Thoughts on B L A Z E

[Liberation]

Personally, I think that Blaze's albums in Iron Maiden are nothing compared to his Silicon Messiah album. During his days in Maiden, he was unable to use his heavy and dark voice in the way it was meant, dont get me wrong, VXI and TXF are two of my favorite albums, but the heavier music of Silicon Messiah and The Tenth Dimension embraces the true power of Blaze's voice. No matter what anybody says, Blaze is an amazing vocalist and deserves to be on the weekend top 30 charts, unlike such bands as "Simple Plan", "Good Charlotte", "System of a Down" and "Slipknot", which are just utter trash and shouldnt even have a record label, let alone be allowed to play a single note on guitar.

Born as a Stranger and Stare at the Sun are my favorite  B L A Z E  songs.




Anybody else have thoughts?

[Conor]

[!--QuoteBegin-Liberation+Oct 31 2005, 02:37 AM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Liberation @ Oct 31 2005, 02:37 AM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]During his days in Maiden, he was unable to use his heavy and dark voice in the way it was meant

[snapback]121766[/snapback]

[/quote]
I agree whole-heartedly.  Blaze has an awesome voice, one that many other metalheads would love to have.  IMO his best vocal performance is on the Kill and Destroy song.  That kicks major ass. [!--emo&:rock:--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/headbang.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'headbang.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
As for your opinion on him being worthy of a place in the charts, I think we are lucky BLAZE does not have much fame because then, they would be prostituted.  Don't get me wrong, I would love them to get some recognition, just not lend their songs for a cheesy jingle in an ad or be yet another teenage fad.

[Liberation]

Yeah, that would kinda suck, but it would be nice for Blaze to finally be reckognized as the great vocalist he is.


haha! This is my 100th post!

[Wicker Man]

I only listened to the clips on his site, but he sounded great and next time I'm at a cd store I'm gonna look for one of their cds.

[Liberation]

[!--QuoteBegin-Wicker Man+Nov 7 2005, 02:46 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Wicker Man @ Nov 7 2005, 02:46 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]I only listened to the clips on his site, but he sounded great and next time I'm at a cd store I'm gonna look for one of their cds.

[snapback]122478[/snapback]

[/quote]

The only place that I have ever personally seen them is at the HMV in the West Edmonton Mall, so you might needa look in a fair sized or popular mall, but I guess it depends where you live, BLAZE aren't very popular here in Canada, but they're fairly popular in Europe.

[Kynisk Sokol]

[!--QuoteBegin-Conor+Oct 31 2005, 01:09 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Conor @ Oct 31 2005, 01:09 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]I agree whole-heartedly.  Blaze has an awesome voice, one that many other metalheads would love to have.  IMO his best vocal performance is on the Kill and Destroy song.  That kicks major ass. [!--emo&:rock:--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/headbang.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'headbang.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
As for your opinion on him being worthy of a place in the charts, I think we are lucky BLAZE does not have much fame because then, they would be prostituted.  Don't get me wrong, I would love them to get some recognition, just not lend their songs for a cheesy jingle in an ad or be yet another teenage fad.

[snapback]121771[/snapback]

[/quote]

Yeah totally. When we want a band to "get recognition", who exactly should recognise their prowess? I introduced a classmate into My Dying Bride and he said "how come they don't get played on TV or anything like that?". So I replied "well do you really expect the mindless masses to appreciate them? No, they don't want tasteful, deep, complex, powerful and beautiful music that's unique and not commercial garbage". He replied "yeah I guess your right" They enjoy mediocrity, they want the same old crap over and over again. They want bubblegum crap bastardised for mindless consumption. Simple minds can only process simple things. My Dying Bride, or indeed doom metal in general is not simple. When these people make what they want and not be swayed by trends, the sheepish crowd try their best to intimidate them and coax them into joining the crowd. That's why Blaze, My Dying Bride or indeed any band that doesn't compromise at all are outcasted because people want to control them. People want to make money off them. (Bob Rock, I'm looking at you)
           So basically, spread the word of good bands to people who you think would really appreciate them. Don't waste a second of your time trying to get a mallcore teeny-bopper into Immolation or Death. Remember, real music for real people. Blaze kicks ass, but we all know that by now. [!--emo&:blush:--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/blush.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'blush.gif\' /][!--endemo--]

KILL AND DESTROY!!!!!!! [!--emo&:rock:--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/headbang.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'headbang.gif\' /][!--endemo--]

[That Girl]

I had to buy all of my BLAZE albums online. It's hard enough finding Maiden albums in Utah, but BLAZE? Very weird place to be a Maiden and BLAZE fan, indeed... Anyway, needless to say BLAZE are amazing! Definitely Blaze's best work so far! 'Silicon Messiah' is brilliant (probably my favorite), I love the whole concept of 'Tenth Dimension' (it makes quantum physics cool again...oh wait, I guess it never really was...), and I love how Blaze really opens up in 'Blood and Belief' (although I kinda miss Rob and Jeff's rythm section). Also, for anyone that doubted Blaze's live abilities, just take one listen to 'As Live as It Gets'. A lot of the songs are even better live (and, as usual, you gotta love Blaze's onstage banter-"'just forget trying to look cool.."'). I can't wait to hear the new lineup on the new BLAZE album! They've got a lot to top, but I'm confident that they'll come through. There are too many great songs to choose from, but 'Stare at the Sun' would have to be my favorite (one of my favorite songs ever, actually. Gives me the chills every time!), with 'Stranger to the Light' in a close second. Hopefully, someday I can save up enough money to fly out and catch a BLAZE show!

[ice9]

I have had almost no problems finding BLAZE albums. Last time I looked, Tower had all of them except As Live As It Gets (but I am in Chicago, I don't know if stores here have a larger variety or not). I have Blood & Belief as well as Silicon Messiah, and I really love them.
On a side note: One thing I always thought is that some bands are successful in part because they play the "we defy trends" card, and that appeals to people who do not want anything to do with trends. Now, I'm not sure I really believe this (and the music certainly is deeper and more complex), but its simply an impression I've gotten from a few individuals I know.

[That Girl]

Has anyone ever heard 'The Day I Fell to Earth'? It looks like it's an extra track on the Japanese version of 'Silicon Messiah'. I would love to hear any extra BLAZE songs I could!

[Liberation]

[!--QuoteBegin-that girl+Dec 5 2005, 05:27 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(that girl @ Dec 5 2005, 05:27 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]Has anyone ever heard 'The Day I Fell to Earth'? It looks like it's an extra track on the Japanese version of 'Silicon Messiah'. I would love to hear any extra BLAZE songs I could!

[snapback]124627[/snapback]

[/quote]

Ive heard it, I think its amazing, BLAZE shouldve put it on all versions of Silicon Messiah.

[Leathco]

My favorite song from Blaze has to be Stare at the Sun.  Just incredibly powerful.  I also liked the more raw style he uses on Blood and Belief and Hollow Head.

[Forostar]

I have been thinking about this a lot, but in the end I must conclude that my interest for Blaze went from 9 to let's say 5.

It all started so well with Silicon Messiah, for me still the best Blaze album. The second album was also very good, but it already contained a few minor songs. The third album also contains fillers. My favorite track of this one is "Soundtrack Of My Life", which is a masterpiece. Slater still plays on this record, but Blaze hired a studio drummer, who unfortunately didn't become a full member.

So far my thoughts on the albums which are still decent.

Now the bad part. The live gigs. I remember seeing Blaze with the REAL Blaze band. They had only one album out, but they had it all. The song material, the players, everything.

Later the bass player left, the drummer left. Guitarist John Slater didn't play live anymore, which was a big miss because he was a great live player. In the end it was only Blaze with the loyal Steve Wray.

Exit Slater, Enter Palotai. Last time I saw Blaze playing, it was in Weert (Netherlands), when Wray was still in the band. Palotai made some mistakes. What a contrast with good ol' John Slater who at that moment was still having a break, according to Wray, whom I saw after the gig.

Sadfully, Wray and Slater left both soon afterwards and now there is this Italian playboy, a guy I only know from photos, showing his "I'm cool" face during live gigs. I wonder how he plays the guitar.

Now the man himself. Blaze. At the concert in Weert he was fatter than ever and he had a black eye (got a punch some days earlier from an American idiot, who didn't like it that Blaze said some not-so-nice words about mr. Bush), hiding with sunglasses.

Say, let's admit.:

If a "fan" has seen and heard and known all these things...

...Wouldn't he be better off, if he just remembered this first fantastic gig in Amsterdam (in the Melkweg venue, April 15th, 2001) and the fact that Blaze released 3 studio albums and 1 nice live album with the real band?

I know I am. Blaze has a lot to prove and he has to gain a lot of fans again, including me.
I am still open for it. Now let the music and the musicians do the talking.
Strange thing is that Blaze has worked with quite a lot of musicians in the post-"Real band period", but none of the people who are left have played a single note on an official Blaze product.

Maybe a good sign? A new band can do unexpected things (hence Silicon Messiah).

[morgue]

My thoughts on blaze:
- He did a great job with Iron Maiden
- His solo stuff with Blaze is incredible, some songs I had to listen like 100 times before I could put another CD on my player.

Also he seems like a really straight forward guy, no b.s., which is great, I love people who say what they think and don't talk double sense. I totally embrace Factor X and Virtual XI and I'd love if Maiden released a live concert with Blaze on 'Early Days Pt: 2'.

[LordoftheStorm]

In Maiden's pre-DOD downtime I became a HUGE fan of B L AZ E. He truly is a great songwriter and I think he knows how to write stuff suitable for his voice more than Harris did. It's heavier, gritter and darker than a lot of Maiden, but it fits. Silicon Messiah and Tenth Dimension are two of the best kept secrets in metal today. That being said, I wasn't quite so enthusiastic about Blood & Belief, and I've lost quite a bit of interest since that album. It's not that I wouldn't love to hear more new music from B L A Z E, but the last album left a bit of a bad taste in my ears. But I wish the best for Mr. Bayley in the future and I wish BLAZE would take off a bit more so I might have the chance to see him live someday.

[SinisterMinisterX]

...I'd love if Maiden released a live concert with Blaze on 'Early Days Pt: 2'.

Not specifically directed at morgue, but at everyone who keeps talking about "Early Days Pt. 2"...

Get your titles right people!

The DVD was called "The History Of Iron Maiden, Part 1: The Early Days".
Therefore, the next one will be "The History Of Iron Maiden, Part 2".
Calling it "History Pt. 2" for short is acceptable.
There is no such thing as "Early Days Pt. 2" - they've already covered the early days!

[Albie]

And what is more, I very much doubt if part 2 will cover the Blaze era.

[Forostar]

Not specifically directed at morgue, but at everyone who keeps talking about "Early Days Pt. 2"...

Get your titles right people!

The DVD was called "The History Of Iron Maiden, Part 1: The Early Days".
Therefore, the next one will be "The History Of Iron Maiden, Part 2".
Calling it "History Pt. 2" for short is acceptable.
There is no such thing as "Early Days Pt. 2" - they've already covered the early days!

People like to use abbreviations. Could you give us some norm for this?

[Conor]

People like to use abbreviations. Could you give us some norm for this?

He did... "History, Part 2"

[Perun]

"History 2" is shorter

[Forostar]

Of course such norms don't exist. There are more important things to be outrageous about. The guy's abbreviation was no Chinese - everyone understood it.

[Leathco]

Just a thought, I wonder if during the tour for the history DVD that has Blaze, if he will be invited to do a few of his songs?

[Perun]

Was Paul invited during the last history tour?

[Yax]

Was Paul invited during the last history tour?

I remember reading an interview with Paul recently. After the usual talking shit about Maiden, he informed the reporter that he was invited to go on stage with Maiden at the Early Days Tour, but that he turned them down. He said he will only go on stage with Maiden if he gets...Well I don't remember exactly but it was a lot of millions of dollars, which he would share between his family and charity.


I'm sorry, but I can't link since I don't remember where I read it. 

[Perun]

*cough* *cough* It was a rethorical question *cough* *cough*

[Belenor]

Heh, I feel quite stupid re-opening the topic but I cannot help myself Recently, I entered a local music store looking for anything from BLAZE filled with pessimistic feelings. And there it was, double pack containing Silicon Messiah and The Tenth Dimension. I was not sure with the second as I remembered only the Messiah being told to be good. Well, I bought it and wow, ended listening the albums all the time since friday I have never expected that these two are that good! Blaze's voice really sounds great when singing tracks written for his voice. And the band sounds quite good. Sometimes close to Maiden, other times more like Metallica. And I like concept albums.

The Tenth Dimension is impressive, the theme (I like science-fiction stories), the music ranging from fast rockers to soft and moody ballads - yeah. It may not be the heviest metal of all time (it is not, in fact) but I don't care. I think there are no fillers (oh, maybe one, two). I definitely love the trio Leap of Faith/The Truth Revealed/Meant to Be.

Silicon Messiah works well too. Highlights in Stare at the Sun and the title track Silicon Messiah with great companions (Ghost in the Machine, The Launch). Surely, Blaze bashers should go and listen to these songs, seting the hatred aside for a while.

Definitely well spended money.

But - heh, Forostar's comment makes me afraid to buy more. I thing I will try As Live As It Gets, but I'm a bit afraid of Blood and Belief, I will not risk it probably You know, I do not like downloading music from the Internet, it is like stealing to me and I do not want to be a thief. I usually try to read as much as I can, but sometime reviews may be wrong and, heh, I have a bit strange musical taste

[PolarisSLBM]

Well I've listened to a few of the clips, and I really like what I hear (though of course, I loved his stuff with Iron Maiden anyway).

Sadly I'll probably never find it in stores here in the States but oh well, I geuss that's why they invented the Internet...

One thing that struck me : Blaze says he wants to open for Slipknot?! 

I think BLAZE should open for Iron Maiden, but...

[Albie]

But - heh, Forostar's comment makes me afraid to buy more. I thing I will try As Live As It Gets, but I'm a bit afraid of Blood and Belief, I will not risk it probably You know, I do not like downloading music from the Internet, it is like stealing to me and I do not want to be a thief. I usually try to read as much as I can, but sometime reviews may be wrong and, heh, I have a bit strange musical taste

Personally, I rate Blood & Belief as a very good album - but it's just my opinion. What's more, there is not really any harm is trying an album from download resources before you buy it, after all how else can most get to hear it in the first place?