10/10 'Hallowed Be Thy Name' blows me away every single time. Simple as that. With many songs, it's possible to work out how they work and why they have the effect on my ears that they do. With this one, I really have no idea. Is it the picked intro with the characteristic Maiden trick of changing the bass notes and shifting the focus of the harmony? Is it the guitars riffing away in parallel thirds? Is it the lyrics, or Bruce's awesome presentation of them? Is it the changes in tempo, or the awesome solos? I can't say; all I really know is that by the time the song ends it feels like a momentous journey has taken place, and I'm usually pretty much speechless. This is music that is as close to magic as anything I can think of. I've never heard a weak live version of the song. I love the way Bruce revs up the crowd towards the end - on Flight 666 he times it perfectly so that the loudest cheer from the crowd arrives just as he begins the final lyric. I also enjoy Dave's variations on his lead line after fingerpicking the intro, especially when he uses the long trill as a chance to retrieve his plectrum from his mouth. It's tricks like that that any guitarist could learn from!
Listening to this song for the first time in a while. Easily the best piece of music ever written. Just stunning. It's the part before "yeah-eee-yeah-eee-yeah hallowed be thy name" gets me everytime, even on the 4th time of listening to it on repeat...
I never get tired of this song, and it was one of the most memorable moments from the SBIT concert for me. The lyrics are brilliant, and the music is simply amazing, meshing together perfectly. Often considered one of the finest Maiden songs, and for good reason. 10/10