The Iron Maiden Thread v. The Merge of Souls

[MirrorMask]

I too remember them "announcing" a small-scale tour for the die hard fans, where they would play Senjutsu in full.

I'd say go for it. This is already a greatest hits tour, after this they could just do a smaller one where they play the new album, and then - as if that would happen, ha - they could REALLY go deep.

I remember Steve Harris saying that he'd like to play Only the Good Die Young, go for it. They've been teasing Alex the Great since forever, I don't really care for the song and I insist that fans obsess over it because it was never played live (To Tame a Land is better, why nobody ever asks for it to return? because at least it was played in the Piece of Mind tour), but hey, make it a selling point of the tour.

The album is long and doesn't leave much room, but anyway, something like this...

FULL SENJUTSU ALBUM
Iron Maiden (come on, this has to stay forever and ever)
===============
Alex the Great
22 Acacia Avenue (an old song they haven't played in forever and even shunned for the Early Days tour)
Only the Good Die Young


This would really be a tour for the diehard fans, who can survive one tour without the usual suspects in the set....

[Deadeye21]

I like it, but I think the AMOLAD tour rules out anything too ambitious behind the full Senjutsu album. I almost wonder if they’ll reuse that encore?

[Mladen]

They performed AMOLAD in huge arenas and plenty of fans were disappointed. Since they're discussing scaling things down and booking smaller venues, they might as well get ambitious with the encore as well. I would however prefer an encore consisting of only newer stuff - Wicker man, Rainmaker, Coming home and call it a day. 

[Deadeye21]

I still have my setlist I made up just for fun for what I’d like to see if it isn’t a full album setlist like has been suggested,

Senjutsu
Stratego
Trooper
No More Lies
Writing in the Wall
Days of Future Past
Blood on the World’s Hands
Heaven Can Wait
Death of the Celts
Hell on Earth
When the Wild Wind Blows
Fear of the Dark
Iron Maiden

Number of the Beast
Hallowed Be Thy Name
Different World

Am I well aware they’d never do that? Yes. Do I still want it? Hell yes.

[MirrorMask]

You just tempted me into doing a "normal tour" setlist, with just the basic classics, new stuff, a couple of oldies, and homage to all the reunion albums.

Senjutsu
Stratego
22 Acacia Avenue
The Trooper
The Writing on the Wall
Death or Glory
Darkest Hour
Rainmaker
These Colors don't Run
Phantom of the Opera
Hell on Earth
Fear of the Dark
Iron Maiden
==============
Coming Home
Hallowed Be Thy Name
The Wicker Man

[Mladen]

Oh, there are some great choices in both of those. 

[Deadeye21]

Wicker Man as a closer would be interesting. I think Different World hits it just right as a closer with the message of the chorus. Still, the closing “whoa oh oh” of Wicker Man would be a strong way to end it.

[MirrorMask]

Still, the closing “whoa oh oh” of Wicker Man would be a strong way to end it.

Which is exactly I see it as a good closing song!

[Mladen]

Sure. If they can close the concert with an album opener that is Aces high, nothing rules out Wicker man as a closer.

[Deadeye21]

Aces High as a closer is criminal. Bruce can’t support it at the end of the show.

Mladen, any fantasy setlist picks to offer?

[Mladen]

At this point, I am so into the idea of hearing the entire Senjutsu live that it would probably be my fantasy set list. 

EDIT: Okay, maybe something like this:

Senjutsu
Stratego
The Writing on the wall
Lost in a lost world
Days of future past
The Time machine
Darkest hour
Death of the Celts
The Parchment
Hell on earth
Fear of the dark
Iron Maiden
---
The Wicker man
Rainmaker
Coming home

[Deadeye21]

May I offer the suggestion that I think your encore is great picks but in the wrong order for my money? I’d go Rainmaker first coz they have that storm tape from Death on the Road, Coming Home is more of a ballad making it a bit of a slow burn for a closer, but potentially great as the middle one (proven by Blood Bros on Book of Souls tour) and then after MirrorMask pointed it out, I reckon Wicker could actually close it well!

[Stadler]

At this point, I am so into the idea of hearing the entire Senjutsu live that it would probably be my fantasy set list. 

EDIT: Okay, maybe something like this:

Senjutsu
Stratego
The Writing on the wall
Lost in a lost world
Days of future past
The Time machine
Darkest hour
Death of the Celts
The Parchment
Hell on earth
Fear of the dark
Iron Maiden
---
The Wicker man
Rainmaker
Coming home

Put in Wildest Dreams instead of Rainmaker, and I'm in.  I'd be all over that.

I'm also all in on a video from this tour. It really IS a very visual show, so I'm sort of shocked we didn't see one from the first round, frankly.

[wolfking]

They're at it again!

Hallowed Be Thy Name

Tears Of The Dragon

It's 11.30pm, have to get up at 5.30am and can't sleep for shit yet I'm watching these?  I'm seriously losing the plot. 

How the fuck are you in a Maiden cover band and still don't know the words to Hallowed?

And nice way to absolutely butcher Roy Z's guitar solo, holy hell.

[TAC]

Watching these guys is like doing crack.

[wolfking]

Watching these guys is like doing crack.

 

[Zydar]

How would you guys rank the IM live albums? I usually just go for Live After Death as the default live album. Don't know which of the other ones are great too.

[TAC]

1. Death On The Road
2. Book Of Souls: Live Chapter
3. Live After Death
4. En Vivo
5. Maiden England
6. Beast Over Hammersmith
7. A Real Dead One
8. Live At Donnington
9. Flight 666
10. Rock In Rio
11. Nights Of The Dead
12. A Real Live One



Feels funny listing some of those albums in the bottom half.

[Deadeye21]

Hard to do coz I haven’t listened to em all too recently.

1. Flight 666
2. En Vivo
3. Book of Souls: Live Chapter
4. Rock In Rio
5. Live After Death
6. Beast Over Hammersmith
7. Death on the Road
8. Maiden England
9. Live At Donnington
10. A Real Dead One
11. A Real Live One

But I feel like Death On The Road is due a comeback. Will likely skyrocket out of 7th to top 3 after next listen.

[nick_z]

I'm not familiar enough with all the live records Maiden put out to do a proper ranking...I will say that, while Live After Death is iconic for good reasons, I'd put Rock In Rio above it. Great energy on that one, and I think Bruce is in top, top form (I'd dare say I prefer his performance on RiR vs LAD...)

[cramx3]

I'm not familiar enough with all the live records Maiden put out to do a proper ranking...I will say that, while Live After Death is iconic for good reasons, I'd put Rock In Rio above it. Great energy on that one, and I think Bruce is in top, top form (I'd dare say I prefer his performance on RiR vs LAD...)

I agree.  Live After Death is iconic and I can see why many people would rank it high or at the top, but I didn't live through that so it doesn't have that soft spot for me.  Rock in Rio was the first live album I got.  But I think I'd actually rank all the reunion era live albums besides Nights of the Dead higher than Live After Death. 

[Stadler]

Watching these guys is like doing crack.

 

It really is, isn't it.

[nick_z]

2. Book Of Souls: Live Chapter

I don't think I have properly checked this one out. You are rating it real high, so I feel like I should 

[TAC]

2. Book Of Souls: Live Chapter

I don't think I have properly checked this one out. You are rating it real high, so I feel like I should 

It sounds great, but beyond that, the live versions of The Book Of Souls (which did surprisingly well in my rankings), The Red And The Black, and the underrated The Great Unknown, which was fantastic live, are all amazing.

The opening of the show with If Eternity Shall Fail is amazing, plus I love them digging up Children Of The Damned.

It's really an amazing show.

[nick_z]

Speaking of Maiden live albums - what is the deal with Maiden Japan? Is it an official release? I'm seeing it's either 4 or 5 songs, depending on the version...but then there are "unofficial" bootlegs with the whole set? For example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alfGdwifSxo

[TAC]

It was only released with 5 songs at the time. There's never been an official release of the full set.

But yes, there are boots of the whole show.

[425]

How would you guys rank the IM live albums? I usually just go for Live After Death as the default live album. Don't know which of the other ones are great too.

Honestly, I think almost all of them are great. I'd recommend choosing your next one primarily based on what tracklist most interests you. But if I had to name a few that I really like besides LAD, I'd say Rock in Rio, En Vivo and Maiden England.

Once I do my list, I'm going to go back and finish the live albums, and then I'll be able to give a ranking.

[Glasser]

Beast over Hammersmith and LAD are my faves. RiR and Death on the Road are amazing as well. I wish Bruce sounded better on Legacy of the Beast, he strains and shouts all over it. Aces High kills me.

[cramx3]

I'd also rate the live albums very differently if we rated them based on the videos or just the audio.  Like RiR would rank very high for the audio, but much lower for video.  Same with Death on the Road.  (those who have seen, know exactly why  ) But also kind of why I rate Flight 666 and En Vivo so highly is due to both the video and audio being great.  I still occasionally pop those blu-rays in even after watching them so many times. 

[TAC]

I'd also rate the live albums very differently if we rated them based on the videos or just the audio.  Like RiR would rank very high for the audio, but much lower for video. Same with Death on the Road.  (those who have seen, know exactly why  ) But also kind of why I rate Flight 666 and En Vivo so highly is due to both the video and audio being great.  I still occasionally pop those blu-rays in even after watching them so many times.

It's really a shame with DOTR because I think this is some of the best footage of the band ever filmed.

[cramx3]

I'd also rate the live albums very differently if we rated them based on the videos or just the audio.  Like RiR would rank very high for the audio, but much lower for video. Same with Death on the Road.  (those who have seen, know exactly why  ) But also kind of why I rate Flight 666 and En Vivo so highly is due to both the video and audio being great.  I still occasionally pop those blu-rays in even after watching them so many times.

It's really a shame with DOTR because I think this is some of the best footage of the band ever filmed.

I do hope one day a re-edit is released of both shows.  I agree, DOTR has some great shots and being in an arena, it's basically perfect to get some good shots.  I do come back to this one more so than RiR for exactly that.  It has the potential to be such a great looking video.  It's also widescreen, and I'd imagine they could actually re-edit it and release it in blu-ray in full HD quality.  I don't see Steve ever letting that happen though.

[nick_z]

I'd also rate the live albums very differently if we rated them based on the videos or just the audio.  Like RiR would rank very high for the audio, but much lower for video. Same with Death on the Road.  (those who have seen, know exactly why  ) But also kind of why I rate Flight 666 and En Vivo so highly is due to both the video and audio being great.  I still occasionally pop those blu-rays in even after watching them so many times.

It's really a shame with DOTR because I think this is some of the best footage of the band ever filmed.

I don't think I've ever watched Death on the Road...what's the issue with the video?

[TAC]

I'd also rate the live albums very differently if we rated them based on the videos or just the audio.  Like RiR would rank very high for the audio, but much lower for video. Same with Death on the Road.  (those who have seen, know exactly why  ) But also kind of why I rate Flight 666 and En Vivo so highly is due to both the video and audio being great.  I still occasionally pop those blu-rays in even after watching them so many times.

It's really a shame with DOTR because I think this is some of the best footage of the band ever filmed.

I don't think I've ever watched Death on the Road...what's the issue with the video?

It's the seizure inducing editing. Same as Rock In Rio. I can only watch a couple of songs at a time before I have to shut it off. It is ridiculously frustrating. I think the footage is so classy. The lighting, colors, and sightlines are all fantastic.

[Zook]

I'd also rate the live albums very differently if we rated them based on the videos or just the audio.  Like RiR would rank very high for the audio, but much lower for video. Same with Death on the Road.  (those who have seen, know exactly why  ) But also kind of why I rate Flight 666 and En Vivo so highly is due to both the video and audio being great.  I still occasionally pop those blu-rays in even after watching them so many times.

It's really a shame with DOTR because I think this is some of the best footage of the band ever filmed.

I don't think I've ever watched Death on the Road...what's the issue with the video?

I think the editing is even worse than Rock in Rio.

[TAC]

Just a thought..

I feel like The Red And The Black is the Reunion Era's version of The Duellists. I rate both tracks fairly high, but being honest, they're both just ok tracks, but both have this amazing lose-yourself-in long magical musical passages. I wish we had a live version of The Duellists.