Actually, he summed up my thoughts on EotC perfectly.
Which is pretty much what they used to do. It's a bit heartbreaking because I can see why they went in this direction and why they might feel it's a good fit for them, but they're just not very good at it. Being adventurous with songwriting should involve more than this. They may be writing really long songs but it doesn't feel like they are challenging themselves, musicianship-wise, or doing enough to keep those lengthy compositions from sounding extremely repetitive. They might be talented enough to write some true progressive music (and they've certainly hinted at this before) but their hearts just don't really seem to be in it. Bless them for trying so hard to be interesting, and I've no doubt they're totally sincere in everything they attempt...
Maiden has always had a penchant for repetition, and the more successful they become the more he thinks they need to push what they're doing further. AMoLaD was fairly fresh by Maiden standards, hence my fondness for it, but for the most part they're increasingly formulaic and that really is a shame.
Still, I'm holding out hope for the rest of the album. I'm only reacting to what they presumably considered the centerpiece.
Bart, in that quote, that's always been how I felt about Savatage.. anyway, back to Maiden.
I actually disagree. It DOES feel like they are challenging themselves, and has so the entire Reunion Era. One can certainly question if their execution is effective or not, but I don't think anyone can argue that they are not challenging themselves.
These "critiques" are useless if you ask me. These "geniuses" just want to hear something different, and that's fine. Go listen to something different. But to imply that, after 14 albums and a gadbazillion records sold that Harris et al are "incompentent" at what they do... well, then, I'll take "incompentent" all frigging day.
This is funny because I was thinking this very same thing listening to the album today. Basically I was listening to a part that I strongly disagreed with and thought that Steve Harris is the most stubborn guy in metal. Then I immediately thought that he has only guided the most successful metal band in history this way.
Only listened to two songs so far, but it seems pretty typical. Ari needs to learn that length just for the sake of length isn't a good thing. Empire of the Clouds isn't a bad song, but it's damn sure 5 minutes too long. You could tell they were going for a Rhyme kind of thing with it, and Rhyme pushed it right up to the edge of getting redundant (but didn't cross over). With Empire there are points where you just skip ahead 90 seconds and don't miss anything.
Bart, I am with you on Rime completely. Believe it or not, Maiden put me off with Powerslave when it came out. They were so boasting about the length of Rime, and I felt it was simply long for long's sake. Both the song AND the album have aged very well for me, but honestly, I still have a hard time listing it as one of their masterpieces.
But at this point, I'm fine with EOTC the way it is. The transitions feel a bit rough, and I'm not sure the point of the DUH DUH DUH part, but there is so much that is great going on, that I am giving it the benefit of the doubt for now.
Topic: The Iron Maiden Thread v. The Merge of Souls (Read 566212 times)