It's interesting to see Senjutsu have the worst showing on the list out of the reunion albums, considering it should still have the 'new car smell' bonus associated with it. I've generally struggled to get into the album myself.
It's possible that people are being conservative in ranking it because it's so new. I know I am (yes, #4, #17, two in the thirties, #48, #56, #65 and #73 represent my conservative ranking of those songs). It's also possible that reunion Maiden in general tends to age better with time. I've seen a lot of people in the last few months mention that this or that reunion album clicked with them only recently.
No More Lies would have been in my top ten!
I agree with your assessment on Satellite 15!! Really enjoy that one, and I had it at #18
Awesome! Cool to see songs like these get high placements from people.
Here are the last of the songs from my list that did not make the overall list. At the bottom of this post I'll also have my entire list with the ones that did not make the overall list bolded.
Let's pick up where we left off, at #45...
45. FuturealOverall ranking: #112
This is the song I was hoping for as the third Blaze track, and, uh... wow. It didn't even come close, did it? So I feel licensed now to say y'all are underrating this song by so much. This is quite simply one of their best short rockers. It's full of energy; it comes charging right of the gate and just does not let up for its whole three minute runtime. Great main riff, catchy chorus, excellent Dave Murray solo that comes right out of the chorus, what's not to love? Even if you can't stand Blaze (even though he's great on this), Bruce sang it on their 1999 tour. There are just no excuses here.
44. Mother of MercyOverall ranking: #87
Another entry in the "the first half of
The Final Frontier is great, too, guys!" folder. I love this song. It's got a ton of melody and I find it quite emotionally moving. All the verses are just really, really good, both musically and lyrically. I really like the way a couple of the verses have a more laid back first half and then kick into a more intense gear ("You tell me what is certain but I'll tell you what is true" and especially "I don't hold with bad religion"). In fact, that second one is worth quoting under evocative Maiden lyrics:
I don't hold with bad religion, understand what's underneath it
Now I come to think of it, I just don't hold at all, you know it
You say you are a holy man, but what is it you do?
From where I stand is nothing but a hollow man I seeAnd, of course, there's the end of the song, which is really intense and moving. Great piece.
43. Out of the Silent Planet (overall: #70)
42. Montségur (overall: #50)
41. Aces High (overall: #4)
40. Ghost of the Navigator (overall: #29)
39. Fortunes of WarOverall ranking: #138
One challenge in terms of getting songs from
The X Factor besides Sign of the Cross onto the list was always going to be the fact that fans of the album seem to have really different choices for favorites. (This is why I thought Futureal had the third-best chance out of any Blaze song despite the fact that TXF is generally held in higher regard than VXI.) I think Man on the Edge probably has the broadest appeal among Maiden fans, but hardcore
X Factor fans are ambivalent about it. A lot of TXF fans seem to like The Edge of Darkness, but that's around the middle of the album for me, and didn't quite make my top 75.
For me, the second-best song on TXF is Fortunes of War. It embodies the best of what they're doing on this album. You get the slow, moody, atmospheric first third, which to me has such a compelling motif with the quiet guitar melody punctuated by a loud drum hit. Then it slowly builds up with a really memorable melody into a heavy, intense middle section, carried by Blaze's deep, intense vocal part. At last, it opens into a final section that uses some familiar Maiden elements (namely, the gallop and the twin guitar solo section) but cast in a more darker, desperate context than we're used to hearing them in. Finally, we return to the brooding intro to bring the song full circle.
It's a more challenging song than a lot of Maiden's material. But I think Fortunes of War is an absolute masterpiece.
38. Flight of Icarus (overall: #15)
37. The Clansman (overall: #40)
36. Moonchild (overall: #9)
35. Lost in a Lost WorldOverall ranking: #88
This has had the most ambivalent reaction of the 'Arry Quadrilogy on
Senjutsu, but while I agree it's a cut below The Parchment and Hell on Earth, I think it's a shade better than Death of the Celts and still among their finer epics. Everything really superb besides the chorus, which isn't bad, just not great. The intro is really cool and unusual for Maiden, and it breaks into the heavy part of the song quite nicely. The instrumental section is also quite good.
The best thing here, though, is the amazing melody that first comes out set of heavy verses, and returns again at the end of the song:
Feel the spirit of the old ones standing proud upon their race
And the testament to ancestors that are never to retrace
Burn the flame of innocence as they ride into the sun
Thinking now of our forefathers that are lying dead upon
Holy ground and sacred earth now
Revisit stolen youthThe twisting and winding of that melody is just so magical, and it's incredible to hear it both in the heavier context and then for a long time at the end of the song. I think I might have put this song in the top 75 even if it had nothing going for it besides that melody.
When I first listened to the album, I was actually immediately quite taken with this song. This was the point in the album where I really started thinking this was an incredibly special album, because the first three tracks were all really good (but I'd heard two of them already, and then the first of four huge epics is so interesting and so good). I hope this song ends up growing on people over time.
34. Darkest HourOverall ranking: #81
It would've been nice to see
Senjutsu get a fourth song, and it looks like this was deservedly the closest to claiming that honor. This, to me, is the stunning reunion power ballad that Coming Home seems to be for a lot of people (not that I don't think Coming Home is great, but I think this is better). Bruce definitely takes the spotlight on this one, and gives a great performance on some absolutely epic vocal parts. I'm pretty interested in Churchill as a historical figure, so these lyrics are really fascinating to me, as well. Great imagery from Bruce:
I watch the sun move away as I embrace the night
And my black dog has its day
For six long years you shall not pass
Barbarians at the gate we will overcome
...
Turn the ploughshares into swords
You sons of Albion, awake, defend this sacred landI said Bruce takes the spotlight, and he does, until he lends it to his songwriting partner Adrian to lay down an incredible solo. And Dave doesn't drop the baton when it's handed to him, either. The leads on the last choruses are excellent, too. Some might say this song is a little too long for what it is, and on paper, I can see that. But I like that this one takes its time.
33. Powerslave (overall: #5)
32. Face in the SandOverall ranking: #119
Another one that I'm pretty disappointed didn't make it.
Dance of Death's performance here was interesting, because Paschendale, Dance of Death and Montségur got the high placements that they deserved, and Rainmaker, which is worthier than a lot of things that did make the list, was also present. But No More Lies got overlooked, and so did this gem.
Face in the Sand is all about the atmosphere. It starts with nice little calm melody, but soon enters an intense, disquieting section, punctuated by some pretty prominent strings and Nicko's intense playing. There's a really awesome buildup here before the double bass (only time ever on a Maiden song) fully kicks in along with the heavy riffs and prominent strings. The two minutes it takes for Bruce to come in would alone make this worthy of the top 75, but the vocals add a lot of intensity and atmosphere to this song in their own right.
The second half of the song isn't as noteworthy as the intro, but it absolutely carries forward on its promise. Just such an epic piece. Paschendale is an impossible act to follow, but you couldn't do much better than Face in the Sand.
31. Stranger in a Strange Land (overall: #22)
30. The Man Who Would Be KingOverall ranking: #91
Speaking of impossible acts to follow, The Talisman is one. And yet they did manage to follow it with a song that's top 30 in its own right.
The Final Frontier is a great album, people.
I think it's sort of expected at this point that in a run of epic songs that are, respectively, Smith/Harris, Smith/Harris/Dickinson, Gers/Harris, Murray/Harris and Harris, the Murray/Harris song would end up being treated as sort of the odd one out.
But while I ultimately agree this one is the least of the five, this one is so beautiful in its own right. The intro is so compelling, such a traditionally Dave Murray opening, and the transition into the heavier section is pretty grand, too. I really love the second stage of this set of verses ("Life is not a rehearsal...").
And what about the instrumental section after the first chorus? So fascinating and unusual, and such an interesting solo from Dave on that part. It transitions later into a more traditional instrumental section, though one that still has a Dave touch, and that part is still excellent. The finale, also, has some very beautiful guitarwork. To me, this is just beautiful, melodically rich piece of music. One of the band's finer tracks that has the misfortune of landing right in the midst of many of their very finest.
My full list (songs that did not make the overall list are in bold):75. The Angel and the Gambler (overall: #140)
74. Como Estais Amigos (overall: #128)
73. Stratego (overall: #139)
72. The Prophecy (overall: #86)
71. Judgment of Heaven (overall: #131)70. Blood Brothers (overall: #44)
69. The Educated Fool (overall: #118)
68. Virus (overall: #144)
67. Blood on the World's Hands (overall: #148)66. The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (overall: #53)
65. Senjutsu (overall: #82)64. The Trooper (overall: #19)
63. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (overall: #71)
62. Coming Home (overall: #37)
61. Fear of the Dark (overall: #24)
60. No More Lies (overall: #116)59. These Colours Don't Run (overall: #65)
58. When Two Worlds Collide (overall: #130)57. The Evil That Men Do (overall: #39)
56. The Writing on the Wall (overall: #94)
55. The Unbeliever (overall: #137)
54. The Alchemist (overall: #135)53. Remember Tomorrow (overall: #55)
52. Satellite 15... The Final Frontier (overall: #111)51. Sea of Madness (overall: #17)
50. Dream of Mirrors (overall: #52)
49. The Red and the Black (overall: #42)
48. Death of the Celts (overall: #75)
47. The Nomad (overall: #56)
46. Phantom of the Opera (overall: #12)
45. Futureal (overall: #112)
44. Mother of Mercy (overall: #87)43. Out of the Silent Planet (overall: #70)
42. Montségur (overall: #50)
41. Aces High (overall: #4)
40. Ghost of the Navigator (overall: #29)
39. Fortunes of War (overall: #138)38. Flight of Icarus (overall: #15)
37. The Clansman (overall: #40)
36. Moonchild (overall: #9)
35. Lost in a Lost World (overall: #88)
34. Darkest Hour (overall: #81)33. Powerslave (overall: #5)
32. Face in the Sand (overall: #119)31. Stranger in a Strange Land (overall: #22)
30. The Man Who Would Be King (overall: #91)29. The Clairvoyant (overall: #26)
28. Only the Good Die Young (overall: #59)
27. The Book of Souls (overall: #46)
26. To Tame a Land (overall: #20)
25. If Eternity Should Fail (overall: #64)
24. The Longest Day (overall: #43)
23. Empire of the Clouds (overall: #31)
22. Caught Somewhere in Time (overall: #7)
21. Afraid to Shoot Strangers (overall: #61)
20. Rime of the Ancient Mariner (overall: #2)
19. Dance of Death (overall: #28)
18. Infinite Dreams (overall: #10)
17. Hell on Earth (overall: #25)
16. Where Eagles Dare (overall: #6)
15. Lord of Light (overall: #49)
14. Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (overall: #33)
13. When the Wild Wind Blows (overall: #36)
12. Alexander the Great (overall: #21)
11. Revelations (overall: #11)
10. The Legacy (overall: #30)
9. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (overall: #3)
8. Hallowed Be Thy Name (overall #1)
7. For the Greater Good of God (overall: #23)
6. Sign of the Cross (overall: #16)
5. Isle of Avalon (overall: #51)
4. The Parchment (overall: #35)
3. Starblind (overall: #47)
2. The Talisman (overall: #27)
1. Paschendale (overall: #8)