[!--QuoteBegin-Conor+Nov 5 2005, 05:15 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Conor @ Nov 5 2005, 05:15 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]Have Maiden really got their trademark sound back? That is really the question. For me it's hard to define their trademark sound. They can mix fast songs, slow songs, pop-cultured songs and great concert sing-a-longs. I don't think that Maiden have produced anything of a really high standard since the Blaze era, before that, 7th son.
All we can really hope for is a classic album next year, something to match 7th son. That would redeem Maiden in modern times and cement Bruce and Adrian as two of the greatest heavy metal musicians of all time.
[snapback]122195[/snapback]
[/quote]
I've been thinking A LOT about this lately, the whole Bruce vs. Blaze which is their "best" album and why, what makes an album "good", "great" or "crappy". What/who makes Iron Maiden "great"? Is it Harris for writing the bulk of the material? is it Bruce's voice? Adrian's solos? all of the above? I will discuss the following, bruces singing and maidens progression
Everybody hails Bruce as a great singer, powerful, clean voice etc. etc. Frankly, I don't like his singing all that much, I don't think it was ever "clear", nor "powerful", it seems like he is yelling, not singing, and he strains to much at times (aces high comes to mind). Now I may be getting sick of his singing more now than before but I've never considered him that great. Michael Kiske to me was a better singer and it really sucks Helloween had the legal and internal problems they did, because to me he was "the" singer of the 80's metal. now, TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND KEEP READING BEFORE YOU FLAME ME JUST FOR THIS. because oh yes... theres more [!--emo&
--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/biggrin.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'biggrin.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
Now, This has been discussed many times before but I'd like to delve in it deeper, what maiden album is "the best" and why?
Iron Maiden was a good album for a first album because honestly most bands don't get noticed until their third outing (including maiden). It is a very good album and while the sound is different that is precisely what makes it a good album. Killers was a HUGE step forward in the songwriting, much better album than the first but the SOUND is different so I don't think it is fair to compare it to the first. Again with Number of the Beast, new singer and again a different sound.. what has become known as the "trademark" sound of maiden. However I don't think Bruce was that great (read above) since in songs like Invaders, Aces High, Flight of Icarus he is actually annoying. Somewhere in time was/is their most accessible album with a very mainstream feel and the addition of the synths again make it hard to compare it to the rest. The 7th son IMO is a bad album, the overall feel, the weaker songs and too much synth don't make it hold up too much. I can't say too much about Fear of the Dark and No prayer for the dying, but most people tend not to like the albums for bruce's horrible singing and the weak material by "maiden standards" While I don't think The X Factor is one of their best it was a very refreshing album because Blazes voice was a good change and they had a deeper, darker sound that I liked. It is a good album just like Iron Maiden, Killers and Number of the Beast are good albums, they had a distinct sound and feel. When people say Maiden got their trademark sound back with Brave New World I think "Powerslave" not "The 80's".
What am I trying to say? I've come to appreciate music very differently than I used to and while I still think who makes up a band is important I think the name on the cover of a cd is more important than the name under each song. And I focus more on album by album than what "x" band has done from tht 80's till now or whatever timespan. Records ARE like children (as many artist refer to them) not only do you love them all and some more than others (hehe) but they are all unique and in the end worth listening to for their own sake. Unless they reallly suck [!--emo&
--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/biggrin.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'biggrin.gif\' /][!--endemo--]