I can't wait to talk about Brave New World. In preparation, I'm curious what you old time fans reactions were when you heard Bruce was coming back? Was it like Christmas day?
Can't tell you how stoked I was to hear the news.....and even more when I heard "Wicker Man"... But I will save my ultimate disappointment for the actual discussion. (it was still better than VXI....but honestly, there was no where to go but up after this drivel)
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Hold up, hold up! I just want to state that the first two Maiden albums NEVER sounded boring to me! The raw energy that's exudes from the speakers. You can say what you want about Di'Anno, that he's a lush, a drunk, an arrogant git, whatever. But he's still a Hell of a lot better singer than Blaze ever was to my ears. Alright, he's a bollocks lyric writer, but those albums shaped a large part of my coming of age.
About Brave New World: I can't even describe the feelings that went through me while listening to that one, like fuuuuckkk yesss! :metal :metal :metal
Somehow this band does that to me....
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IT'S TIME FOR THE REUNION ALBUMS I'M SO EXCITED
BRAVE NEW WORLD - 2000
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/03/Iron_Maiden_-_Brave_New_World.jpg)
1. "The Wicker Man"
2. "Ghost of the Navigator"
3. "Brave New World"
4. "Blood Brothers"
5. "The Mercenary"
6. "Dream of Mirrors"
7. "The Fallen Angel"
8. "The Nomad"
9. "Out of the Silent Planet"
10. "The Thin Line Between Love & Hate"
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Easily my favourite of the reunion albums. It was my first new Maiden album since becoming a fan in 1999.
Blood Brothers is their best song from the reunion era. Flame on.
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Blood Brothers is their best song from the reunion era. Flame on.
Wrong, but it was a good guess.
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Brave New World took a bit for me to wrap my head around.
The first problem, of course, was my own expectations working against me. I expected for Maiden, with Bruce and Adrian back, to return to a style that was closer to their 80s work, rather than continue down the path of long, sprawling proggy epics they'd been on through the 90s. I basically expected the album that should have followed up Seventh Son, and for a while, Brave New World puzzled me. Once I cast that aside-after all, Steve Harris was still in the band, and since then I discovered, as mentioned earlier, that a third or so of the album was songs started during the Blaze era-I started accepting the album. I actually think it's the least of the re-union albums because the new six piece Maiden is still finding themselves-I personally think they didn't put it all completely together until AMOLAD-but as time has gone by, I've grown to appreciate it more than I did upon release. And yes, even when it came out and I was still working my head around what they were doing, I thought it was LOADS better than any Maiden album since the 80s. It also marks the band returning to an outside producer, which seems to be the way to get the best music out of Maiden, though whether or not Kevin Shirley's the man to do that job is a question for debate. In a lot of ways, this is the debut album by a new band that just happens to be called Iron Maiden; while a lot of people have talked about how Maiden hasn't changed since the start, there is a world of difference between a song like Wrathchild, a song like Powerslave, and one like Dream of Mirrors. The reunion Maiden is a different beast than the one from the 80s, and it took me a bit to get that. Once I did though-and I think seeing them live in 2010 really helped there-I came to love the reunion albums. Just took a while. :lol
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The best sounding IM album IMO
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My biggest problem with BNW was that I'd been listening to the power metal bands for whom Maiden were the driving influence, and these bands were now better at it. The folk-y influence never sat right with me. I can see Morris Dancers doing a hey nonny no to much of Maiden's later music- I preferred the Neo-Classical approach of the European bands.
It's a good Maiden album despite all that though. The songwriting was similar to the Blaze albums but the vocals had so much more life and melody. I can imagine Blaze singing these songs- and it wouldn't be anywhere near as good. In fact bruce is the star of this album for me, not necessarily for great vocals, more making something decent out of the songs - strange as I wasn't much of a fan of his solo work.
The other power metal bands still sounded better and had better guitarists- how come Maiden, like Rush, had so many poorly produced albums?
It certainly wasn't the 2nd coming for me. My love of Maiden had gone really by this point, and the album wasn't good enough to change that. It was an improvement though.
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Brave New World is a good, but not great album. It's got a lot to like, and I can easily see why it was so heralded after the Blaze years.
1. First, Bruce is back. And he sounds great. Seriously great. One of his best studio performances, I think.
2. Adrian's back. H is the fan favourite, not to mention a great songwriter. While he didn't contribute as much to this album as he did later reunion albums, his presence was felt right from the start with "The Wicker Man."
3. The production is infinitely better. This is without a doubt the best reunion album, sonically, and really the only one to hold a candle to those produced under Martin Birch. Everything sounds great here.
4. This album has some great music. Brave New World, like all reunion albums, has its fair share of great moments. There are some fantastic melodies throughout this album, and a decent variety of styles. No matter what kind of Maiden fan you are, there's something to love here.
It still has some flaws, though.
1. The worst of the Blaze years, musically, is still present. Four songs have obnoxiously repeating choruses. Several of those that don't have vocals following the guitars. By and large it is lazy writing, and it seriously hampers some of the songs here, particularly "Brave New World" and "Dream of Mirrors."
2. While Nicko sounds rejuvenated, Steve does not. The bass playing is somewhat of a disappointment on all Maiden albums after Fear of the Dark. Not that it's bad per se, but compared to Harris' inventive and varied basslines of the '80s, hearing him plod along with the root of the chord is a bit of a let-down. When everyone else steps their game up, it makes the slacker noticeable.
It's a bit plodding at times. It doesn't come close to the mid-tempo snorefest of Fear of the Dark, but the album still feels a little lethargic. "The Mercenary" and "Brave New World" in particular could use a little more energy.
Song rankings:
1. Ghost of the Navigator
2. The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
3. The Wicker Man
4. The Fallen Angel
5. Blood Brothers
6. Out of the Silent Planet
7. The Nomad
8. Dream of Mirrors
9. Brave New World
10. The Mercenary
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I remember being thrown off a bit the first time that I heard The Wicker Man because of the obvious nod to Judas Priest with the opening riff of the album. The great thing about it was that it was apparent from the get-go that the guitar sound on the album was back where it belonged. Bruce was also in top form considering his age. I could have done without some of the repeating choruses, but overall there are no weak points on this album.
In my opinion, the strongest tracks are The Wicker Man, Dream of Mirrors (minus the intro), Out of the Silent Planet and The Thin Line Between Love and Hate.
P.S. In case anyone is wondering what I'm talking about with Judas Priest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJ9_uVqFCtM
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I really love the album. Everything works well, even the repeating chorus. Depending on my mood, I find there's a huge dip in quality from tracks 5-7, sometimes 5-8, depending on whether I wake up liking "Nomad". But even those songs are pretty good.
I WILL HOPE
MY SOUL WILL FLY
AND I WILL LIVE
FOREVER
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Ok, bootleg time. Two tours to cover here: The Ed Huntour and The Brave New World Tour.
First off, the band sounded fantastic and re-energized with Bruce and Adrian back. I'd strongly recommend you find a good bootleg from the Ed Huntour, because the performances are fucking electric. Seriously, check out this version of "Aces High" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciicdzr7AJM) and tell me it isn't the best thing ever. Unfortunately only a couple of songs each from Athens, New York, and Madrid were televised, and there were no soundboard bootlegs. Luckily, there is a video bootleg of Maiden's first reunited performance, in a rather unlikely place: the small town of Saint John, New Brunswick. Check it out. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkdHAgzJMrU) Another good video bootleg is the one from Hamburg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vrm_Q1ejFJQ), although it lacks one of the highlights: the brief live resurgence of "Stranger in a Strange Land." (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXcI6uJXnPM)
Seriously, I hope that Maiden's sitting on some footage of this tour. They released this pro-shot version of "Futureal" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsSvM-X5_s8), so I assume there's something out there. This tour had the best setlist Maiden ever put together (https://www.ironmaidencommentary.com/?url=tour11b_edhunter/tour11b_edhunter&lang=eng&link=tours). Just one great song after another. Couple that with the incredible live shows, and it really was gold. Any interested parties can look for the singles of "The Wicker Man" and "Out of the Silent Planet", which combined include 6 live tracks from this tour.
Now, onto the Brave New World tour. There were two televised gigs; one in each of Argentina and Chile, as well as the low-quality webcast from Brixton. Luckily for Maiden fans, these were the shows that Maiden decided to do extra songs for, so there's good videos of their performances of "Out of the Silent Planet", "The Fallen Angel," and "Children of the Damned." Here's most of the Argentina show (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5e9kG2rBOY), and the full Chile concert. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=If1TbLXN4uE) There is also, of course, the full televised version of the Rock in Rio show, which you might be interested in if you want to hear the concert without the copy-pasting of some of Bruce's lyrics, as well as the full versions of Bruce's rants (which really were downers, for the most part).
Maiden also sounded very good on these tours. They were really energetic, collectively, at this period. Unluckily, they suffered a string of misfortunes that impaired some member's abilities. Adrian's father died several dates into The Ed Huntour, causing him to miss a few shows (and the band to drop "Stranger"). Dave broke his finger later in the tour. Janick fell off the stage a couple of shows into the Brave New World tour. Bruce even literally slipped on some pie and fell about 2 metres off a riser during the Dance of Death tour. Luckily none of these things stopped the band playing for a long period.
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(Sort of ) Obscure trivia question time.
1. What two songs from Brave New World "borrowed" from previous work performed by different artists?
2. "The Mercenary" shares a special status alongside two other songs in Maiden's discography. What is different about it, and what are the other two songs in question?
3. Besides playing in Estonia, the Brave New World tour was also a first for the band in another way. What makes it unique?
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My rankings:
1. Brave New World
2. Ghost of the Navigator
3. Dream of Mirrors
4. The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
5. Blood Brothers
6. The Wicker Man
7. The Mercanary
8. Out of the Silent Planet
9. The Fallen Angel
10. The Nomad
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Ok, bootleg time. Two tours to cover here: The Ed Huntour and The Brave New World Tour.
First off, the band sounded fantastic and re-energized with Bruce and Adrian back. I'd strongly recommend you find a good bootleg from the Ed Huntour, because the performances are fucking electric. Seriously, check out this version of "Aces High" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciicdzr7AJM) and tell me it isn't the best thing ever. Unfortunately only a couple of songs each from Athens, New York, and Madrid were televised, and there were no soundboard bootlegs. Luckily, there is a video bootleg of Maiden's first reunited performance, in a rather unlikely place: the small town of Saint John, New Brunswick. Check it out. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkdHAgzJMrU) Another good video bootleg is the one from Hamburg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vrm_Q1ejFJQ), although it lacks one of the highlights: the brief live resurgence of "Stranger in a Strange Land." (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXcI6uJXnPM)
Seriously, I hope that Maiden's sitting on some footage of this tour. They released this pro-shot version of "Futureal" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsSvM-X5_s8), so I assume there's something out there. This tour had the best setlist Maiden ever put together (https://www.ironmaidencommentary.com/?url=tour11b_edhunter/tour11b_edhunter&lang=eng&link=tours). Just one great song after another. Couple that with the incredible live shows, and it really was gold. Any interested parties can look for the singles of "The Wicker Man" and "Out of the Silent Planet", which combined include 6 live tracks from this tour.
Now, onto the Brave New World tour. There were two televised gigs; one in each of Argentina and Chile, as well as the low-quality webcast from Brixton. Luckily for Maiden fans, these were the shows that Maiden decided to do extra songs for, so there's good videos of their performances of "Out of the Silent Planet", "The Fallen Angel," and "Children of the Damned." Here's most of the Argentina show (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5e9kG2rBOY), and the full Chile concert. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=If1TbLXN4uE) There is also, of course, the full televised version of the Rock in Rio show, which you might be interested in if you want to hear the concert without the copy-pasting of some of Bruce's lyrics, as well as the full versions of Bruce's rants (which really were downers, for the most part).
Maiden also sounded very good on these tours. They were really energetic, collectively, at this period. Unluckily, they suffered a string of misfortunes that impaired some member's abilities. Adrian's father died several dates into The Ed Huntour, causing him to miss a few shows (and the band to drop "Stranger"). Dave broke his finger later in the tour. Janick fell off the stage a couple of shows into the Brave New World tour. Bruce even literally slipped on some pie and fell about 2 metres off a riser during the Dance of Death tour. Luckily none of these things stopped the band playing for a long period.
I had a chance to see the Ed Huntour and didn't and I'm still kicking myself in the ass over it. I did get to see the BNW tour and it was impressive. The only thing that I would have changed is having Halford play second instead of him opening for Queensryche. Halford was incredible, but they didn't get to play very long.
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(Sort of ) Obscure trivia question time.
1. What two songs from Brave New World "borrowed" from previous work performed by different artists?
2. "The Mercenary" shares a special status alongside two other songs in Maiden's discography. What is different about it, and what are the other two songs in question?
3. Besides playing in Estonia, the Brave New World tour was also a first for the band in another way. What makes it unique?
NO CHEATING!
1. One is definitely Wickerman, which is a LOT like Running Wild.
3. First tour with 3 guitars???
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Second favorite Maiden album, right behind AMOLAD. :metal
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A word on repeating choruses:
I think get a bad wrap. SOME are bad and annoying, but some also work really well. I feel like too many people just dismiss a chorus as "lazy" as soon as they hear the same lines repeat, but actually, listening to those songs, it's hard to imagine how a different chorus or different words would work better.
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A word on repeating choruses:
I think get a bad wrap. SOME are bad and annoying, but some also work really well. I feel like too many people just dismiss a chorus as "lazy" as soon as they hear the same lines repeat, but actually, listening to those songs, it's hard to imagine how a different chorus or different words would work better.
If they mix up the way that the line is sang each time then I can give them a pass. It's not the greatest thing in the world, but atleast they're trying to mix it up a little.
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Ed hunter tour was my first Maiden show so i had alot of emotions during that concert, not only my first show but a reunion show with both Bruce and H so it couldn't get any better than that. They had alot of energy but i have some vague memories of the arena sound being pretty bad unfortunately. It didn't bother that much though besides the setlist was awesome so not much to complain about.
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1. What two songs from Brave New World "borrowed" from previous work performed by different artists?
Nomad ripped off a Beckett song, can't remember which. Not the first time they ripped off Beckett. Hallowed Be Thy Name lifts a line from A Rainbow's Gold, which was covered by Maiden. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbEbCS7IVXU)
BNW is a great album and shows the band with an energy not heard since 1988. The best part is that it isn't even the best of the reunion albums!
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been following the topic but held off commenting until BNW. this was my intro to Maiden when i was a teenager and it was their newest release; "Ghost of the Navigator" instantly hooked me (still a top favourite!), and it was backed by "The Wicker Man," then the entirety of the Rock in Rio double CD. the album has a bunch of 'sleeper' songs that i think are fantastic despite not getting played much/at all or talked about often: "The Thin Line Between Love and Hate" (happy to see a bunch of people agreeing!), "Out of the Silent Planet" (weird choice for a single but a very interesting song), and my second favourite is probably "Dream of Mirrors," which is getting a ton of praise i totally back. even the intro!
kinda wish they had kept producing the reunion albums as they'd done BNW; i don't think anything else in their discography sounds nearly as good, though DOD gets close sometimes.
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1. What two songs from Brave New World "borrowed" from previous work performed by different artists?
Nomad ripped off a Beckett song, can't remember which. Not the first time they ripped off Beckett. Hallowed Be Thy Name lifts a line from A Rainbow's Gold, which was covered by Maiden. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbEbCS7IVXU)
That's one of them.
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So the other isn't the Wickerman riff?
Also, what Beckett song?
EDIT: The Fallen Angel has the standard open E string descending riff, ala, Wasted Years, Losfer Words, Clansman, Paschendale. But I don't this it's that you're referring to. Just saw you said different artists.
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(Sort of ) Obscure trivia question time.
1. What two songs from Brave New World "borrowed" from previous work performed by different artists?
2. "The Mercenary" shares a special status alongside two other songs in Maiden's discography. What is different about it, and what are the other two songs in question?
3. Besides playing in Estonia, the Brave New World tour was also a first for the band in another way. What makes it unique?
For 2, I'm thinking it's the guitar solos are performed by the guitarist/s not involved in the song writing. If this is correct, I'll have to hunt down the other two, because I thought this was the only one.
For those wondering what I mean exactly. It was written by Janick, but the solos are by Dave, and then Adrian.
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For 2, I'm thinking it's the guitar solos are performed by the guitarist/s not involved in the song writing. If this is correct, I'll have to hunt down the other two, because I thought this was the only one.
Damn, I thought I'll be the first one to get this, and then I get to the last posts. :lol The other one is Hooks in you, but I'm not too sure about the third one...
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Of course Hooks in You. Not sure on the last one either.
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Sun and Steel is the other one.
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Well done. :tup
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I never noticed that before with Sun and Steel, but after thinking about it and listening to it, I only remembered Davey's signature whammy solo, and of course because it's the only solo.
Hooks in You was just a write off because Adrian had already left, and I thought Mercenary was the only song that had this.
Also, for the other rip off from BNW, I don't know why but I'm thinking of the intro of Fallen Angel, no idea why, but it's just sticking with me.
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Also, for the other rip off from BNW, I don't know why but I'm thinking of the intro of Fallen Angel, no idea why, but it's just sticking with me.
The other one was almost pointlessly obscure, but the main riff to "The Mercenary" was re-purposed from old demos of the band White Spirit, a NWOBHM band that included Janick. Not sure whose idea it was to re-use the riff, but perhaps it was Steve, and that's why Janick doesn't get a solo on the song. I don't know.
One more trivia question to go, re: what made the Brave New World tour unique.
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One more trivia question to go, re: what made the Brave New World tour unique.
I'm guessing it has something to do with cancelling a few shows due to Janick's injury?
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Also, for the other rip off from BNW, I don't know why but I'm thinking of the intro of Fallen Angel, no idea why, but it's just sticking with me.
The other one was almost pointlessly obscure, but the main riff to "The Mercenary" was re-purposed from old demos of the band White Spirit, a NWOBHM band that included Janick. Not sure whose idea it was to re-use the riff, but perhaps it was Steve, and that's why Janick doesn't get a solo on the song. I don't know.
One more trivia question to go, re: what made the Brave New World tour unique.
Isn't White Spirit the band Adrian got the idea for the 2 Minutes riff?
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One more trivia question to go, re: what made the Brave New World tour unique.
It was the only time the band performed with the classic line-up (Piece of mind to Seventh son) since Adrian's departure. Janick fell off stage during The Number of the beast, so the band had to perform Hallowed be thy name as a five piece and Adrian played the guitar solo in Hallowed, as far as I know.
Is that what you're referring to? We're such nerds. :lol I'm so amused by these trivia questions, I still need to write my thoughts about the album.
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One more trivia question to go, re: what made the Brave New World tour unique.
It was the only time the band performed with the classic line-up (Piece of mind to Seventh son) since Adrian's departure. Janick fell off stage during The Number of the beast, so the band had to perform Hallowed be thy name as a five piece and Adrian played the guitar solo in Hallowed, as far as I know.
Is that what you're referring to? We're such nerds. :lol I'm so amused by these trivia questions, I still need to write my thoughts about the album.
That's the thing I originally had in mind. But just now I've thought of something else that's unique about the Brave New World tour. So one of two I guess, but great work.
I love thinking up these trivia questions, largely because they're pretty tough to google and require some effort.
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This album constantly fights with Piece of Mind for my favorite Maiden album.
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This album constantly fights with Piece of Mind for my favorite Maiden album.
Same with me, except I think BNW is winning.
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This was my intro to Iron Maiden. A very consistent album for me. There's hardly a "bad" track on the album. The only tune I really dislike is Out of the Silent Planet
Ranking:
1. Ghost of the Navigator
2. Dream of Mirrors
3. Brave New World
4. The Wicker Man
5. Blood Brothers
6. Thin Line
7. The Fallen Angel
8. Mercenary
9. Nomad
10. Silent Planet
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Bruce and Adrian returned an the fans all over the world were delighted. Although Adrian didn't contribute too much, his presence is very notable. Bruce returns to his clean singing, the way he sang on his solo record, and for the most part ditches the rasp. Stylistically and in terms of songwriting, the album continues where Virtual XI left off and even improves a little bit. When you count it all in, what is there to dislike about Brave new world?
The Wicker man - The song just screams that Bruce and Adrian are back. Everything about it is fantastic, it is just your typical Iron Maiden heavy opener that you can't help but love. It was amazing to see it live.
Ghost of the navigator - One of my favorites on the album. Rarely does a Maiden song have two choruses, but this one does. The highlight for me, however, is the pre-chorus, with Bruce doing some really cool stuff.
Brave new world - The chorus can get a bit tedious, but it's still a great track. The guitar harmony before the last chorus is the best one the guys ever came up with. I prefer the version from Rock in Rio, it's slightly faster and features some fantastic drum fills.
Blood brothers - One of the most emotional Iron Maiden songs. The lyrics are thought provoking and Bruce truly delivers them passionately. Also to note is Janick's solo, where he proves he can play a slow beautiful solo when he wants to.
The Mercenary - A damn good rocker, I love how it starts off with a bang and the solos are really solid. There's an awkward bit where you can only hear the drums for a second or two before the rest of the band kicks in, never got the point of that.
Dream of mirrors - For some reason, I'm not always in the mood for this song, but when I am, I absolutely love it. It's another song that starts off with a bang and the singing starts immediately, which is unusual for an epic. It's mostly slow and dramatic, but then there's that galloping section that makes it more fun. Nicko shines on the faster bits.
The Fallen angel - Of all the songs on the album, this one is the most reminiscent of the 80s. Adrian delivers the goods, the chorus is really catchy. All three solos are great, and if you in general have hard time figuring who plays which solo, this one perfectly portrays the difference between the three guitarists.
The Nomad - Another song with an oriental vibe, it's something this band does very well. The highlight is the long atmospheric instrumental section, quite an original idea. I love the way Dave's solo starts, he perfectly captured the vibe of the song in the very few notes.
Out of the silent planet - What a great mystical intro, it sets the mood for the song pretty well. There's some neat layering of Bruce's vocals that really hits the spot for me. It's a good, catchy tune but not one of my favorites on the album.
The Thin line between love and hate - Bruce reminds you that he can also sing in his middle register and still drive the song. The song is probably my least favorite on the album because the second half really drags and doesn't do too much for me. Also, what does Nicko say at the end?
I have to admit, I prefer the other three reunion albums, but that still doesn't mean this one isn't awesome. It's only been 13 years since its release and it's already considered a classic, and that's saying a lot. 9/10
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Also, what does Nicko say at the end?
. 9/10
I believe that he says "ahh, I fuckin' missed it"
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One of my favorite Maiden albums along with Powerslave and SSoaSS.
1. Ghost of the Navigator
2. Blood Brothers
3. Brave New World
4. Dream of Mirrors
5. The Wicker Man
6. Out of the Silent Planet
7. The Mercenary
8. The Nomad
9. The Fallen Angel
10. The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
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Also, what does Nicko say at the end?
. 9/10
I believe that he says "ahh, I fuckin' missed it"
He thought he missed a cymbal hit or something and thought he had fucked up the whole take, when in actual fact, he didn't miss a thing.
This album is top 3 Maiden, I love it, it's incredible.
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[We're Blood Brothers] The problem for me [We're Blood Brothers] with "Brave New World" is that [We're Blood Brothers] Iron Maiden, who have always [We're Blood Brothers] been a somewhat formulaic [We're Blood Brothers] band in terms of [We're Blood Brothers] writing, really went back [We're Blood Brothers] to what I call "The Formula" a bit too [We're Blood Brothers] often on that disc. "Dance of Death" also suffered [We're Blood Brothers] from this as well. I thought with "A Matter of Life and Death" they [We're Blood Brothers] pulled out a few different [We're Blood Brothers] things that they hadn't [We're Blood Brothers] really done for a while [We're Blood Brothers] and it sounded a bit more [We're Blood Brothers] fresh in terms of writing, although I do [We're Blood Brothers] wish they had mastered it. But getting back [We're Blood Brothers] to "The Formula" I think that it [We're Blood Brothers] reared its head again [We're Blood Brothers] on The Final Frontier and it just gets [We're Blood Brothers] a little bit old after a while. [We're Blood Brothers]
This post is over a year old from the other IM thread....but I never forgot it. It PERFECTLY sums up my problem with this entire album. The songwriting, production and performances are all a big improvement from the abomination that was VXI....but the chorus' are just **LAZY**. Even Sun and Steel has an INFINITELY more interesting and catchy chorus than half of these tracks put together.
I'll listen to it again in the next couple of days to see if anything else leaps out at me. But I just remember that the "Angel and the Gambler" syndrome seems to have been a disease that Steve Harris still has yet to get over.
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Also, what does Nicko say at the end?
. 9/10
I believe that he says "ahh, I fuckin' missed it"
He thought he missed a cymbal hit or something and thought he had fucked up the whole take, when in actual fact, he didn't miss a thing.
This album is top 3 Maiden, I love it, it's incredible.
I always thought he said something like "What a fuckin' misfit!" :lol :lol :lol
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[We're Blood Brothers] The problem for me [We're Blood Brothers] with "Brave New World" is that [We're Blood Brothers] Iron Maiden, who have always [We're Blood Brothers] been a somewhat formulaic [We're Blood Brothers] band in terms of [We're Blood Brothers] writing, really went back [We're Blood Brothers] to what I call "The Formula" a bit too [We're Blood Brothers] often on that disc. "Dance of Death" also suffered [We're Blood Brothers] from this as well. I thought with "A Matter of Life and Death" they [We're Blood Brothers] pulled out a few different [We're Blood Brothers] things that they hadn't [We're Blood Brothers] really done for a while [We're Blood Brothers] and it sounded a bit more [We're Blood Brothers] fresh in terms of writing, although I do [We're Blood Brothers] wish they had mastered it. But getting back [We're Blood Brothers] to "The Formula" I think that it [We're Blood Brothers] reared its head again [We're Blood Brothers] on The Final Frontier and it just gets [We're Blood Brothers] a little bit old after a while. [We're Blood Brothers]
This post is over a year old from the other IM thread....but I never forgot it. It PERFECTLY sums up my problem with this entire album. The songwriting, production and performances are all a big improvement from the abomination that was VXI....but the chorus' are just **LAZY**. Even Sun and Steel has an INFINITELY more interesting and catchy chorus than half of these tracks put together.
I'll listen to it again in the next couple of days to see if anything else leaps out at me. But I just remember that the "Angel and the Gambler" syndrome seems to have been a disease that Steve Harris still has yet to get over.
But most of the choruses work extremely well, making the observation that they repet irrelevant.
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It kind of annoys me that people will, without fail, pick on Blood Brothers for being the song where Maiden jumped the shark on choruses, when they've had gems like this since, oh, THE START.
"Cos I'm a wrathchild, well I'm a wrathchild.
Yeah I'm a wrathchild. I'm coming to get you, oooh yeah."
Or, this:
"Run to the hills, run for your lives
Run to the hills, run for your lives"
Or, hell, here are ALL THE LYRICS to Another Life.
"As I lay here lying on my bed, sweet voices come into my head.
Oh what it is, I wanna know, please won't you tell me it's got to go.
There's a feeling that's inside me, telling me to get away.
But I'm so tired of living, I might as well end today."
Steve Harris has been repeating lyrics near incessantly since the start of Iron Maiden's history. I don't have a problem with it because the choruses tend to work-really, what else should go in the cases I mentioned-but people getting all bent out of shape over Blood Brothers when it's actually one of the lesser lights of repeating lines in Maiden's history is, well, kind of LAZY. :lol
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The criticism itself is lazy, Jaq.
"Oh, repeating lyrics? Must not be good."
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The criticism itself is lazy, Jaq.
It really isn't.
While I wouldn't highlight Blood Brothers (Brave New World is so much worse), it's not that they're repeated so often it's more that the chorus's themselves are simple and really lazy. Sure maybe Wrathchild had some pretty repetitive lyrics, but it was also less than 3 minutes long. Running Free is just above 3 minutes and it's arguably worse.
Meanwhile The Angel and the Gambler (which is the absolute worst offender) is almost 10 minutes long. No More Lies (which is almost as bad) is 7 minutes and Brave New World is 6 minutes. It feels like padding at times, stretch a song out, make an epic out of it.
Maybe Run To The Hills would be just as bad if it were 8 minutes long and the chorus consisted of:
Run to the hills,
Run to the hills,
Run to the hills,
Run to the hills,
Run for your life,
(Repeat 4x)
Repetition by itself is not bad, it's all in how it's done.
I'm not going to bag on the issue too much since it's only a problem in a few songs here and there, but to dismiss the criticism entirely, well, that's lazy. :P
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Brave New World is awesome. I can't imagine how a different chorus would make it better. Same goes with many of the songs that get singled out.
Like I said, it's a lazy criticism which just gets used to unfairly dismiss songs.
And, oh, it's
Run to the hills, run for your life x4
Who gives a shit?
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Brave New World is awesome. I can't imagine how a different chorus would make it better. Same goes with many of the songs that get singled out.
I can. He could sing it less.
What does the constant repetition add to the song other than length?
Like I said, it's a lazy criticism which just gets used to unfairly dismiss songs.
::)
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It's not like the melody is sung the same each line. I find the chorus of Brave New World to be much better than Ghost of Navigator, but Brave New World repeats, so obviously, it must be worse.
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Wickerman, Brave New World, Blood Brothers, and Out of the Silent Planet are 4 of the best 5 songs on the album IMO, the fifth being Thin Line. I don't care if the choruses repeat. They're great songs.
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^ Basically.
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I don't really have a problem with the laziness in the lyrics for the choruses. Yes, it's been worse the last four albums, but really Iron Maiden have always had this syndrome. eg;
Seventh Son of A Seventh Son
Deja Vu
The Evil That Men Do
Afraid to Shoot Strangers
Caught Somewhere in Time
Heaven Can Wait
Children of the Damned
That's just off the top of my head. Really, Maiden have always been lazy when it comes to choruses, but does that mean they are bad? Hell no.
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I don't get how it's lazy. Choruses with repeating lines are perfectly valid, and have been utilized by plenty of other great artists in plenty of other great songs.
Rather, IM write songs going for a specific "epic" vibe that is supposed to work great live. That's why they write choruses like that. It has absolutely nothing to do with "being lazy".
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How is repeating just one line for a chorus epic?
I'm not bad mouthing the band, they are my favourite band of all time by miles, I just think some of their choruses aren't as intricate as what they probably could be. But I can only count on one hand the number of Maiden songs I don't like.
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DT fans debating choruses of other bands...... badass since 1989............. :metal :facepalm:
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I don't get how it's lazy. Choruses with repeating lines are perfectly valid, and have been utilized by plenty of other great artists in plenty of other great songs.
I don't think anyone has a beef with the concept of repeating choruses; it's just that Maiden has overindulged in them. I don't see how anyone can claim otherwise.
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Rather, IM write songs going for a specific "epic" vibe that is supposed to work great live. That's why they write choruses like that.
Now that I think about it, the songs with repetitive choruses sometimes do sound more epic than the ones with complicated lyrics. I mean, Seventh son of a seventh son is a fantastic example, the song would have lost its drama had it had a different chorus. Even The Final frontier sounds epic to me, and now I realize it has a lot to do with the chorus.
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I don't get how it's lazy. Choruses with repeating lines are perfectly valid, and have been utilized by plenty of other great artists in plenty of other great songs.
I don't think anyone has a beef with the concept of repeating choruses; it's just that Maiden has overindulged in them. I don't see how anyone can claim otherwise.
I'm claiming otherwise. Technically, Maiden have "overindulged" in lots of other musical concepts, too. It doesn't matter, because they're still great songs. I'm not sure what the problem is that people get to the reunion and suddenly feel they can't listen to anymore repeating choruses.
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We're not bashing the music in any way, we are just stating the facts.
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A bit late to the party, but here are my thoughts on Brave New World.
Yes, this album is good. Bruce and Adrian are back, and they are back with vengeance, and they make this an amazing record. Bruce really shines and delivers a majestic vocal performance. It has some of my favourite Iron Maiden songs, like The Nomad or Out of the Silent Planet, and I always enjoy it when I'm listening to it.
However, this album is not without its flaws. I don't want to get into the debate on repeating choruses all that much, but no matter if they are the problem or not, songs like Brave New World or The Wicker Man just sound... uninspired. Yeah, The Wicker Man is probably a great live song with tons of energy and sing-along but on the record, it just sounds like some run-of-the-mill Maiden. the title track is okay, but nothing special. The same holds true for The Mercenary or The Thin Line Between Love and Hate.
The reason that I probably rank this album behind many others, even TXF, is solely because when I first heard it, I had not idea of the Maiden dynamics with Adrian and Bruce and all that jazz. And while I completely get how this album must have been Iron Maiden's saviour after the Blaze era (if one thinks that it is that bad, which I don't actually think), I've never had the "Bruce and Adrian are back, and so is Maiden" with this album.
I don't know if this post makes any sense, but I can't really say what I want to say in another way. Sue me.
1. The Nomad
2. Out of the Silent Planet
3. Dream of Mirrors
4. The Fallen Angel
5. Ghost of the Navigator
6. Blood Brothers
7. The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
8. Brave New World
9. The Wicker Man
10. The Mercenary
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We're not bashing the music in any way, we are just stating the facts.
And I'm saying that a repeating chorus =/= "lazy". That is not a fact. That's all.
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Whatever bro.
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Just getting back to the thread..
I never fell in love with BNW when it came out. I don't know why either.. I think I was just skeptical. Was this a one off? That kind of thing. I don't think I ever let myself really just enjoy it.
Wicker Man is growing on me over time, but I never really cared for it. The three songs that I liked right off was The Nomad, TTLBLAH (what a glorious ending, one of their best!), and Ghost Of The Navigator.
I've forever tried to figure out why I don't love Dream Of Mirrors. It's a great song with lots of cool moments. I know I'm not crazy about the "I only dream in black and white" chorus.
But it's really a great kickoff to what would become the Reunion Era. I, for one, feel that each Reunion Era album has built on the previous one.
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I love BNW, and Thin Line is my favorite IM song. The last 4 minutes are filled with gorgeous Dave Murray melodies. There are definitely tracks I skip, but for some reason they tend to be the ones everyone else seems to love (BNW, BB, OOTSP). Love the variety of tastes. Also, Bruce sounds fantastic on this record and the production is top-notch.
Funny thing, somtimes you can look at a cover of an album and just know it's going to rule (the cover of Ride the Lightning was my first experience with that concept), and the cover of BNW gave me a solid hunch that the crap of the 90s was ancient history . . .
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I love this album. From the worst album to one of the best.
Bruce and Adrian are back, and the whole band sound renewed, reinvigorated. This isn't a "comeback album" - this is the launch of a whole new chapter. There's a few naff moments, but after the disappointments of the last decade or so, who cares? This album is very nearly perfect.
Blood Brothers is repetitive, sure, but like Fear of the Dark, it's a song that works so much better live than on record. The Nomad is stunning, and the 3-guitar coda to Thin Line... is just sublime.
Who knew metal could be so beautiful?
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Just a quick question for you guys here, because I've seen a lot of people pinpointing certain solos and melodies by certain guitarists. I feel like I'm missing out on some kind of decoder ring or something... how can you guys tell which guitarist is playing what? Is there some sort of key I don't know about? I'd appreciate some help here. ;D
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Just a quick question for you guys here, because I've seen a lot of people pinpointing certain solos and melodies by certain guitarists. I feel like I'm missing out on some kind of decoder ring or something... how can you guys tell which guitarist is playing what? Is there some sort of key I don't know about? I'd appreciate some help here. ;D
It's not something that you just pick up, but once you know each guy's characteristics, you can kinda tell who's playing what.
Dave Murray's solos usually have that clean bubbly sound with lots of sweeps and legato strings of notes. Sometimes, it seems like he's actually doing very little picking at all.
Adrian's guitar sound has a bit more attack, a bit more distortion and wah. His tone is more biting compared to Dave's cleaner sound.
Janick is harder for me to nail. He's kinda like Dave, but faster AND sloppier, usually with more tapping. But he does stuff that sounds like Adrian, too, I guess 'cause he played so many of Adrian's solos live
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We're not bashing the music in any way, we are just stating the facts.
And I'm saying that a repeating chorus =/= "lazy". That is not a fact. That's all.
No one is actually saying.
That is a fact.
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Just a quick question for you guys here, because I've seen a lot of people pinpointing certain solos and melodies by certain guitarists. I feel like I'm missing out on some kind of decoder ring or something... how can you guys tell which guitarist is playing what? Is there some sort of key I don't know about? I'd appreciate some help here. ;D
If it's played on the neck pickup and there's lots of trills/legato/left hand work and is essentially blues box based it's probably Dave Murray.
If it sounds thought out, melodic, structured, with properly controlled vibrato it's likely Adrian. Adrian's the most likely to put interesting scale modulations into the middle of his solos.
If it's a chaotic flurry of notes that's in a rush to finish a phrase and get onto the next one lest a bit of vibrato is necessary it'll be Janick!
Mostly though I think most people just see who plays what live and make a note of it :)
Also, if the solo is played live closely to how it was recorded it'll be Adrian's. I think both Dave and Janick add improvisations to their solos when playing them live.
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Brave New World.....an album that I bought when it first came out, listened to a couple of times and then put it away. I just didn't connect with it. At all. It wasn't until after Dance of Death had been out for a while that I went back and actually gave BNW a fair shot.
I like it. I'm not crazy about it. But I like it. Out of the 4 reunion albums I'd have to place it at #3, but it's still way, way ahead of anything they had released since Seventh Son.
I poke fun at them for the repeating choruses, but I still love the band. I'm not convinced that laziness is the reason behind the repeating choruses. I think that's just how Iron Maiden tend to write songs. They've been writing that way for a long, long time. It's just that they've been leaning on that device more and more so it's become more noticeable in recent years.
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If it's played on the neck pickup and there's lots of trills/legato/left hand work and is essentially blues box based it's probably Dave Murray.
If it sounds thought out, melodic, structured, with properly controlled vibrato it's likely Adrian. Adrian's the most likely to put interesting scale modulations into the middle of his solos.
If it's a chaotic flurry of notes that's in a rush to finish a phrase and get onto the next one lest a bit of vibrato is necessary it'll be Janick!
Mostly though I think most people just see who plays what live and make a note of it :)
Also, if the solo is played live closely to how it was recorded it'll be Adrian's. I think both Dave and Janick add improvisations to their solos when playing them live.
Well that'll certainly make things easier, thanks! And to PC, too.
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Just a quick question for you guys here, because I've seen a lot of people pinpointing certain solos and melodies by certain guitarists. I feel like I'm missing out on some kind of decoder ring or something... how can you guys tell which guitarist is playing what? Is there some sort of key I don't know about? I'd appreciate some help here. ;D
https://www.last.fm/group/Iron+Maiden/forum/243/_/585784
This should help! ;)
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Just a quick question for you guys here, because I've seen a lot of people pinpointing certain solos and melodies by certain guitarists. I feel like I'm missing out on some kind of decoder ring or something... how can you guys tell which guitarist is playing what? Is there some sort of key I don't know about? I'd appreciate some help here. ;D
https://www.last.fm/group/Iron+Maiden/forum/243/_/585784
This should help! ;)
Holly hell! That'll do it, cheers. :P
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First solo, insane, all over the place = Jannick
Second solo, technically proficient, clean = Adrian
Third solo, classic Maiden sound = Dave
It's a formula they rarely divert from.
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I don't even go into what's being played, I can tell them apart by their individual sound. It's kind of obvious if you've listened to Maiden long enough. :biggrin:
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What a coincidence, I hung out with a friend of mine yesterday and he asked me the same thing. I had a hard time trying to explain him, but I pretty much said what PC said. It's up to him to try and figure it out himself. ;D
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What that guy said about the left right channels is also true.
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Just a quick question for you guys here, because I've seen a lot of people pinpointing certain solos and melodies by certain guitarists. I feel like I'm missing out on some kind of decoder ring or something... how can you guys tell which guitarist is playing what? Is there some sort of key I don't know about? I'd appreciate some help here. ;D
It's not something that you just pick up, but once you know each guy's characteristics, you can kinda tell who's playing what.
Dave Murray's solos usually have that clean bubbly sound with lots of sweeps and legato strings of notes. Sometimes, it seems like he's actually doing very little picking at all.
Adrian's guitar sound has a bit more attack, a bit more distortion and wah. His tone is more biting compared to Dave's cleaner sound.
Janick is harder for me to nail. He's kinda like Dave, but faster AND sloppier, usually with more tapping. But he does stuff that sounds like Adrian, too, I guess 'cause he played so many of Adrian's solos live
Dave pretty much never uses sweep picking, and if he ever does, it's only a three string sweep, never any more.
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What that guy said about the left right channels is also true.
That's good to know!
Too bad most of my maiden listening has been in mono lately... live or otherwise :sadpanda:
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Maybe it's because I saw Rock in Rio before I actually heard the album, but I've always thought that all the songs on there sound MUCH better live. It's almost too polished on the album, or maybe not energetic enough. Even weaker songs like Mercenary kill live. This isn't really the case for the other albums, except maybe X Factor, but that has everything to do with production.
On its own, BNW is an amazing album that wouldn't be out of place with the classics. It's exactly what the classic Maiden should sound like in the 00's. That said, I'm glad they started to go in a different direction after this. It's starting to fall in my rankings, I'd take the last two albums and everything from POM to SSOASS over it. Which is why I'm glad they took the experimental route with the next three albums. While the classic sounding metal is good, I like seeing the band move forward. I'll always have those classic albums if I want that sound, but now I want something new.
Basically what I'm getting at is, Brave New World is an awesome album, but compared to other Maiden albums, it doesn't hold up quite as well. I suppose that just goes to show how awesome Maiden is. After all, they're my favorite band. :D
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Hey, speaking of which:
ROCK IN RIO - 2002
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/08/Ironmaidenrockinrio.jpg)
1. Intro: Arthur's Farewell
2. The Wicker Man
3. Ghost Of The Navigator
4. Brave New World
5. Wrathchild
6. 2 Minutes To Midnight
7. Blood Brothers
8. Sign Of The Cross
9. The Mercenary
10. The Trooper
11. Dream Of Mirrors
12. The Clansman
13. The Evil That Men Do
14. Fear Of The Dark
15. Iron Maiden
16. The Number Of The Beast
17. Hallowed Be Thy Name
18. Sanctuary
19. Run To The Hills
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Great album, great performance, great DVD. All there is to say, really.
TRIVIA QUESTION TIME
1. Since no one got it last time, I'll ask it again: besides playing in Estonia and a very brief appearance by the "classic" lineup, what made the Brave New World tour a first for Maiden?
2. The DVD contains numerous shots from concerts other than the one in Rio. Why, and which are they?
3. One of Bruce's rants during the night (thankfully cut from the DVD) zeroed in on a specific popstar. What was their name, and why were they, in particular, the object of his vitriol?
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Great album, I think this was my first Iron Maiden live album. The whole band is on fire.
However, two small gripes:
1. The setlist. I get that Maiden like playing their classics and all, and that they will probably pop up on every DVD from here to eternity, but the selection of songs from Brave New World is piss-poor. Three of the four songs ommitted are my personal favourites from the album, but instead we are "treated" songs like The Mercenary and Brave New World. Really?
2. This is a really minor issue and somewhat of a pet peeve of mine, but since the first live albums that I ever heard were really, really big on crowd interaction and switching stuff up, it always bothers me to no-end when Bruce screams "sing for me!" and then sings it himself. The crowd's so loud that it would have easily carried that and it would have, in my opinion, added to the overall product.
Still, all in all, this is the Iron Maiden live album that I listen to most, maybe next to Live After Death. I have yet to watch the video, but since many call it seizure-inducing, it isn't quite that high on my musical to-do list.
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2. The DVD contains numerous shots from concerts other than the one in Rio. Why, and which are they?
Best guess: Harris overdubbed Bruce's "you sing now" moments 'cause there were too many. (I know I heard he did that, I just don't know if that's the right reason).
3. One of Bruce's rants during the night (thankfully cut from the DVD) zeroed in on a specific popstar. What was their name, and why were they, in particular, the object of his vitriol?
Britney Spears. She'd headlined the night before, which was absolutely ridiculous for the festival. Still, the rant is basically f-bombs every other word.
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I think one of the concerts was Argentina. Great dvd, great live album as well. Loved sign of the cross, Clansman and Ghost of the navigator on there.
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I don't have any of these reunion era DVDs yet, and now I'm just holding out for the Maiden England '88 later this month because that setlist looks awesome and it's packed with extras. Obviously I'll have to get one of the HD ones at some point and it will most likely be En Vivo.
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Best live album. That's right, even better than Live After Death. The setlist is damn near perfect, covering almost every album. I'd say many of the songs presented here are performed even better than their studio counterparts. Namely Sign of the Cross, anything from BNW, Wrathchild. It's a long set too, since it was the South American leg. The only thing that would've made this better is the inclusion of Out Of The Silent Planet and The Fallen Angel (A really underrated track). The audience plays a big role in the greatness of this performance as well. The fans in South America are insane, they're the best audiences for live videos, can't wait to see what a DT show from SA looks like.
Everything about Rio is awesome, if I had to introduce someone to Maiden, I'd give them this DVD. It has everything; the songs, the performance, Eddie.
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I love the DVD. I couldn't imagine how many times I've watched it.
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I love the DVD. I couldn't imagine how many times I've watched it.
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It's been a long while since I watched it, perhaps I'll put it on tonight.
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It's a little churlish to complain about the setlist, as this was the reunion live album, and has a good selection of classics and BNW songs. It was the ideal setlist for this stage of their career. It's easier to complain about the setlists on Death on the Road and En Vivo, of course...
That said, I was a little surprised that SOTC and The Clansman made it - I'd have put money on shorter Blaze-era songs like MOTE and Futureal, if any. A lot of the BNW songs work better live, especially Blood Brothers, but Dream of Mirrors doesn't, and I wish they'd played The Nomad instead.
Minor quibbles. The band is on top form, all the classics are here, and the crowd are fantastic throughout.
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I find it kind of strange that Maiden played "The Clansman" for four tours in a row, three of them with Bruce. Not many songs get that kind of constant play.
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I like the setlist, and I like they they represented the Blaze era quite respectfully.
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I find it kind of strange that Maiden played "The Clansman" for four tours in a row, three of them with Bruce. Not many songs get that kind of constant play.
Didn't know they played it so much.
The next tour should include something like Edge of Darkness or maybe Lightning Strikes Twice.
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Or the educates fool... one can wish. I doubt we see any blaze songs bruce hasn't sung yet and probably unlikely we get any blaze songs period.
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Fool would be great too. Yeah, it's wishful thinking but I don't think they'll ever play any Blaze songs ever again.
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Just got done watching Rock in Rio for the first time and WOW! Great performance overall. I haven't seen any of the other concert performances in full (seen bits of Live After Death and Flight 666) but I intend to. The editing was over the top with so many quick cut shots as has been noted often, but it does give the unique perspective of trying to keep up with how much is going on at any one time on the stage for their shows. Very action packed for certain. I wish the stage show was a tad more involved/extravagant there (as IM can sometimes be) but it clearly wasn't necessary. The band of course sounds great and I don't know if the film audio had any touch-ups after or not but Bruce was pretty great throughout. The setlist was quite cool mixing things up nicely IMO which brings me to my thoughts on the Brave New World album....
I just tackled it for the first time over the weekend and am really, really liking a good bit of it. As has been mentioned the production and sound is awesome yet my only slight gripe is it's a little too sterile at times for some of the songs considering how great the songs from BNW sound in concert. If this is the level of the reunion stuff going forward I think I'm really going to be thrilled with whats to come! :birch:
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You can thank Steve Harris for the editing. That was the main complaint with the DVD.
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At least he didn't use psychedelic split-screens like the LSFNY DVD ;D
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You can thank Steve Harris for the editing. That was the main complaint with the DVD.
Death On The Road makes Rock In Rio seem sedentary and downright soporific.
Just thinking about the editing for Death On The Road risks giving me a seizure!
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Fool would be great too. Yeah, it's wishful thinking but I don't think they'll ever play any Blaze songs ever again.
EVER??? Did someone say something to that effect? I would think that at least TSOTC would have a VERY high demand to be in the setlist. Even those who hate the Blaze years usually admit that song is one of Maiden's finest.
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Rock In Rio, both as a DVD and a live album, have been replaced for me by En Vivo. The DVD's editing is why its been consigned to my shelf, likely never to be returned, while En Vivo's performances are as good as Rock In Rio, and frankly I like the set better. There's nothing wrong with Rock In Rio and I'll drag the CD out occasionally, but once I saw En Vivo I knew where I'd be going for live later day Maiden.
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RiR is pretty much what got me into IM. I liked them but wasn't too into them. I had one of their many greatest hits, Edward the Great and it had the RiR version of Fear of the Dark and I was blown away by that and without getting any of their albums I got the RiR CD and that's when I discovered BNW and my Maidensanity began. There were so many awesome songs not on their greatest hits, Ghost of the Navigator, SotC, The Clansman, Dream of Mirrors. I was blown away. The crowd and the performance were so awesome. It wasn't until a bit later that I got the DVD, which I still enjoy but I don't need to talk about the problems
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Fantastic live set. Being new to the band, I was silently a bit skeptical about reunion era stuff. I thought the most likely scenario was that I would get a lot of the classic era stuff and mostly call it a day. Yeah, I'd maybe sample a bit of the reunion material so I could say I did, would probably think it was decent, but would be just fine not rushing out to pick it up. I was wrong.
Rock in Rio singularly got me more interested in the band than perhaps anything else I have heard. I feel like the first half of disk 2 is the most interesting part of the set, but I enjoy a lot of it. I think I'll put it on right now in fact... :birch:
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Fantastic live set. Being new to the band, I was silently a bit skeptical about reunion era stuff. I thought the most likely scenario was that I would get a lot of the classic era stuff and mostly call it a day. Yeah, I'd maybe sample a bit of the reunion material so I could say I did, would probably think it was decent, but would be just fine not rushing out to pick it up. I was wrong.
Rock in Rio singularly got me more interested in the band than perhaps anything else I have heard. I feel like the first half of disk 2 is the most interesting part of the set, but I enjoy a lot of it. I think I'll put it on right now in fact... :birch:
Not to rush you or anything, BUUUTTT . . . . next we'll be discussing Dance of Death which is awesome so you may want to pick that up :biggrin:.
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NO! I'm really taking a break for awhile!
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When you're done with your break, A Matter of life and death is a must.
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Unless I hear something that makes me specifically want a particular album, my general plan once I am ready to buy again is just to just decide based on whatever reunion era studio and live albums whatever store I am in has in stock. But we'll see...
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Nah, Dance of Death is the worst of the reunion albums. Don't worry about it just now. Speaking of which,
DANCE OF DEATH - 2003
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/de/Iron_Maiden-Dance_of_Death.jpg)
1. "Wildest Dreams"
2. "Rainmaker"
3. "No More Lies"
4. "Montségur"
5. "Dance of Death"
6. "Gates of Tomorrow"
7. "New Frontier"
8. "Paschendale"
9. "Face in the Sand"
10. "Age of Innocence"
11. "Journeyman"
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I don't get the hate for "Dance of Death" at all. It's a stellar album full of great Maiden songs.
"Rainmaker" is one of the coolest little short songs Maiden have done, and has great lyrics.
"Montesegur" is easily the most rockin' and blood-boiling reunion song the band have done.
"Dance of Death" and "Paschendale" are both fantastic epics as good as any in the Maiden catalogue. "Paschendale" in particular is Maiden's best song.
"Face in the Sand" has an absolutely riveting clean intro which is the best Maiden clean intro Maiden have done.
"Journeyman" is an incredibly moving, inspiring acoustic song. Very special.
Anyway, great album. Full of good and great songs. Terrible album art, though.
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Well, from En Vivo, I know I like the title track anyway. /contribution
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Well, from En Vivo, I know I like the title track anyway. /contribution
At least give this a listen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmyoMTp60cE
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:lol Yeah...so...
Listening to Live Death On The Road on YouTube right now...
EDIT: :omg: Whoa! Paschendale is AMAZING!
EDIT2: And so is Lord of the Flies! (yes, I know this is a Blaze-era song; at least this version RAWKS!)
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Dance of Death is awesome!!! Some of the best Maiden tunes ever are on there. :metal
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(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/de/Iron_Maiden-Dance_of_Death.jpg)
MY EYES! THE GOGGLES DO NOTHING!
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This is a far superior album than BNW in my opinion. Pashendale is easily one of the greatest Maiden songs ever written and Age of Innocence, Montsegur and New Frontier are amazing songs. I've never really cared for the title track, but it's not terrible by any means. Nicko's right foot on Face in the Sand is amazing to say the least.
I remember when this album came out there was some controversy about how all of the levels were bumped up during the mastering process. I think that may have made some people a little "stand-offish" at the beginning. I also remember some people claiming that converting the songs to mp3s would actually improve the sound which is a very strange thing and I'm not sure that I've ever heard that said about another album.
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EDIT: :omg: Whoa! Paschendale is AMAZING!
Yeah, I don't find DoD to be a horribly great album in general, but Paschendale is one of the best songs Maiden's ever written, full stop.
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Well, this album is very hit-and-miss for me, but when it hits, it hits hard. Paschendale, Dance of Death, Rainmaker and Journeyman are fucking awesome and Paschendale and Journeyman could very well be in my Maiden Top 10. The problem is that you can't really sell an album on the strength of four songs alone, so yeah. I honestly can't tell you how any of the other songs (except maybe for NML) goes because they are all so damn forgettable. I'll give it a relisten tonight, but I think I can say with confidence that this is the worst reunion album.
Also, the cover art is fucking atrocious. I personally use, for iTunes at least, the original one. It's basically the cover without all the animated crap:
(https://www.musicalnews.com/img_art/15092003150049.jpg)
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You can thank Steve Harris for the editing. That was the main complaint with the DVD.
Death On The Road makes Rock In Rio seem sedentary and downright soporific.
Just thinking about the editing for Death On The Road risks giving me a seizure!
Spot on. In fact, it's just about unwatchable. Someone counted the cuts a while back and the results were staggering.
Aside from that, loved reading all the comments in this thread. Cracking band.
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Ah, Dance of Death.
This was actually my first Iron Maiden album so it holds a certain nostalgic value for me. I remember a friend gave me a mix CD that included DoD and Journeyman and I immediately fell in love with both of them. Bought the album and it blew my head off and I never looked back.
One thing about this album in particular is that I wish Nicko would write for the band a little more than he did. New Frontier is absolutely a stellar song.
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There's nothing really wrong with DOD, it's just a bit inconsistent. I don't like Wildest Dreams or Journeyman, but the rest is pretty stellar. Rainmaker is one of the greatest things the band has ever done. I always thought it was Davey's follow up to Judas.
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Dance of Death is kind of a strange album. It's got a bunch of crappy songs, some shitty lyrics, poor production... but some of the best material Maiden ever put out. It's one of the best examples of an album that could really use some addition from subtraction.
"Wildest Dreams" and "Rainmaker" are fun, short songs, with tons of energy and some cool riffs. I wish Maiden wrote more songs like this, 'cause they're really fun.
"No More Lies" is speculated to have been from the Virtual XI sessions, and it sounds like it. Sort of in a good way, sort of in a bad way. There's some cool riffs here, fairly good lyrics, a nice instrumental section, and some great solos. But it's also really repetitive, both in the riffs and chorus. Good, but not great. Probably should've been trimmed some.
"Montsegur" is pretty awesome. It's probably Maiden's heaviest track, and it really thunders. The post-chorus has always felt a little weird, but it's a minor blemish.
"Dance of Death" is fantastic. It's big, bombastic, and silly. It's an epic that manages to be terrifically fun. Great to see it played live again recently.
"Gates of Tomorrow" is a pretty mediocre song, with the exception of the awesome pre-chorus. Probably deserved to be cut.
"New Frontier" has a couple good riffs, but fucking awful lyrics. One of H's best solos is utterly wasted. Deserved to be cut.
"Paschendale" needs no explanation. It's a tad over-orchestrated on the album, though. Sounded better live. Still fucking ace, though.
Not a big fan of "Face in the Sand." It just sort of plods for 6 minutes. It sounds like reunion Maiden by numbers. It's only real purpose is to be the answer to a trivia question. Probably deserved to be cut.
"Age of Innocence" is pretty much the musical version of this (https://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvxhzrMX421r4d22do1_400.jpg). Deserved to be cut.
"Journeyman" is a really nice song. It's simple and sweet, and really came to life live. Great stuff.
Song rankings:
1. Dance of Death
2. Paschendale
3. Rainmaker
4. Journeyman
5. Montsegur
6. Wildest Dreams
7. No More Lies
8. Face in the Sand
9. Gates of Tomorrow
10. Age of Innocence
11. New Frontier
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It's bootleg time!
First off, behind perhaps only the Ed Huntour, the Give Me Ed... 'til I'm Dead tour is the best Maiden's done. The band sounded amazing and energetic. The setlist was top notch. Everything was perfect. There are a ton of great bootlegs from this tour. First and foremost is the televised Rock Am Ring show, which is available in its full form on youtube. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKrBufol0WI) It's just a shame that the mix is sub-standard (the guitars pan in strength from left to right, so Dave is dominant and Janick is non-existent; can't hear the crowd either), because otherwise this would probably be the best Maiden DVD (or at least tied with Ullevi 2005). There's also a great bootleg from the show in Philadelphia (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BA80y5J0R2k), although Maiden was playing a shortened set to accommodate Dio and Motorhead on the North American tour.
The Dance of Death tour was pretty good as well, although Bruce sometimes suffered a bit with his vocals (although nothing compared to previous struggles). It was probably as "theatrical" as Maiden ever got, what with all the costumes and set design. Death on the Road remains the best live artifact, but there are a couple of bootlegs of note. There's a great FM broadcast of the show in Sao Paolo available, as well as about 45 minutes of the Argentinian show that was broadcast on TV. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EllJyInalY)
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I love that Rock Am Ring show.
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Dance of Death is a great album, and while it is the weakest of the reunion albums, that's only because the other 3 are so damn good.
Wildest Dreams and Rainmaker are great songs, the latter being one of my fave IM tunes. Paschendale is... simply stunning.
Journeyman is nice, Monseguer is fun.
DoD is a pretty solid track, and a bit of a departure for Maiden.
Face in the Sand has a great sound, it's nice, but it's not the most memorable track.
Gates of Tomorrow is an OK filler.
No More Lies is a clone of every other Steve Harris song, and not a particularly good one.
Age of Innocence gets kudos for trying something a bit different, but it doesn't quite work.
New Frontier is just horrible.
So in conclusion, half of it is great, half of it isn't. The casting vote must come down to the cover art, which is quite simply one of the ugliest things I've seen from a major label band. Apparantly they used an unfinished version, and the artist requested his name be taken off the credits - can't say I blame him.
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TRIVIA QUESTION TIME!!!
Great album, great performance, great DVD. All there is to say, really.
TRIVIA QUESTION TIME
1. Since no one got it last time, I'll ask it again: besides playing in Estonia and a very brief appearance by the "classic" lineup, what made the Brave New World tour a first for Maiden?
2. The DVD contains numerous shots from concerts other than the one in Rio. Why, and which are they?
Since no one got these, I'll grudgingly dole out the answers.
1. I thought this one was going to be obvious. The Brave New World tour was (and is) the only Maiden tour to have stretched over three calender years (2000-02).
2. There are numerous shots from the other South American shows; there are cuts to a sort of Bruce-mounted headcam in some songs, which obviously wasn't filmed at the gig (because the apparatus to film them is cartoonishly large, as you'd see if you watched the TV boots from the other South American shows). Same with the fret-board mounted cameras you can see all the guitarists using at one point or another.
NOW FOR DANCE OF DEATH RELATED TRIVIA!
1. The Dance of Death tour was also unique in a specific way, likewise to the Brave New World tour. In what way?
2. While Maiden members have gotten ill or injured in the past, forcing the band to cancel tour dates, the cancellation of several tour dates due to Bruce's health on the Dance of Death tour was rather odd. What supposedly ailed Bruce, and why was this suspicious?
3. Speaking of injuries, Bruce fell badly in Los Angeles on January 30th, four days after Janick's birthday. What was the connection between the two events?
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3. He was drunk? :neverusethis:
No, seriously, no idea. Though I am liking this trivia, 'cause I'm learning heaps and bounds.
EDIT: I think I know #1: it's the last tour to date to feature a song from the Blaze era, Lord of the Flies.
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I have no idea on these ones at all.
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3. He was drunk? :neverusethis:
No, seriously, no idea. Though I am liking this trivia, 'cause I'm learning heaps and bounds.
EDIT: I think I know #1: it's the last tour to date to feature a song from the Blaze era, Lord of the Flies.
Well fuck. That's an obvious one I missed. You're right, but it's not what I was thinking of.
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I really like this album but it sounds over produced to me. Anyway, my rankings:
Dance of Death
Rainmaker
Paschendale
Journeyman
No More Lies
Montsegur
Wildest Dreams
Face in the sand
...
Age of Innocence
New Frontier
Gates of Tomorrow
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The production on DOD is by far the worst production on any IM album.
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Which is a little strange because it's produced by Kevin Shirley, who produced Falling Into Infinity - often regarded as the best sounding DT album.
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I haven't really been a fan of any of Kevin's work for some time.
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It's one of the best examples of an album that could really use some addition from subtraction.
Yeah, I would agree with that. It could lose about 3 songs.
Anyway, I love Dance Of Death. My thoughts when it came out:
1. So glad BNW was not a one off. They're in this for at least another album. Don't know why it mattered but that made me feel really good. I was worried BNW was some sort of dodgy reunion money grab.
2. Loved the artwork and colors. So much better than the bland BNW cover and artwork.
3. Definitely more in the classic Maiden sound than BNW. I was comfortable with it right away.
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:lol Yeah...so...
Listening to Live Death On The Road on YouTube right now...
EDIT: :omg: Whoa! Paschendale is AMAZING!
EDIT2: And so is Lord of the Flies! (yes, I know this is a Blaze-era song; at least this version RAWKS!)
Death On The Road is my favorite Maiden live album. And the DVD would be as well if it weren't for the editing. It's the most beautiful and glorious footage ever filmed of the band.
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Dance of Death, yeah, pretty much a "meh" album for me.
Paschendale and the title track are great, and maybe one or two others, but I honestly never listen to this album. The production doesn't help.
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As a huge Maiden fan I know I've completely neglected this thread sadly, but I have to break the silence for one quick comment.
The DoD cover is atrocious.
That said Paschendale and the title track are two of their best.
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and as many other have mentioned the DoD cover is absolutly hideous! That's about all i had to say about this album.
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I'll explain why I like DoD . . . for me it combines the 80s appeal of the fast songs & aggressive riffs with re-union era sense of structure and melody. I probably didn't word that perfectly but you can probably interpret what I am trying to say.
In the same way that Metallica's fast thrash songs rarely do well in DTF survivors, it's the same way with IM . . . this is a prog forum and most of folks here prefer slower, longer, more "thoughtful" songs if you will. Finishing my thought as it relates to Metallica, I thought the band always sounded best when they were thrashing, with the Black Album containing some rare exceptions. Metal Militia, Fight Fire With Fire, Damage Inc, and Dyer's Eve to me are some of Metallica's best songs but they always do poorly in polls and survivors, so I can see why an IM album with shorter up-tempo songs would not be as well-liked.
When I listen to DoD I hear a bunch of songs that slay, and I don't have to wait through a 2-minute acoustic intro ON EVERY SONG to get to the metal. Now I LIKE a lot of the acoustic intros, but they aren't needed on EVERY track. When we got one on Still Life I thought "oh this is a nice change of pace and a great melody". It's just done to death now though, and it's exacerbated by the fact that so many of them are the same tempo & key that they all run together in my brain. This is literally my only musical criticism of IM. Look at all the different ways DT do intros, they are never redundant. I love The Final Frontier but the last 5 tracks in a row all begin the same way pretty much.
Anyway, Paschendale is probably the greatest song they've ever written - it just goes from one awesome section to another without let-up. Just amazing. I think Journeyman probably is longer than it needs to be, and No More Lies suffers from chorus abuse but other than that I always enjoy listening to DoD.
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As for the trivia question: Wasn't this the tour that saw the atrocious 'egg-throwing incident' 'egged on' :biggrin: by Sharon Osbourne at Ozz-fest?
I dont know exactly, thought it was about during this period. I think every Maiden fan on the globe was ready to drink Sharon's blood at that point! :justjen
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3. Speaking of injuries, Bruce fell badly in Los Angeles on January 30th, four days after Janick's birthday. What was the connection between the two events?
He slipped on some icing from Janick's birthday cake that didn't get cleaned for some reason. Sounds hilarious but it isn't. :lol
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As for the trivia question: Wasn't this the tour that saw the atrocious 'egg-throwing incident' 'egged on' :biggrin: by Sharon Osbourne at Ozz-fest?
I dont know exactly, thought it was about during this period. I think every Maiden fan on the globe was ready to drink Sharon's blood at that point! :justjen
Uh, no, that tour was Ozzfest, obviously.
But yeah, they were touring on Dance of Death. It wasn't the Dance of Death tour, though. Unfortunately, the Dance of Death only included like 6 shows in the entirety of the US.
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Wow, the cover is catching a lot of heat, but personally it's my favorite cover of the Reunion Era.
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I love the idea of the cover-- Eddie as the Reaper standing in the circle of a pit that resembles a huge orgy and inviting you in. Seems very "Maiden-y" to me. But the execution is just not good.
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I strongly prefer the version that Scorpion linked to in his post.
(https://www.musicalnews.com/img_art/15092003150049.jpg)
Clean and simple, without the dated CGI stuff.
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I love the idea of the cover-- Eddie as the Reaper standing in the circle of a pit that resembles a huge orgy and inviting you in. Seems very "Maiden-y" to me. But the execution is just not good.
I thought it was kind of kind of un-Maideny. I just found the entire concept pretty artful. I also love the black, red, and white color scheme. Comes of as real vibrant to me.
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I love the idea of the cover-- Eddie as the Reaper standing in the circle of a pit that resembles a huge orgy and inviting you in. Seems very "Maiden-y" to me. But the execution is just not good.
I thought it was kind of kind of un-Maideny. I just found the entire concept pretty artful. I also love the black, red, and white color scheme. Comes of as real vibrant to me.
Oh, come on, TAC. Look at this fucking thing.
(https://fc09.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/203/4/0/iron_maiden___dance_of_death_by_exabyte55242-d587k9d.jpg)
What the hell is going on with that baby? Is it standing inside of the dog?
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Dance of Death is the weakest of the reunion albums, but that means it's just a really good album rather than a great one. The title track is going to be one of the songs they ALWAYS play live, just because live it's such a monster, and Paschendale is a top five Maiden track for me. The rest of the album is decent to good, though I do think it starts to run out of steam after Paschendale. It was, as was said earlier, a pleasure to just see it come out, since it meant the reunion wasn't just a one off gimmick and that they were serious about this six piece version of Maiden. The cover is dreadful though; I've read that the cover was actually just a rough draft of what the artist intended, and the band went with it as the cover. I can believe that. :lol
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As for the trivia question: Wasn't this the tour that saw the atrocious 'egg-throwing incident' 'egged on' :biggrin: by Sharon Osbourne at Ozz-fest?
I dont know exactly, thought it was about during this period. I think every Maiden fan on the globe was ready to drink Sharon's blood at that point! :justjen
Uh, no, that tour was Ozzfest, obviously.
But yeah, they were touring on Dance of Death. It wasn't the Dance of Death tour, though. Unfortunately, the Dance of Death only included like 6 shows in the entirety of the US.
Which was part of the Early Years tour in 2005 I believe, the first time I saw IM.
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I love the idea of the cover-- Eddie as the Reaper standing in the circle of a pit that resembles a huge orgy and inviting you in. Seems very "Maiden-y" to me. But the execution is just not good.
I thought it was kind of kind of un-Maideny. I just found the entire concept pretty artful. I also love the black, red, and white color scheme. Comes of as real vibrant to me.
Oh, come on, TAC. Look at this fucking thing.
(https://fc09.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/203/4/0/iron_maiden___dance_of_death_by_exabyte55242-d587k9d.jpg)
What the hell is going on with that baby? Is it standing inside of the dog?
:lol
Yeah, it's kind of fucked up, but I think that's what I like about it. I guess it has a (for the old farts) colorform look to it, especially the baby on the dog.
Could it be better with a few less figures in it, sure. But I do not prefer the one with the Eddie by himself.
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As for the trivia question: Wasn't this the tour that saw the atrocious 'egg-throwing incident' 'egged on' :biggrin: by Sharon Osbourne at Ozz-fest?
I dont know exactly, thought it was about during this period. I think every Maiden fan on the globe was ready to drink Sharon's blood at that point! :justjen
Uh, no, that tour was Ozzfest, obviously.
But yeah, they were touring on Dance of Death. It wasn't the Dance of Death tour, though. Unfortunately, the Dance of Death only included like 6 shows in the entirety of the US.
Which was part of the Early Years tour in 2005 I believe, the first time I saw IM.
The Ozzfest shows were the summer of '05. The Dance Of Death "tour" hit New York City in January of '04.
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...I guess it has a (for the old farts) colorform look to it, especially the baby on the dog.
Yes, it definitely does, now that you mention it. But this is a clear example of someone getting far enough up there in years where they start to confuse "nostalgic" with "good." Personally, I don't want a metal band's album color to look like a colorforms project I did when I was 6 years old.
...but while we're on the subject, remember the color forms that had stuff printed on them in different colors? And then when you put stuck them on the thing where you would turn the wheel to rotate them through the different color lenses, so like when you were looking through the blue lens, the blue stuff wouldn't show up and you'd get like a face or something, but then you'd rotate it to the red lense, and it would be skull. Remember those? Those were cool! Um...yeah... :tick:
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3. Speaking of injuries, Bruce fell badly in Los Angeles on January 30th, four days after Janick's birthday. What was the connection between the two events?
He slipped on some icing from Janick's birthday cake that didn't get cleaned for some reason. Sounds hilarious but it isn't. :lol
It was actually a pie. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=7LIa_rqxZwc#t=153s) I had forgotten that it was Bruce himself who did the act. I enjoy his pie stealth skills here.
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...but while we're on the subject, remember the color forms that had stuff printed on them in different colors? And then when you put stuck them on the thing where you would turn the wheel to rotate them through the different color lenses, so like when you were looking through the blue lens, the blue stuff wouldn't show up and you'd get like a face or something, but then you'd rotate it to the red lense, and it would be skull. Remember those? Those were cool! Um...yeah... :tick:
:lol
Holy Light Bright, Batman!
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No, that wasn't Lite Brite (https://www.hasbro.com/litebrite/en_US/). It was definitely Colorforms. Kinda like this one (https://www.gasolinealleyantiques.com/celebrity/images/TV/bg-colorformsopen.JPG), where they were 2-color, and when you put them through the viewer, in the part with the red lense, the red stuff wouldn't be there, so it would look like something different.
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Umm, I know the difference between Light Bright and Colorfoms...
I don't remember having a Colorforms viewer. I must've moved on to Stretch Armstrong by then! :)
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Fans usually pick Dance of death as their least favorite of the reunion Iron Maiden albums. I do not, probably because I love the songs that many would call filler. It's an album filled with heavy riffs, catchy choruses, melodies (oh, the melodies are all over the place here), power, all that stuff. So yeah, it's an Iron Maiden album, pretty much the usual awesomeness that we expect from them.
Wildest dreams - One of their most positive and happy tunes, and that's probably why I adore it so much. Nothing gets me in the mood like this song, particularly the chorus. Fantastic solo by Adrian Smith and there's a fun mellow bit afterwards.
Rainmaker - A great song with plenty of memorable melodies, it's great to see that a Dave Murray song became such a hit.
No more lies - The only one here I don't enjoy that much, the chorus just doesn't do it for me. The rest of the song isn't too special neither.
Montsegur - The song bounces from minor to major keys throughout, which makes it very amusing. Bruce shines as well, I love how carefully he uses his rasp and also maintaining the clean singing, it's the perfect balance.
Dance of death - What an epic! Very progressive with some elements of folk music, they give it sort of a Jethro Tull vibe. This song is a perfect example why I think Janick is the best songwriter in the band at the moment.
Gates of tomorrow - A criminally underrated song, it is infectious as hell. It is dominated by vocal harmonies, a true magic for my ears. ''There isn't a God to save you if you don't save yourself", sings Bruce, although leaving us with yet another song with partially vague lyrics.
New frontier - A catchy tune that I apparently enjoy more than the others do. I sometimes feel people have the problem with New frontier and the previous song because they're sandwiched between two epics - that's what I think is great about them, the album doesn't get too epic and also has its accessible side, featured in these two tracks.
Paschendale - But man, the epic side is terrific. Adrian Smith is all over the place, there's some sensitive taping, some heartfelt melodies and some heavy riffs. It's one of those Maiden song that perfectly portrays the horror and bleakness of war.
Face in the sand - Nicko tackles the double bass pedal, and although he struggles with the tempo, he does a fine job. A very good song with some gorgeous melodies yet again.
Age of innocence - Another underrated track. The chorus is one of their more original ones. Bruce nails it once again with his rasp: "For fear of vigilante cries, the victims wipe their eyes...''
Journeyman - One of their most emotional closers, very melancholic. Especially notable is Bruce's passionate performance, and the guys prove they can handle the acoustic guitars with no problem. I love the bit where it goes to E minor, I get the chills every time.
Man, these dozens and dozens of melodies will be stuck in my head for days now. It's that typical feeling that we all love and that only Iron Maiden can give us. 9.5/10
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Face in the sand - Nicko tackles the double bass pedal, and although he struggles with the tempo, he does a fine job. A very good song with some gorgeous melodies yet again.
9.5/10
I'm fairly sure that he's doing that with one foot which makes it that much more amazing.
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Nope, McBrain's playing a double bass pedal on FITS.
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Um, can we get back on topic, please? I believe this thread is about obscure toys from the '60s and '70s.
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although Maiden was playing a shortened set to accommodate Dio and Motorhead on the North American tour.
I saw them on this tour; it wasn't a shortened set because of Dio and Motorhead but because they were playing a lot of venues that had a curfew. Which meant they had to cut three songs (Brave New World, Heaven Can Wait, Bring Your Daughter). AFAIK venues without a curfew got the full set. Nowadays if they're in this situation they just start early or cut the intro tape, like they did on The Final Frontier Tour.
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So I listened to the first couple tracks of DoD w/ headphones earlier. I've played the album as background music at work on my phone speaker but this was my first true (partial) listen. I have to say I absolutely love No More Lies.
Oh and the Title Track is 'aight.
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Trivia #3: They celebrated his Jan's birthday by throwing pies around and Bruce slipped on one.
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Decent album with some awesome songs, some very good songs and a couple of duffers.
Worst Maiden cover ever. Lazy and uninspired. Looks like an early mock up that they never bothered completing.
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I remember the uproar when the cover was released, tons of people thought it was a joke. There was also the thinking that as the days drew closer to the release date, each day one of those cgi characters would be removed and leaving just Eddie on the cover. Hence that never happened. :lol
I don't mind it, and it would be good if they executed it properly. Although, I was never a fan of the Eyes Wide Shut thing there were going for.
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Not going to lie, not a big fan of this album. Really only like the first two tracks, the title song, and Paschendale (which definitely might be a top 5 IM song for me)
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Um, can we get back on topic, please? I believe this thread is about obscure toys from the '60s and '70s.
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/66/Wooly_Willy_01.jpg)
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You know, that picture ^ would have made a better cover for DOD.
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I have to say I absolutely love No More Lies.
:tup
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No More Lies was fun live, but holy shit it's still the most annoying Maiden song I've heard.
Reply #900!
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You know, that picture ^ would have made a better cover for DOD.
:lol Well I guess if you're really talented with the magnet pen thing, you could probably make him look like Eddie.
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DoD is probably my least favorite reunion album since some of the songs really aren't that interesting, but it's still great overall.
Paschendale
Rainmaker
Dance of Death
Wildest Dreams
No More Lies
Journeyman
Montsegur
Face in the Sand
Age of Innocence
New Frontier
Gates of Tomorrow
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You know, that picture ^ would have made a better cover for DOD.
:facepalm:
:lol
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I have to say I absolutely love No More Lies.
:tup
I think we are in the minority. I loved seeing it live a few years ago.
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No More Lies was fun live, but holy shit it's still the most annoying Maiden song I've heard.
This.
Listening to this album again, I'm reminded just how... mediocre it really is. It's easily my least favorite reunion album but, even then, it still has some quality stuff.
Wildest Dreams is a fun opener and a pretty good song, but overall not great. The chorus is a bit shit too.
Rainmaker is alright.
No More Lies suffers from Harris Chorus Syndrome (HCS) but it actually has a few pretty cool parts. The intro is quite cool and I'm reminded that this isn't really that awful of a song. The chorus does go on way too long though.
Montsegur is a fun song. It feels as if the chorus is just about to get repetitive and annoying just as it ends. So thanks for that I guess.
Dance of the Dead is one of the best cheeseball songs ever. The lyrics remind me of the Stonehenge part of Spinal Tap but the music is just fantastic. That middle section all the way until the end is mindblowing. A fantastic song that I can't take very seriously. :lol
Both Gates of Tomorrow and New Frontier are pretty forgettable. Okay, correction, Gates of Tomorrow is REALLY forgettable. I just listened to it and I don't remember anything about it. New Frontier is alright, some cool moments on it. I like Bruce's vocals, but the lyrics are pretty meh.
Paschendale is, of course, awesome and one of Maiden's best songs. Pretty much love everything about this song.
Face In The Sand is pretty good actually, though just not great. I'm not a fan of Bruce on this one though. In fact, he's kinda weak on most of the album. He sounded a helluva lot more invigorated on Brave New World whereas here, he sounds tired. Or maybe it's the vocal melodies on a lot of songs. I dunno, I can't quite place it, but he sounds a bit off on Dance. Okay, back to the song. The most distinguishing part of this song is Nicko's drumming, everything else is just kinda there. A good song, just not very great. I'm finding myself saying this a lot about this album.
The album closes out with Age of Innocence and Journeyman, two of the better tracks. They don't reach the heights of Dance of Death or Paschendale, but they're both pretty good. I always forget how good they really are, mostly because they're on Dance of Death and I tend to ignore everything except for the title-track and Paschendale which is too bad as these two are quite good.
My ranking:
1. Paschendale
2. Dance of Death
---
3. Journeyman
4. Age of Innocence
---
5. Wildest Dreams
6. Face in the Sand
7. Montsegur
---
8. Rainmaker
---
9. No More Lies
10. New Frontier
11. Gates of Tomorrow
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Dance of the Dead is one of the best cheeseball songs ever. The lyrics remind me of the Stonehenge part of Spinal Tap but the music is just fantastic. That middle section all the way until the end is mindblowing. A fantastic song that I can't take very seriously. :lol
Yeah, I think this sums up the song pretty well. The title track is a fantastic, epic and fun tune that doesn't take itself too seriously -- which is a great quality, I think, for a band that's more or less settled into a "proggy" sound.
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Just finished my first listen. Agree with a lot of people here; album's kind of a hodgepodge of really great stuff (some of the best songs I've heard from this band) while the lower end stuff is rather bland.
What really stood out to me Face in the Sand, Age Of Innocence and Journeyman. What an awesome way to close out an album, and any three of those songs could easily make it into my IM top... 15, maybe? :lol
The title track and Paschendale are pretty good too, but those last three tracks really grabbed me.
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This album is the first of a two-album run where I can't actually remember how a couple of the songs go. Mind you, A Matter of Life and Death is worse: I can only hum a couple of tunes from the titles. For someone who's been a fan of Maiden for over 20 years, that's not good. Anyway, I am ahead of myself.
Dance of Death rankings:
Paschendale
Montsegur
Dance of Death
-----
Rainmaker
Wildest Dreams
No More Lies
-----
Journeyman
-----
Face in the Sand
Gates of Tomorrow
Face in the Sand
Age of Innocence
I would class Dance of Death as the second weakest album of the latter day Maiden line-up.
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although Maiden was playing a shortened set to accommodate Dio and Motorhead on the North American tour.
I saw them on this tour; it wasn't a shortened set because of Dio and Motorhead but because they were playing a lot of venues that had a curfew. Which meant they had to cut three songs (Brave New World, Heaven Can Wait, Bring Your Daughter). AFAIK venues without a curfew got the full set. Nowadays if they're in this situation they just start early or cut the intro tape, like they did on The Final Frontier Tour.
I checked, and they never played the full set in North America. The question was just whether or not they dropped 2, or 3, or 4 songs.
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I've only just listened to Dance of Death but unless it's just a grower, it really doesn't touch Brave New World overall. I'm trying to take in each reunion era album as we go and I may get overwhelmed in the process but BNW was pretty catchy right away and I've been wanting to go back to it several times this week, whereas; Dance of Death was just kind of meh.
I'm going to give it more listens and time but on first glance I've struggled finding enough songs that catch my attention and make me want to listen to the album a bunch. Paschendale although it was obvious there was some good stuff there, seemed a bit overdone even by IM standard epics and the rest of the songs weren't exceptionally memorable. I'll check back in on it if my opinion changes on it.
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Dance of Death as an album is pretty weak, and the production values are terrible, but it does have a few diamonds in the rough. "Paschendale" might be the best reunion-era song they've ever written. Certainly in the top 5 of the reunion era. And the title track, "Dance of Death" is pretty damned good too. Even "No More Lies" with it's repetitively repeating repetitive chorus that repeats what it repeats after it repeats itself repeating its repetitiveness, is not bad, if you can get over the repetitive chorus that tends to repeat its repetitiveness. :P
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Bumping the trivia questions:
NOW FOR DANCE OF DEATH RELATED TRIVIA!
1. The Dance of Death tour was also unique in a specific way, likewise to the Brave New World tour. In what way?
2. While Maiden members have gotten ill or injured in the past, forcing the band to cancel tour dates, the cancellation of several tour dates due to Bruce's health on the Dance of Death tour was rather odd. What supposedly ailed Bruce, and why was this suspicious?
3. Speaking of injuries, Bruce fell badly in Los Angeles on January 30th, four days after Janick's birthday. What was the connection between the two events? ANSWER: BRUCE SLIPPED ON SOME PIE LEFTOVER FROM WHEN HE PIED JANICK ON HIS BIRTHDAY.
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1. The Dance of Death tour was also unique in a specific way, likewise to the Brave New World tour. In what way?
My guess, without googling anything: First time Iron Maiden ever toured with Adrian Smith, Dave Murray AND Janick Gers on stage together?
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1. The Dance of Death tour was also unique in a specific way, likewise to the Brave New World tour. In what way?
My guess, without googling anything: First time Iron Maiden ever toured with Adrian Smith, Dave Murray AND Janick Gers on stage together?
Rock in Rio suggests otherwise
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Give me Ed till I'm Dead tour was between BNW and DoD tours.
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And Ed Hunter was before that!
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although Maiden was playing a shortened set to accommodate Dio and Motorhead on the North American tour.
I saw them on this tour; it wasn't a shortened set because of Dio and Motorhead but because they were playing a lot of venues that had a curfew. Which meant they had to cut three songs (Brave New World, Heaven Can Wait, Bring Your Daughter). AFAIK venues without a curfew got the full set. Nowadays if they're in this situation they just start early or cut the intro tape, like they did on The Final Frontier Tour.
I checked, and they never played the full set in North America. The question was just whether or not they dropped 2, or 3, or 4 songs.
Oh. I could've sworn they did the full set in most places. Guess not.
2nd trivia question is driving me nuts. I remember this too. Dammit
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The best reunion album. I'd say that half of it is actually pretty decent, whereas there are probably 3 songs I really enjoy on BNW (GOTN, TFA, TTLBL&H) and a couple of good songs (BNW and DOM) (yes, I don't like The Wicker Man!)
Wildest Dreams and Rainmaker are alright, WD gets bashed too often. No More Lies is repetitive, true, but I love it, 'cause of it's energy, good melodies and great solos. Montségur is pretty heavy, except the strange major part in chorus. I like it, why they didn't play it live?
Dance of Death might be my favourite on album, and it has opened to me quite recently (which is weird, because I don't care that much about Iron Maiden anymore). When I saw it live in 2011, I was like "Oh please guys, not this song". But now I like the building tension in the first half. The faster part isn't as good as the beginning, but H's solo is god-like :heart.
Gates of Tomorrow and New Frontier are throwaway tracks, the second being slightly better.
Paschendale is a nice epic, I like the use of synth strings in the song. Better than any epic on the next two albums, excluding BTATS.
Face in the Sand has great build-up and it really pictures well of dark clouds gathering. One of my favourites here.
I have liked Age of Innocence ever since I heard it the first time. The chord progression in verses is a bit similar to "In The Court of the Crimson King", but well, it's a good one, so what. Neat song, I have nothing to complain about it. The "How Old?"-version is just insane! :rollin
Journeyman is quite vapid. Not bad, not good.
Ranking:
1.Dance of Death
2.Age of Innocence
3.Face in the Sand
4.No More Lies
5.Paschendale
6.Montségur
7.Rainmaker
8.Wildest Dreams
9.Journeyman
10.New Frontier
11.Gates of Tomorrow
Because I missed a couple of albums, here are the rankings.
BNW
1.The Thin Line Between Love & Hate
2.The Fallen Angel
3.Ghost of the Navigator
4.Dream of Mirrors
5.Brave New World
6.Blood Brothers
7.The Nomad
(enter the fillers)
8.The Wicker Man
9.The Mercenary
10.Out of the Silent Planet (how the hell it made it to the album??? and why it was released as a single???)
VXI
1.Como Estais Amigos
2.The Clansman
3.The Angel and the Gambler (srsly!)
4.Futureal
5.The Educated Fool
6.Don't Look to the Eyes of the Stranger
7.Lightning Strikes Twice
8.When Two Worlds Collide (the only song I don't like, sounds lazy and streched)
Virtual XI was the last meaningful Maiden album, though DOD isn't that bad.
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Yeah, Ruba. "The Wickerman", the first song on the album, the album's single, and the song most likely to represent the album on subsequent greatest hits albums and live shows is "entirely filler", cause you don't like it. Makes so much sense ::)
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Yeah, Ruba. "The Wickerman", the first song on the album, the album's single, and the song most likely to represent the album on subsequent greatest hits albums and live shows is "entirely filler", cause you don't like it. Makes so much sense ::)
I didn't say you, or anyone else, have to agree. ::)
Just IMO. I would've opened the album with Brave New World.
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Virtual XI was the last meaningful Maiden album, though DOD isn't that bad.
...what?
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I thought I would see more appreciation for Gates of tomorrow, but I guess I'm the only one who truly loves it. It's good to see some love for Age of innocence, though. The album has its share of underrated tracks in my opinion.
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Virtual XI was the last meaningful Maiden album, though DOD isn't that bad.
...what?
I just don't like the four latest albums. Virtual XI has some issues, but they are way smaller than on any reunion album.
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Virtual XI was the last meaningful Maiden album, though DOD isn't that bad.
...what?
I just don't like the four latest albums. Virtual XI has some issues, but they are way smaller than on any reunion album.
...what?
The album that has The Angel and the Gambler has less issues than a masterpiece like AMOLAD?
Seriously?
You're entitled to your own opinion, but wow, how'd you arrive at THAT conclusion?
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I don't like AMOLAD. When I was 14 or something, it was one of my favourites. Now it just sounds too long and repetitive (but you can say the same about VXI :lol).
I'll write more of my thoughts when we'll come to AMOLAD.
TAATG is fun song. I like 70s hard rock, and the chorus being repeated over and over and over just doesn't bother me for some reason.
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Yeah, Ruba. "The Wickerman", the first song on the album, the album's single, and the song most likely to represent the album on subsequent greatest hits albums and live shows is "entirely filler", cause you don't like it. Makes so much sense ::)
I didn't say you, or anyone else, have to agree. ::)
Just IMO. I would've opened the album with Brave New World.
You can disagree if you want, but you'd be wrong. A "filler" song is, by definition, a song that is intended only to take up space on an album. The fact that IM opened the album with it, put it on their greatest hits CDs, and play it live all the time means they probably thought it was pretty good, and not just fluff.
Sorry, people constantly misusing the word "filler" for "song I don't like" gets very annoying to me.
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Your opinion is just filler on this forum.
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Says the guy who doesn't like Rime. :neverusethis:
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rhyme of tha aincent marnier iz filler, guize, wethher u lyke it or not
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I don't like AMOLAD. When I was 14 or something, it was one of my favourites. Now it just sounds too long and repetitive (but you can say the same about VXI :lol).
I'll write more of my thoughts when we'll come to AMOLAD.
TAATG is fun song. I like 70s hard rock, and the chorus being repeated over and over and over just doesn't bother me for some reason.
??? :eek ???
To each his own I suppose ( :metal), I just think you may be the only one with the opinion of V11 being better than all the reunion albums.
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So, I´m guessing Death on the Road is next?
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So, I´m guessing Death on the Road is next?
Great live album. Just watched the documentary the other night. Love that too.
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I don't like AMOLAD. When I was 14 or something, it was one of my favourites. Now it just sounds too long and repetitive (but you can say the same about VXI :lol).
I'll write more of my thoughts when we'll come to AMOLAD.
TAATG is fun song. I like 70s hard rock, and the chorus being repeated over and over and over just doesn't bother me for some reason.
??? :eek ???
To each his own I suppose ( :metal), I just think you may be the only one with the opinion of V11 being better than all the reunion albums.
I thought that was a really strange thing to say as well. Especially being as that (in comparison to other recent albums) AMOLAD is arguably their LEAST repetitive album since SIT....
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So, I´m guessing Death on the Road is next?
Sure, why not.
DEATH ON THE ROAD - 2005
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/ba/Death_on_the_Road.jpg)
1. "Wildest Dreams"
2. "Wrathchild"
3. "Can I Play with Madness"
4. "The Trooper"
5. "Dance of Death"
6. "Rainmaker"
7. "Brave New World"
8. "Paschendale"
9. "Lord of the Flies"
10. "No More Lies"
12. "Hallowed Be Thy Name"
13. "Fear of the Dark"
14. "Iron Maiden"
15. "Journeyman"
16. "The Number of the Beast"
17. "Run to the Hills"
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This record has great guitar tone. The mix is cleaner than Rock in Rio.
The setlist is OK. The Dance of Death stuff is good, as is "Lord of the Flies" and "Can I Play With Madness", but every other song had been performed better elsewhere (and are for the most part dead common). 8 (count 'em, 8), holdovers from Rock in Rio. That's half the setlist, and the problem with Maiden's live releases in a nutshell.
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Setlist is only OK, but it's worth it for Lord of the Flies and the Dance of Death songs, especially Paschendale and Journeyman (Dance of Death is good too but you can get that on En Vivo now, which is a better video I think). Stage set is pretty cool and the most theatrical show in Maiden's career. The whole thing would be much better if almost half of the setlist wasn't from Rock in Rio.
Get the DVD version of this, the bonus features are great. Includes an awesome doc about the DoD album and tour among other things.
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Pretty standard Maiden live release, in my opinion (this is only commenting on the audio, I'm not really big on watching concert DVDs), though there are three note-worthy songs.
1. Paschendale. God fucking dammit, this song is great on DoD already, but this version is even better. The recited poem before may be a little too theatrical for some, but I love it and it sets the mood just right. And then that opening riff... :heart This is also one of the first 10+-minute tracks that I actively remember playing and enjoying.
2. Lord of the Flies. Blaze is great on X Factor, and I doubt that I would like Bruce's studio rendition better, but let's face it, Maiden is a live band through and through and the live performance adds a certain something to this song that was sorely lacking on the record. Maybe it's just because the production is muddy or anything, but this is my favourite version of this song, even though I still fucking love The X Factor.
3. Journeyman. Few other Maiden songs come alive as well as this one. The way that the whole crowd joins in along with this acoustic number makes it a moment that repeatedly sends chills down my spine. I don't even listen to the studio version of this one anymore, the live version is just so much better. :heart
However, GP pretty much nailed it. None of the eight holdovers were necesary, though I'm particularly pissed because of BNW and RTTH. Really, would it kill the band to bust out a different track every once in a while? The Fallen Angel, for instance, would be perfect to represent BNW, not this snoozefesty title track.
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What's especially aggravating is that up until Death On the Road, Maiden was careful to vary the setlists for all their live releases. Now there's simply no effort in that regard.
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Paschendale on Dance of Death is brilliant; the version of it on Death on the Road raises the song to stellar. It's that good. The rest of the set does suffer from having so much repeating from Rock in Rio, and the editing on the DVD doesn't do it any favors. Really, other than Paschendale and the extra features on the DVD, there's no real reason to own it now with En Vivo out there, though if you don't own the Rock In Rio CD it might be worth it to get that amazing version of Paschendale.
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Haven't watched this for ages, if I remember Bruce wasn't in top game on this DVD, but I could be wrong. Setlist is okay, but what GuineaPig said regarding the DVD setlists is why I don't get excited over Maiden DVD's anymore.
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I liked the arena feel of this DVD and the stage is pretty cool. Paschendale is just sooo good on the DVD, the feel from the lights adn stage show is great.
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Haven't watched this for ages, if I remember Bruce wasn't in top game on this DVD, but I could be wrong. Setlist is okay, but what GuineaPig said regarding the DVD setlists is why I don't get excited over Maiden DVD's anymore.
He was fighting a cold during this show. So his performance isn't the best. Still better than a lot of the late 80's live stuff.
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I don't like AMOLAD. When I was 14 or something, it was one of my favourites. Now it just sounds too long and repetitive (but you can say the same about VXI :lol).
I'll write more of my thoughts when we'll come to AMOLAD.
TAATG is fun song. I like 70s hard rock, and the chorus being repeated over and over and over just doesn't bother me for some reason.
??? :eek ???
To each his own I suppose ( :metal), I just think you may be the only one with the opinion of V11 being better than all the reunion albums.
I thought that was a really strange thing to say as well. Especially being as that (in comparison to other recent albums) AMOLAD is arguably their LEAST repetitive album since SIT....
How long on this longest day 'til we finally make it through
Em-C-G-D x 1938374765
For the greater good of God
Choruses to Out of the Shadows and Lord of Light are both kinda boring and repeated too many times.
But sometimes I don't mind repetition, usually when the song is athmospherical. Maiden is more about rocking out.
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Em-C-G-D x 1938374765
For the greater good of God
You can't have Maiden without Em-C-G-D being repeated a dozen times. That's why I fell in love with When the wild wind blows when it came out. :metal
And yeah, Death on the road... I borrowed this DVD to a friend's friend (yeah, dumb decision) and I haven't gotten it back since. I hope I'll see it again at some point, because I remember really liking it, especially Paschendale, what a theatrical performance. And the documentary is filled with jokes and hilarious bits. :lol
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I borrowed this DVD to a friend's friend (yeah, dumb decision) and I haven't gotten it back since. I hope I'll see it again at some point
This is the main reason I never lend anything to anyone.
And, it's quite incredible how many times they get away with that chord progression on AMOLAD.
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And yet we salivate over it every time. :metal :hefdaddy
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Too true.
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I love DOTR. It's my favorite Maiden live album. So much energy. Great versions of Fear Of The Dark and Hallowed Be Thy Name. Even Brave New World sounds great on this.
I also have no problem with Bruce. I thought he sounded fine. Even if he strains here and there, I think it just adds to the overall feel of the record.
AS far as the DVD, such beautiful footage.,
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Bruce strains on all the DVDs, but he strains in the studio too. At this point, you accept that he's imperfect and enjoy. It could be much, much worse. And Bruce still gives it his all, which counts a lot. He's 100 percent into every performance, which makes him the greatest heavy metal frontman of all time, straining vocals or not.
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Come on, you mean the way he's still running around that stage, jumping on monitors and stuff? I'm surprised he can even breathe, let alone sing.
I'd be dead after five minutes of that! :metal
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Bruce strains on all the DVDs, but he strains in the studio too. At this point, you accept that he's imperfect and enjoy. It could be much, much worse. And Bruce still gives it his all, which counts a lot. He's 100 percent into every performance, which makes him the greatest heavy metal frontman of all time, straining vocals or not.
Come on, you mean the way he's still running around that stage, jumping on monitors and stuff? I'm surprised he can even breathe, let alone sing.
I'd be dead after five minutes of that! :metal
Exactly. I think he sounds just fine, and his voive, especially when under some pressure has an endearing sound to it.
I mean, on some boots, here's barely singing, but I don't see how any complaints could be made about DOTR.
I was watching Live After Death the other night. I'd take his performance on DOTR any day.
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I have no problem at all with Bruce's vocal performance, but if you do, just watch the guy and tell me if you think he can sing better while doing what he does on stage. Id sacrifice the slightly strained voice for an energetic front man any day of the week, it adds so much more to the show.
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And yet we salivate over it every time. :metal :hefdaddy
I don't play guitar, so you can you give a couple of examples so I recognize it? It's probably pretty obvious, but . . .
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Here's a couple of songs from AMOLAD that have that exact chord progression:
These colours don't run - verses and chorus
For the greater good of God - verses
The Longest day - ''Sliding we go...'' verse
I think there are a few more examples but I can't remember. Hopefully you'll hear it. :tup
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Hmm...I thought they used it a lot more on that album but that's all I can think of also, guess it's not as much as I thought.
Here's some others;
Rainmaker (alternates between this chord progression in the verses and bridge, but it's in D)
The Talisman (Bridge kind of part, before the guitar melody lines in between verses, but in D)
Where the Wild Wind Blows (Verses)
Blood Brothers (chorus)
Out of the Silent Planet (chorus)
I thought they used it a lot more but I couldn't think of any.
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Here we go, ladies and gents!
A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH - 2006
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/77/Iron_Maiden_-_A_Matter_Of_Life_And_Death.jpg)
1. "Different World"
2. "These Colours Don't Run"
3. "Brighter Than a Thousand Suns"
4. "The Pilgrim"
5. "The Longest Day"
6. "Out of the Shadows"
7. "The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg"
8. "For the Greater Good of God"
9. "Lord of Light"
10. "The Legacy"
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It my favorite one. Every song works for me. Only complaint is that they all do sound kind of same-y, but I lurve AMOLAD.
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Just recently heard this album for the first time. AMAZING ALBUM! I've only heard it once...but I already think it's worlds better than BNW.
I havn't heard all of DOD or FF yet. But BNW made me want to give up on Maiden completely, and *this* album gave me hope and made me think that maybe I gave up too soon.
The first thing that leaped out at me as being *completely* different from all IM albums from SiT-BNW, is the lack of repetitiveness. There's *a bit* of repetition here, but not even close to being on par with the previous 7 albums (and especially VXI and BNW)....not to my ears anyway.
I love this album. I think I'll listen to it again tonight.
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I havn't heard all of DOD or FF yet.
:|
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I never really got into this album very much. I don't dislike it, but other than a couple of tracks it never really grabbed me. Brighter than a Thousand Suns is an amazing song, however. I also like Benjamin Breeg because other than the standard Maiden intro, the rest of the song sounds like a different approach and it worked very well for them.
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AMOLAD is an amazing, underrated album. It's probably their darkest one too.
Different World
The Legacy
Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
These Colours Don't Run
The Longest Day
Out of the Shadows
For the Greater Good of God
The Pilgrim
Lord of Light
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This is the one reunion album that I've had the hardest time getting into. It still hasn't clicked for me, but I'll keep at it. I'm sure the rewards are worth it.
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The best IM album. The only IM album to be played live in its entirety.
The Legacy
For the Greater Good of God
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
These Colours Don't Run
Different World
The Longest Day
Out of the Shadows
Lord of Light
The Pilgrim
Brighter than a Thousand Suns
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This took a while for me to get into also. It paid off though, it's an amazing album.
Although, is it just me, or does anyone else think BTATS is one of the weaker tracks on the album? I like it, but I don't get the high praise it gets.
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Great album, even if it's a bit samey at points. Not much to expand upon, but there's no filler here.
Song rankings:
Brighter than a Thousand Suns
The Legacy
Lord of Light
The Pilgrim
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
The Longest Day
Out of the Shadows
Different World
These Colours Don't Run
For the Greater Good of God
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BOOTLEG TIME
Things are easy here. Three clear stand-out bootlegs. First off, the band sounded very good on this tour. The album, like all of Maiden's, sounds much better live, and I'm glad each song got a chance to be played.
First off, the Uniondale video bootleg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4mFoDRRvcU). Good video, good audio. Best video bootleg of the first part of the tour, when the album was played in its entirety. Second, the Stockholm FM bootleg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqrBElow9TI). Believe it was the third night at Stockholm. The definitive version of the album for me; the band and the material sounds great. Third, the Donington concert (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xffV8ISNGT4). Inferior setlist, and one of the poorer performances Maiden put forth on that tour, but it's the closest thing that's emerged to a high quality video bootleg.
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TRIVIA TIME
I am disappointed in you all. Only one of the trivia questions was answered correctly last time.
NOW FOR DANCE OF DEATH RELATED TRIVIA!
1. The Dance of Death tour was also unique in a specific way, likewise to the Brave New World tour. In what way? The Dance of Death tour has the fewest concerts Maiden ever played in support of an album.
2. While Maiden members have gotten ill or injured in the past, forcing the band to cancel tour dates, the cancellation of several tour dates due to Bruce's health on the Dance of Death tour was rather odd. What supposedly ailed Bruce, and why was this suspicious? Three shows were cancelled due to Bruce supposedly having "laryngitis" (all three were rescheduled later). This somewhat coincidentally (one might think suspiciously) aligned with Nicko being in court in the US for hitting a valet with his car in New Jersey during the Give Me Ed... tour.
Now for A Matter of Life and Death trivia:
1. Maiden recorded four covers during the album sessions, intending to use them as B-sides. However, only one of them ended up surfacing. Which songs were recorded?
2. The A Matter of Life and Death tour, besides featuring the entirety of the album played live, in order, is unique in what respect?
3. The 2007 leg of the tour was billed "A Matter of the Beast"; for what reason? And how did the tour fail to live up to its promise?
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1. I recall them doing Hocus Pocus (by Focus) around this time.
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This took a while for me to get into also. It paid off though, it's an amazing album.
Although, is it just me, or does anyone else think BTATS is one of the weaker tracks on the album? I like it, but I don't get the high praise it gets.
Check my rankings, its last for me. Good song but I don't see the high praise.
TRIVIA TIME
I am disappointed in you all. Only one of the trivia questions was answered correctly last time.
NOW FOR DANCE OF DEATH RELATED TRIVIA!
1. The Dance of Death tour was also unique in a specific way, likewise to the Brave New World tour. In what way? The Dance of Death tour has the fewest concerts Maiden ever played in support of an album.
2. While Maiden members have gotten ill or injured in the past, forcing the band to cancel tour dates, the cancellation of several tour dates due to Bruce's health on the Dance of Death tour was rather odd. What supposedly ailed Bruce, and why was this suspicious? Three shows were cancelled due to Bruce supposedly having "laryngitis" (all three were rescheduled later). This somewhat coincidentally (one might think suspiciously) aligned with Nicko being in court in the US for hitting a valet with his car in New Jersey during the Give Me Ed... tour.
Now for A Matter of Life and Death trivia:
1. Maiden recorded four covers during the album sessions, intending to use them as B-sides. However, only one of them ended up surfacing. Which songs were recorded?
2. The A Matter of Life and Death tour, besides featuring the entirety of the album played live, in order, is unique in what respect?
3. The 2007 leg of the tour was billed "A Matter of the Beast"; for what reason? And how did the tour fail to live up to its promise?
1. The song released was hocus pocus and I believe they did a Deep Purple song.
3. Wasn't it celebrating the 25th anniversary of TNotB? Not sure what the promise was, maybe for the set to be half TNotB and half AMoLaD?
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Oh man, I need a copy of that Donnington DVD. I have the audio on CD. That's some great footage.
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1. I think one was a ZZ Top song, maybe La Grange, or perhaps Tush, and I think another was perhaps something obscure from Thin Lizzy, can't remember what, but maybe something from Renegade or Thunder and Lightning.
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My second favourite Iron Maiden album overall. That they still had this in them after BNW (which was a step up from VXI, but still not quite what I was looking for) and DOD (which is, overall, pretty mediocre except for a few tracks) really astounded me. The band feels fresh and the song-writing is better than ever. Yes, many songs are similar in structure, but so what? They are all amazing.
Also, a special mention to The Legacy, which is probably my favourite Iron Maiden song, or at least damn close to it. I love everything about it, the intro, the lyrics, the heavier riffs, the solo section... :heart. Major props for Maiden for that.
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My second favourite Iron Maiden album overall. That they still had this in them after BNW (which was a step up from VXI, but still not quite what I was looking for) and DOD (which is, overall, pretty mediocre except for a few tracks) really astounded me. The band feels fresh and the song-writing is better than ever. Yes, many songs are similar in structure, but so what? They are all amazing.
Also, a special mention to The Legacy, which is probably my favourite Iron Maiden song, or at least damn close to it. I love everything about it, the intro, the lyrics, the heavier riffs, the solo section... :heart. Major props for Maiden for that.
It's more than a "so what" for some people. This isn't AC/DC we're talking about here. I for one am VERY tired of the over-used formula of "soft intro-METAL-soft outro".
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Oh, I wasn't meaning to sound dismissive of other's opinions, and often it bothers me a little as well, but on AMOLAD, the songs themselves are just so damn good that I find it hard to care. Yes, on some songs, I'm like, "Geez, not this again." (for example The Man Who Would Be King), but on AMOLAD, Maiden make it work, and they make it work brilliantly, in my opinion.
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TRIVIA TIME
I am disappointed in you all. Only one of the trivia questions was answered correctly last time.
NOW FOR DANCE OF DEATH RELATED TRIVIA!
1. The Dance of Death tour was also unique in a specific way, likewise to the Brave New World tour. In what way? The Dance of Death tour has the fewest concerts Maiden ever played in support of an album.
2. While Maiden members have gotten ill or injured in the past, forcing the band to cancel tour dates, the cancellation of several tour dates due to Bruce's health on the Dance of Death tour was rather odd. What supposedly ailed Bruce, and why was this suspicious? Three shows were cancelled due to Bruce supposedly having "laryngitis" (all three were rescheduled later). This somewhat coincidentally (one might think suspiciously) aligned with Nicko being in court in the US for hitting a valet with his car in New Jersey during the Give Me Ed... tour.
Now for A Matter of Life and Death trivia:
1. Maiden recorded four covers during the album sessions, intending to use them as B-sides. However, only one of them ended up surfacing. Which songs were recorded?
2. The A Matter of Life and Death tour, besides featuring the entirety of the album played live, in order, is unique in what respect?
3. The 2007 leg of the tour was billed "A Matter of the Beast"; for what reason? And how did the tour fail to live up to its promise?
No DVD was recorded during the tour.
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TRIVIA TIME
3. The 2007 leg of the tour was billed "A Matter of the Beast"; for what reason? And how did the tour fail to live up to its promise?
I thought the name was supposed to show that they would be abandoning the format of playing the whole album and going back to the "classics", so to speak, as to clearly distinguish between the two tours. No idea on the second part, though.
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3. The 2007 leg of the tour was billed "A Matter of the Beast"; for what reason? And how did the tour fail to live up to its promise?
Maybe they were going to do mash-ups of the two albums?
Stuff like The Reincarnation Of The Prisoner, Run To The Pilgrim, Hallowed Be Thy Legacy, and Run To The Thousand Suns? :neverusethis:
Edit: Stupid me used Run To The Hills twice :facepalm:
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3. The 2007 leg of the tour was billed "A Matter of the Beast"; for what reason? And how did the tour fail to live up to its promise?
Maybe they were going to do mash-ups of the two albums?
Stuff like The Reincarnation Of The Prisoner, Run To The Pilgrim, Hallowed Be Thy Legacy, and Run To The Thousand Suns? :neverusethis:
:lol
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3. The 2007 leg of the tour was billed "A Matter of the Beast"; for what reason? And how did the tour fail to live up to its promise?
3. Wasn't it celebrating the 25th anniversary of TNotB? Not sure what the promise was, maybe for the set to be half TNotB and half AMoLaD?
They promised to do 5 AMOLAD songs and 5 NOTB songs. That ended up not panning out; I believe they only ended up doing 3 or 4 NOTB songs, which made the tour not-so-special.
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3. The 2007 leg of the tour was billed "A Matter of the Beast"; for what reason? And how did the tour fail to live up to its promise?
3. Wasn't it celebrating the 25th anniversary of TNotB? Not sure what the promise was, maybe for the set to be half TNotB and half AMoLaD?
They promised to do 5 AMOLAD songs and 5 NOTB songs. That ended up not panning out; I believe they only ended up doing 3 or 4 NOTB songs, which made the tour not-so-special.
Correct. Only 4 NOTB songs were played, rather than the 5 that were promised.
As for the covers, there have been a couple correct and close guesses, but nobody's put together all four.
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I go back and forth between this one and TFF as being my favorites of the reunion era....this album stayed in my CD player for quite a long time.
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I don't generally believe in the notion that an album is a "grower"; I tend to lean towards the idea that if an album doesn't grab you immediately in some fashion, it's not because you have to grow to like it, it's because...you don't like it.
A Matter of Life and Death is one of the exceptions to that rule.
When I first bought it, I thought that it was slow, dull, and plodding, with far too many overlong songs. I threw it on the shelf and didn't play it again for a couple of years, largely on a whim. On that listen, I came to realize that rather than long and dull and plodding, the songs were actually well put together and structured, and it was a good album but not great album. Returned to it several months after that, and a few more songs-mostly Greater Good of God and The Legacy-clicked for me. By the time I got to my re-listen of AMOLAD for this thread, it'd clicked big time. This is Iron Maiden finally figuring out how to be, for lack of a better term, a mature Iron Maiden, finally making the somewhat unwieldy three guitar line up work and firing off a series of long, complex, amazingly structured songs with everything just falling into place. It is not an album that rewards you on that first listen, and demands your attention to really open up, and I can understand why people don't get it; there's a lot going on here. AMOLAD is my favorite of the reunion albums and is only surpassed on my full time list by Powerslave and Piece of Mind. It's really, really, really fucking good.
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I go back and forth between this one and TFF as being my favorites of the reunion era....this album stayed in my CD player for quite a long time.
Yeah, same with me. TFF is a little easier on the ears but both are "next level" Iron Maiden. They are both in my Top 4 Maiden albums. AMOLAD might be the most impressive album they've ever done.
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About Trivia and AMOLAD B-sides: I bought the deluxe version of the album (with a Making of-DVD) and I recall them playing ZZ Top's Tush while recording B-sides. ALSO: when the camera showed footage of the PC with B-sides, I saw a title "Angel of death" :eek
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This album is special to me for a couple of reasons. First of all, having got into the band after DoD was released, this was the first 'new' Maiden album I was anticipating as a fan. Second of all, I got to see them live for the first time during their tour supporting this album. Live show absolutely blew me away and the two Eddie models were an absolutely amazing sight.
The album itself might be one of the heaviest they've done, I think. Brighter Than a Thousand Suns, Benjamin Breeg and The Legacy are probably my three favourites. It was so refreshing to hear The Legacy for the first time... it was the sound of a song the band had never attempted before to my ears.
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About Trivia and AMOLAD B-sides: I bought the deluxe version of the album (with a Making of-DVD) and I recall them playing ZZ Top's Tush while recording B-sides. ALSO: when the camera showed footage of the PC with B-sides, I saw a title "Angel of death" :eek
That's the Thin Lizzy song, Angel of Death. So;
Hocus Pocus by Focus
Tush by ZZ Top
Angel of Death from Thin Lizzy
and I'm thinking it could be the song that they did recently for the Deep Purple tribute, since I think they were on tour when it was done.
Deep Purple - Space Truckin'
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I would love to hear their Angel Of Death. They did a great job with Massacre back in the day. Thin Lizzy is one of Maiden's biggest influences.
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About Trivia and AMOLAD B-sides: I bought the deluxe version of the album (with a Making of-DVD) and I recall them playing ZZ Top's Tush while recording B-sides. ALSO: when the camera showed footage of the PC with B-sides, I saw a title "Angel of death" :eek
That's the Thin Lizzy song, Angel of Death. So;
Hocus Pocus by Focus
Tush by ZZ Top
Angel of Death from Thin Lizzy
and I'm thinking it could be the song that they did recently for the Deep Purple tribute, since I think they were on tour when it was done.
Deep Purple - Space Truckin'
Correct on all counts.
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(https://www.benbruno.com/wp/assets/booyah.png)
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Here's probably their most intense, darkest (although The X Factor is a strong contender as well), beautifully scary, most ambitious and least accessible record to date. The fact that I truly fell in love with the band once I heard this particular album is pretty frightening to me. I don't think this A Matter of life and death brought them many new fans, but I keep reading that so many old ones got back on board with it.
Different world - A standard Iron Maiden opener, with length and tempo of the openers from the two previous albums, but it's still fantastic. Adrian plays one of his classic solos.
These colours don't run - Probably my least favorite song on the album, it doesn't excite me as much as the other songs do. I do love the lyrics ("It's the same in every country when you say you're leaving... and so you go to war''), as well as the epic sing along after the solo.
Brighter than a thousand suns - The riff at 0:43 is, in my opinion, the heaviest riff this band has ever done. That riff alone is worth buying the album for, but the rest of the song is magnificent as well. It's extremely progressive, featuring some original time signature changes.
The Pilgrim - One of the highlights in this song are the guitar harmonies that go on in the pre-chorus, and the melodies after the chorus sound very oriental.
The Longest day - Bruce delivers such a dynamic performance here, the part where he sings "Blood and sand, we will prevail!" gives me goosebumps whenever I hear it. The drumming is absolutely stellar as well.
Out of the shadows - Sometimes I feel this song could have benefited from having one less chorus, but other than that, it's incredible. It was the first song on the album that clicked with me. The lyrics are great, letting us interpret them in two ways... or maybe more?
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg - Their best song title and the best song on the album. It's incredibly intense and epic, listening to this song is like watching a movie. There are so many memorable guitar melodies and riffs, hats off to Dave for creating something this remarkable. Also worth mentioning is that last note Bruce sings and holds for a while, great job.
For the greater good of God - It can get tiresome in some places, but overall it's still a pretty damn good song. Fantastic lyrics that are pretty much the epitome of what the album is about lyrically. I love the solos here as well.
Lord of light - The riff at 1:39 is so awesome, particularly because of the guitar sound, I wish Adrian's guitar sounded that way on The Final frontier. Bruce's vocals are the absolute highlight on this song, there's so much diversity in his singing here, especially in the calm section after the chorus.
The Legacy - Janick Gers proves once again that he's currently the most original songwriter in the band. The intro reminds me of some 70s prog rock, which can never be a bad thing. The heavier sections are just as amazing, especially the riffs in the second half. This stuff is gold, what a closer!
My favorite Maiden album from the reunion era, and top 5 material as well. 9.5/10
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The only Maiden album I've truly loved since Powerslave. The production isn't great but that's about my only criticism. It's time Maiden sounded state of the art, not this stripped back, do it quick approach of recent albums.
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The production isn't great but that's about my only criticism.
Really? I always found the production pretty kickass. Really clear, really crunchy.
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The production is better than DOD but it's still lacks depth and is pretty thin. At the time they were giving the loudness war the middle finger but it still was a bit lacking in the production department. Still miles ahead of TFF and DOD.
Also, I love Dave's songwriting, he always delivers something out of the ordinary for Maiden, and Benjamin is another prime example, great stuff. The intro might be my favourite part of the album, it's beautiful.
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I'm pretty sure they didn't master this album because they've liked the raw/live sound.
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Yeah, you're right, it wasn't mastered at all.
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Nothing much to add here, except I also think it's a very strong, stellar album. Also, I think the artwork is awesome ! Nice and dark....
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The Eddie in the tank from the live show was one of the cooler eddies IMO. I really hope they got a good concert recorded and will release it some day. It boggles my mind that IM thought highly enough of the album to play the whole thing live but have not released any songs on their live DVD/CDs .
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Death on the Road
Rio was a big, outdoor show, with poor acoustics and an over-enthusiatic crowd. DOTR is the counter-point to this, as its an indoor arena, giving the band more control over their sound, and a more polished live album. Neither album is "better" - they're different sides to the same coin. The DoD stuff works well, even if much of the material is duplicated. It's hard to criticise the setlist, as those criticisms should really be reserved for En Vivo.
A Matter of Life and Death
Best Maiden Album Ever. For the reasons people have already given - 14 albums in, Maiden should be showing signs of slowing down, and not producing material this good, this fresh. Stunning.
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Only one more studio album left, dudes and dudettes. Until then:
FLIGHT 666 - 2009
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6f/Iron_Maiden_-_Flight_666_-_The_Original_Soundtrack.jpg)
1. "Churchill's Speech"
2. "Aces High"
3. "2 Minutes to Midnight"
4. "Revelations"
5. "The Trooper"
6. "Wasted Years"
7. "The Number of the Beast"
8. "Can I Play with Madness"
9. "Rime of the Ancient Mariner"
10. "Powerslave"
11. "Heaven Can Wait"
12. "Run to the Hills"
13. "Fear of the Dark"
14. "Iron Maiden"
15. "Moonchild"
16. "The Clairvoyant"
17. "Hallowed Be Thy Name"
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I don't recall hearing this one. I remember watching the movie once though.
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I watched the movie, but I havn't heard the album. I will say that out of all of the times that I've seen Maiden, the Somewhere Back in Time tour was the absolute best show that I've seen them put on. So this is probably a good album and I need to get off my ass and get it. That was also the tour that Steve's daughter opened for them.
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Flight 666 is awesome. The documentary is really fun, and the live performances are just great. Being able to pick and choose for the best version (well, not really, seeing as it had to be ordered chronologically) makes for a great DVD. The only negative being that the version of "Powerslave" really isn't that great. And of course the repeated songs: once again, 8 of the 16 songs were featured on the previous reunion DVDs. However the rest of the material is so good (and the performances of the repeated material, as well) that it's not a big letdown.
Also, there are no overdubs on this DVD. The performances (and song selection) are simply that great.
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I just bought it along with Rock In Rio and En Vivo! yesterday! :metal
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BOOTLEG TIME
For some reason or another, this tour was very well covered through South America. There are pro-shot bootlegs from Monterrey (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6fu7B_gbbs), Porto Alegre (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btnBU3q-KMQ), and Santiago (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EyIV9yH3eg). In particular I'd recommend the Porto Alegre show, which is just a really fun concert, with great quality to boot.
Then on the 2009 leg, the shows at Buenos Aires (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUfYidJz-6I) and again Santiago (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXg_jseqMIA) were filmed. I'd recommend tracking down the full copy of the Santiago show, as it's of higher quality. Great crowd and performance, too.
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This movie/tour is memorable to me in a few ways. First, my buddy and I graduated college and started making money so when they started selling tickets for the NJ show (the one where Time is featured) we both dished out $250 each on eBay to get the VIP GA tickets. It was one of the best concert experiences of my life being so close to such an awesome show. They announced at that show they would be coming back in a few months to play at MSG in NYC. So I decided to join the club immediately so I didn't have to pay such a ridiculous price for good tickets again. Well I ended up winning the fan club heaven can wait contest and got on stage with them at MSG. So I got another extremely memorable experience from IM on the same tour. Also, the MSG show was the one where they lost power during "powerslave" and the band started playing soccer on stage. I was actually waiting on the side of the stage during this since HCW was the next song. I got to see Bruce play soccer and then come back stage screaming and yelling at people.
Then when they finished the movie, they had it played in select movie theaters for one day around the world. I went to see it in NYC and that was another great experience to see an IM movie in a real movie theater packed with IM fans. It was so much fun and the movie was great. Probably the most unique and best documentary of any music act I know of.
When they released it on DVD/blu ray it came with the entire set list and its such a great live album. Aces High in India is such an awesome intro. My only dislike is that most of the shows didnt have the full pyro and stage show on the leg of the tour they filmed so it misses out on a whole load of cool things from the show.
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After long last Iron Maiden finally trek their way down to Australia and it was one of the best experiences of my life. Incredible show and this documents it perfectly. Great set, and the band sounds awesome, great documentry too.
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I was writing a lengthy write-up for AMOLAD, but I lost it. I have no time to re-write it now, but I give you a short list of things about what I like and don't like about the songs.
Different World
+solo
-I don't know... It's good I guess, but it really doesn't have anything worth of occasional listening. Like Journeyman.
alright
These Colours Don't Run
+intro
+verses and chorus
---------horrible instrumental section
decent song ruined by instrumental
Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
+Intro
+Riffing
+Vocals
+Quieter sections
+Fast section
+Everything not yet mentioned
excellent
The Pilgrim
+Verses and pre-chorus
-Everything else, ESPECIALLY the oriental riff
mediocre
Out of the Shadows
+Not bad at all
-Maiden has done much better ballads, like Strange World, Como Estais Amigos and Coming Home
alright
The Longest Day
+The freaking cool intro
neutral:Instrumental
-Pre-chorus and chorus. Hoow long on this longest day 'til we finally make it through... fuck it, this day feels longer and longer every time your repeat it
-Repetition
boring
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
+Intro
+Heaviness
+Instrumental
+DAT SOLO
great
For the Greater Good of God
+Bass in the beginning
+Instrumental, except...
-Davey's solo. Urgggggh!
-Repetition
-Em-C-G-D
-Repetition
-Em-C-G-D
-Repetition
-Em-C-G-D
-Repetition
-Em-C-G-D
-Repetition
-Em-C-G-D
-Repetition
-Em-C-G-D
-Repetition
-Em-C-G-D
-Repetition
-Em-C-G-D
boring as hell
Lord of Light
+Dark intro
+DAT GODDAMN MAIN RIFF!
+Interlude "Am I not worthy..."
+"WE ARE CASTED BY..."
-I don't really like the chorus
great'
The Legacy
+The sung part of the intro
+Verses
+Janick's fast riff
+The fast part, and it's melodies
-After the sung part, the intro becomes boring
-The backing vocals don't sound really good
good
Even though I don't really like the album, it's not hopeless. I can find something good from every song, and there are a couple of insanely good tracks.
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This movie/tour is memorable to me in a few ways. First, my buddy and I graduated college and started making money so when they started selling tickets for the NJ show (the one where Time is featured) we both dished out $250 each on eBay to get the VIP GA tickets. It was one of the best concert experiences of my life being so close to such an awesome show. They announced at that show they would be coming back in a few months to play at MSG in NYC. So I decided to join the club immediately so I didn't have to pay such a ridiculous price for good tickets again. Well I ended up winning the fan club heaven can wait contest and got on stage with them at MSG. So I got another extremely memorable experience from IM on the same tour. Also, the MSG show was the one where they lost power during "powerslave" and the band started playing soccer on stage. I was actually waiting on the side of the stage during this since HCW was the next song. I got to see Bruce play soccer and then come back stage screaming and yelling at people.
Then when they finished the movie, they had it played in select movie theaters for one day around the world. I went to see it in NYC and that was another great experience to see an IM movie in a real movie theater packed with IM fans. It was so much fun and the movie was great. Probably the most unique and best documentary of any music act I know of.
That's awesome, Cram!
The Flight 666 Documentary is one of the coolest things I've ever watched!
The footage in Columbia is unreal. The shot of the guy holding the drumstick crying after the show is unforgettable.
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The whole concept of "how do we play the most shows in the most diverse places... oh well just get our own plane and the singer will fly us around the world" is just mind boggling to me. Its one of the most amazing feats a band may have ever done.
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After long last Iron Maiden finally trek their way down to Australia and it was one of the best experiences of my life. Incredible show and this documents it perfectly.
Did you attend the Sydney show? If so, you guys were an awesome crowd! ''Let me see those hands out there, Sydney!'' :metal
This is my favorite Iron Maiden DVD, the performances are spectacular and the movie explains very well why I love this band. Anyone who's not a fan, watch this movie and realize the awesomeness. :hefdaddy
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the performances are spectacular and the movie explains very well why I love this band. Anyone who's not a fan, watch this movie and realize the awesomeness. :hefdaddy
Amen, brother!
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*sigh* I'm going to have to buy this now, aren't I?
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*sigh* I'm going to have to buy this now, aren't I?
Yes, yes you are!
Seriously, Bosk, the film is magnificent. The best music film I've ever seen.
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bosk, if I were you, I'd invest in another few studio albums before springing for another live album.
Then again, I'm not you.
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They were showing it a few days ago on VH1 Classic
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I'm...I'm just not sure. I want to, but...I have a constant fear that something's always near.
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Bosk, YouTube the segment from Columbia. The featured song is Run To The Hills. It's amazing to see what those people went through. If the guy in tears with drumstick after the show doesn't grab you... Just amazing.
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Bosk, YouTube the segment from Columbia. The featured song is Run To The Hills. It's amazing to see what those people went through. If the guy in tears with drumstick after the show doesn't grab you... Just amazing.
Man, that part makes you realize how much this band means to people all over the world. I highly recommend the movie, bosk.
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:itchy:
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:itchy:
Yeah, maybe now, but you'll :heart us later! :biggrin:
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:itchy:
We're just hastening the inevitable, bosky.
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If by the "inevitable," you mean "bosk1's wife divorcing him because he is suddenly spending every penny of available cash on a band he never even liked before two months ago," then yeah, you're probably right. :lol
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If by the "inevitable," you mean "bosk1's wife divorcing him because he is suddenly spending every penny of available cash on a band he never even liked before two months ago," then yeah, you're probably right. :lol
It's the dreaded "Did you meet another woman/does she like Iron Maiden?" talk. :lol
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YOU MEAN I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE?
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Rio was a big, outdoor show, with poor acoustics and an over-enthusiatic crowd.
Those are the best crowds.
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Yeah, I've been listening to the three live albums I bought and I'm loving the energy of RiR most.
And I'm going to go ahead and assume the whole "Scream for me, (place name)" followed by the song Iron Maiden is a staple of every show? :metal
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If you bought the blue ray technically its not a live album as its a documentary with the live footage as bonus. :hat
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I really need to get a BluRay player.
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I think its on the DVD too but yea, go blu ray
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If you bought the blue ray technically its not a live album as its a documentary with the live footage as bonus. :hat
It was released as a CD though, since I own both the DVD and the CD. :lol
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Oh, god, I let this thread fall off the front page! I'M SO ASHAMED
THE FINAL FRONTIER - 2010
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/86/The_Final_Frontier_cover.jpg)
1. "Satellite 15... The Final Frontier"
2. "El Dorado"
3. "Mother of Mercy"
4. "Coming Home"
5. "The Alchemist"
6. "Isle of Avalon"
7. "Starblind"
8. "The Talisman"
9. "The Man Who Would Be King"
10. "When the Wild Wind Blows"
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Thats not eddie : /
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The worst Maiden album. It has some good songs, but also a load of rubbish.
Satellite 15 is different, and I appreciate bands trying new and different. Still, it doesn't make S15 any good. Probably it was tied to TFF, because almost everyone would skip it as an individual song. The title song is pretty good, but how the hell am I ever going to make it far enough to make it begin?
El Dorado. At the time it came out I was a huge Maiden fan, and I somewhat liked it. Now I don't. Intro reminds me of Hit the Lights by Metallica, which is cool, and the first real riff rocks, but the verses drag on waaay to long and the "I'm jester with no tears"-part is bad. And when we finally reach the chorus, it's a huge downer.
Mother of Mercy might be the best reunion song, it's pretty much tied with Brighter Than a Thousand Suns. Very interesting and strong lyrics. Lots of beautiful melodies. And true, Bruce sounds strained in the chorus, but I don't mind. The D5-F5-E5-Eb5 at the background is maybe even more cliché than Em-C-G-D, but damn it sounds powerful! The song feels very fresh, like after spending the last 15 minutes seeming like 15 years under the ground and then filling the lungs with fresh air. The outro is great!
Of course they didn't play the song live. Even though it would have been 10,000 more effective gig opener than S15.
Coming Home is adequate power ballad. The Alchemist just jumps around from theme to another, not very remindable song.
Isle of Avalon is OK, I guess. The intro is very long, but I somewhat like it. The verses and chorus are good. I don't really have anything negative to say about it, but it doesn't shine either.
Starblind is one of my personal favourites. Mysterious silent intro breaks into powerful verse riffing and excellent chorus, reminiscent to Infinite Dreams. And DAT INTERLUDE :heart. Great lyrics also!
The Talisman would make a hell of a 5 minute song and an excellent lead single, so good are the fast parts. But the intro. Come on, I have heard nearly the same thing in The Legacy and twice as short. The instrumental section is boring, and it has second worst Maiden guitar solo, behind to the infamous Davey's solo on For the Greater Good of God.
Dreadful and unoriginal intros, part deux: The Man Who Would Be King. This time it sounds like Deja-Vu and Fates Warning, surely written by Dave Murray. Again the fast parts sound good, but there really aren't anything other remarkable. Among the weakest compositions by Dave Murray.
Em-C-G-D. When the Wild Wind Blows. Yes, it's beautiful. Yes, it has parts that brings me goosebumps. Yes, it's too long for it's good. 7-8 minutes would be enough, now it just repeats itself. And it doesn't bring anything new to the table. I know some people like them to do what they have done past 30 years or so, but I like when artists do something new.
But they did it with Satellite 15?
Eugh.
This is better.
Anyway, I rather pick up The Way Wind Blows by Rush than this giant. Even though it's slightly repetitive.
I don't know what they're next album is going to be like. But one thing is sure: I'm not going to buy it without listening to it first.
Thats not eddie : /
Yup. Only Dance of Death has uglier cover.
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For a long time, this was my least favourite reunion album, but it definitely grew on my when this thread started my Maiden binge. I'm not sure I like the fact that the album is almost seperated into Side One: shorter songs, Side Two: epics, but it's okay, it doesn't hurt the album for me.
Satellite 15... The Final Frontier is, without doubt, the worst song on the record. S15 is interesting, but not really varied at all and is therefore a chore to get through after the novelty wears off and The Final Frontier is a complete snoozefest. The riff is boring, the lyrics are boring, the chorus is boring... the solos are alright, I guess, but nothing special either.
El Dorado used to be my least favourite, but I actually like it a fair bit. The lyrics are pretty awesome, in my opinion, they paint a great picture of the financial crisis. The chorus could be better, but it's okay. Still not a top song for me.
Mother of Mercy is awesome, even though it's the same subject matter that Maiden has been writing about for nearly thirty year now. I like the vocal melodies and the whole song is just pretty damned powerful. Probably my fourth favourite on the record.
Coming Home is great as well, one of Maiden's better power ballads, though I must say that AMOLAD's counterpart Out of the Shadows is superior and I often turn to that if I want a Maiden power ballad. Still, I always enjoy it when I listen to it in the context of the album, and it looks really awesome on En Vivo!.
The Alchemist is a good short song, but again, Maiden have done better in this category so it doesn't really get any listens from me outside of listening to the whole album. Good solo, though.
Isle of Avalon is the first epic on this album and what an epic it is! Everything about it is perfect: the way the intro builds up, the heavier parts, the solo, Bruce's vocals... :heart Top 5 Maiden song, easily, and my second favourite reunion song, only behind The Legacy. I would have loved to see this live, but Maiden seem to be skirting around my favourites rather effectively, so it's not as though I'm surprised. :P
Starblind is okay. Nothing special, though I do like the lyrics a lot. The phrasing is a little awkward in some places, though.
The Talisman is another great tune. The intro is somewhat reminiscient to The Legacy, true, but it doesn't really bother me. The faster parts are godly and the solo is one of my favourite Maiden solos.
The Man Who Would Be King is... there. Nothing special and easily my least favourite of the five epics. The lyrics are pretty cool, but the rest is nothing special.
When the Wild Wind Blows is one of Maiden's best songs ever, Top 10 easily. I love the lyrics throughout and the music is a little repetitive but so, so powerful that I find it hard to care. The soloing is awesome again, and the last four minutes are some of the best that Maiden have written.
So what do we have as a whole? The Final Frontier is by no means perfect, but it's a very solid album and contains some of their very best songs. A few clunkers keep it down, but it's still an album that I can put on anytime and enjoy.
Rankings:
1. Isle of Avalon
2. When the Wild Wind Blows
3. The Talisman
4. Mother of Mercy
5. Coming Home
6. Starblind
7. The Man Who Would Be King
8. The Alchemist
9. El Dorado
10. Satellite 15... The Final Frontier
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Their recent album has grown on me these last months, but I wouldn't call it their best reunion album. Favourites are Coming Home and The Alchemist.
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This album has really grown on me since its release. It's not quite as good as the other reunion, but it's still a rock solid album with some great tunes on it.
When the Wild Wind Blows
Coming Home
The Talisman
Isle of Avalon
El Dorado
Mother of Mercy
Satellite 15
The Man Who Would Be King
The Alchemist
Starblind
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Not listened to this one in ages but my memories of it are
Too many twee morris dancing folk music intros that remind me of my country's contribution to "culture"
(https://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41608000/jpg/_41608984_morris_dancing_pa_416.jpg)
Bruce sounds strained and I find that hard to listen to. Write songs for your singers abilities for god's sake.
The intro puts me off listening to the whole album, not just TFF- kinda like the intro to The Great Debate puts me off listening to the song.
It's underproduced. Maiden should sound classier than this.
Where's Eddie?
Most of these things could be overcome if the songs were better, but with a couple of exceptions they're not.
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I'm still torn on TFF. Sometimes I think it's one of Maiden's best and other days I think it's by far their worst album;
S15, TFF - Don't like S15 at all really. Final Frontier is generic as Maiden comes, but it's okay.
El Dorado - Worst Maiden song ever.
Mother of Mercy - It's okay, it's different for Maiden which is good, but Bruce sounds like shit.
Coming Home - Decent ballad but nothing earth shattering
The Alchemist - Good fast Janick song, IMO the band haven't really done a song like this since Man on the Edge.
Isle of Avalon - A definite grower but this is where the album really takes a big turn for the better. Lvoe the 7/8 time during H's solo.
Starblind - Best song on the album despite the chorus directly ripping off Infinite Dreams. H shines here.
The Talisman - Amazing song, Janick proves again his strength in the band. Love the interlude and a classic Janick solo which breathes some fresh air into Maiden's guitar work and solo sections. Very much like Fear is the Key. Love Janick's live version of this too.
The Man Who Would Be King - A bit disjointed but once you are familiar it's pretty nifty. Such an original instrumental section too
Wild Wind - Probably the most classic Maiden song on here, and even though it's simple and somewhat generic, it's pretty classic, although Bruce struggles on the lows.
This album has shit and some of Maiden's most interesting and original compositions. Although the production is absolute rubbish and this is probably Bruce's worst performance ever.
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The D5-F5-E5-Eb5 at the background is maybe even more cliché than Em-C-G-D, but damn it sounds powerful!
Hmm...I don't know how it could be more cliche when Maiden hardly ever use chromatic chord progressions as opposed to a progression that they use every album.
The instrumental section is boring, and it has second worst Maiden guitar solo, behind to the infamous Davey's solo on For the Greater Good of God.
Hmm....again, the instrumental section is different and IMO fits the song well. On the first listen I was disappointed and wanted more of a shred fest, but taking the song for what it is, the section is brilliant for the song and the lyrical content. Also, I don't understand how that Dave solo could be their worst, I really love that solo. I guess you don't like how he uses the standard E string trilling while descending down the scale. While cliche, I think it works well, I love then the chromatic slide up the neck, then his last run has some great passing notes which fits the style well, great solo.
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bosk, if I were you, I'd invest in another few studio albums before springing for another live album.
Then again, I'm not you.
Yeah, at least get the only remaining 80s Bruce album - Seventh Son. I think you will like it quite a bit.
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This album was a huge disappointment for me after AMoLaD. I was so pumped when I bought it and sat on my couch with a buddy and put it on... only hear the boring Satellite 15? As I listened more over the next weeks I realized the album wasn't bad, it just wasn't what I expected. The worst reunion album and in the bottom half of the IM catalog overall.
My rankings:
The talisman
Mother of Mercy
When the Wild Wind Blows
El Dorado
Star blind
The Man Who Would Be King
The Final Frontier
The Alchemist
Coming Home
Isle of Avalon
Satellite 15 (should be a desperate track)
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The Final Frontier is outstanding. Easily my favorite Maiden studio album of the ones that I have, and it seems to get better with every listen. The only song I really don't care for is The Alchemist. Otherwise, the album is just about perfect from start to finish.
bosk, if I were you, I'd invest in another few studio albums before springing for another live album.
Then again, I'm not you.
Yeah, at least get the only remaining 80s Bruce album - Seventh Son. I think you will like it quite a bit.
I'll almost for sure finish up the reunion era first. I just flat-out like the newer stuff better.
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Well, I think TFF is great. I much prefer it to AMOLAD.
1. When the Wild Wind Blows
2. Isle of Avalon
3. El Dorado
4. The Talisman
5. Coming Home
6. Mother of Mercy
7. The Man Who Would be King
8. Starblind
9. S15/TFF
10. The Alchemist
If their next album is truly their last, I'm hoping for another concept album a la SSOASS but with a better concept. That'd be going out in style.
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I like this album
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The D5-F5-E5-Eb5 at the background is maybe even more cliché than Em-C-G-D, but damn it sounds powerful!
Hmm...I don't know how it could be more cliche when Maiden hardly ever use chromatic chord progressions as opposed to a progression that they use every album.
No, I don't mean Iron Maiden-cliché, but a cliché in heavy metal music in general.
The instrumental section is boring, and it has second worst Maiden guitar solo, behind to the infamous Davey's solo on For the Greater Good of God.
Hmm....again, the instrumental section is different and IMO fits the song well. On the first listen I was disappointed and wanted more of a shred fest, but taking the song for what it is, the section is brilliant for the song and the lyrical content. Also, I don't understand how that Dave solo could be their worst, I really love that solo. I guess you don't like how he uses the standard E string trilling while descending down the scale. While cliche, I think it works well, I love then the chromatic slide up the neck, then his last run has some great passing notes which fits the style well, great solo.
Oh sorry, I meant Janick's solo :blush. The first one. Or that's what I think it was, haven't listen the song in a couple of years.
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Wow, it's astonishing to me that The Final Frontier seems to get such a bad rep around here. I thought the general consensus would at least place it above Dance of Death. So much 'worst reunion album' talk. Surprising.
Personally, I'd rate this as my second favourite of the reunion albums. Most of the album is absolutely brilliant. Only songs I don't care much for are The Alchemist and When the Wild Wind Blows. The former is just forgettable for me and the latter... I don't know, I don't think I like Bruce's melodic choices and it drags on just a smidge.
El Dorado can be hit or miss depending on my mood.
As for the rest of it, though... Maiden firing on all cylinders, really. Great lyrics, great melodies, great performances all round. Makes me look forward to what they do next. Although a new Bruce solo album might be nice first.
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Yeah, I agree with a lot of that. But I consider this Maiden's best studio album of any era. Granted, there's still a lot of their material I haven't heard. But it's hard for me to imagine anything topping this, at least by any significant margin.
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El Dorado - Worst Maiden song ever.
I find this hard to believe let alone understand especially in a world where "The Angel and the Gambler," "Chains of Misery," "Quest For Fire" and "No More Lies" exist.
I really like this album. I really liked it when it came out and I still like it today. It does have some problems in that the tracklisting is pretty shitty. The first half of the album is all short songs and feels... much less than the second half. Mix 'em up a bit more and it'd work much better. As it is, the first half is a bit of a letdown and the second half can get a bit repetitive with epic after epic after epic. The production isn't all that great and Bruce does sound weak here. I still think he sounds good to great, but I agree that he could've sounded better.
I'm not going to do a track by track breakdown since everyone else has done it and probably much better than any feeble attempts I might make ("I like this song/This song is ass!" etc.) I'm usually one of those people lamenting the fact that Maiden really doesn't write many short, speedy songs anymore and then I get to a song like "The Alchemist," which is short and speedy and also entirely unmemorable, and then I don't feel like complaining about that anymore.
"Satellite 15..." would be pretty cool if it didn't sound terrible. It's actual kind of a neat idea, open with a spacey song that Maiden hasn't really done before, but it's really marred by just how weak it sounds. Then add in that's attached to "The Final Frontier" and it really feels like an afterthought. I would've loved to see Maiden attempt a full song in that vein just... a bit better. As it is, it feels like a missed opportunity.
My ranking:
1. Isle of Avalon
2. Where The Wild Wind Blows
3. Starblind
4. Mother of Mercy
5. El Dorado
6. Coming Home
7. The Talisman
8. Satellite 15... The Final Frontier
9. The Man Who Would Be King
10. The Alchemist
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El Dorado - Worst Maiden song ever.
I find this hard to believe let alone understand especially in a world where "The Angel and the Gambler," "Chains of Misery," "Quest For Fire" and "No More Lies" exist.
All those songs are easily better than El Dorado. El Dorado starts by ripping off Barracuda then just goes into the most boring and long winding verses that goes absolutely no where. Then the courus is just awkward and lacks a strong melody and Bruce sounds pretty bad here. The solo section is basically the band going through the motions which has no purpose, or does the song any good.
IMO, it's the worst Maiden song.
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El Dorado doesn't sound anything like Barracuda.
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The intro riff?
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Not any more than any songs with galloping riffs do.
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Hmm....that ones a little more IMO
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What planet does El Dorado's opening riff sound like Barraucda's? :lol
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Actually, it's the same thought that I had when I heard it. Then again, Heart got that riff from Achilles Last Stand most likely.
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What planet does El Dorado's opening riff sound like Barraucda's? :lol
It's pretty damn obvious. And yes it's a basic gallop but they sound very similar. Not saying they ripped it off, it just strongly reminds me of the song. There's no need for everyone to get on the defensive, Maiden are my fav band of all time I just think that's their worst song, personally I can't stand it.
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The Final Frontier was the first Iron Maiden album to come out since I became a fan, and what an exciting time it was! I remember being slightly disappointed on the first listen, but time has showed that it's a really solid album. It's there with Brave new world, but not as impressive as AMOLAD or Dance of death.
Satellite 15... The Final Frontier - I love it. The intro sets the mood perfectly, there are some ominous chords and Bruce's vocals sound very theatrical. The title track is a lot of fun, especially the anthemic epic chorus.
El Dorado - When it first came out, I went absolutely crazy, because it was a new Iron Maiden single. Once the album came out, I realized it's not that amazing compared to the rest of the record. It still has a nice Thin Lizzy groove.
Mother of mercy - I just can't find anything truly interesting about this song. The chorus especially doesn't do it for me - the chromatic chord progression is something I hear way too much in the world of metal, whereas Em-C-G-D became a Maiden thing that's always welcome.
Coming home - A nice ballad featuring some of the most beautiful lyrics Bruce has ever written. Dave's solo also works fantastically, he shines in the ballads. The song reminds me of Out of the shadows, but it's not as great.
The Alchemist - My absolute favorite short track on the albums, I was so excited about it even on the first listen. There are so many epic riffs and guitar harmonies, and Bruce's delivery is fantastic as well: "I curse you, Edward Kelly..." It's important that the singer feels the story.
Isle of Avalon - The shorter songs were hit and miss, but now we're entering the stronger half of the album: the epics. Isle of Avalon is probably the most reminiscent of AMOLAD and has some great ideas going on. Bruce sounds a bit strained in the chorus, but it's no biggie.
Starblind - This song has incredible lyrics, but it's a shame that it's not that memorable musically. There's a section at 5:04 that I find very catchy, and that's about it. My least favorite epic on the album, although it's still solid.
The Talisman - What a gorgeous intro, Janick can really handle the celtic vibe. It's a great song, although there are a couple of flaws. First of all, it's strange listening to a gallop in a song about sailing. Also, the transition from the instrumental section into the verse is a bit sudden.
The Man who would be king - My favorite song on the album. The guitar harmonies are all over the place, which is always an enormous joy for me. I love the chorus, as well as the solo that follows, it sounds very fresh and original, especially for a band like Iron Maiden. As perfect as it gets.
When the wild wind blows - Another song with a beautiful intro and their signature chord progression. The song flows impressively well for the most part, although I don't feel like Janick's solo was really necessary. It's a fantastic closer and one of my favorites on the album.
I'll also quickly address the biggest problem I have with the album, which is the production. I'm not that happy about the sound, especially with the guitars. You can especially tell when it comes to riffs, they lack the power they had on the previous few albums. Oh well, thankfully the music is great. 9/10
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What planet does El Dorado's opening riff sound like Barraucda's? :lol
It's pretty damn obvious. And yes it's a basic gallop but they sound very similar. Not saying they ripped it off, it just strongly reminds me of the song. There's no need for everyone to get on the defensive, Maiden are my fav band of all time I just think that's their worst song, personally I can't stand it.
Final Frontier reminds me of Priest version of Green Manalishi more.
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What planet does El Dorado's opening riff sound like Barraucda's? :lol
It's pretty damn obvious. And yes it's a basic gallop but they sound very similar. Not saying they ripped it off, it just strongly reminds me of the song. There's no need for everyone to get on the defensive, Maiden are my fav band of all time I just think that's their worst song, personally I can't stand it.
You know, if you turn your head sideways, the bass line sounds...a tiny bit like Barracuda. But the second the guitars come in, it doesn't sound a blasted thing like anything Heart ever did. If anything the bass line would work more on Achilles Last Stand than Barracuda. I just don't hear it enough to bring it up. :lol
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What planet does El Dorado's opening riff sound like Barraucda's? :lol
It's pretty damn obvious. And yes it's a basic gallop but they sound very similar. Not saying they ripped it off, it just strongly reminds me of the song. There's no need for everyone to get on the defensive, Maiden are my fav band of all time I just think that's their worst song, personally I can't stand it.
You know, if you turn your head sideways, the bass line sounds...a tiny bit like Barracuda. But the second the guitars come in, it doesn't sound a blasted thing like anything Heart ever did. If anything the bass line would work more on Achilles Last Stand than Barracuda. I just don't hear it enough to bring it up. :lol
Yes!
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What planet does El Dorado's opening riff sound like Barraucda's? :lol
It's pretty damn obvious. And yes it's a basic gallop but they sound very similar. Not saying they ripped it off, it just strongly reminds me of the song. There's no need for everyone to get on the defensive, Maiden are my fav band of all time I just think that's their worst song, personally I can't stand it.
You know, if you turn your head sideways, the bass line sounds...a tiny bit like Barracuda. But the second the guitars come in, it doesn't sound a blasted thing like anything Heart ever did. If anything the bass line would work more on Achilles Last Stand than Barracuda. I just don't hear it enough to bring it up. :lol
Yes!
Are you guys sure your not talking about ZZ Top?! :lol
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What planet does El Dorado's opening riff sound like Barraucda's? :lol
It's pretty damn obvious. And yes it's a basic gallop but they sound very similar. Not saying they ripped it off, it just strongly reminds me of the song. There's no need for everyone to get on the defensive, Maiden are my fav band of all time I just think that's their worst song, personally I can't stand it.
Final Frontier reminds me of Priest version of Green Manalishi more.
Fucking this. Never noticed it before but now that you mentioned it, it's almost a dead ringer.
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OK, album thoughts.
I like The Final Frontier a lot. There's a lot of interesting stuff on it, and some paint-by-numbers elements. But just like the other reunion albums, it's prevented from being truly great by some annoying things. First off, Bruce doesn't sound very good. He frequently sounds strained; pretty far off from where he was on AMOLAD. He recorded his vocals separate instead of live; I really have no idea whether this contributed to the inferior performance, but it seems to me like the album would've been vastly improved if Bruce took the time to get things right. Second, the production is once again middling. It's not terrible, but it is kind of muddy.
The songwriting is generally strong. Both the repetitive chord progressions and choruses of AMOLAD are for the most part gone, thankfully. Unfortunately there's still a surplus of clean intros/outros, and some songs ("Wild Wind" in particular) are over-reliant on specific riffs/progressions. Unfortunately, I don't think any songs make a good case for being considered amongst the best of Maiden's work: many have great moments, but are brought down by flaws in the performances or writing ("Wild Wind" and "Starblind" in particular). But on the whole it's a solid album, and a solid argument that Maiden is still relevant.
Song rankings:
Isle of Avalon
Starblind
The Alchemist
The Talisman
Coming Home
When the Wild Wind Blows
The Man Who Would Be King
Mother of Mercy
The Final Frontier
El Dorado
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TRIVIA TIME
People got 2 out of 3 of the last trivia questions. The missed one:
2. The A Matter of Life and Death tour, besides featuring the entirety of the album played live, in order, is unique in what respect?
The correct answer was that the A Matter of Life and Death was and is the only Iron Maiden tour that never had a cancellation of a concert.
Because The Final Frontier is recent, I'm going to go with more wide-ranging trivia for this last installment. So note that the answers are not necessarily post-2010.
1. Since the reunion in 1999, certain of Adrian's solos have been played by Janick live. Which solos have been played by both guitarists (regularly) since 1999?
2. "Wrathchild" was played on five of the six concert tours Maiden did in the '00s. Why is this noteworthy?
3. When was the last time Maiden alternated between specific songs on a concert tour (like Dream Theater has been wont to do recently), and between which songs?
4. Which Iron Maiden song has the most band members attributed in the writing credits?
5. What makes "Brighter Than a Thousand Suns" a unique song in Iron Maiden's discography?
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Interesting thoughts, GP. I want to say that, while I disagree with you completely on many opinions, I think the amount of knowledge you've brought into these threads is awesome, and I certainly appreciate that you've been so active here.
I don't really agree with much you have to say about TFF, aside from it being a solid album and Bruce sounding strained. I think he sounds just as strained on AMOLAD, if not more. As a vocalist, he seems to be at a juncture where he can't hit certain highs while his lows aren't fantastic sounding. Still, the amount of passion he brings to songs on both recordings makes the case that Bruce has still "got it", and when Maiden slow things down on songs like "Out of the Shadows" and "Coming Home" he really seems to shine.
I love "Wild Wind". I think it's one of the best songs Maiden have done, as well as "Coming Home" and "Talisman". Other than that, everything else is "just good", though I can't stand "Mother of Mercy".
I've noticed that reunion listeners seem to fall into two categories: Those that like BnW and AMOLAD, and those that like DoD and TFF. While I like it all, I'm more in the latter category. BnW and AMOLAD are very "Maiden-y" albums that, while great, seem like very comfortable albums for the band. DoD and TFF are more hit-or-miss, but each have songs that genuinely stick out as unique in the Maiden catalogue.
3. When was the last time Maiden alternated between specific songs on a concert tour (like Dream Theater has been wont to do recently), and between which songs?
Paschendale and Dance of Death are one. I'm not sure why. I heard the band were having a hard time getting Paschendale down, and eventually seem to have given up.
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I love AMOLAD and give a giant MEH to BNW.
My biggest problem with Maiden ever since 1986 (with Somewhere in Time) has been bloated repetitive choruses. They existed sparsely before 1986, but were really brought to the foreground from 1986 forward....and *REALLY* came to a head with VXI, which did not improve with BNW.
I like AMOLAD because to my ears it is the LEAST repetitive reunion era album that I have heard. Although, I've only heard bits of DoD (No More Lies didn't thrill me...but Paschendale was pretty good) and TFF (S15 was pretty cool and different...WtWWB was good, I thought it would be better after all the hype I heard about it).
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It's pretty damn obvious. And yes it's a basic gallop but they sound very similar. Not saying they ripped it off, it just strongly reminds me of the song. There's no need for everyone to get on the defensive, Maiden are my fav band of all time I just think that's their worst song, personally I can't stand it.
Uhhh. . . .
All those songs are easily better than El Dorado. El Dorado starts by ripping off Barracuda then just goes into the most boring and long winding verses that goes absolutely no where. Then the courus is just awkward and lacks a strong melody and Bruce sounds pretty bad here. The solo section is basically the band going through the motions which has no purpose, or does the song any good.
???
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I listened to this album this morning at the gym. The only thing I don't like is the intro (that Satellite thing) is about twice as long as it should be, other than that, I like this whole album quite a bit. :hat
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Same here. I just can't find anything to legitimately criticize.
I guess I get the criticism about Bruce sounding a bit strained. But while he does sound strained and times, he also sounds good. I don't mind a strained vocal style, and it makes the album's vocals sound grittier and more desperate, which is appropriate. This is much different than, for example, Geoff Tate sounding strained and just flat out bad on the past two (or more) Queensryche albums. Yeah, we're accustomed to Bruce's vocals sounding effortless. But when he doesn't sound that way, I don't necessarily consider that a bad thing as long as he sounds good.
Anyhow, yeah, not much to criticize on this album. The more I listen to it, the more sure I am that it is not only my favorite Maiden album, but also that there is a big and ever-growing gap between it and my next favorite.
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Bosk, you are right about Bruce. It gives it a grittier sound. Much better than the approach he took on No Prayer or Fear Of The Dark.
I just want to say that I've always felt that the Reunion albums have built on the previous one. AMOLAD was so "next level" I had no clue what Maiden would do next. I was literally in tears the first time I heard TFF. I was expecting a drop off, but got an album that is at least equal. If the criticism is that it didn't build on AMOLAD, fine, but they quality is certainly there.
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My biggest problem with Maiden ever since 1986 (with Somewhere in Time) has been bloated repetitive choruses. They existed sparsely before 1986, but were really brought to the foreground from 1986 forward....and *REALLY* came to a head with VXI, which did not improve with BNW.
TFF has one song with a truly repeating chorus. AMOLAD has two. Dance of Death has two or three (out of what, 12?). Somewhere in Time had two or three. The debut and NOTB had two or three. Sure, Brave New World has like four or five, but the criticism that Iron Maiden *started* writing lazy repetitive choruses with SiT and never stopped just doesn't hold up at all upon any investigation.
It also depends what you construe as a "lazy" repeating chorus. "We're Blood Brothers" or "No More Lies" x8 is, IMO, a more valid point than a three or four line chorus repeating back to back, which happens a lot in both the reunion and classic eras. For example, if "Rainmaker" is a repeating chorus, than so is "Aces High" and "Sun and Steel". If "Out of the Silent Planet" is a repeating chorus, than so is "The Number of the Beast" and "2 Minutes to Midnight".
So please, this nonsense about repeating choruses needs to stop. It's a valid criticism for VXI and BNW, but no other Iron Maiden albums before or after those two. And, frankly, the idea that Maiden began writing lazy choruses only after SiT is not only a musically narrow opinion, but it's also extremely selective and biased to the Classic era and as can be proven time and time again, it by itself is a damn lazy claim.
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Yeah, I agree. Trying to defend and argument that simply having lines in chorus repeat is somehow automatically "lazy" is like trying to defend an argument that it's somehow cool to incite road rage by deliberately sitting at an intersection overly long and holding up traffic behind you.
Oh, wait...
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Yeah, I agree. Trying to defend and argument that simply having lines in chorus repeat is somehow automatically "lazy" is like trying to defend an argument that it's somehow cool to incite road rage by deliberately sitting at an intersection overly long and holding up traffic behind you.
Oh, wait...
That was YOU, you BASTARD!
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YOU WANNA MAKE SOMETHIN' OF IT? :threadrage:
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I'm not sure if this is right about question 2 and wrathchild but maybe it gets played so much because it is their go to song when another song in the set doesn't work out for some reason. I know they dropped Brighter than a Thousand Suns for Wrath child a few years ago.
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Oh yeah, there were definitely a few more of those, where *I think* reunion songs were getting replaced with classic material. I'm not sure why, but I guess it had to do with people complaining that TFF tour featured too much reunion.
There's the Iron Maiden catch 22. Play obscure songs that don't get played often, and you satisfy most of the diehards. Go without playing enough of the Greatest Hits records, and all the casuals and guys who were fans in the 80's but aren't up to speed on the new stuff stop going to shows.
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5. What makes "Brighter Than a Thousand Suns" a unique song in Iron Maiden's discography?
It features two guitar solos, one by Janick and one by Adrian. In other songs with two solos it's previously always been Janick and Dave or Adrian and Dave, but not this time around. Is that it?
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Interesting if true. Didn't realize there isn't a Dave solo.
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3. When was the last time Maiden alternated between specific songs on a concert tour (like Dream Theater has been wont to do recently), and between which songs?
Paschendale and Dance of Death are one. I'm not sure why. I heard the band were having a hard time getting Paschendale down, and eventually seem to have given up.
Correct. "Paschendale" and "Dance of Death" were alternated for the first ten or so concerts of The Final Frontier tour, and after that went with "Dance of Death" exclusively.
I'm not sure if this is right about question 2 and wrathchild but maybe it gets played so much because it is their go to song when another song in the set doesn't work out for some reason. I know they dropped Brighter than a Thousand Suns for Wrath child a few years ago.
On the right track, but I had a little more in mind...
5. What makes "Brighter Than a Thousand Suns" a unique song in Iron Maiden's discography?
It features two guitar solos, one by Janick and one by Adrian. In other songs with two solos it's previously always been Janick and Dave or Adrian and Dave, but not this time around. Is that it?
Correct.
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3. When was the last time Maiden alternated between specific songs on a concert tour (like Dream Theater has been wont to do recently), and between which songs?
Paschendale and Dance of Death are one. I'm not sure why. I heard the band were having a hard time getting Paschendale down, and eventually seem to have given up.
Correct. "Paschendale" and "Dance of Death" were alternated for the first ten or so concerts of The Final Frontier tour, and after that went with "Dance of Death" exclusively.
Am I right about why?
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3. When was the last time Maiden alternated between specific songs on a concert tour (like Dream Theater has been wont to do recently), and between which songs?
Paschendale and Dance of Death are one. I'm not sure why. I heard the band were having a hard time getting Paschendale down, and eventually seem to have given up.
Correct. "Paschendale" and "Dance of Death" were alternated for the first ten or so concerts of The Final Frontier tour, and after that went with "Dance of Death" exclusively.
Am I right about why?
I believe so, yes. I seem to recall Nicko saying something to the effect that he was having trouble with it.
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I've noticed that reunion listeners seem to fall into two categories: Those that like BnW and AMOLAD, and those that like DoD and TFF. While I like it all, I'm more in the latter category. BnW and AMOLAD are very "Maiden-y" albums that, while great, seem like very comfortable albums for the band. DoD and TFF are more hit-or-miss, but each have songs that genuinely stick out as unique in the Maiden catalogue.
AMoLaD is my favorite reunion album, bar none, and it's up there and ahead of most of their classic albums.
Depending on the day and my feelings, I might put TFF ahead of BNW. BNW is pretty damn consistent for Maiden. I mean, there's a few songs I like less, but nothing I don't like. Unfortunately, it doesn't really hit very many highs for me. TFF is kinda all over the place (less so than DoD) but it has some great songs. "Isle of Avalon," "Starblind," "Where The Wild Wind Blows," that's good Maiden right there.
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Well, just to add my two cents: I don't know what I was expecting from TFF. The opening with the first couple of songs are a bit so-and-so, (although I like the fact they had the balls to go out there with Satelite 15) but the last half of the album from Isle of Avalon on, that's pure f' in gold in my book. It proved to me me that this band is far from over the hill, in fact are still getting better at what they're doing, especially in the long songs. Great album!
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1. Since the reunion in 1999, certain of Adrian's solos have been played by Janick live. Which solos have been played by both guitarists (regularly) since 1999?
2. "Wrathchild" was played on five of the six concert tours Maiden did in the '00s. Why is this noteworthy?
3. When was the last time Maiden alternated between specific songs on a concert tour (like Dream Theater has been wont to do recently), and between which songs?
4. Which Iron Maiden song has the most band members attributed in the writing credits?
5. What makes "Brighter Than a Thousand Suns" a unique song in Iron Maiden's discography?
1. The Trooper and The Evil That Men Do. Also, maybe Can I Play With Madness, but it's maybe just the second half. If you want to break it down more, 2 Minutes to Midnight, the first half is Adrian, and the second part is Janick. Also, Futereal is played by both Janick and Dave.
4. Sherrif of Huddersfied. Written by the entire band about Rod Smallwood.
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1. Since the reunion in 1999, certain of Adrian's solos have been played by Janick live. Which solos have been played by both guitarists (regularly) since 1999?
2. "Wrathchild" was played on five of the six concert tours Maiden did in the '00s. Why is this noteworthy?
3. When was the last time Maiden alternated between specific songs on a concert tour (like Dream Theater has been wont to do recently), and between which songs?
4. Which Iron Maiden song has the most band members attributed in the writing credits?
5. What makes "Brighter Than a Thousand Suns" a unique song in Iron Maiden's discography?
1. The Trooper and The Evil That Men Do. Also, maybe Can I Play With Madness, but it's maybe just the second half. If you want to break it down more, 2 Minutes to Midnight, the first half is Adrian, and the second part is Janick. Also, Futereal is played by both Janick and Dave.
4. Sherrif of Huddersfied. Written by the entire band about Rod Smallwood.
1. Missing a bunch, still.
4. Correct. Hoped to sucker someone into saying "Virus" (which was credited to four members).
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You're asking for ones they both play in unison right, not ones taken over by Janick?
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I'm pretty sure the ones I listed are the only ones played by both at the same time, so I'll list the ones Janick has taken over;
Hallowed Be Thy Name
Revelations
Moonchild
Phantom of the Opera
There's more I'm sure.
EDIT: Actually, that might be it.
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You're asking for ones they both play in unison right, not ones taken over by Janick?
I'm asking for the ones that have been played by both, regularly (meaning according to plan; not including emergencies like Adrian or Janick missing concerts).
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How many more am I missing?
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Ok, so listening to Starblind today, and ever since my first listen of that song I've felt a seventh son era vibe from it. I'm I the only who feels it?
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How many more am I missing?
By my count: at least 3.
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Ok, so listening to Starblind today, and ever since my first listen of that song I've felt a seventh son era vibe from it. I'm I the only who feels it?
I saw a lot of comparisons to Infinite Dreams when it was new. I personally don't really hear it, but there is a key change in the chorus that isn't found on any other Maiden song besides Infinite Dreams, so maybe that has something to do with it.
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You're asking for ones they both play in unison right, not ones taken over by Janick?
I'm asking for the ones that have been played by both, regularly (meaning according to plan; not including emergencies like Adrian or Janick missing concerts).
Heaven Can Wait
The only other ones I can think of was ones that were played by Janick when Adrian left yet Adrian played them again once returning. And there are quite a few of those
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You're asking for ones they both play in unison right, not ones taken over by Janick?
I'm asking for the ones that have been played by both, regularly (meaning according to plan; not including emergencies like Adrian or Janick missing concerts).
Heaven Can Wait
The only other ones I can think of was ones that were played by Janick when Adrian left yet Adrian played them again once returning. And there are quite a few of those
Still two more that have been played by both. And more specifically why "Wrathchild" getting played 5 times in 6 tours was odd.
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Are you talking about the 'extra' solo in Wrathchild before the last verse played by Janick, plus a fill before the last chorus?
Are you saying that they played it because it's short and gives Janick an extra solo?
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Ok, I'm definitely thinking you are counting Wrathchild. i'm stumped on the last one.
EDIT: The only thing I can think of is Jan doubling up on the Murders in the Rue Morgue solos.
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Wait, the second half of H's 22 Acacia Avenue solo.
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Wait, the second half of H's 22 Acacia Avenue solo.
Yep.
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Booyahh!!!!! :metal
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Alright, friends, here's our last album, live or studio. Have a listen and voice your thoughts. I've heard some talk about going through solo albums -- if anyone's got any strong opinions about where we should start, go ahead and voice them.
EN VIVO! - 2012
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/af/Iron_Maiden_en_Vivo_CD.jpg)
1. "Satellite 15"
2. "The Final Frontier"
3. "El Dorado"
4. "2 Minutes to Midnight"
5. "The Talisman"
6. "Coming Home"
7. "Dance of Death"
8. "The Trooper"
9. "The Wicker Man"
10. "Blood Brothers"
11. "When the Wild Wind Blows"
12. "The Evil That Men Do"
13. "Fear of the Dark"
14. "Iron Maiden"
15. "The Number of the Beast"
16. "Hallowed Be Thy Name"
17. "Running Free"
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Bought it last about two weeks back with the other live albums. Overall, I like Rock In Rio more, but this one's still a fun listen.
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Incredible show. It's hard for me to even list highlights without just listing the entire thing. Honestly, other than Running Free, every single song has me riveted to the screen. Hard for me to imagine what could top this.
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if anyone's got any strong opinions about where we should start, go ahead and voice them.
I think all 6 of the Bruce albums are worth discussing, but I don't know how well known they are around here. At the very least, Accident of Birth and Chemical Wedding must be included. Two metal classics that could stand up to the best Maiden albums. those are probably the most popular, so it'd be a good start.
En Vivo is good. When I listen to the album I just listen to the first disc plus Blood Brothers and Wild Wind. The rest are better on Rock In Rio. It's a really good performance though, about half is reunion era songs so the balance is good. Though I wish instead of doing 2 Minutes and The Trooper, they would've done AMOLAD material, since none of it is on DVD yet. Which is insane by the way, that album is 7 years old now. We've never had to wait that long for any album to be represented on a video. Anyway, it's probably the 2nd best DVD of the reunion era and is a worthy rival to Rock In Rio.
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I also like how the album cover kind of mirrors RiR. In that one we're seeing a giant Eddie from the audience, and on En Vivo we're seeing him from the stage.
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Wasn't a fan of En Vivo when it came out due to the setlist, but now it's aged and recently got into it and am loving it.
I like the idea of going through solo albums. Bruce, Blaze and Adrian's side projects are all worth discussing.
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I love the Blu Ray. The picture and sound are superb. I like the shots and the huge crowd. The big bummer is the set. No AMoLaD songs?! They played them in the US leg of the tour too.
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I like the idea of going through solo albums. Bruce, Blaze and Adrian's side projects are all worth discussing.
I agree.
I really enjoy En Vivo, although it's not one of my favorite Iron Maiden live DVDs. The new songs are incredible. As for the older stuff, I'd single out Two minutes to midnight and Running free as pretty awesome performances. The problem is, the rest of the songs already have their definite live versions on previous DVDs. It's still a precious item in my collection, as every Maiden DVD should be, of course.
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It's a cool DVD, I suppose, but there's just so much doubling on Maiden DVDs that it's starting to piss me off. Still, the new songs are great (though I'm slightly iffed they didn't play Isle of Avalon, but oh well), and the transition from WtWWB into TETMD is godlike.
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It's a cool DVD, I suppose, but there's just so much doubling on Maiden DVDs that it's starting to piss me off. Still, the new songs are great (though I'm slightly iffed they didn't play Isle of Avalon, but oh well), and the transition from WtWWB into TETMD is godlike.
More than that, the current Maiden trend suggests they'll never play Isle of Avalon as a result, which pisses me off.
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Yeah... which sucks. Easily the best song on that album.
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If it weren't for nine other songs on the album, I would completely agree with you.
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Wait, you think that Isle of Avalon is the worst song on TFF?
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:lol Actually, no. But I'd put it somewhere in the middle. I definitely rank S15/TFF, El Dorado, Coming Home, and Where The Wild Wind Blows ahead of it. But it's definitely in the very next tier of songs with Mother Of Mercy and Starblind. Honestly, The Final Frontier is such a consistently strong album that it's hard to even really rank the songs to begin with. They're all so good.
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:lol Actually, no. But I'd put it somewhere in the middle. I definitely rank S15/TFF, El Dorado, Coming Home, and Where The Wild Wind Blows ahead of it. But it's definitely in the very next tier of songs with Mother Of Mercy and Starblind. Honestly, The Final Frontier is such a consistently strong album that it's hard to even really rank the songs to begin with. They're all so good.
You're certainly right that the album is consistently strong, but I don't find that any of the songs you named are better than Avalon, except for maybe Wild Wind, depending on the mood I'm in. Avalon is a modern Maiden classic, as far as I'm concerned.
Anyway, as much as I appreciate that Maiden refuses to become a nostalgia act by playing a good portion of their new albums on each of the non-history tours, there's so much repetition among the songs that they do play that it's just as damaging as if they were a nostalgia act, IMO. There are a lot of deep cuts that fans would love to hear that the band, for whatever reason, is just unwilling to play.
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:lol Actually, no. But I'd put it somewhere in the middle. I definitely rank S15/TFF, El Dorado, Coming Home, and Where The Wild Wind Blows ahead of it. But it's definitely in the very next tier of songs with Mother Of Mercy and Starblind. Honestly, The Final Frontier is such a consistently strong album that it's hard to even really rank the songs to begin with. They're all so good.
You consider El Dorado better than Avalon and Starblind????????????????????? :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm:
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Absolutely. El Dorado slays!
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(https://www.voodoohash.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/dedce405_Mother20of20God.jpg)
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(https://www.voodoohash.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/dedce405_Mother20of20God.jpg)
Mother of *Mercy
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I like el Dorado more than isle of avalon :biggrin:
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I would say thet while El Dorado is easily my least favorite on TFF, it is really growing on me. I don't expect it to pass any other tracks, but it speaks to the overall quality of the album.
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Bumpity-bump!
Are we going to discuss about Bruce's solo material? Or someone else's (ASAP, Psycho Motel, Blaze)?
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I'm only familiar with Bruce and Blazes solo stuff so id be down for discussions and also read about the other solo works.
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I'm up for anything.
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I'm up for anything.
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Hey, sorry about this, guys -- this thread kept slipping my mind. Anyway, we're back on the horse with Bruce Bruce's solo albums. I haven't heard most of these albums, so this'll be quite a fun adventure!
TATTOOED MILLIONAIRE - 1990
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b2/TattooedMillionaire.jpg)
1. "Son of a Gun"
2. "Tattooed Millionaire"
3. "Born in '58"
4. "Hell on Wheels"
5. "Gypsy Road"
6. "Dive! Dive! Dive!"
7. "All the Young Dudes"
8. "Lickin' the Gun"
9. "Zulu Lulu"
10. "No Lies"
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I haven't listened to this album in a long time, but I quite liked it back when it came out. Bruce was still in Maiden, then, so this was sort of an outlet for some very un-Maiden sounding material. A more fun and less serious than most Maiden up to that point.
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It's a fun album, but not much more. It's pretty shallow, but fun nonetheless. "Born in '58" is the clear standout, and really the only great song.
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It's a fun album, but not much more. It's pretty shallow, but fun nonetheless. "Born in '58" is the clear standout, and really the only great song.
Pretty much this. Son of A Gun is easily my fav though.
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Bruce working in more of a hard rock vein than Maiden normally allowed him to do, but that's not as bad as it sounds, since this is pretty good hard rock, but it really is more of an outlet for what Maiden wouldn't let him do than a serious album. Really fun album though, with Son of A Gun and Born In 58 the stand outs.
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No Lies is a great song too.
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Born in '58 is my second favorite Bruce solo tune. Gives me chills!
I also really love No Lies. It was a great song live.
Saw Bruce on this tour.
July 22, 1990
The Living Room
Providence, RI
(https://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z246/TACPics/Bruce1.jpg) (https://s195.photobucket.com/user/TACPics/media/Bruce1.jpg.html)
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TAC, I hate you! >:(
(not really....... ;) well, I sorta do!!)
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I really, really like Born In '58. But for some reason I've barely scratched the rest.
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I always laugh how Janick 'borrowed' the lead guitar from Born in 58 for Montsegur.
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TAC, I hate you! >:(
(not really....... ;) well, I sorta do!!)
From the same show! ;D
(https://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z246/TACPics/Bruce2_zps601145c9.jpg) (https://s195.photobucket.com/user/TACPics/media/Bruce2_zps601145c9.jpg.html)
(https://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z246/TACPics/Gers90_zps7527faa7.jpg) (https://s195.photobucket.com/user/TACPics/media/Gers90_zps7527faa7.jpg.html)
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Damn bro, so close!! :hefdaddy
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Damn bro, so close!! :hefdaddy
The Living Room was such a small place but it was packed. I was like one body from the stage. I was so close that most of my pics came out fuzzy. The ones I posted are the best ones.
It was a cool show. No Maiden tunes but he did a cool cover of Black Night.
Jannick was really cool It made so much sense a few months later when they announced he had joined Maiden.
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Son of a Gun, Born in '58, Gypsy Road, All the Young Dudes and No Lies make this album worth the entry price alone for me. Some of the others are pretty fun too, but those 5 are up there with his best.
That said, totally my least favourite of his solo albums. I often find myself reaching for any of the others if I'm in the mood for a little Bruce.
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Damn bro, so close!! :hefdaddy
The Living Room was such a small place but it was packed. I was like one body from the stage. I was so close that most of my pics came out fuzzy. The ones I posted are the best ones.
It was a cool show. No Maiden tunes but he did a cool cover of Black Night.
Jannick was really cool It made so much sense a few months later when they announced he had joined Maiden.
Yeah I love the show from that tour on the Anthology DVD, great stuff.
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Is it me, or does Janik look like Robert Plant's long lost love-child in that first pic?
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My least favorite of Bruce's solo work. Album is definitely different from IM and from the solo material he would release later. Sounds like 80s arena rock, which I do like sometimes but this album never clicked for me. I kind of wonder how id feel when this album came out. I haven't listened to it in a really long time so maybe its time to give it another chance.
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I think everyone was quite taken aback when the album was released. It started off so well with Son of A Gun, but then you get to songs like Lickin' the Gun, Hell on Wheels and Zulu Lulu and it's just sort of laughable.
Gypsy Road is pretty good value too, and the Mott cover is good.
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Actually, the most taken aback a lot of people were at the time was the fact that the liner notes revealed that Janick Gers was now in Iron Maiden, as that was how a lot of us found out Adrian Smith had left the band. :lol Back then, solo albums were looked at differently, and you were expected to make music that didn't sound like your normal band on them.
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Wow, didn't know that, interesting.
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Wow, didn't know that, interesting.
Yea that's crazy! I would have went nuts .
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If you had stopped reading metal mags, as I had in the late 80s, you often found out about things as earthshaking as Adrian Smith leaving Iron Maiden in that fashion, because fuck knows, MTV or local radio wasn't going to report it. Today someone leaves a band and five minutes later there's a press release on Blabbermouth.
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I always laugh how Janick 'borrowed' the lead guitar from Born in 58 for Montsegur.
Yep, I remember being shocked by this at first because I had no idea Janick played on this album.
Tattooed millionaire was the first Bruce Dickinson solo album I heard, which was about five or six years ago. At first I really liked it, but as time went by, I moved away from the usual hard rock music and the album started to sound pretty generic to me. It didn't help that I discovered the rest of Bruce's terrific discography a while later, and at the end of the day Tattooed millionaire stood no chance against his following releases. It's still a solid album with some fun moments, I do enjoy Born in '58 and the title track.
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Never really listened to the whole thing, as I was pretty burned out on IM by the time it came out, and the singles didn't do anything for me. I'd also fallen out of love with Bruce's voice too. Not sure why. I guess I'd just moved on. There were other bands by this point doing the Maiden thing but better. When I first got into IM there weren't too many alternatives. Most of the NWOHM bands were rubbish (there, I said it! :biggrin:)
Can't say I'm too keen to check it out after what you've all been saying.
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Never really listened to the whole thing, as I was pretty burned out on IM by the time it came out, and the singles didn't do anything for me. I'd also fallen out of love with Bruce's voice too. Not sure why. I guess I'd just moved on.
I was in the same boat as you at the time. In fact, it took me discovering Bruce's later solo work before I got back into IM at all. I heard the stuff they were putting out in the 90's, but couldn't get into it and mostly ignored them for most of the decade.
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Moving on (I'll provide my opinion on Millionaire in a bit):
BALLS TO PICASSO - 1994
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f5/BallsToPicasso.jpg)
1. "Cyclops"
2. "Hell No"
3. "Gods of War"
4. "1000 Points of Light"
5. "Laughing in the Hiding Bush"
6. "Change of Heart"
7. "Shoot All the Clowns"
8. "Fire"
9. "Sacred Cowboys"
10. "Tears of the Dragon"
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I haven't really spun this one, although Tears Of The Dragon is one of his very best songs.
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Laughing in the Hiding Bush, Sacred Cowboys and Tears of the Dragon are the highlights for me on this album. Not the greatest production, but this album was a good preview of what was in store for us later.
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Very good album, I like every song. Hell No is possibly my favourite.
Tears of the Dragon has a generic chorus but OMG that solo :omg:.
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Solid album . Much better than Tattooed Millionaire, but still not as good as his other albums. Tears of the Dragon is easily the best.
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Really interesting album this one. I like it a lot. It has a few duds, but some moments of greatness too. Love the dark atmopshere on this too. Cyclops, Hell No, Cowboys, Gods of War, 1000 Points of Light, really great songs.
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Change of Heart is one of his best songs, haven't you heard it? Otherwise Tears of the Dragon and 1000 Points of Light are strong songs on this album.
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The only solo Bruce album I own (other than an anthology thing I think, or was that a dvd? Not sure. Too many albums...). I love B2P. Better than any post SSoaSS Maiden other than AMOLAD for me. Saying that, not played it in years.
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Change of Heart is one of his best songs, haven't you heard it? Otherwise Tears of the Dragon and 1000 Points of Light are strong songs on this album.
Change of heart is a good song. Also had a couple of songs on the Tears Of A Dragon cd single that were pretty good too.
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I never really connected with this album, so to me it's pretty much Tears of the Dragon-and a whole bunch of other songs I can't figure out why I don't like. :lol
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First ever Bruce album I got so it holds a bit of a sentimental place in my heart. Objectively speaking though, there are some really concise, well written songs as well. Not to mention it's a perfect early example of Bruce's burgeoning experimentation which would come to a head on Skunkworks.
It's not aged as well as some of the other (read: all) albums but it's still worth a spin.
Cyclops, God of War, Change of Heart and Tears of the Dragon stand as highlights for me here.
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I recommend you watching these two videos if you like Bruce Dickinson! Really cozy feeling, feels good. First time I heard Change of Heart
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21SwpuwhnSI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTTE_thqruc
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Awesome post Naikon! :tup
First ever Bruce album I got so it holds a bit of a sentimental place in my heart.
This. Alot of memories pumps up in my head hearing Tears of the Dragon but i've not heard the whole album for years so i will take it for a spinn and come back with some reflections.
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There's a ton of great stuff on this album. There are some tracks that drag, but 90% of it just rocks. This album is really underrated. Song rankings:
1. Tears of the Dragon
2. Cyclops
3. Gods of War
4. Change of Heart
5. Shoot all the Clowns
6. Laughing in the Hiding Bush
7. 1000 Points of Light
8. Sacred Cowboys
9. Hell No
10. Fire
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Change of Heart is one of his best songs, haven't you heard it? Otherwise Tears of the Dragon and 1000 Points of Light are strong songs on this album.
Change of heart is a good song. Also had a couple of songs on the Tears Of A Dragon cd single that were pretty good too.
The remastered album has a double cd with a ton of amazing b-sides;
The Breeding House
No Way Out 1 and 2
Winds of Change
Firechild
Tibet
Plus more, really worth picking up.
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my heart sank when I saw the updated thread title, until I actually thought about it
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No Way Out 1 and 2
:metal :metal
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my heart sank when I saw the updated thread title, until I actually thought about it
Sorry about that :lol
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Change of Heart is one of his best songs, haven't you heard it? Otherwise Tears of the Dragon and 1000 Points of Light are strong songs on this album.
Change of heart is a good song. Also had a couple of songs on the Tears Of A Dragon cd single that were pretty good too.
The remastered album has a double cd with a ton of amazing b-sides;
The Breeding House
No Way Out 1 and 2
Winds of Change
Firechild
Tibet
Plus more, really worth picking up.
Yeah, those are the ones I was referring to.
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This is a really good album, much more mature and serious than its predecessor. Some of my favorites here include Cyclops, 1000 points of light, Laughing in the hiding bush and Sacred cowboys.
My biggest problem with this album is that I never went crazy about Tears of the dragon, it's very generic in my book and I'm not moved by it emotionally like the majority of the fans is. Arc of space, Chemical wedding, Navigate the seas of the sun - now these are truly beautiful, touching, yet original ballads.
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B2P is the only Dickinson solo album I own. I got it before I ever got into Maiden and loved it. Not exactly sure why I never picked up any of his other solo material.
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B2P is the only Dickinson solo album I own. I got it before I ever got into Maiden and loved it. Not exactly sure why I never picked up any of his other solo material.
You need Accident of Birth and Chemical Wedding.
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B2P is the only Dickinson solo album I own. I got it before I ever got into Maiden and loved it. Not exactly sure why I never picked up any of his other solo material.
You need Accident of Birth and Chemical Wedding.
And Skunkworks. Quite different from his other material but every Bruce fan should own a copy.
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B2P is the only Dickinson solo album I own. I got it before I ever got into Maiden and loved it. Not exactly sure why I never picked up any of his other solo material.
You need Accident of Birth and Chemical Wedding.
And Skunkworks. Quite different from his other material but every Bruce fan should own a copy.
Yep.
Chemical Wedding
Accident of Birth
Skunkworks
TOS
BTP
TM
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B2P is the only Dickinson solo album I own. I got it before I ever got into Maiden and loved it. Not exactly sure why I never picked up any of his other solo material.
You need Accident of Birth and Chemical Wedding.
And Skunkworks. Quite different from his other material but every Bruce fan should own a copy.
Yep.
Chemical Wedding
Accident of Birth
Skunkworks
TOS
BTP
TM
This is the correct ranking.
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:tup
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Just getting a jump ahead listening to some later BD albums- how did I miss this? Especially as I was a Roy Z fan at the time from his Tribe Of Gypsies days. I just dismissed them at the time.
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If you have checked both Accident and Wedding, you have discovered 2 of the best heavy metal albums of all time.
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If you have checked both Accident and Wedding, you have discovered 2 of the best heavy metal albums of all time.
Listening to AoB now. I did sample CW on your recommendation a while back and liked what I heard. Great stuff.
Just checked my facts and I hadn't heard Tribe Of Gypsies until 2000 so those two albums were already out by then.
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TOG is a band I have always been meaning to check out too, never got around to it though.
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TOG is a band I have always been meaning to check out too, never got around to it though.
Only album I've heard is III and that was a good fun rock album with a Latin feel. One for the sunny days. You'll probably get to play it alot more than me! :lol
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A month and a half later and I suddenly remembered this thread - are we moving on to Skunkworks, if anyone cares? ;D
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I only have Accident of Birth, Chemical Wedding and Tyranny of Souls. I've heard that the others are quite a bit different, less metal? Is that true?
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Yes, Tattooed Millionaire, Balls To Picasso, and Skunkworks are not the "classic" metal as the 3 you stated. Al, however, show a different side of Bruce. I mean, they're all hard rock. And all worthy!
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I'll see what I can find on YouTube
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Tattooed Millionaire, obviously was made while he was still in Maiden. It's less serious than his true solo material. Lyrically, a lot of it just ridiculous, but it does have a few great tunes like Born In '58, No Lies, and Son Of A Gun. Plus it features Jannick Gers on guitar, who plays great on it. Check out the smokey guitar solo on Gypsy Road.
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Skunkworks is top 3 Bruce, behind the classic two.
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Skunkworks is my fav Bruce solo album. And no, it's not really metal, more like alternative rock. I love the guitar work by Alex Dickson in it, he is a very creative player.
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Yeah, Alex has a different unique style, I like it.
Also, can we change the thread title? I freak out everytime I see it.
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In down for continuing because we didn't get to the good stuff yet.
And since we are already talking about Skunk works...
Really not my music. More of a grunge style than metal and just not My cup of tea....however, there are a few songs I really do like such as back from the edge, inertia, and my favorite solar confinement.
They also do a pretty cool version of the prisoner which is on the special edition as well as Bruce's DVD.
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I wasn't sure what to make of Skunkworks when I first heard it. I mean, I liked it but the shock of it being so atypical of Bruce kind of threw me through a loop. Loved Back From the Edge since the word go, mind.
Nowadays I'd choose to listen to it over most of the others. Absolute definition of a slow burner.