The Iron Maiden Thread v. The Merge of Souls

[nick_z]

The more I listen, the more I think A Matter of Life and Death is a top 5 album by the band (from all eras).

Convince me otherwise. 

I disagree, but I won't try to convince you otherwise 

[nick_z]

Speaking of AMOLAD...from a live perspective, it feels like the band has kind of "forgotten" about it after giving it the album-played-in-full treatment on its tour.

Looking at the stats, For the Greater Good of God was obviously the most played, given it was rediscovered for the Legacy of the Beast tour. But then, for the most part, the songs were played on that tour only. I'm seeing Reincarnation, These Colours Don't Run, and (a little less often) Brighter Than a Thousand Sun/Different World a few more times, but far from being reunion live staples...

[KevShmev]

Good to see that many agree with me. 

I think The Final Frontier would be as good if the first half was as strong as the second half.

[TAC]

I think The Final Frontier would be as good if the first half was as strong as the second half.

So my impression of the Reunion albums was that they built upon each other. I liked AMOLAD more than DoD, which I liked more than BNW.
I had no idea how they'd top AMOLAD, but I feel they at least equaled it with TFF. I find TFF a bit easier on the ears so I do rate it a tad higher. Remember how TFF is laid out, with all of the short songs in the front and the longer ones in the back. I'm not sure that was the wisest decision they've made and I think it hurts the overall perception of the album.

[KevShmev]

I supposed that does make it a bit lopsided, but even if they tweaked the running order, I think most of the best songs would still be the longer songs (except for the opener).

[TAC]

I supposed that does make it a bit lopsided, but even if they tweaked the running order, I think most of the best songs would still be the longer songs (except for the opener).

Definitely, though I think Coming Home is one of their best songs.

[KevShmev]

I supposed that does make it a bit lopsided, but even if they tweaked the running order, I think most of the best songs would still be the longer songs (except for the opener).

Definitely, though I think Coming Home is one of their best songs.

My 2nd rankings engine list has it at their 42nd best song , but I suspect I will do another one or two before finalizing it.

[TAC]

I have it a lot higher, but this is a strong catalog. I'm going to find it hard to look some people in the eye with the songs I left off of my list.

[KevShmev]

I still can't decide which is better, The Nomad or Dream of Mirrors.

On the first list, The Nomad was a tad higher.

On the second one, Dream of Mirrors was a tad higher.

Who knows how the next ones will look. 

[TAC]

I still can't decide which is better, The Nomad or Dream of Mirrors.

The choice has always been clear for me. The other one is an amazing track that has just never stuck.

[Dream Team]

The more I listen, the more I think A Matter of Life and Death is a top 5 album by the band (from all eras).

Convince me otherwise. 

I can definitely see the argument. Two major tweaks for me would be to remove the repetitiveness of the choruses of TLD and FTGGOG; and maybe reduce the number of quiet intros/outros by a couple.

[Cool Chris]

I think The Final Frontier would be as good if the first half was as strong as the second half.

I think it would be good if it was more like A Matter of Life and Death. 

[TAC]

I think The Final Frontier would be as good if the first half was as strong as the second half.

I think it would be good if it was more like A Matter of Life and Death. 

It is exactly like AMOLAD. I don't see the difference. One album is considerably darker, but songwise they are twins.

[RodrigoAltaf]

I tried HARD, many times, but failed to connect with Final Frontier. Don't know why, but to my ears the band sounds tired  on this album.

[TAC]

I tried HARD, many times, but failed to connect with Final Frontier. Don't know why, but to my ears the band sounds tired  on this album.

Well, it's only my opinion, but I think that's for two reasons.

1. The material, other than the running order is virtually identical to AMOLAD. BNW, DoD, and AMOLAD were all different from each other. But TFF and AMOLAD don't have a lot of separation in variety from each other.

2. AMOLAD feels like it has an overarching theme to it, a cohesiveness, that TFF doesn't have.

[RodrigoAltaf]

You're on to something, TAC. Every time I listen to it, when "The Man Who Would Be King" ends I think "yeah, that was kind of a tired song, but I'm glad it's over". Then "Wild Wind Blows" comes up and I'm like "what???!!?! Another slow song?" Add to that the fact that El Dorado is the worst single from any Bruce-fronted Maiden release, a bunch of other songs sound like rehashed ideas, and the mix is not that great...and voila. I think it's worse than No Prayer and Fear of the Dark, honestly.

[TAC]

I think it's worse than No Prayer and Fear of the Dark, honestly.

Wow!

Fear Of The Dark is their most underrated album IMO. It's easily 8 songs deep.

[Cool Chris]

AMoLaD was my first new album after becoming a fan, so there is that for me. On the heels of that album, and buying the entire back catalog, I was full steam ahead with them, and for reasons I can't explain well, I found TFF underwhelming.

[nick_z]

Listened to AMOLAD in full today, and it is indeed a very, very good album. But, talking about reunion albums, I just find myself enjoying Dance of Death and Brave New World more, as a whole.

If I had to rank them today, I'd say DoD and BNW lead the way, then AMOLAD, then Senjutsu and Final Frontier are battling it out. FF is one album that grew on me a TON since it came out. I'd say my least favorite of the five is The Book of Souls (although there's plenty to enjoy in there).

Wow!

Fear Of The Dark is their most underrated album IMO. It's easily 8 songs deep.

Hm...I have some good memories related to Fear of the Dark (I've gotten into Maiden around the time it came out), but I don't know if I'd call it underrated. There are some good tunes in there, but a lot filler too, imo. And I don't like the way it sounds at all.

Out of curiosity - what would be your 8 songs...?

[TAC]

Hm...I have some good memories related to Fear of the Dark (I've gotten into Maiden around the time it came out), but I don't know if I'd call it underrated. There are some good tunes in there, but a lot filler too, imo. And I don't like the way it sounds at all.

Out of curiosity - what would be your 8 songs...?

Be Quick Or Be Dead
Afraid To Shoot Strangers
Fear Is the Key
Childhood's End
Wasting Love
The Fugitive
Judas Be My Guide
Fear Of the Dark


I expect all except The Fugitive to appear in my Top 75.



I say underrated because most people rate it pretty poorly. i remember it coming out and it being 10 times more powerful than No Prayer. It was their first album in the CD age, so at 12 tracks, they typically would've weeded out a couple of extras. You could add in From Here To Eternity and Chains Of Misery to round out a pretty good 10 track album.

[Glasser]

I think it's worse than No Prayer and Fear of the Dark, honestly.

Wow!

Fear Of The Dark is their most underrated album IMO. It's easily 8 songs deep.

Absolutely agree. Fear Is The Key is one of my faves.

[TAC]

I love Fear Is The Key. Bruce's vocal tribute to Ian Gillan.
Kind of progressive, actually.

[Glasser]

I love Fear Is The Key. Bruce's vocal tribute to Ian Gillan.
Kind of progressive, actually.

Total prog moment in that song! Very tasty!

[nick_z]

Hm...I have some good memories related to Fear of the Dark (I've gotten into Maiden around the time it came out), but I don't know if I'd call it underrated. There are some good tunes in there, but a lot filler too, imo. And I don't like the way it sounds at all.

Out of curiosity - what would be your 8 songs...?

Be Quick Or Be Dead
Afraid To Shoot Strangers
Fear Is the Key
Childhood's End
Wasting Love
The Fugitive
Judas Be My Guide
Fear Of the Dark


I expect all except The Fugitive to appear in my Top 75.



I say underrated because most people rate it pretty poorly. i remember it coming out and it being 10 times more powerful than No Prayer. It was their first album in the CD age, so at 12 tracks, they typically would've weeded out a couple of extras. You could add in From Here To Eternity and Chains Of Misery to round out a pretty good 10 track album.

Yeah, I guess on average now people don't rate it super-high now...I do however remember it was received quite well when it came out (at least in Italy/Europe), based on the reactions I witnessed myself, and in magazines at the time. As for me, I enjoy it better than No Prayer, and it arguably has 2-3 songs that have become well established in their live sets.

Of the songs you mention, I no doubt agree with Be Quick or Be Dead, Afraid, Judas Be My Guide and Fear of the Dark..

...as for the rest, Fear is the Key is kinda cool, Wasting Love was something a little different for them and I enjoyed it back then, and Childhood's End starts very promising (with that tom-heavy drum pattern weirdly reminding me of early Marillion), but I feel it doesn't quite deliver on that promise. All fine Maiden songs, but nothing that truly stuck with me over time (and unlikely to find their way in my top 75). The Fugitive is just ok...

Anyway, again, despite being more towards the bottom of my Maiden rankings, FOTD is an album I have some fondness for, clunkers and all 

[TAC]

Childhood's End is the one song that surprised me the most when it came to the Ranker. It just kept beating whatever it was put up against.

[wolfking]

Childhood's End is the one song that surprised me the most when it came to the Ranker. It just kept beating whatever it was put up against.

Yep, damn underrated.  That solo section is incredible.

[RodrigoAltaf]

I listened to FOTD again not too long ago, and it was clear to me they were trying to appeal to a new generation. The songwriting changed, and the mix and tone of the instruments as well. I particularly did not enjoy Nicko's drum sound in it at the time. But I think it aged quite well, and if they didn't feel the need - like ALL bands did at the time - to fill a whole CD with 12 songs, that album could have had a better place in the fans' hearts. Get rid of Apparition, Weekend Warrior and maybe Chains of Misery for example, and you have a much better album. Seventh Son and No Prayer had 43 minutes, Fear of the Dark has close to an hour of music. Way too much, and it's harder to maintain the quality with such a steep increase.

[NoseofNicko]

Yeah I don’t understand why they felt the need to include The Apparition and Weekend Warrior. Without them it would be pretty great imo.

[KevShmev]

I am working to give Fear of the Dark a fresh listen to see if maybe there is a bit more than I thought at first, but while Be Quick or Be Dead is good musically, why does Bruce spend the whole song trying to sound like Angus Young? I can't get past how annoying the vocals are in that one.

[NoseofNicko]

while Be Quick or Be Dead is good musically, why does Bruce spend the whole song trying to sound like Angus Young?

His voice sounds like a guitar?

[KevShmev]

Sorry , Brian Johnson.

I am not hearing it with these other songs except Afraid to Shoot Strangers, which does seem fairly good, so I will likely snag that for my collection.  Fear is the Key was pretty forgettable, Childhood's End is kinda blah despite that good instrumental section, and that chorus in The Fugitive is a travesty.  Oof, how did they determine a chorus that lame was worthy?

[pg1067]

No brave new world! = Stranger in a strange land?

Down the south to Italy= Murders in the Rue Morgue?!!!

Babe Ruth= Revelations. (Just a Babe in a black abyss).

Saloon pic with the Smokey and the bandits has to be Aces High? This is so effing hard. ??


Seems to be a play on lyrics. Please do tell?

Boom...4 for 4.

Sorry for the delay.  I was out of action yesterday and most of today.

[RodrigoAltaf]

Sorry , Brian Johnson.

I am not hearing it with these other songs except Afraid to Shoot Strangers, which does seem fairly good, so I will likely snag that for my collection.  Fear is the Key was pretty forgettable, Childhood's End is kinda blah despite that good instrumental section, and that chorus in The Fugitive is a travesty.  Oof, how did they determine a chorus that lame was worthy?

Bruce's style changed in No Prayer, he started to sing with a raspier voice. His option at the time, it seems...

[Glasser]

while Be Quick or Be Dead is good musically, why does Bruce spend the whole song trying to sound like Angus Young?

His voice sounds like a guitar?

 

[DoctorAction]

I am working to give Fear of the Dark a fresh listen to see if maybe there is a bit more than I thought at first, but while Be Quick or Be Dead is good musically, why does Bruce spend the whole song trying to sound like Angus Young? I can't get past how annoying the vocals are in that one.

It's a mess of an album, imo, and Bruce's approach was only one of a handful of issues with it. 

Judas Be My Guide is classic Maiden, though.