The Iron Maiden Thread v. The Merge of Souls

[cramx3]

I don't get why people love Brave New World so much. It's a good album, sure, but there's like three songs in there that I wouldn't sweat if they were completely banished from existance (The Wicker Man, Brave New World and The Mercenary), and I rarely come back to Blood Brothers. Sure, Ghost of the Navigator and the last five songs are awesome, but the album is far too inconsistent to rank among the top for especially when compared with albums like A Matter of Life and Death and The Final Frontier, which are both front-to-back brilliant.

You just named 3 of the best songs, to me, on that album and that's why it's so strong IMO.  I would label songs like Falling Angel and Out of the Silent Planet as the filler type songs, but even then, those songs are still pretty solid.  Nomad is the only one that kind of bores me on BNW.

[bosk1]

Most days, I would rather listen to Rock in Rio than most of the reunion albums.

[Cyclopssss]

Coming back to the second side of Powerslave, that is indeed one of the best section of hardrock/metal songs in history of mankind. Not only the titletrack and Mariner, but back in the village, the duelists and I'd add Flash of the blade and heck even Los 'fer words in there as well. I don't think I've ever heard Maiden as tight as on that album.

[Scorpion]

I don't necessarily disagree, but you're really stretching the definition of what constitutes the second side of an album.

[Cyclopssss]

Yeah well...

[Mladen]

1. A Matter of life and death
2. Dance of death
3. The Book of souls
4. The Final frontier
5. Brave new world

[Phoenix87x]

1. Brave new world
2. Book of souls
3. Matter of live and death
4. TFF
5. Dance of death

[Polarbear]

1. Brave New World
2. A Matter of Life and Death
3. Dance of Death
4. The Book of Souls
5. The Final Frontier

[cramx3]

I don't necessarily disagree, but you're really stretching the definition of what constitutes the second side of an album.

What's the second side?  I wasn't a young enough fan to have any maiden albums on cassette so I can't relate to the album sides.  But I do love me some Flash of the Blade.

[TAC]

Coming back to the second side of Powerslave, that is indeed one of the best section of hardrock/metal songs in history of mankind. Not only the titletrack and Mariner, but back in the village, the duelists and I'd add Flash of the blade and heck even Los 'fer words in there as well. I don't think I've ever heard Maiden as tight as on that album.

I'm a huge fan of The Duelists. Love the long instrumental section.

[Stadler]

I don't necessarily disagree, but you're really stretching the definition of what constitutes the second side of an album.

What's the second side?  I wasn't a young enough fan to have any maiden albums on cassette so I can't relate to the album sides.  But I do love me some Flash of the Blade.

I have that classic on vinyl - that cover in full size is a thing to behold.  It's the ONE THING I miss from the vinyl days.

Side One:
1. Aces High
2. Two Minutes to Midnight
3. Los 'fer Words (Big 'orrah)
4. Flash of the Blade
5. Duellists

Side Two:
1. Back In The Village
2. Powerslave
3. Rime of the Ancient Mariner

(And yes, I did that from memory, though I confess I had to check the order of FotB and Duellists). 

[TAC]

, though I confess I had to check the order of FotB and Duellists).

You're not a real fan then!

[Cyclopssss]

I don't necessarily disagree, but you're really stretching the definition of what constitutes the second side of an album.

What's the second side?  I wasn't a young enough fan to have any maiden albums on cassette so I can't relate to the album sides.  But I do love me some Flash of the Blade.

I have that classic on vinyl - that cover in full size is a thing to behold.  It's the ONE THING I miss from the vinyl days.

Side One:
1. Aces High
2. Two Minutes to Midnight
3. Los 'fer Words (Big 'orrah)
4. Flash of the Blade
5. Duellists

Side Two:
1. Back In The Village
2. Powerslave
3. Rime of the Ancient Mariner

(And yes, I did that from memory, though I confess I had to check the order of FotB and Duellists).

Should have checked that! As an excuse, most of my vinyls are somewhere in an attic though.

[TAC]

The best was the vinyl to Live After Death. Open that gatefold and 

Similar to Kiss Alive II. But better!

[cramx3]

That side A is awfully strong too.  It would be interesting to see new albums broken into a side a and side b now and if that would impact how people view songs.  For example, I was never a big fan of Back in the Village, but if it was the first track before the two big ones, maybe I'd view it differently instead of it being the last and least favorite of the shorter tracks before the two big ones? Not sure though

[TAC]

Believe it or not, when Powerslave first came out, I was not a huge fan of it and Back In The Village was my first favorite track from it.

[El Barto]

Yea that's cool. It's amazing though how better Bruce sounds on the Flight 666 compared to LAD even though it's 24 years later.

I remember reading somewhere about their tour schedule at the time that LAD was recorded. To call it insane would be an understatement. I think that he was tired more than anything else. In fact, I don't think that he really got full command of his voice back until the mid/late 90's.

You can always tell how big a tour is by the cities they play in Texas. Not sure Waco has gotten a show that big since. The amazing part is that they played all of those cities in less than a year. Often 4 nights on, one night off when logistics permitted. It's no wonder Bruce's voice was shot. In any case, LAD was recorded closer to the end than the beginning and it showed. While he still wasn't the Bruce we have today, you can watch Behind the Iron Curtain, which was the opening dates of the tour, and he sounds much better.

[Kwyjibo]

Even if Bruce's voice was shot (and you can definitely hear that it was) Live After Death transports a whole lot of raw energy, thus making it a great live record.

[cramx3]

Even if Bruce's voice was shot (and you can definitely hear that it was) Live After Death transports a whole lot of raw energy, thus making it a great live record.

Yea, the energy is great on that live album and Bruce's voice never bothered me on that album.  I actually like a lot of his added "oohs" and whatnot to the songs.

[PowerSlave]

I've always been a fan of Maiden Japan. Tons of energy on that one as well. Remember Tomorrow is one of my all time favorite songs, and Dave's extended solo on that version is absolutely amazing!

[TAC]

I've always been a fan of Maiden Japan. Tons of energy on that one as well. Remember Tomorrow is one of my all time favorite songs, and Dave's extended solo on that version is absolutely amazing!

 

[RodrigoAltaf]

I've always been a fan of Maiden Japan. Tons of energy on that one as well. Remember Tomorrow is one of my all time favorite songs, and Dave's extended solo on that version is absolutely amazing!

That Dave solo is amazing!!! I was waiting for a new rendition of it when I saw that Remember Tomorrow was on "A Real Dead One", but he gracefully declined to play it, and stuck with the studio version...meh.

I also like the version of Innocent Exile on Maiden Japan, and you can´t beat Dianno´s scream on the first chorus of Running Free: "I´m running free yeah, COME ON!!"

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

When it comes to raw energy early Maiden is the best, obviously there's logical reasons but I also think the early more "punky" feel of their songs was naturally more raw. I know Steve with a passion denies any link to punk but I do think there's some influences. Both Maiden Japan and Beast over Hammersmith are excellent! The energy on Murders in the.... are out of this world.

[cramx3]

When it comes to raw energy early Maiden is the best, obviously there's logical reasons but I also think the early more "punky" feel of their songs was naturally more raw. I know Steve with a passion denies any link to punk but I do think there's some influences. Both Maiden Japan and Beast over Hammersmith are excellent! The energy on Murders in the.... are out of this world.

Yea I agree.  Being a punk fan before I got into metal, the Dianno albums definitely have a punk vibe to them.  It's no surprise that a record label offered them a deal to play punk music at the time.  Luckily they stuck to their guts and declined.

[jjrock88]

How wonder how big and how much success the band would have had if Paul had stayed in the band.  I think there clearly wouldn't have been the crossover appeal that Bruce brought to the band.  I know they were a fairly successful band with the first two albums, but how much bigger would they have gotten.

[cramx3]

How wonder how big and how much success the band would have had if Paul had stayed in the band.  I think there clearly wouldn't have been the crossover appeal that Bruce brought to the band.  I know they were a fairly successful band with the first two albums, but how much bigger would they have gotten.

Not much since they wouldn't of been able to tour extensively with Paul.

[jjrock88]

Also just say that booze/drugs weren't an issue, how big would they have gotten with Paul as the lead singer.

[cramx3]

A bit harder to guess.  I still don't think they'd have gotten as big, but probably would have grown from where they were since they were still young and just starting.  I'm not sure they could have made a NotB type of album to get that big commercial hit, but that doesn't mean they couldn't continue building upon the IM/Killers sound and grew with that, because that was still very solid music.

[Stadler]

Look, Steve Harris is no dummy.  I think they knew they hit the wall with Di'Anno.  They would have figured out a way to continue with him if there was any sense to continuing with him.  I think Steve Harris wanted to do more things and branch out in new ways and he was being held back by Paul Di'Anno.  No knock on Paul - Killers is an unbelievable album, and in my Maiden top three - but Di'Anno never in a million years could have pulled off the Powerslave album and tour. 

[Cyclopssss]

It's an interesting discussion. I mean, I Love Classic Maiden with Paul. I became a fan with Killers and the s/t. album. The energy that they propelled from the stage is usurpassed by any other band from that era. Bruce brought that enormous extra range and stage presence (which Paul absolutely wasn't lacking) to the band. But Paul was at the his limit as far as growth is concerned. The argument, however, that he was constantly boozed up or whatever doesn't really hold water with me, I mean, come on, they pretty much all were pretty boozed up half of the time, just not before the gig. The thing is, they had a management and a bassplayer who saw the BIG picture and were shooting for the highest level and some get that, and  are able to follow along for that ride and some just don't. Look at their touring schedules in those years, my God. The were being worked to Death. And it was all for the greater good in the end, but history is full of bandmembers that are left by the wayside when ambition kicks in.

Look at Beast over Hammersmith with Clive Burr still in the drumseat. I mean I love Nicko, but Maiden will NEVER, never, never achieve that same groove anymore without Clive.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Look at Beast over Hammersmith with Clive Burr still in the drumseat. I mean I love Nicko, but Maiden will NEVER, never, never achieve that same groove anymore without Clive.

Nicko is a childhood hero to me, always loved his drumming especially on Piece on Mind but his personality and funny character is what made him so unique to me. Those stupid and hilarious Listen with Nicko episodes he did for example.  In general, like Portnoy was to DT he's been a great ambassador for Maiden through the years and a great rolemodel just like Bruce.

I agree though because later years I started to appreciate Clive more and more and realised how diffrent his playing really was to Nicko. Clive Burr was a great live drummer just listen to those early live concerts, his energy and groove was on point. He's also responsible for alot of those classic and iconic Maiden drumbeats like Run to the hills, Running Free, Number of the Beast and others.
He definitely was important in boosting the classic Maiden sound. I love his drumming on The Beast..., Children of the Damned, Transylvania, The Prisoner, The Phantom..., Hallowed be...., Murders in the....., Purgatory, Killers, Gangland, Invaders and the list goes on...

[Cyclopssss]

Exactly. I seriously had to physically do a double take when I bought 'Piece of Mind' when the first track kicked off. I mean, from a merely technical standpoint McBrain's drumming was not one, but probably ten steps up. That intro fill into Where eagles dare alone. I mean, are you *fricking* kidding me!? But it still took a while to get used to for me. It was also a thing of: What, they replaced Clive as well now? Where is this going? In the end off course history proved them right, but it was still something to take in at the time. Also, there were some very interesting musical changes going on in that album. It wasn't just an all out '100mph metalband anymore, they added some nice depth to their songs. All the more kudo's for the band for sticking with their guns for all that time and to still be going strong to this day. Up the Hammers! 

[RodrigoAltaf]

While there´s no shortage of talent in Paul, I don´t think Maiden would have gone far if he stayed with the band, simply due to his lack of professionalism. He had lots of chances of pulling a successful solo career - look at some of his solo stuff: Battlezone, Killers, the Nomad album, and right up to Architects of Chaoz. All cool stuff, but quickly discarded just so he could tour once again playing Maiden songs "for the last time"...

[soupytwist]

Not sure where Maiden would have ended up with Paul.  But I'm pretty sure Maiden would have died a horrible death if they'd stuck with Blaze - nothing against Blaze, but it just wasn't a good fit at all....and like Paul he wasn't up to the relentless touring Maiden tended to do.   

[Cyclopssss]

I tried to block the whole Blaze period from memory...