This is getting off track from the question posed in the OP, but it can't be overlooked how necessary No Prayer was.

I know how revered Seventh Son is, but it is also bloated, meandering and pompous.
The aggressive edge of the first three albums that they managed to maintain a hint of in four and five was nearly gone.

Maiden always had that nerd appeal, but it was also genuinely badass.
Had they taken another step down the path they were following, they would have become Yes.

Can't say Bruce's singing style was the right choice, but the real flaw of No Prayer is the fact that neither Gers, nor Smith were contributing any songs of note, and Harris failed to deliver a truly memorable piece.
 
I really liked what you said mckindog, you explained so well (with a new view!) why it can be said it was good that Maiden did what they did (stylewise). Let swashbuckle lovers try to argue with that.

Then that last sentence. I don't only disagree with it, it also gets off the track from the original question. We have enough other "the real problem with No Prayer" topics to stir old debates.
 
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I really liked what you said mckindog, you explained so well (with a new view!) why it can be said it was good that Maiden did what they did (stylewise). Let swashbuckle lovers try to argue with that.

Then that last sentence. I don't only disagree with it, it also gets off the track from the original question. We have enough other "the real problem with No Prayer" topics to stir old debates.

Foro, it's not an opinion that Smith and Gers - two excellent songwriters - didn't contribute much. It is a statement of fact. If you think the album includes some of Steve Harris' best songwriting, you'd be among the few.
 
This is getting off track from the question posed in the OP, but it can't be overlooked how necessary No Prayer was.

I know how revered Seventh Son is, but it is also bloated, meandering and pompous.
The aggressive edge of the first three albums that they managed to maintain a hint of in four and five was nearly gone.

Maiden always had that nerd appeal, but it was also genuinely badass.
Had they taken another step down the path they were following, they would have become Yes.

Can't say Bruce's singing style was the right choice, but the real flaw of No Prayer is the fact that neither Gers, nor Smith were contributing any songs of note, and Harris failed to deliver a truly memorable piece.

SSOASS isn't my absolute favorite, but I think you're overstating a bit:
  • Moonchild and Only the Good Die Young are pretty darn aggressive (it's not early Gojira or Nile, but it's as aggressive as anything else Maiden did in the 80s -including the early records). The album is up-tempo in general.
  • The album is a lean 44 minutes, clocking in less than SIT and Powerslave. Hardly bloated or meandering. Most songs are in the 4-5 minute range - Hardly Genesis or Yes prog territory.
  • The only true 'prog' song musically is really the title track, and possibly Infinite Dreams. Lyrical theme and intros/outros aside, everything else is either a 'rocker' or an 'anthem.'
  • It is pompous. Can't argue that one.
  • Agree that Maiden has been a blend of nerdiness and badass-ness. I would argue that SSOASS still kept that balance. NPFTD lost it.
  • I think Maiden changed more because of the production and lyrical imagery. Where do you go after you made one of the glossiest sounding and most 'D&D' records of your career? I get why they went backwards...it just did't work that well in execution. Had they done something raw, dark, and heavy...but still keep some of the nerdiness...like Bruce's Chemical Wedding...that would have been light years better than NPFTD.
But now we're totally off-topic...sorry.
 
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Foro, it's not an opinion that Smith and Gers - two excellent songwriters - didn't contribute much. It is a statement of fact. If you think the album includes some of Steve Harris' best songwriting, you'd be among the few.
It is off-topic. I am saying that since you yourself started about "This is getting off track from the question".
 
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  • I think Maiden changed more because of the production and lyrical imagery. Where do you go after you made one of the glossiest sounding and most 'D&D' records of your career? I get why they went backwards...it just did't work that well in execution. Had they done something raw, dark, and heavy...but still keep some of the nerdiness...like Bruce's Chemical Wedding...that would have been light years better than NPFTD.
This is a great point. AOB is an example of a meat and potatoes Metal album without all the overproduction but doesn't feel like a regression.
 
As long as one of the albums from the golden era came out right after, I think Maiden would have done just as well. Bruce's great singing would have been somewhat recognized in songs like No Prayer For The Dying, Running Silent Running Deep, Mother Russia, Wasting Love, and Fear Of The Dark, but fans would definitely be wanting more of that and if TNOTB came next, it would have really taken off.
 
Just listened to NPFTD for the first time in year's. I'm going to be controversial now and say it was somewhat refreshing to hear some pretty good, not too serious, fun under 8 min tracks.
Tailgunner, No Prayer and Public Enima wouldnt have sounded out of place as fillers on TBOS tour instead of wrathchild, Trooper, bloodbrothers.
 
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