I don't find repetition too bad, unless it's exactly the same thing being played over and over again and that same thing isn't interesting (why I strongly prefer TAATG to DLTTEOAS, the actual thing being repeated in the former isn't bad at all, it's just repeated way too much.)
I haven't fully deciphered the lyrics to this song but the way Adrian's understated and melodic solo is slightly buried within the mix creates for me a peaceful image of wind weaving through a valley as a raven soars above. And it also flows organically into the "into the valley...whoa oh oh" passage.
Janick has written two classics for us on TBOS and Steve's lyrics and vocal melodies on both songs are the work of a songwriting master. 10 out of 10 for atmosphere for this song in particular.
Even though I generally don't have a problem about Maiden's propensity to recycle ideas, it really bugs me on SOTV for some reason - the call backs to Wasted Years and Isle of Avalon in rapid succession were just too much for me...
And so the last song Bruce didn't sing leaves the list. What a fine song it is though. To me, Killers succeeds because it manages to mix the raw aggression of the Dianno years with the first class musicianship of the later years. It's easily the best song in the first two albums in my opinion.
The intro to this song is one of the bands best. The bass is pounding, the drums are great and Dianno does a wonderful job with some of his best singing. It's somewhat reminiscent of the best part of Running Free (The instrumental) if you turned it up to 10.
Past this, the guitars 1 minute in are fantastic and I can't think of another song that manages quite that tone. It segues into a really aggressive verse driven by the excellent guitarwork. The chorus is a decent affair, but it's where the song struggles most - Paul just can't deliver a chorus like Bruce, and with the aggression it struggles to distinguish itself from the verse.
2:18 sees a bass heavy breakdown. The vocal section that follows is very non-typical for Maiden - it's always reminded me of Priest, actually.
The solos that follow are spectacular. Delivered with brutal ferocity and wonderful tone, they're not quite my favourite set of solos the band has done but boy do they get close.
The song has a very cool section afterwards, making use of the fantastic post chorus guitar riff (alongside another chorus) to spectacular effect.
I am by no means one of the people that think Maiden died after Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, but they don't make them like this anymore. I don't think they have ever since Dianno left. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as without him they massively polished their sound and delivered all of the fantastic songs that have been before and are yet to come. However, it is perhaps a shame that we're probably not getting another song as raw and aggressive as this ever again.
Top 25:
25 -Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son 24 - The Edge Of Darkness
23 - Revelations
22 - Judas Be My Guide
21 - Lord Of Light
20 - Judgement Of Heaven
19 - The Red And The Black
18 - Blood Brothers
17 - Wasted Years
16 - Face In The Sand
15 - The Number Of The Beast
14 - The Talisman
13 - Shadows Of The Valley
12 - Killers
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
Songs Remaining:
Run To The Hills
Hallowed Be Thy Name Flight of Icarus Aces High
Powerslave Infinite Dreams Fear Of The Dark Dance of Death
Paschendale Satellite 15... The Final Frontier
Empire of the Clouds
I don't like Killers (the song) as much as some people, but it's sound, indeed the sound of the whole album, is so good.
I'd love to hear the band recapture it, but I don't think it's possible. Maiden is not the raw, young, hungry bunch they were, and the perfect timing of their initial relationship to the Headmaster can never be replicated.
Yeah, Maiden sort of tried that with NPFTD (going retro). I still cringe when I watch interviews from the 90' era where the band thinks going backwards was the best thing for them to do.
DJMayes' album order of last appearance
01) No Prayer for the Dying (favourite song: Bring Your Daughter .... To the Slaughter, 60)
02) Virtual XI (favourite song: The Clansman, 44)
03) Iron Maiden(favourite song: Prowler, 26)
04) A Matter of Life and Death (favourite song: Lord of Light, 21)
05) The X-Factor(favourite song: Judgement of Heaven, 20)
06) Brave New World (favourite song: Blood Brothers, 18)
07) Somewhere in Time(favourite song: Wasted Years, 17)
08) Killers (favourite song: Killers, 12)
DJMayes' album order of first appearance 01) No Prayer for the Dying (least favourite song: Mother Russia, 160)
02) The X-Factor (least favourite song: Blood on the World's Hands, 159)
03) Powerslave (least favourite song: The Duellists, 158)
04) The Number of the Beast (least favourite song: Gangland, 156)
05) Brave New World (least favourite song: The Nomad, 154)
06) Killers (least favourite song: Innocent Exile, 150)
07) Piece of Mind (least favourite song: Quest for Fire, 149)
08) Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (least favourite song: The Prophecy, 148)
09) Iron Maiden (least favourite song: Running Free, 146)
10) The Final Frontier (least favourite song: Isle of Avalon, 143)
11) Fear of the Dark (least favourite song: Fear is the Key, 139) 12) A Matter of Life and Death (least favourite song: The Legacy, 136)
13) Virtual XI (least favourite song: Como Estais Amigos, 127)
14) Dance of Death (least favourite song: New Frontier, 125)
15) Somewhere in Time (least favourite song: Alexander the Great, 104) 16) The Book of Souls(least favourite song: The Man of Sorrows, 102)
Top 100:
There are no full albums in the top 100 of DJMayes complete ranking of Maiden songs.
There are no full albums outside this top 100.
Top 50:
There is one full album outside the top 50 (No Prayer for the Dying). All other albums have at least one song in the top 50.
Top 25:
There are 3 full albums outside the top 25 (No Prayer for the Dying, Virtual XI, Iron Maiden). All other albums have at least one song in the top 25.
Top 20:
There are 4 full albums outside the top 20 (No Prayer for the Dying, Virtual XI, Iron Maiden, A Matter of Life and Death). All other albums have at least one song in the top 20.
Top 15:
There are 7 full albums outside the top 15:
1. Iron Maiden 2. No Prayer for the Dying
3. Virtual XI
4. A Matter of Life and Death 5. The X-Factor 6. Brave New World 7. Somewhere in Time
All other albums (9) have at least one song in the top 15.
DJMayes' non-album song order of appearance
01) Invasion, 153
02) Virus, 151
03) Burning Ambition, 135
04) I Live My Way, 132
05) Justice of the Peace, 124 06) Judgement Day, 114
I'll take a wild guess and say that either S15... TFF or FOTD is next. At least that is where I would put them in the company of the remaining 12 songs.
Yeah, Maiden sort of tried that with NPFTD (going retro). I still cringe when I watch interviews from the 90' era where the band thinks going backwards was the best thing for them to do.
The worst thing is that they didn't actually go back, as in back to the sound of Iron Maiden, Killers or NOTB. When I listen to NPFTD my inner cynic tells me that what they really were trying was to ride on the Guns'n'Roses bandwagon.
I don't think they said (or meant) it like this. It was more about back to basics (they had enough from the bombast and stage show on previous efforts), not necessarily going backwards.
The worst thing is that they didn't actually go back, as in back to the sound of Iron Maiden, Killers or NOTB. When I listen to NPFTD my inner cynic tells me that what they really were trying was to ride on the Guns'n'Roses bandwagon.
This, or it means that Steve took the reins in terms of production (NPFTD was recorded in his home studio, The Barnyard Studios) - Martin Birch being there merely to press the buttons from this album onward- so as to prevent Bruce from taking more creative importance after Adrian's departure...
Whilst Steve pulled out all the stops with Rime of the Ancient Mariner, I really think this is the high point of the album for him (though for some reason I've always thought Bruce wrote it...). Aces High is an incredibly rousing song, immensely evocative and wonderfully catchy. Maiden doesn't always nail the atmosphere, but they absolutely did here.
As an aside, this is one of the songs I want to see live in person the most, for the wonderful addition of Churchill's Speech as an intro.
The intro is great. The first 20 or so seconds is comparatively slow, and doesn't really hint at what's to come with the fantastic main riff at 0:26. The verses start at 0:41, and what verses they are. The beauty of them is not just in Bruce's superb delivery or the brilliant vocals, but the music underneath. It sounds incredibly frantic, and captures the mood wonderfully. I've heard complaints about the musical quality of this song (specifically technical stuff about 16 bars between each change) but I feel these are really moot points compared to the spectacular atmosphere that's conjured up.
The pre-chorus changes tack, and is what I consider the dog-fighting section of the song. The riffs are again very evocative - in this case, they just conjure up the feeling of planes rolling about in the sky, particularly underneath the lyric "doing it again".
Then, there's the absolutely stellar chorus. Whilst the instruments are the MVP in the verses, Bruce is absolutely stunning here. This chorus is flying, or at least it's as close to it as I feel happens in a piece of music. I want to avoid the use of the phrase "soaring vocals", but I feel like this is the song that patented that phrase. It's one of Maiden's best choruses, both for that, for the changes in tone halfway through and the strict avoidance of repetition that plagues so many of their other songs.
When we consider how good the solos are, this song pretty much has everything. The opening solo is another piece of music that invokes the theme of the song wonderfully, and is the high point. The second solo is good too, don't get me wrong, but it doesn't match the atmosphere as well as the first does.
- - - - -
160 songs began.
Only 10 remain.
Run To The Hills
Hallowed Be Thy Name Flight of Icarus Powerslave Infinite Dreams Fear Of The Dark Dance of Death
Paschendale Satellite 15... The Final Frontier
Empire of the Clouds
These are the songs I consider Maiden's all time best, their top 10, in order of release. They range from the expected to the unexpected, from massive live hits to songs which have never got the setlist rotation they deserve. The songs included were not hugely difficult choices for me, though their precise ranking has been. In terms of classic vs reunion era, I'm encouraged to see that it's a 6:4 split (5:4 if you don't include Fear of the Dark) as I have never felt particularly biased towards one era or the other.
These songs are all monumental pieces of music (yes, even The Final Frontier) in my opinion. Nonetheless, the list marches on. Only one song can top it. What will it be? What will make the top 5? Whilst your votes won't be counted they will certainly be read.
Top 25:
25 -Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son 24 - The Edge Of Darkness
23 - Revelations
22 - Judas Be My Guide
21 - Lord Of Light
20 - Judgement Of Heaven
19 - The Red And The Black
18 - Blood Brothers
17 - Wasted Years
16 - Face In The Sand
15 - The Number Of The Beast
14 - The Talisman
13 - Shadows Of The Valley
12 - Killers
11 - Aces High
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
Songs Remaining:
Run To The Hills
Hallowed Be Thy Name Flight of Icarus Powerslave Infinite Dreams Fear Of The Dark Dance of Death
Paschendale Satellite 15... The Final Frontier
Empire of the Clouds
Aces High is one of the band's best short rockers.
No issues with anyone who gives it this high a ranking.
And I am over the moon with Run to the Hills being in the top 10.
I have been on Maidenfans for six years and I have never seen their best-known song in anyone's top 10.
On the contrary, it typically ranks in most people's bottom half and gets easily dismissed by the hardcore fans.
Aces High is one of the band's best short rockers.
No issues with anyone who gives it this high a ranking.
And I am over the moon with Run to the Hills being in the top 10.
I have been on Maidenfans for six years and I have never seen their best-known song in anyone's top 10.
On the contrary, it typically ranks in most people's bottom half and gets easily dismissed by the hardcore fans.
I feel you on that one. When I was a fresh face on this forum, one of the first things I did was look for the overall song ratings out of interest. I expected Run To The Hills to be topping it. Obviously it wasn't (the thread in question was this: http://forum.maidenfans.com/threads...ngs-and-albums-according-to-maidenfans.32605/ ) but just how low it ended up ranked shocked me. I would never have considered someone ranking it outside the top 25, yet the forum average had it in 71st position! I can understand people who have been fans of it much longer getting a bit tired of it (though it feels like there are other songs they should be equally tired of by now that are worshipped nonetheless) but I am perhaps the only person posting here who has not yet seen the song live in person. It remains the song highest on my list and I really hope Maiden find room for it again before they call it quits.
And I am over the moon with Run to the Hills being in the top 10.
I have been on Maidenfans for six years and I have never seen their best-known song in anyone's top 10.
There are 8 full albums outside DJMayes' top 10. In execution order:
1. No Prayer for the Dying 2. Virtual XI 3. Iron Maiden 4. A Matter of Life and Death 5. The X-Factor 6. Brave New World 7. Somewhere in Time 8. Killers
All other albums (8) have at least one song in the top 10. These albums are, in order of release:
The Number of the Beast
Piece of Mind
Powerslave
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son Fear of the Dark Dance of Death The Final Frontier The Book of Souls
Three colours are present: Eighties with Bruce (50%), nineties with Bruce (10%) and music from the current line-up (40%). No Di'Anno era material, no Blaze era material.
Run to the hills is an outstanding rocker, probably IS one of the bands greatest songs ever. I'll admit it doesn't make my top ten solely by my having heard it twelve thousand times.
Can you imagine if it were new on the BOS album? The love would be immense. It is a unique song for a quick rocker. The opening riff is crazy effective and sounds like nothing else. The galloping , the seamless transitions into and out of the solo section. The incredible solos themselves. Bruce. Oh my god Bruce. Wherever it ends up here DJ, you have done an old sweet jam justice.
As for Aces High? ... Basically the same as above. What a bolt of hot metal through the gut. I recall as a kid, having the poster on my ceiling, staring at the grimacing 'Eddie the pilot' and playing Aces' to death! A masterpiece.
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