Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden(1980)/Killers(1981)
Reading the new Martin Popoff book “Hallowed by their Name”, it’s time to listen through the whole Maiden catalog as I read through the book. The first two albums are classics of the NWOBHM era and while some fans say these are their favorite Maiden albums others became bigger fans on the third album with the addition of Bruce Dickinson. While these albums are very similar(same era/music style/mostly songs from the club days of the band/the only albums with Paul Di’Anno on vocals) there are also differences(different production style between Will Malone and Martin Birch/a little more progressive style on Killers/Adrian Smith’s guitar style on Killers compared to Dennis Stratton on the debut/Clive Burr’s unbelievable drumming on Killers compared to him just putting his style on Doug Sampson’s original versions on much of the debut). When I compare the two it really depends on the day which one I prefer. The debut has many fast paced songs such as the great opener “Prowler”, the more epic and progressive “Remember Tomorrow”(one of my favs on the album), upbeat “Sanctuary”(originally on the North American release), first single and very catchy “Running Free”, the very epic and even more progressive “Phantom of the Opera”, the awesome instrumental “Transylvania”, the atmospheric “Strange World”, the only song I’d consider “filler” in “Charlotte the Harlot”(fun song and very Maiden like but not a song I ever play on it’s own), and the closing cheesy but fun and very much a classic “Iron Maiden”. Killers on the other hand is is a little heavier and doesn’t have as many catchy type songs but there are a handful or so great songs but the production by Birch is much better than Malone’s sound on the debut not that it sounded bad but it’s just a leap forward and noticeable. The album opens with the instrumental“Ides of March” which is a short opener for the all time classic “Wrathchild”, followed the horror themed fasted paced “Murders in the Rue Morgue”. “Another Life” is more melodic and even has an acoustic guitar but lyrically makes no sense and is just an okay song for me. “Ghengis Khan” is a great instrumental and the drumming by Clive Burr is a stand out. “Innocent Exile” is one of my favorites on the album, upbeat and classic Maiden and very underrated. “Killers” is a classic through and through and one of the best on the album. “Prodigal Son” is slower and just okay for me. “Purgatory” is upbeat and really good and another underrated song. The album closes with “Drifter” which was played in the club days and is a fun closing song but is just an okay song. “Twilight Zone” was on the North American release and is shorter song that is very much a filler track. Overall both albums have classics but for me Killers has a couple of more fillers but the production is better.
WES HASKINS
Contributer
Continuing my way through the new Martin Popoff Iron Maiden book and listening to the catalog as I read and just throwing together album by album reviews.
Iron Maiden - Number of the Beast(1982)
The third album(and my favorite) from Maiden and the first to feature Bruce Dickinson on vocals(and sadly the last with Clive Burr on drums). The production is another leap forward from Killers and Bruce’s voices takes it all to another level setting the bar high for any other Metal vocalist . The album opens with a statement of intent with “Invaders”. The interplay between Harris and Burr drives the song forward at a fast pace and lyrics tell the tale of the Vikings conquering a new land. This song gets crap from some fans but I’ve always thought it was a great opener. “Children of the Damned” is my favorite song on the album(and possibly my favorite from the band) and is a slower pace but picks up at the chorus and again at the end of the song. “Prisoner” just rocks from beginning to end and is one of the catchiest songs on the album. “22 Acacia Avenue” is the sequel to Charlotte the Harlot from the debut and is one of my favorites on the album. “Number of the Beast” leads off side two is fast paced all the way through and is about a nightmare Harris had supposedly after watching The Omen II. A classic through and through. “Run to the Hills” follows and is easily the bands best known song and although I’m sick of it, I have to admit it’s a great song. From the riff to the drums to Bruce’s insane vocals and the lyrics it all comes together. “Gangland” is usually mentioned as most fans least favorite song on the album and it’s really not a bad song at all it’s just that every other song is so much better. Fast paced from the opening note the song drives along at a frantic pace and never lets up. “Total Eclipse” was a b-side to Run to the Hills single and found its way on the cd reissue in the late 90s. A really solid song that many consider better than Gangland but although I do think it’s good I’m not sure it’s that much better. The album closes with the classic epic “Hallowed be thy Name”. Clocking it over seven minutes the song starts slow as the clock of doom counts down the end of someone’s life before they are heading to the gallows. The song picks up as it goes on and gets up to a fast pace the last few minutes with unbelievable solos and vocals pushing the song to the finale of not only the song but album itself. The songs, the production, the playing(again Clive Burr’s drumming is top notch), the new vocalist, and that brilliant artwork(is Eddie the puppet or is he the puppeteer?) make this not only my favorite Maiden album but one of my favorite albums ever.
WES HASKINS
Contributer
Continuing through the Maiden studio albums as I read the new Martin Popoff book. The fourth studio album and first to feature new drummer Nicko McBrain who replaced Clive Burr. The album follows in a similar style of previous album Number of the Beast and for many it’s a better album and while it’s #2 or #3 favorite Maiden album for me I have no issue when someone says it’s their favorite. The album opens with a welcome to the band moment with Nicko showing what he brings to the table with the beginning of “Where Eagles Dare”. An awesome fast paced track that sets the tone and in my opinion one of the best opening tracks on a Maiden album. “Revelations” follows and written by Bruce it’s a little different and starts slow and builds as the song goes on and gets heavier and picks up speed and is my favorite song on the album. “Flight of Icarus” was the first single/video and has a huge catchy chorus and is a very memorable song. “Die with your Boots On” is a fun fast song that’s even better live. “The Trooper” is about as classic Maiden as it gets and is one of the bands best known songs and featured the Maiden “gallop” the band is known for. Power, speed, melody with the amazing historical lyrics. “Still Life” has to be one of the most underrated songs on the album and maybe in the catalog. Heavy but melodic and the chorus of “Nightmares” screams from the speakers. It’s too bad this one isn’t better known. “Quest for Fire” is a little progressive but lyrically a little silly and if there’s a song that’s a “filler” on this album this is probably it. Not bad by any means but not as good as the rest of the album. “Sun and Steel” is the classic Smith/Dickinson song with the melodic and catchy chorus. This could have been a single and video. The album closes with “To Tame a Land” which is inspired by Dune. It has the epic Maiden feel. Maybe not the classic of other “epic” type Maiden songs but still really good. All in all one of the better metal albums of that era and one of Maidens best albums.
WES HASKINS
Contributer
Continuing my way through the Maiden studio albums with the fifth album “Powerslave”. This was the bands biggest tour and when the band was starting to get huge in the US. The album starts out with the uptempo “Aces High”, that’s a classic Maiden opener through and through. Fast and melodic and that great vocal from Bruce. “Two Minutes to Midnight” was the first single and one of the more catchy Maiden songs from Smith/Dickinson. Those two always seemed to write great memorable choruses. “Losfer Words” is an instrumental and is kind of odd at track 3. It’s solid but also a filler but also just strange to put it so early in the album. “Flash of the Blade” is an uptempo and very catchy Dickinson written song about his love of fencing. A solid album track that I’ve appreciated a little more over the years. “The Duellists” another solid album track that’s good but not great for me. “Back in the Village” another solid album track that’s just good for me but I like it more these days than I probably did years ago. “Powerslave” is a classic for me. Heavy and just epic and cool lyrics about the Pharaoh dying to only live again. Just a cool story about history. “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” closes the album in the most epic way with 13 minutes. Based on a poem about a crew on a ship being cursed it’s a great story and lyrics by Harris. Maybe a few minutes too long in hindsight but this one is always great live and considered one of the bands most epic songs. Overall another classic album but I always felt it was a couple of songs short from reaching the greatness of the previous two albums but it does have four classics with Aces High, Two Minutes To Midnight, Powerslave, and Rime of the Ancient Mariner. The instrumental is definitely a filler and the other three tracks are good but not quite great. The album cover is amazing and one of the best covers they have done.
WES HASKINS
Contributer
Continuing my way through the Maiden catalog with the sixth studio album from the band. After a long and very successful tour in 84/85 they took some time off and came back with a new commercial sound on several songs and for the first time included the use of synthesizers. The album seems to divide opinion with many calling this their favorite Iron Maiden album while fans of the older albums were left a little cold by the new style. I kind of fall in the middle where I think even the commercial songs are great songs and there is still several songs that wouldn’t have been out of place on the previous two albums. There’s also a little more filler than there has been previously. The album starts with “Caught Somewhere in Time” which is solid opener that is uptempo and still sounds like what you’d expect from Iron Maiden. The very commercial Adrian Smith song “Wasted Years” follows and was the first single and what a great song it is. I’m sure some fans were thrown off by the big chorus of “Flight of Icarus” two albums back but this takes the radio friendly sound even further and while this isn’t what some fans wanted at the time, the song brought in many new fans and for me has stood the test of time. “Sea of Madness” is another Smith penned song and is very melodic but much different and underrated for me. “Heaven Can Wait” is more melodic than what’s expected from Steve Harris songs but still has a good tempo and I liked the live version even more and is a great song for me. “Loneliness of the Long Distanced Runner” is the definition of filler for me. I’ve never liked the chorus or how the song just seems to go on and on and goes nowhere. Easily my least favorite song on the album. “Stranger in a Strange Land” is another Smith song and while it’s not quite as commercial and catchy as Wasted Years, it is another great song that worked for radio and MTV for that era.
“Deja Vu” is a Dave Murray song which is rare in the catalog and for me is a really good album track and is very underrated. Love the pace of the song and love the chorus. The album closes with the historical epic “Alexander the Great” which clocks in at eight minutes. Following in the footsteps of other recent Maiden epic songs like Rime of the Ancient Mariner and To Tame A Land, this one lives up to what you’d expect from a Maiden epic track but is still somewhat overlooked. Overall Somewhere in Time is still a really good album and is my sixth favorite of the studio albums but it’s not one I reach for that often but I’ll admit it still has a handful of songs that hold up.
WES HASKINS
Contributer
Continuing my way through the Maiden catalog with studio album #7. This was the first Maiden album I heard back in 8th grade and is still one of my favorites and is either my second or third favorite depending on the day. Following a similar style to previous album Somewhere in Time with the keyboards or synthesizers filling out the sound, I always felt it worked better on this album and overall there was a little less filler. A cool concept album lyrically with many catchy melodic songs but also darker subject matter and unlike the previous album there was a lot of input from Bruce Dickinson in the songwriting. There were four singles released that included “Can I Play with Madness”, “The Clairvoyant”, “The Evil that Men Do”, and “Infinite Dreams”. The album sold well reaching #1 in the UK and #12 in the US but only reached Gold in the US but it seemed at the time the album was much bigger than that but the US market was changing a lot at the time with “Hair Metal” getting bigger and even thrash on the rise so many of the older guard were starting to struggle. The album opens with “Moonchild” which is a long time fav of mine. It’s upbeat from the first note with Harris’ bass driving the song forward and it opens the album in a great way. “Infinite Dreams” follows and is more melodic and starts softly with the verses and picks up as it approaches the chorus and is another great song. “Can I Play with Madness” is probably the best known song and follows in the footsteps of the more catchy melodic songs that each of the last several albums had such as Wasted Years, Two Minutes to Midnight, Flight of Icarus, and Run to the Hills. “The Evil that Men Do” was the second single and was featured in the live set for many tours off and on over the years. Not quite as catchy as the Madness single it’s still very melodic and I can hear the crowd singing part of the chorus(lives on and on!!!) as I type this. Great song and ending to side one of the vinyl/cassette. Side two kicks off with the title track “Seventh Son of a Seventh Son” and it’s almost 10 minutes of glorious progressive metal. It seems like they keep songs like this to close albums but with this being a concept this is where it fit and it’s a nice change of pace for the band to not do the obvious. The Prophecy” is another underrated Dave Murray composition that seems to get better with age for me. Similar to Deja Vu on the previous album this one doesn’t get talked about enough.
“The Clairvoyant” was the third single and is another melodic Catchy track but with progressive touches throughout. Similar to “Infinite Dreams” with a softer style on the verses and then guns blazing at the chorus. The line “as soon as you’re born you’re dying” still hits hard to this day. The album closes with “Only the Good Die Young” and it almost feels like it’s more introspective and thoughtful with the whole story coming to a conclusion. The song has the opposite flow from most songs on the album with the verses coming at you faster and the chorus being more reserved but it’s also cool to have a non long Maiden epic close the album. Great album, great album cover, and many great classic Maiden songs. The only bad part of this album is realizing this is the end of the classic lineup and sound with Adrian Smith leaving after the tour and the band taking a different path on the next album without Adrian’s melodic playing style and songwriting contributions. He always seemed to be yin to Steve Harris’ yang and without him it affected the balance they had over the last few albums.
WES HASKINS
Contributer
Continuing the play through the Maiden catalog with studio album #8. The first misstep when the band heads in a direction it shouldn’t have. With the new popularity of the thrash genre Steve moves the band into a more stripped down and heavier style trying to restore the more raw style of the early albums and move away from the melodic keyboard enhanced sound of the last two albums. The songs were shorter and more to the point than the progressive influenced elements that the band had become known for. With the first album with new guitarist Janick Gers and without Adrian Smith the sound was much different and some of that was down to the direction they chose but also on how they chose to record. Going after the raw sound they used the Rolling Stone Mobile at Steve Harris’ home studio “The Barn” with a back to basics approach but the problem with that was the sound is very dated and is a huge step backwards compared to the previous 5 albums that seemed to sound better and better. The other problem is the songs themselves. Going back to a more aggressive and raw style sounds great in theory but if you don’t have the songs it really doesn’t matter. Opening with the fast paced “Tailgunner” the Maiden elements are there but it doesn’t work as well as most of their openers like “Aces High” did. Musically it’s very good and lyrically follows the war history they’ve wrote about before but the chorus isn’t quite as exciting as you’d expect with how the verses start out but with that said I do like the song and it’s probably one of the better tracks on the album. “Holy Smoke” follows and was the first single. The song gets some crap from some fans but I’ve always liked it. The lyrics are about the fake TV preachers at the time and I always thought it was a fun song that’s just a rock song nothing more or less. “No Prayer For The Dying” starts slower and picks up a little bit but for the most part is mid paced song but I’ve always liked this one and find it a little overlooked. “Public Enema Number One” is solid hard rocker that I always thought was solid. A good song but not great but a solid album track. “Fates Warning” is another one that is just solid and very good but not great. An aggressive rocker that musically has a good pace to it like many songs on the album isn’t overly memorable. “The Assassin” is kind of cool lyrically but the chorus is super annoying and with how many times Bruce says it over and over I’d guess the target would have known the Assassin was coming. “Run Silent Run Deep” is another okay song. Solid musically and lyrically about a submarine crew in a war, again it’s just okay song. Not terrible but not great either.
“Hooks in You” is not only the worst song on the album it’s one of the worst songs the band released up to this point. Another installment in the story of Charlotte the Harlot, this was a big step backwards from 22 Acacia Avenue. Next up was the song that started the direction for the album that Bruce wrote for a Nightmare on Elm Street movie that Harris heard and wanted for Maiden. “Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter” is straight ahead AC/DC hard rock with a fun cheesy lyric and chorus. Hated by some loved by others it’s just a fun song and not meant to be taken seriously. The album closes with “Mother Russia” which is the token Maiden epic closer but at 5 minutes it’s not near as long as what fans usually get from the “epic” song and honestly it’s not very good either. Overall a let down. A few very good songs and a few good songs and several fillers. Bad sound and a bad decision in hindsight to change direction and the combination of Gers and Murray was a little to similar and they missed the contrast that Smith brought to the band with not only how he played but also how he wrote in comparison to Harris. When I think of the songs I like on this album the problem is none of them are classics and anywhere near the greatness that came before.
WES HASKINS
Contributer
Still making my way through the new book and playing through the catalog. The ninth studio release and a much better album than the previous release. Much better production and songs although it’s a little long at 12 songs. New guitarist Janick Gers was able to be a big part of the writing and recording and co-wrote 5 songs. The direction was similar to the more raw straight ahead old school Maiden sound of No Prayer For The Dying but thankfully the production and sound was a million miles ahead of that album and the songs are much more memorable. This is also the first album cover to not be a Derek Riggs painting. Starting out with the first single “Be Quick Or Be Dead”, the tone is set right away with an uptempo track that reminds you of many of the early Maiden album openers and credit to the writers Dickinson/Gers. Single #2 “From Here To Eternity” is a catchy hard rock tune with a good chorus and the lyrics are a tie in to the Charlotte the Harlot saga. Another very good song for me. “Afraid To Shoot Strangers” is epic in every way. A long intro that just builds and builds until it gets to the chorus. Probably more known as a great live track than a studio one and it was in the setlist for this tour and for some of the Blaze Bayley era tours as well. “Fear is the Key” has an eastern feel and Zepplin musically and for me one of the more underrated tracks on the album and I love how venomous Bruce is vocally at times. Another great Dickinson/Gers track.
“Childhood’s End” has a cool melody and I like the chorus and it’s very melodic but It’s quite different and is a good song for me and again a little underrated.
“Wasting Love” was the first kind of big Maiden “ballad”. Meant for Bruce’s solo album Tattooed Millionaire, it probably fits better there but damnit I like this song and like the way the song builds slowly it getting heavier at the chorus. I’m sure many didn’t like this type of song for Maiden but I still like it a lot and it was the third single but only released in the Netherlands. If it was a few years earlier maybe it’s a hit. I think this one was also on the A Real Live One live album.
“The Fugitive” doesn’t do much for me and has one of those choruses that seems to go on and on(before someone says it yes I get the irony considering my love for Afraid to Shoot Strangers which also has a chorus that goes on and on and on…). I do like Nicko’s drumming quite a bit and it has a good groove but for whatever reason it’s always just been an okay song for me.
“Chains of Misery” was co-written by Dave Murray and like a lot of Dave songs it’s a really good song and tends to be overlooked somewhat. Good straight ahead hard rock.
“The Apparition” has a cool start and the verses are alright but doesn’t really have a chorus and really doesn’t go anywhere. It’s kind of Zeppelinish in parts but one of my least favorites on the album. “Judas Be My Guide” another good underrated song and a good chorus and solo. Another good Dave Murray co-write. “Weekend Warrior” is about as bad as it gets. We all get Steve Harris loves his football but we sure didn’t need a song about it. They should have deleted this one. The title track “Fear of the Dark” is a great closing and epic track. The longest song on the album it has become the best known song from the album and the only track that is still in the setlist. A great comeback after the previous No Prayer For The Dying release, with better songs and sound. Still a few songs too long and it would be better at 9-10 songs instead of 12 but it was the cd age when bands were giving more songs per album. I played the heck out of this on cassette at the time as it was my High School Maiden album and while I’ll never consider it one of their best I do think it’s still a very solid album minus a couple of songs. The worst part about the album was Bruce left the band at the end of the tour to go solo and the things were about to change even more.
WES HASKINS
Contributer
The tour through Maiden’s studio catalog continues with the first post Bruce Dickinson album who had left the band and went solo after the last tour. After an extensive search/audition process(that supposedly included former Helloween vocalist Michael Kiske), the band chose former Wolfsbane vocalist Blaze Bayley to be their new frontman. It seemed like an odd choice at the time since vocally he wasn’t a Bruce clone and I still question the choice since I didn’t feel his voice always fit the songs at the time. I didn’t like this album at all the first time I heard it and outside of the upbeat lead single “Man on the Edge” it’s mostly a slow and moody album. The fact that most of the album is very one note has been the biggest complaint over the years with most fans wishing there had been more upbeat songs. I do appreciate it more now and actually enjoy listening to it once or twice a year and find that it is better playing it all in one setting and through headphones and not just a track here and there on their own. The lyrics and slow intros and long progressive songs were very much a reflection of what Steve Harris was dealing with personally with the death of his father as well as lyrics based on more real world issues instead of historical events. The album starts with the very long “Sign of the Cross”. A slow intro that takes a few minutes to get going and at over 11 minutes is an odd way to open an album but while it takes some investment it’s one of my favorite songs on the album. I do prefer the live version on Rock In Rio with Bruce. “Lord of the Flies” is more upbeat and is a very good song based on the book/movie of the same name and is one of the better tracks. As previously mentioned “Man on the Edge” was the first single and is a very fast paced and the most rocking song on the album and probably should have opened the album. Written by Blaze and Gers it’s based on the movie “Falling Down”. “Fortunes of War” slows things down again with a slower intro and verses and a chorus that’s repetitive but it picks up a little as the song goes on. “Look for the Truth” is a little more upbeat again and isn’t as slow after the intro. Just an okay song for me though. “The Aftermath” rocks a little more at the beginning and slows down at the chorus but it’s still really good for me. Questioning what happens to soldiers after the war. Is it actually about War or maybe the personal trauma Steve was experiencing at the time? “Judgment of Heaven” is really good and again more upbeat and a nice contrast to the previous track and the next one.
“Blood on the Worlds Hands” starts with a slow almost Sabbath like bass solo from Harris. Then the song picks up with the Maiden Gallup with Blaze’s venomous vocals driving it forward with one of the better tracks for me. Again another slower start with “The Edge of Darkness” but it picks up along with way into the Maiden sound with Murray/Gers doing their best Murray/Smith impersonation. Good song and lyrics.
“2 A.M.” is one of my favs and although it’s slower it’s always struck a chord with me for some reason. Love the chorus.
“The Unbeliever” is a great closing track and one that’s gotten better for me over the years. There were three Japanese Bonus tracks that were also B-sides to different versions of the Man on the Edge single. Two of the three were also on The Best of the B-Sides album. “Judgment Day” is the best of the bunch for me and the one that would have been a good fit for the album for another upbeat track. “Justice of the Peace” and “I Live My Way” are both good but not great and I get why they weren’t on the regular album. Overall an album that’s not always an easy listen but with it being 1995 and with a new vocalist it was a struggle for most fans but it’s reputation seems be improving over the years. Still not a top 10 Maiden album for me but I appreciate it so much more now and it’s kind of the blueprint for what the band did after Bruce and Adrian returned to the band with the longer songs and progressive style.
WES HASKINS
Contributer
Continuing my way through the Iron Maiden studio catalog with the eleventh studio album which was second and the last to feature vocalist Blaze Bayley. In some ways an upgrade over the previous album with much better production, less songs, and musically a little more to the point and not quite as dark and progressive as the X Factor had been. The one thing wasn’t an improvement was the abysmal album cover that tried to combine gaming with the World Cup so you get a kid with a virtual reality game on his head and some random soccer players in the background and a strange looking Eddie as well. I thought this was a really good album at the time and I played it a lot but over the last 20 years I’ve always said it’s my least favorite Maiden album and I flipped sometime over the years and prefer X Factor. Listening to it several times over the last few days I’m actually enjoying a little more again and while it’s still towards the bottom of my Maiden albums list it’s better than I have given it credit for. Even with me enjoying the Blaze era at times, the bigger issue was the band wasn’t really going anywhere new while Bruce was killing it with his solo career specially with the 97/98 era with Accident of Birth and Chemical Wedding. The album opens with the fast paced “Futureal” which is a solid opening track that was played live on this tour and even on some of the Reunion tour shows with Bruce. “The Angel and the Gambler” was released as a single which is crazy considering it’s almost 10 minutes long but the single was edited to a little over 6 minutes and that version should have been on the album. The song is very 70s UFO inspired with a lot of keyboards and at a shorter length would be a better song but my god the chorus is said over and over and over and seems to go on forever and just gets very boring. “Lightning Strikes Twice” is a solid uptempo song and I like the guitar solo but again the chorus is just the song title over and over and gets old very quickly. “The Clansman” is arguably the best song of the Blaze era. Just a classic musically and lyrically. An epic track at almost 10 minutes and lyrically about the whole Braveheart Scottish freedom fighting. It’s even better with Bruce on the Rock in Rio live album. “When Two Worlds Collide” starts slow and builds before locking up the pace and at 6 minutes doesn’t stay at the party too long. Love the chorus and it’s not overdone like several songs on the album and probably one of the more underrated tracks on the album. “The Educated Fool” starts softly but gets more aggressive about a minute in and has a really good very classic Maiden like melody. This was probably my favorite track at one point and I still think it’s a solid song. At 8 minutes “Don’t Look to the Eyes of a Stranger” is a little too long but it’s an interesting song that starts very slow in the verses and gets heavier as it moves on and goes into a different breakdown in the middle of the song. The chorus is very repetitive again but doesn’t bother me as much as some other songs on the album.
“Como Estais Amigos” is a great ballad about the Falklands War and Blaze sounds fantastic on it and proof to the naysayers that he does have a great voice. One of the more memorable Blaze era songs in my opinion. Overall better production and songs that fit Blaze’s voice better but still not a classic album and by this point it wasn’t that Blaze was doing anything wrong it’s just for many fans he wasn’t Bruce. So at this point we say goodbye to Blaze and welcome in a Brave New World with a couple of old friends.
WES HASKINS
Contributer
Continuing my way through the Maiden studio albums. After six years and two albums of the Blaze Bayley era, Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith return for a reunion not many saw coming at the time with them even keeping Adrian’s replacement Janick Gers to form a three guitar attack and make the new Iron Maiden a six piece. After a short reunion tour supporting the Ed Hunter video game that included a 2 disc best of cd set, the band went into the studio to record what would become “Brave New World” which was not only telling about the band reuniting but also about a new era of the world in the post 20th century. The big question at the time was what would this sound like and who would produce it. Would it be like the pre Life After Death era or would be more melodic like the later 80s or will it incorporate the more progressive style of the Blaze era. There was speculation that Bruce’s guitarist and producer Roy Z would produce the album but they chose to go with Kevin Shirley who had a great resume up to that point as an engineer and wanted to record the band live. The first single was “The Wicker Man” which is a heck of way to open an album. Very upbeat and fast paced but with big melodic sing a long choruses. Co-written by Adrian Smith the melodic style just hits hard to open the album. The first time I remember hearing this was seeing the premiere of the video on VH1’s The Rock Show and I thought it was awesome. “Ghost of the Navigator” starts slow and around 40 second mark it starts building and getting heavier. While still very melodic there just always been something about this song that combines the melodic and progressive that Maiden does so well. This is my favorite on the album and has that Rime of the Ancient Mariner vibe lyrically. The title track “Brave New World” follows and is based on a book of the same name and again starts softly and builds up to the chorus. Melodies for days and has that big chorus and it’s a great track. “Blood Brothers” is just epic. Most likely about the loss of Steve Harris father who had passed a few years prior but the lyrics could be for anyone that’s lost someone close to them. The Rock in Rio version is even more epic. “The Mercenary” is more upbeat again and is closer to that old school Maiden vibe and less progressive style. Really good song and chorus. “Dream of Mirrors” another epic progressive Maiden modern day classic. At 9 minutes is very long doesn’t really feel that long. Love the lyrics and always thought this could have been a cool video. Fast paced and to the point “The Fallen Angel” is classic Maiden all the way with a catchy chorus and great solos and at less than 5 minutes one of the shorter songs on the album. The eastern tinged “The Nomad” is epic at 9 minutes and great musically but the only song on the album that I feel overstays its welcome. Great vocal by Bruce but it seems to go on a little too long but there’s some great solos. This was supposedly one of four tracks that was a leftover from the Blaze era. “Out of the Silent Planet” was the second single and video and is another shorter track at six minutes or so and is a really good song that just has great drumming from Nicko and I love the build through the verses to the chorus and Bruce’s vocals. The album closes with the awesome “The Thin Line Between Love & Hate” and is another epic track and great vocal by Bruce. My favorite of the post reunion albums and favorite since Seventh Son and for me an almost perfect album. Although there are several longer songs I felt almost every note and vocal hits the mark and the production and mix is great. It’s also cool to see how everyone was part of the writing team minus Nicko, with Adrian co-writing two songs, Janick four songs, Dave three songs, Bruce four songs, and Steve all ten songs. Very much a band effort.
WES HASKINS
Contributer
Continuing my way through the Maiden catalog with the thirteenth studio album and second of the reunion era of the band. “Dance of Death” followed the reunion album “Brave New World” and is very similar in sound and song style but for me not quite as good but I still liked it a lot at the time and still do. Overall a little darker lyrically than BNW but with what was happening in the world with 911 and the Iraq War that’s not unexpected. The album cover was atrocious and I still can’t believe Steve allowed it to be the final cover and even the artist asked to not be associated with it. It seemed like they were going for an “Eyes Wide Shut” theme or maybe a tie in with the lyrics of the title track but it was a bad idea and poorly executed. The album opens with the upbeat but still very melodic “Wildest Dreams”. A good song but not a great one for me. It was the lead single and was probably the best choice but it’s just not quite on the level of “The Wicker Man” but it tries so hard. The first time I heard it was just before the album release when they played it on the “Give Me Ed…till I’m Dead” tour that also featured Dio and Motörhead. “Rainmaker” follows and is still very melodic but it’s better song and just has a cool melody that makes it more memorable. This was the second single and was co-written by Dave Murray who rarely gets a song released as a single. “No More Lies” at almost eight minutes isn’t the longest Maiden song ever but it does seem longer than it is and might be due to the chorus seeming to go a little too long. It reminds me a little of “Nomad” from the previous album in that it might go on just a tad too long but it is a good song and was one that seemed to get a lot of love from the fanbase at the time. “Montsegur” is a fast and heavy song with good solos. Lyrically about a Catholic Church event in the 1200’s in France during the crusades. A song that I didn’t like as much at first that has really grown on me over the years. “Dance of Death” is an epic eight minute song telling the story inspired by the Seventh Seal movie and starts soft and slow but picks up to a fast pace with several great solos. Melodic and shorter and more to the point “Gates of Tomorrow” is a solid album track. Opening with a cool guitar part with bass lines underneath it all its kind of an unusual Maiden song and could have been a single. Maybe not the most memorable song from the album but it’s kind of underrated. “New Frontier” is best known for being Nicko Mcbrain’s first songwriting co-write with not only part of the music but also the lyrics. Another solid album track and is more melodic and a little shorter compared to several of the eight minute tracks and again could have been a single. Lyrically about the possibilities of cloning. Pachendale” is a classic in every way. Eight plus minutes long and amazing from the first note to the last. One of the first epic type songs co-written by Adrian Smith who’s usually known for shorter more melodic songs. Lyrically about the first world war battle of Pachendale and full of amazing playing and solos. If there’s one all time great Maiden song on this album then this is it.
I just love the intensity of “Face in the Sand”. It just hits you right in the face with Bruce’s venomous vocal and goes through two rounds of verses before getting to the chorus half way through the song. Lyrically about the Iraq War and 911 and how our society watches real world events play out on tv. One of my favorites on the album. “Age of Innocence” opens with a slower guitar melody and slowly builds to the verse and overall is very melodic and kind of a catchy chorus. Kind of a lost track buried at the back of the album but it’s very good and with that melodic chorus had single potential. Lyrically it’s about the changes in society from one’s childhood to adulthood and the thought of missing how much better life is in an ever changing world. The album closes with “The Journeyman” which is an odd closing song for the band with it being acoustic based with a lot of keyboards or synth with Bruce describing the struggles of being a musician who creates and travels and how hard the life can be. I absolutely hated this song on first listen of the cd in 2003 but now I love the song and the lyrics can be applied to anyone and struggles we all go through in of life. Overall the album was always an A- or B+ version of Brave New World. Very similar in some ways but just not quite as great but there are still many great songs and not any that I dislike and after playing it through five or six times the last few days I kind of like even more than I thought I did with it having a good mix of more melodic four to five minute tracks and more epic seven to eight minute tracks.
WES HASKINS
Contributer
Continuing through the Maiden studio catalog with the Fourteenth album and third reunion era album, “A Matter of Life and Death”. The album cover with the look of war and the six Eddie’s makes you think this could be a concept album and while the lyrics are mostly about war and religion it’s not a full concept but more of a theme. This seems to have the most Smith/Harris/Dickinson songwriting credits in one combination or another of any Maiden album so far. Gers and Murray get two credits each but for the most part it seems Adrian and Bruce had a big part along with Steve as usual. Heavy, complex, thematic, progressive. There’s a lot going on with this album. Nicko’s drumming is a stand out for me along with Bruce’s vocals. The album has always been for me like what the X Factor might have sounded like if Bruce and Adrian were involved. Better songs, melodies and vocals but still very dark and powerful but also some of the more complex style of the Seventh Son album but with a less over produced and more live feel.
“Different World” is great opening track with a nice Thin Lizzy inspired melody and is better than “Wildest Dreams” from the previous album and is one of the shorter songs on the album around five minutes. Catchy and melodic and a memorable melody. Lyrically it could be about tolerance for different beliefs such as religious beliefs.
“These Colors Don’t Run” is a great song and I just love the lyrics. About standing for your flag or country or could be anything you believe in really but it’s definitely inspired by the events of Ozzfest from the year before when Sharon convinced a bunch of young moronic bands to throw eggs at Bruce and the band during their set.
“Brighter than a Thousand Suns” is inspired by the Manhattan project and the quote after testing of the first atomic bomb that it was Brighter than a Thousand Suns. Progressive and melodic and Bruce’s voice just goes higher and higher. Incredible song.
“The Pilgrim” is inspired by the pilgrims sailing to a new world that would become America for new freedoms specifically religious freedoms. Musically it’s a shorter song for the album at five minutes but has a good groove and is mostly upbeat from beginning to end. A really good song and a nice change of pace among the longer more epic tracks.
“The Longest Day” starts slow and ominous as Bruce almost is whispering and goes to snarl as the song builds and builds and eventually erupts into power and chaos with the air raid siren hitting every high note like not many of his generation still can. Lyrically depicting the events of D Day in 1944 as many young men storm the beaches of Normandy as chaos and gunfire ensues.
“Out of the Shadows” has more of Bruce solo album vibe and might have fit on Accident of Birth or Balls to Picasso but the arrangement and production would be different. An almost ballad and very melodic it’s another change of pace of from songs full of war and religion. Lyrically about the journey from birth through adulthood and our mortality as human beings.
“The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg” was the first single and written by Dave Murray and is a fictional story about “a man about whom not much is known”. An entire backstory was created online about this character of when he was born and his entire life and career and I don’t think we still don’t know who he was or wasn’t inspired by or if the band was just f’n with us. Either way it’s a great song. Building slowly in the first two minutes to a great chorus and Murray’s solo. It was odd choice for a lead single at seven minutes but it has a very memorable melody and chorus.
“The Greater Good of God”
Is very similar to the Blaze era in my opinion and would have fit on X Factor easily but of course the arrangement and vocal would be much different. Opening with a slow bass melody from Steve and going into a soft voice from Bruce that goes into a faster pace vocal and Nicko’s drums and the chorus of “Please tell me now what life is, Please tell me now what love is, Well, tell me now what war is, Again, tell me what life is”. The question of fighting for religion and tearing the world apart in the name of our God. The best line of “Religion has a lot to answer for” still rings true today. Over nine minutes long and full amazing music moments and excellent lyrics.
“Lord of Light” questions everything we are taught in Sunday school asking the question of was it Lucifer who is the downfall of man or is it man itself who causes their own end. Slow intro built to quicker pace around the two minute mark. Good chorus and solos.
“The Legacy” closes the album and has Janick Gers written all over it. This was his baby and it’s heavy, progressive, and is close to nine minutes. Questioning what legacy we leave for future generations following the theme of war, religion, and politicians the song has that slow almost acoustic opening going into a little heavier riff and back to a slower style and finally into a heavier style musically and finally drums at the three minute mark. My only criticism is the chorus doesn’t quite hit the mark as well as the verses do.
This album has aged very well and I like even more now than I did upon release. It seemed like a chore to get through it the first handful of plays back in 2006 but once it hit me I thought it was great.
WES HASKINS
Contributer
Making my way through the Maiden catalog with the fifteenth studio album and fourth release of the reunion era of the band. With an alien Eddie on the cover the album again leads to speculation that this is a concept album and while there are many songs about space, travel, and history it’s just more of a loose theme and not a concept. With each album of the reunion era the band seemed to push boundaries musically and stretch out with longer songs but while this album has several longer songs there’s also have the album in the four to six minute length.
Opening with “Satellite15….The Final Frontier” they make a major misstep by not separating the tracks and cutting the opening instrumental Satellite 15 from four and half minutes to maybe a minute at the most. Full of drum machines and weird percussion it was supposed to be a lost in space type vibe to set up the title track but all it does is frustrate the listener into fast forwarding to the actual good part “The Final Frontier”. A good song and what should have been the real opening track. I like the chorus and vibe of that song if only it was separated from the instrumental part. Lyrically most likely about an astronaut being lost in space.
“El Dorado” was the first single and one of the better tracks on the album. A good hard rock song and not too long at around six minutes or so. Good chorus and one that was good layer live a lot on this tour. Telling the tale of greed and financial crime in the wake of the mortgage bubble and financial crisis of 2008.
“Mother of Mercy” is about a soldier questioning the mission while fighting a battle they have no part in deciding to fight. Musically faster paced and upbeat and to the point and not to long. Very good song.
“Coming Home” is about as classic as it gets during the reunion era. What a song and chorus. The best of the almost Maiden power type ballads. Could be about the band coming home after a tour but could be anyone coming home to a loved one after a long time away.
“The Alchemist” is uptempo and classic 80s Maiden style. The shortest song on the album and a very good song. Supposedly about John Dee a 16th century mathematician and scientist and alchemist. A strange topic about an alchemist but one Bruce did a whole album about it with the Chemical Wedding.
“Isle of Avalon” at nine minutes fits in with the more recent albums longer epic tracks. Slower build for several minutes and going into a heavier direction at the chorus and mostly remaining at that pace throughout the song. There’s some really cool melodies and solos from Adrian Smith on this one. Lyrically it seems to be about Celtic mythology and some King Arthur references.
“Starblind” is a great progressive track and should get more attention. A very quick slow opening right into the drums and heavier sound. The lyrics are pretty great with Bruce barely taking a breath while questioning life and religion.
“Talisman” is another epic track at eight minutes and another favorite of mine on the album. About a sea voyage that sets off for a new land when everything goes wrong. Kind of in the same universe of Rime of the Ancient Mariner.
“Man Who Would Be King” is tedious and long and has an odd sound in the middle of the song that I don’t care for. Slower start like many of the longer Maiden tracks and it does eventually pick up but at eight plus minutes it seems even longer and could have been edited down to six or seven minutes. Lyrically about a man who lost everything when he killed someone in self defense and struggles with atonement and getting over the terrible decision he had to make. I like the lyrics and the topic but the overall song has never worked for me.
“Where the Wild Wind Blows” is another long epic song and at eleven minutes is just too long and slow. A great lyric based on a story of a couple locking themselves in a bomb shelter thinking it’s a nuclear event but it was only an earthquake. Eventually they hide in the shelter and take their own lives. Based on a novel it’s an interesting story but overall the song just goes on a little too long.
This album gets mentioned a lot as the least favorite of the reunion era and I get that to a point but I also think there’s some great songs especially the first 5-6 songs minus the weird intro. Really the first 8 songs are really good but the last two are kind of boring and needed more editing and along with the intro hurt the quality of the album in my opinion.
WES HASKINS
Contributer
The sixteenth Iron Maiden studio album and fifth release of the reunion era of the band. This time around the band release a double album with several shorter songs mixed with a few much longer tracks including one that’s eighteen minutes long. The album cover really leaps out with Eddie looking like something out of a history book of a Mayan Civilization which’s begs the question is this a concept album or just more of a theme. This album while quite long seemed to resonate with fans at the time and topped the charts in many countries across the globe and had the bands highest billboard placement up to that point in the US at #4. The tour did very well and they played up to six songs from the album.
“If Eternity Should Fail” opens with about 90 seconds of a slower dramatic opening that sets the scene before kicking in and clocking in at over eight minutes it seems long for an album opener but it’s a good one. It always felt like a Bruce solo tracks and come to find out it was written by Bruce for a solo album. Lyrically it could be about a strong believer in a religion reaching the end of life and the questions that are asked in that moment. Also seems to be talking about the future of machines whining out a civilization and maybe AI before it was a thing.
“Speed of Light” was the very catchy, short, and fun first single and has the Smith/Dickinson writing team all over it. A nice 70s hard rock sound with maybe a little cowbell from Nicko drives this one along nicely and it has a good chorus. The theme seems to be about traveling through space and/or exploration in general.
“The Great Unknown” is a solid hard rock song and at six minutes is shorter for this album. The lyrics could be about the change in the world and seem to reference the Bible and religion somewhat but also possibly some political references.
“The Red and the Black” is epic and long at thirteen minutes but is a great track. I do think it could have been edited to around ten minutes and had more impact but damn that melody and the solos are great. About the duality of life looking at both sides of every topic.
“When the River Runs Deep” is a good uptempo song with a solid chorus. At just under six minutes it gets right to the point and doesn’t stick around too long. Good solo too. Discussing the meaning of life and how our time on earth is short.
“The Book of Souls” starts off with a slow eerie acoustic intro and kicks in around the thirty second mark and doesn’t let up. Heavy and almost doomy with a creepy keyboard riff supporting the guitars. It gets heavier and faster later on around the solos. Lyrically following the theme of Mayan culture which ties in with several other songs and the album cover. At ten minutes it could have been edited a little but it still works for me as it is.
“Death or Glory” is uptempo and lyrically similar Tailgunner and Aces High with the tale of fighter planes but this time based in the First World War. Solid song and shorter at five minutes and has a good fast driving vibe.
“Shadows of the Valley” is uptempo and at seven or so minutes isn’t too long. Kind of an underrated song on this album and doesn’t get talked about as much as it should. Lyrically about sins and the afterlife and how we pay for what we’ve done at the end.
“Tears of a Clown” inspired by actor/comedian Robin Williams. Not a ballad but it’s a little slower and very sad lyrically considering the topic.
“Man of Sorrows” is slower and melodic and borrowing a title from Bruce’s solo works from the Accident of Birth release. Very good song.
“Empire of the Clouds” is eighteen minutes long and is led by piano played by Bruce and Bruce’s voice telling the tale of a horrific accident of the British R101 Airships crash on its maiden voyage out of country. I often wonder if it should have been left off the album and put on a maxi single or an EP. It’s a great and sad story and well played and sang but it’s just too long. Maybe if it was a edited to ten to twelve minutes max it would be better but there’s a lot of light and shade and drama throughout mimicking the crash so shortening it probably would have sacrificed some of that. As much as I can criticize the length of the song I have to give credit to Bruce for writing it and his performance is excellent.
Overall a really good album for me and one I played a lot at that time and I still enjoy it and every song but as previously mentioned a few songs could have been shorter but the other eight tracks are all in that five to seven or eight minutes timeframe and work fairly well.
WES HASKINS
Contributer
The seventeenth studio album and up to this point the last from the band and sixth of the reunion era. Continuing the more recent sound similar to Book of Souls with several more long epic tracks mixed with a few shorter songs. All of the longer songs were written by Steve Harris alone. The shorter more catchy songs mostly had Bruce, Adrian, or Janick(co-written by Steve) involved. There were two singles released, “Writing on the Wall” and “Stratego”.
The title track “Senjutsu” opens the album and is eight plus minutes of of a different style from the band and full of a lot of Nicko’s great drumming. The song is a grower and not immediate at all which makes it an odd opener. Translated to “tactics and strategy”, the lyrics tell the story of protecting a wall by being invaded. Considering the samurai Eddie on the cover this could be about Japan being invaded by the Mongols, or it could be anywhere as it doesn’t seem to specify.
“Stratego” was the second single and is one of the shortest songs on the album and the vibe is very 80s Maiden and is right to the point. This probably should have been the opening track. Continuing the theme of war it seems to be about a military leader questioning the mission.
“Writing on the Wall” was the lead single and caused quite a stir online with the 70s classic rock and almost country and blues sound to start. The song really grew on me but at first I was definitely scratching my head but it’s very catchy and another good Smith/Dickinson song but it took a few spins to fully appreciate. Based on the story of King Belshazzer from the Old Testament in the Bible, and warns of impending doom and destruction.
“Lost in a Lost World” is over nine minutes long and written fully by Steve Harris. Starting out very slow with a strange keyboard sound and backing vocals it’s an odd start and goes on too long for two minutes before picking up the pace. The song does get better but again is just too long. It appears to be about the destruction of Native American culture by settlers and those in the present having regret over what was done in the past.
“Days of Future Past” is shorter and really good and is right to the point with no fluff. A Smith/Dickinson composition and it’s one of my favorite tracks on the album. Based on the graphic novel “Constantine”.
“The Time Machine” starts slow and then picks up. Another Harris/Gers songs and it’s very good for me and gotten better over the years. The lyrics seem to be about a time traveler telling the story of their travels but doesn’t seem specific or really have an ending to the story.
“Darkest Hour” is another Smith/Dickinson song and is a darker ballad and it’s a really good song.
Inspired by the Winston Churchill movie of the same name and his actions leading England in the events leading up to WWII.
“Death of the Celts” at ten minutes long starts slower and kicking in around two minutes or so the song is probably at least a minute or two too long. Supposedly about the battle of Alesia where the Celts were defeated by Julius Caesar.
“The Parchment” supposedly about the Parthian empire which I had to look up information on since I wasn’t familiar at all. It seems to be talking about a religious war or possibly about the rise of Christianity or a similar religion and the murder of many believers in that area of the world. This song was really a grower and has that whole eastern musical vibe and just seemed to get better for me over time.
“Hell on Earth” starts upbeat right away instead of the long slow intro the previous songs have. At eleven minutes it still feels long but I do think this song seems like it’s going somewhere and keeps the listener entertained. Lyrically seems to be about the changes in the world and how many live with no hope in their lives. One of my favorites on the album and easily the best of the longer epic songs on the album. This album was definitely the most difficult reunion era Maiden album to digest. With the last three songs being over ten minutes and several other songs at eight to nine minutes it’s one that has a lot going on and even more so lyrically there’s a lot of historical references about various wars and fallen nations.
WES HASKINS
Contributer