26. Alexander the Great
Here is the epic closer to SIT. The great epic that has never been played live. Mainly being too tricky for the band to pull off and I believe a few members coming out with the excuse that they forget and couldn't relearn it or something. I'd have to look that up.
For the main bulk of the track, it's standard E minor, classic Maiden. It's the instrumental part where things get interesting. That 7/8 jazzy section at the start of the instrumental part is really nice. Key changes From B major, A major, B major, C# major then Eb major. It's interesting how the chord progression goes up in a whole tone formation. I love the whole tone scale when improvising too if you can get it right. Adrian is stricty major scale though for each of these transitions though I believe. That evil sounding E riff shifts now to the B phrygian dominant scale. The lead melody is in A, but the end of the riff seems to suggest it shifts to A phrygian with that B flat chord. Adrians solo is in A. Love the Gary Moore open pulls off too. He plays with that B flat chord nicely too. The strict A minor run on the last one works surprisingly well. Dave plays in E minor and is pretty straight forward besides that one nice little E harmonic minor lick.
This is always been a favourite, and it's great to see Maiden branch out a little here with the instrumental section. I never minded Bruce's weird phrasing in this one. The lyrics just make it more silly and epic but the whole thing is a nicely rounded, wonderful Maiden song if you ask me.
Solo 1 - Adrian
Solo 2 - Adrian
Solo 3 - Dave
25. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Let's back it up with the fall guy for Alexander. Always found it weird they played this one on the SIT tour but anyway. As a guitarist, I've always appreciated the rhythm guitar on this one. It chugs nicely and one of the main reason I love it. Portrays the atmosphere perfectly. Not much going on musically this one. All E minor with lovely harmonies as always. I do love at 4:12 though the note selctions. Goes form F#, to A, then E, F and G. Cool shit. The middle section is nice and eerie and the sound effects are cool too. The Number of the Beast riff gets a reprise here and this section rocks. It's in D, but I love how Steve plays through the scale but dave has a constant pedal point on D the whole time. Very cool. That scream from Bruce is beautiful.
A minor for Adrian's solo and some nice cool blues shit going on here. Love how he ends on the E note when it changes to E minor for Dave's solo. Dave has some cool chromatic passing notes going on in this one and love his whammy bar work here too. The harmonies are sweet and low how high Dave plays compared to how low Adrian plays. Adrian playing like an octave lower. A nice tough of E phyrgian dominant too in that riff before the main riff coming back in. Excellent epic, love it.
Solo 1 - Adrian
Solo 2 - Dave
24. Stranger in A Strange Land
Back to SIT and Maiden getting in touch with their melodic rock side. E minor here and I love the simple 80's atmosphere of this one. A bit of an awkward riff here. Adrian comes up with a lot of these cool different sounding riffs. The Some cool intervals in there. Wonderful verse great chorus and the whole thing just breathes and moves nicely. The solo though is where Adrian shows he's a cut above the rest. Absolutely magic here. The buildup, the phrasing, the note selection but just the simplicity of it. What gets me everytime, is that break at 3:52 after that bend when it kicks in. You tasteful motherfucker. All E minor here and lots of simple pentatonic. That run at 4:00 also and that pinch harmonic at 4:04, good lord. That final phrase though is the money shot. What a song, what a performance.
Solo - Adrian
23. Childhoods End
Yes, laugh away, I love this track! An underratem gem from the FOTD album and this one always struck a chord with me. I never understood the hate for the whole album, but that's another story. I love the lyrics here, it's real, it's good shit. Love Nicko's tom work and the simple melodies really let's that chorus breathe. F# this one. It's pretty simple but the verses are pulsing and urgent. This song reminds me a lot of the X Factor. It could have fit perfectly on that album. That middle section is awesome. I love how the guitars are in unison and no harmonies. Janick is first up and the solo is in F# but the chord progression gives it an interesting feeling. I love his rolling harmonics at 2:51. Funny there's that one lick at 3:00 with the G note that isn't in the scale. Classy solo this. The most amazing thing about this solo is where Janick and Dave swap. That lick at 3:01 is Janickbut then the chord progression changes and Dave enters at 3:04, but Dave is such a class player he echoes with that same bent D note and shreds on like it's the same player. Fucking all class and seamless. When the guitar harmonies finally come in, that's nice, real nice. Tear away, but this song is beautiful.
Solo 1 - Janick
Solo 2 - Dave