X Factor & Virtual Xi

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Anonymous

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I am guilty as charged, which serves me right listening to people instead of what I usually do and finding out myself.
I have been listening to Maiden for two years now, and one of the main topics I seem to read the most is, [!--quoteo--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]Blaze is crap[/quote] or some other similar themed topic.
Having listened to Virus(from BotB) and the Angel and the Gambler I was inclined to agree, yes I also listened to Sign of the Cross average I thought. Because of this and the negativity of most maiden fans, I slowly brought/listened to every other album thinking they where great. Then three weeks ago, was browsing through woolworths and for 2.99 each was x-factor and virtual XI.
Now despite my reluctance at purchasing these albums there still was two empty slots in my CD rack for them on the off chance id get them.
Having never being able to resist a bargain, I brought them, and listened to them one after the other.

My thoughts? Bloody Excellent. Still not as good as Di'Anno's stuff and SIT but X Factor is in my top 7 fave albums. as for Virtual XI better than NpftD and FotD, love Futureal, the clansman and Como Estais Amigos.

My one gripe is that when listening to X factor on my MP3 player its really too quiet in some places to play in public. Class songs though [img src=\"style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/smile.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\" emoid=\":)\" border=\"0\" alt=\"smile.gif\" /]

So to some it up, I was wondering how many maiden fans actually have listened to all of the songs on these albums? At least twice as you do need to get used to Blazes style. Dont knock it til you try it.
Sorry for slagging you off Blaze - your not that bad and have produced some good songs for maiden.
One final thing how does everyone pronounce Virtual XI?
X I or 11?
personally I say X I.
 
I have been a member of this forum for a couple of years now, and I dont recall ever finding a topic stating
[!--quoteo--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]Blaze is Crap[/quote]
I think a large majority of us here consider these 2 albums to be some of maidens best. and you will find very few of us who have listened less than twice.

oh and by the way £2.99. - you lucky bugger, I paid £11.99 for both of these albums
 
[!--quoteo(post=128684:date=Feb 9 2006, 07:03 PM:name=Legionnaire)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Legionnaire @ Feb 9 2006, 07:03 PM) [snapback]128684[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
One final thing how does everyone pronounce Virtual XI?
X I or 11?
personally I say X I.
[/quote]
Surely 'eleven' rather than 'x,i'.

In my opinion, The X Factor is Iron Maiden's best album, regardless of the fact I consider Bruce a better singer. (And yes, I have listened to it more than twice!). Virtual XI is a solid album, but not among the best Maiden have produced.
 
I love both albums - I don't care what other people say about them ... that would never hold me back and influence my opinion.

The only criticism I have is the production ... could be better on both albums, especially VXI, love them nevertheless.
 
I'm not a big fan of either album, but that's no disrespect to Blaze's singing because 'Sign of the Cross' and 'The Clansman' are two of Maiden's best songs.

I have listened to both albums several times over the last month and they don't particularly excite me like 'Piece of Mind' or 'The Number of the Beast' but they have got better with every listen. The album i've listened to the least is probably 'No Prayer for the Dying.'

Just for the record, I got 'The X-Factor' for Christmas and I bought 'Virtual XI' for £16.
 
[!--quoteo(post=128687:date=Feb 9 2006, 05:13 PM:name=national acrobat)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(national acrobat @ Feb 9 2006, 05:13 PM) [snapback]128687[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
Surely 'eleven' rather than 'x,i'.
[/quote]
If that was sarcasm I'm going to look like an idiot, (no one needs to make a post saying a bit late for that) but isn't saying eleven like calling The X Factor The Ten Factor ::
 
Blaze Bayley is a great singer, his voice is lower and live, he coldn't sing to good Bruce's song (all that was said previously here, but I found this thread the right place to restate them). And I'm quite sure it's 11, because a friend of mine saw Maiden live during the Blaze-Era, and in one of the songs Blaze said "This one's from the Virtual 11 album".
 
[!--quoteo(post=128706:date=Feb 10 2006, 12:35 AM:name=Wicker Man)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Wicker Man @ Feb 10 2006, 12:35 AM) [snapback]128706[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
If that was sarcasm I'm going to look like an idiot, (no one needs to make a post saying a bit late for that) but isn't saying eleven like calling The X Factor The Ten Factor ::
[/quote]

Yes and no. Maiden have been clever with their album titles before like titling their seventh album, seventh son of a seventh son. It is ok to say the "X" Factor instead of the "Tenth" factor because the way I see it, the "X" is simply a mathematical variable, not the Roman Numeral, however it doubles for it as it is also maiden's tenth album. I also say Virtual eleven though "eleventh" would be more apropriate because nobody says Charles "Five" for Charles V (the fifth).
 
Another reason why it is called "Virtual Eleven" is because of Maiden's passion for football... in the booklet you can see a picture of the Maiden football team, the "Virtual Eleven". "Eleventh" wouldn't fit there [img src=\"style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/wink.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\" emoid=\";)\" border=\"0\" alt=\"wink.gif\" /]

Edit: In addition, I remember some interviews on TV around the release of "Virtual XI" where the whole band called it "Virtual Eleven" ... same goes for "The X Factor".
 
I actually agree with the author of the Commentary when he states that The X Factor is "refreshingly dark."
 
It's definitely pronounced "Virtual Eleven", if the band's opinion matters at all. I've heard Blaze himself pronounce it that way on bootlegs and on his recent radio interview.

While I think they're both good albums, I also think TXF is overrated. Several people here have said that it's among Maiden's best albums, maybe even the best. I disagree. It seems merely average to me (compared to other Maiden albums). But that's just my opinion, which is liable to change without warning.
 
The X Factor is definitely my favourite Maiden album, and VXI comes pretty close after that. Legionnaire, you will find many Blaze fans on this board and very few Blaze bashers- that inferior species is mostly to be found on the IMBB.
 
[!--quoteo(post=128755:date=Feb 10 2006, 10:51 AM:name=Perun)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Perun @ Feb 10 2006, 10:51 AM) [snapback]128755[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
The X Factor is definitely my favourite Maiden album, and VXI comes pretty close after that. Legionnaire, you will find many Blaze fans on this board and very few Blaze bashers- that inferior species is mostly to be found on the IMBB.
[/quote]

I'm one of the representatives of that inferior species on this board. [img src=\"style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/tongue.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\" emoid=\":p\" border=\"0\" alt=\"tongue.gif\" /]

I think Virtual XI is a really weak album. The Clansman is a decent song, but I can't sit through anything else on that album without cringing. The opening to "the Angel and the Gambler" sounds like more like a fucking midi file than an Iron Maiden song. And the rest of the album doesn't get much better.

And I think Bruce is the incomparably better singer. And I don't agree with those who claim that their singing styles are "just different" and that Blaze's voice is better suited to TXF and VXI than Bruce's. I've said this elsewhere, but I'll repeat it here: Blaze sounds like he is struggling to force the sound out his mouth. Bruce sounds effortless: as if all he had to do was open his mouth and the sounds rush out on their own power. I think people simply became familiar with the Blaze-era songs done with Blaze's vocals and now have a hard time hearing it with Bruce's vocals. Of course, I'm not saying that every Bruce performance is better than every Blaze performance. I've certainly heard Bruce fuck up some of Blaze's songs live (I've also heard him fuck-up some of his own songs as well), but on the whole I think there is no comparison. And to those who will press the "low-register" argument, you should have a listen to Hallowed be thy name. The opening sections of that song are all sung at a pretty low pitch, but I don't think Bruce's performance leaves anything wanting.

That said...I've actually warmed up to TXF recently. It is hardly one of Maiden's best, but it is a solid Maiden album...certainly better than NPFtD and FotD. The production sucks, and I still think the band (not just Blaze) sounds tired, but the songs are really pretty good. The Sign of the Cross is one of the 5 best Maiden songs of all time in my opinion.
 
[!--quoteo(post=128757:date=Feb 10 2006, 05:43 PM:name=macunaima)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(macunaima @ Feb 10 2006, 05:43 PM) [snapback]128757[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
I'm one of the representatives of that inferior species on this board. [img src=\"style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/tongue.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\" emoid=\":p\" border=\"0\" alt=\"tongue.gif\" /] [/quote]
So do I.
Endangered species are precious. Biodiversity is beautiful [img src=\"style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/biggrin.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\" emoid=\":D\" border=\"0\" alt=\"biggrin.gif\" /]
[!--quoteo(post=128757:date=Feb 10 2006, 05:43 PM:name=macunaima)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(macunaima @ Feb 10 2006, 05:43 PM) [snapback]128757[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
The opening to "the Angel and the Gambler" sounds like more like a fucking midi file than an Iron Maiden song. [/quote]
[img src=\"style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/biggrin.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\" emoid=\":D\" border=\"0\" alt=\"biggrin.gif\" /] Unfortunately you're 100% right...
 
actually, I don't like bruce's singing much, he sounds very "scratchy" unlike Michael kiske "clean" and effortless singing.
 
[!--quoteo(post=128750:date=Feb 10 2006, 01:57 PM:name=SinisterMinisterX)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(SinisterMinisterX @ Feb 10 2006, 01:57 PM) [snapback]128750[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
While I think they're both good albums, I also think TXF is overrated. Several people here have said that it's among Maiden's best albums, maybe even the best. I disagree. It seems merely average to me (compared to other Maiden albums). But that's just my opinion, which is liable to change without warning.
[/quote]

Hmmm. It's quite ironic to think that most non-Maiden fans who bought it (those with only a mild interest in Maiden) hated it, so it became the 'worst' album of the band. The people realised it was actually good, and now it's overrated within the Maiden underground! Personally, I love them both. I would prefer VXI to TXF and both of them to NPftD. VXI gets it due to songs like Futureal, The Clansman, The Educated Fool and Como Estais Amigo. It's a real hidden gem of Maiden's career and when the stuff is done live with Bruce it sounds great, although some parts of some songs are better sung by Blaze-Bruce's voice is too high pitched to capture the low, dark essence of Blaze's murmurs. Conversely, some parts of the songs on TXF are better with Bruce, due to his more flexible vocal range. All in all, if anyone reads this and doens't have these two albums, buy them now! You're doing yourself an injustice by not buying them!
 
[!--quoteo(post=128766:date=Feb 10 2006, 06:34 PM:name=Silky)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Silky @ Feb 10 2006, 06:34 PM) [snapback]128766[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
Conversely, some parts of the songs on TXF are better with Bruce, due to his more flexible vocal range.
[/quote]
I would disagree here saying that the albuim suits Blaze better vocally. The dark mood of the album, reflective of Steve Harris' life lets Blaze's deep voice singing almost perfect here. [img src=\"style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/cool.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\" emoid=\"B)\" border=\"0\" alt=\"cool.gif\" /]

Both albums are classics and still underrated in Maiden's history. I don't think the Maiden "underground" fans think the album is overrated. VXI has got great songs like TXF but it is let down by one stinker, "Lightning Strikes Twice". At the end of the day both albums will be appreciated over time, just wait [img src=\"style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/wink.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\" emoid=\";)\" border=\"0\" alt=\"wink.gif\" /]

TXF 9/10
VXI 7/10
 
[!--quoteo(post=128763:date=Feb 10 2006, 12:59 PM:name=Onhell)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Onhell @ Feb 10 2006, 12:59 PM) [snapback]128763[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
actually, I don't like bruce's singing much, he sounds very "scratchy" unlike Michael kiske "clean" and effortless singing.
[/quote]

Hmm, 'effortless' does not mean 'clean.' Have you ever heard Michael Sweet of Stryper? His singing style is clean, but it still sounds as if someone had to squeeze his balls to get that sound through his pipes! Michale Kiske is much better that Michael Sweet, but I don't find his singing as effortless as most of Bruce's stuff. (I also don't particluarly like the happy-go-lucky lyrics; if I'm in a good mood, I'd rather listen to Louis Armstrong than some german castrato singing about how great and wonderful we all are.)

Also, I must say that one of my big comlaints about DoD, is precisely that Bruce's singing doesn't seem as effortless as it once did. Especially on the title track: it sounds as if Bruce is struggling to keep up with the band.
 
I think that Blaze songs are deffinitly different from Bruces, that's for sure. I think that from what I have heard from them they are worth buying and I've been looking for them in stores. Of course I'm having a bit of trouble finding them in mainstream stores. I never would have tbought of saying Virtual 11, that's going to take some getting used to.
 
[!--quoteo(post=128774:date=Feb 10 2006, 10:04 PM:name=Wicker Man)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Wicker Man @ Feb 10 2006, 10:04 PM) [snapback]128774[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
I never would have tbought of saying Virtual 11, that's going to take some getting used to.
[/quote]

I never would have thought of saying Virtual "X, I" ... why? XI is a roman number, doesn't make sense to me [img src=\"style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/sleep.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\" emoid=\"-_-\" border=\"0\" alt=\"sleep.gif\" /]
 
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