X Factor & Virtual Xi

[!--quoteo(post=129553:date=Feb 23 2006, 03:17 AM:name=KUKOMAIDEN)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(KUKOMAIDEN @ Feb 23 2006, 03:17 AM) [snapback]129553[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
Why doesn't anyone like NPFTD? [img src=\"style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/sad.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\" emoid=\":(\" border=\"0\" alt=\"sad.gif\" /] What is it about that particular album no one likes?.. I think it's one of the best albums along with TXF. I may be biased since NPFTD that was my first IM album , I love the energy level [img src=\"style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/smile.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\" emoid=\":)\" border=\"0\" alt=\"smile.gif\" /] . I can't think of a maiden album without at least one good song. I have to say my least favorites are BNW and Virtual XI. Blaze is a great singer, Bruce a master and Virtual XI was collectively horrible because of the repetitiveness in the songs not just Blaze.
[/quote]

No Prayer is my least favourite album along with Killers, but that doesn't mean I think it's bad*. In fact, I think it is better than Fear Of The Dark, even though I personally like FOTD more (this sounds paradox, but it really isn't). The problem most people (including me) have with No NPFTD is that it lacks the depths of songwriting and musicianship that the predecessors had. It is also more "happy" sounding, which isn't everybody's cup of tea. Having said that, I think there are some really good songs on the album, such as Tail Gunner, the title track, Hooks In You (which most people don't like) or Mother Russia.

*I don't mean to imply that Killers is bad either. It has some absolutely brilliant songs on it, but it seems that the album as a whole still has to grow on me.

[!--quoteo(post=129574:date=Feb 23 2006, 09:53 AM:name=SilentLucidity)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(SilentLucidity @ Feb 23 2006, 09:53 AM) [snapback]129574[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
What about Perry Mason?
[/quote]

I saw one episode.
 
[!--quoteo(post=129553:date=Feb 23 2006, 03:17 AM:name=KUKOMAIDEN)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(KUKOMAIDEN @ Feb 23 2006, 03:17 AM) [snapback]129553[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
Why doesn't anyone like NPFTD? [img src=\"style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/sad.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\" emoid=\":(\" border=\"0\" alt=\"sad.gif\" /] What is it about that particular album no one likes?.. I think it's one of the best albums along with TXF. I may be biased since NPFTD that was my first IM album , I love the energy level [img src=\"style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/smile.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\" emoid=\":)\" border=\"0\" alt=\"smile.gif\" /] . I can't think of a maiden album without at least one good song. I have to say my least favorites are BNW and Virtual XI. Blaze is a great singer, Bruce a master and Virtual XI was collectively horrible because of the repetitiveness in the songs not just Blaze.
[/quote]


I like No Prayer very much. It has a live feel, especially the drum sound. Mother Russia is a great atmospheric song and Dave Murray made one of his best album contributions imo.

I like No Prayer better than Dance of Death, better than all the Di'Anno stuff and better than Virtual XI. I rate it in the same league as as TXF and even BNW.

@Perun: I disagree with the "happy" statement. It's a personal thing of course, but the only "happy" element of the album might be the guitar rif of Holy Smoke. The rest sounds pretty dark and serious to me.
 
[!--quoteo(post=128804:date=Feb 11 2006, 06:41 AM:name=Shadow)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Shadow @ Feb 11 2006, 06:41 AM) [snapback]128804[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
Blaze's voice was not ideal for the older stuff, but it fitted the new songs perfectly. Part of the reason he was chosen was probably that the band wanted another kind of voice to write for.

I personally believe Bruce leaving was entirely positive for both parts. Maiden got a chance to reinvent themselves and made one of the best pieces in their career, and Bruce went on to do four consecutive brilliant solo albums, including what I consider the best metal album of all time (TCW). If Bruce had stayed on, I suspect we would only have gotten another tired, uninspired Fear of the Dark.
[/quote]

I have to agree with everything above... it's hard to see it at the time because people are usually not fans of change... myself, especially...

IMO... and being a huge Adrian Smith fan this is hard to admit, but it was a much needed departure for Adrian when he decided to leave. The reason I say this is that just recently, I have gone back and watched some old Maiden concert footage and he truly looked like he did not want to be there anymore. There is a big difference in the Adrian Smith of SSOASS tour and the Adrian Smith on the Rock in Rio dvd and some of the footage I've seen from the DOD tour. To me, on the Maiden England tape, his heart just didn't seem to be into it. Also, we wouldn't have gotten, what is one of my all time favorite cds, A.S.A.P. - Silver & Gold if he hadn't gone out on his on.

I was very reluctant to give TXF and VXI a chance because it didn't have Adrian and Bruce... but I eventually did and I'm very happy that I did. I would have missed out on some very good music had I not given them a chance. I personally don't think that Bruce's voice at the time would have worked, especially on TXF and especially his voice as it was on NPFTD and FOTD. A very big difference in his vocals on those two albums and Maiden's "golden years". Maiden during the mid to late 90s needed Blaze.
 
[!--quoteo(post=129620:date=Feb 23 2006, 06:33 PM:name=cts24)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(cts24 @ Feb 23 2006, 06:33 PM) [snapback]129620[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
Also, we wouldn't have gotten, what is one of my all time favorite cds, A.S.A.P. - Silver & Gold if he hadn't gone out on his on.
[/quote]

ASAP was done before H quit Maiden. But we wouldn't have gotten Psycho Motel, which is quite nice to listen to.
 
TXF actually bored the hell out of me at first, but I've been listening to it for the past couple of nights and some of the songs sound so much beter than they did at first. I especially like 'The Edge of Darkness' and 'Look for the Truth' now.
 
[!--quoteo(post=129621:date=Feb 23 2006, 12:48 PM:name=Perun)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Perun @ Feb 23 2006, 12:48 PM) [snapback]129621[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
ASAP was done before H quit Maiden. But we wouldn't have gotten Psycho Motel, which is quite nice to listen to.
[/quote]

oops.... [img src=\"style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/ohmy.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\" emoid=\":eek:\" border=\"0\" alt=\"ohmy.gif\" /]
guess I need to brush up on my Maiden history before hijacking threads....
sorry 'bout that....
need to give Psycho Motel a listen as well...
did H sing on that or just play guitar?
 
[!--quoteo(post=129633:date=Feb 23 2006, 10:15 PM:name=cts24)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(cts24 @ Feb 23 2006, 10:15 PM) [snapback]129633[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
oops.... [img src=\"style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/ohmy.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\" emoid=\":eek:\" border=\"0\" alt=\"ohmy.gif\" /]
guess I need to brush up on my Maiden history before hijacking threads....
sorry 'bout that....
need to give Psycho Motel a listen as well...
did H sing on that or just play guitar?
[/quote]

The singer was a guy named Solli.

I need to warn you though, the music is very different from ASAP or Maiden. It's modern rock, not too unlike Bruce's "Skunkworks". It's a good listen, but I'm still glad H went to join Bruce later on.
 
I finally was able to find TXF in a store and I think it's a great album. When I first turned it on I was expecting something that was going to sound fairly bad but would sound really good once it grew on me, (thats's what this forum had led me to expect). I really didn't find it that way at all, I thought some of it was actually quite catchy, especially Fortunes of War (good catchy, not bad made for single catchy) when I first heard it I was almost ready to jump up and sing along, but I think that would of really scared the other people in the room who had no idea what was going on. My only complaints would be as someone stated above it was a bit repetative, but it wasn't really that bad. My biggest complaint would be with Sign of the Cross how the first minute and a half is moks chanting. I know one of the big things on this album was the dark omnious intros, but this gets annoying. Especially when I just want to hear the song and the fast forward button is broken on my cd player, so because of that I end up skipping Sign of the Cross a lot, which is too bad for me because it's a great song. I found that when you listen to them alone man on the Edge and Lord of the Flies sound like typical Maiden songs, but when you listen to them on TXF they sound out of place to me. One more thing, what the hell is up with the intro to Blood on the Worlds Hands?
 
I think the Gregorian chanting at the beginning of SOTC is brilliant, and creates the mood for the rest of the song, fits perfectly.

And what's wrong with the intro of Blood On The World's Hands? It's an acoustic bass intro played by Steve... I love it!
 
[!--quoteo(post=129637:date=Feb 23 2006, 07:54 PM:name=TheTrooper666)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(TheTrooper666 @ Feb 23 2006, 07:54 PM) [snapback]129637[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
I think the Gregorian chanting at the beginning of SOTC is brilliant, and creates the mood for the rest of the song, fits perfectly.

And what's wrong with the intro of Blood On The World's Hands? It's an acoustic bass intro played by Steve... I love it!
[/quote]
I think the chanting could have been a bit shorter, I mean after the first 20 seconds I think I get the idea that they're chanting, I don't need another minute to wrap my head around that. And as for the Blood on the World's Hands intro I found the fast parts sounded too...well fast is the only word that I can think of using. I think it just sounded out of place, but maybe that's just me.
 
I was listening to The X Factor for the first time in quite a while yesterday and realised some annoying things that I didn't really see before. I hate to flame such a worthy topic, but some things must be said:
  • The production on The X Factor is rubbish. The guitars are barely audible and since it was recorded at the "Barnyard Studios", I think Steve Harris shouldn't really have produced the album.
  • Blaze's voice is, really, shallow. We know how he can sing in an Operatic style and I'm not criticising his range, it's again the production. I think his voice should have been double tracked, or at least support vocals from other members.
  • The start of "Blood on the World's Hands" is pathetic ::
  • "The Unbeliever" lasts too long and is too slow paced at some parts. especially so after a full hour of music before this.
  • "Sign of the Cross" has a very boring build up.
  • The lyrics on "Man on the Edge" should not have been left to Blaze. They are too stupid and light hearted or such an atmospheric song/album.
Despite these minor setbacks, TXF is still one of my favourite albums and a very underrated one at that. 9/10 [img src=\"style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/cool.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\" emoid=\"B)\" border=\"0\" alt=\"cool.gif\" /]

I may edit this and make a similar constructive criticism for VXI [img src=\"style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/wink.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\" emoid=\";)\" border=\"0\" alt=\"wink.gif\" /]
 
[!--quoteo(post=129672:date=Feb 24 2006, 06:08 PM:name=Conor)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Conor @ Feb 24 2006, 06:08 PM) [snapback]129672[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]"Sign of the Cross" has a very boring build up.[/quote]
:: How can you say that?
 
[!--quoteo(post=129674:date=Feb 24 2006, 05:14 PM:name=SilentLucidity)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(SilentLucidity @ Feb 24 2006, 05:14 PM) [snapback]129674[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
:: How can you say that?
[/quote]
2 minutes of incomprhensible moaning doesn't appeal to me, especially as an album opener. No wonder Maiden fans felt disappointed at a first listen [img src=\"style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/sleep.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\" emoid=\"-_-\" border=\"0\" alt=\"sleep.gif\" /]
 
Have you ever heard of something called "atmosphere"? The build-up of 'Sign Of The Cross' is similar - albeit a bit longer - to that of 'Hallowed Be Thy Name'. It's a shame that you don't appreciate such beauty... [img src=\"style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/sad.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\" emoid=\":(\" border=\"0\" alt=\"sad.gif\" /]
 
[!--quoteo(post=129676:date=Feb 24 2006, 05:28 PM:name=SilentLucidity)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(SilentLucidity @ Feb 24 2006, 05:28 PM) [snapback]129676[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
Have you ever heard of something called "atmosphere"? The build-up of 'Sign Of The Cross' is similar - albeit a bit longer - to that of 'Hallowed Be Thy Name'. It's a shame that you don't appreciate such beauty... [img src=\"style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/sad.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\" emoid=\":(\" border=\"0\" alt=\"sad.gif\" /]
[/quote]
Maybe I'm just easily bored or something but I just can't wait for the first guitar bits to start. Actually the start isn't that bad, I just needed to put an extra bullet point in to make my post look bulkier. As far as the intro goes, i'll agree with the "sexperts", [!--quoteo--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]anticipation heightens pleasure[/quote] [img src=\"style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/tongue.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\" emoid=\":p\" border=\"0\" alt=\"tongue.gif\" /]
 
[!--quoteo(post=129677:date=Feb 24 2006, 06:31 PM:name=Conor)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Conor @ Feb 24 2006, 06:31 PM) [snapback]129677[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
anticipation heightens pleasure
[/quote]
Indeed. What would be the point of foreplay otherwise? Maybe you're a bit too young to understand, but you will... when the time is right. [img src=\"style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/smile.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\" emoid=\":)\" border=\"0\" alt=\"smile.gif\" /]
 
[!--quoteo(post=129672:date=Feb 24 2006, 06:08 PM:name=Conor)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Conor @ Feb 24 2006, 06:08 PM) [snapback]129672[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
[*]The production on The X Factor is rubbish. The guitars are barely audible and since it was recorded at the "Barnyard Studios", I think Steve Harris shouldn't really have produced the album.[/quote]

There is not as much emphasis on the guitars as on the other albums. But I don't think this is a bad thing. While the guitar is my favourite instrument, I still like how the album explores other musical fields.

[!--quoteo--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--][*]Blaze's voice is, really, shallow. We know how he can sing in an Operatic style and I'm not criticising his range, it's again the production. I think his voice should have been double tracked, or at least support vocals from other members.[/quote]

Blaze's voice may be shallow at some parts, but mostly, I think it's good.

[!--quoteo--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--][*]The start of "Blood on the World's Hands" is pathetic ::[/quote]

It makes the song twice as haunting and apocalyptic, in my opinion.

[!--quoteo--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--][*]"The Unbeliever" lasts too long and is too slow paced at some parts. especially so after a full hour of music before this.[/quote]

Whenever the songs ends, I just sit there thinking "wow".

[!--quoteo--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--][*]"Sign of the Cross" has a very boring build up.[/quote]

Matter of taste.

[!--quoteo--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--][*]The lyrics on "Man on the Edge" should not have been left to Blaze. They are too stupid and light hearted or such an atmospheric song/album.[/quote]

Light-hearted? :: Do you know what the song is about?
 
[!--quoteo(post=129679:date=Feb 24 2006, 05:46 PM:name=Perun)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Perun @ Feb 24 2006, 05:46 PM) [snapback]129679[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
Light-hearted? :: Do you know what the song is about?
[/quote]
Of course I know what the song is about, this is why I protest to the lyrics:

"Once he built missiles a nation's defence
Now he can't even give birthday presents"

"A briefcase, a lunch and a man on the edge"

"The car is an oven and baking is wild"

I think the words are made to rhyme without thought given to how they really sound in context to the song.

[!--quoteo(post=129679:date=Feb 24 2006, 05:46 PM:name=Perun)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Perun @ Feb 24 2006, 05:46 PM) [snapback]129679[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
Blaze's voice may be shallow at some parts, but mostly, I think it's good.
[/quote]
A single tracked voice sounds too shallow on an album with heavy bass and drums. It's not Blaze's fault, it is the production team's [img src=\"style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/wink.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\" emoid=\";)\" border=\"0\" alt=\"wink.gif\" /]

I can't really contest the rest of your statements as everything is opinion. bear in mind I do really like this album, I just think the production brings it from 10/10 to 9/10 [img src=\"style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/cool.gif\" style=\"vertical-align:middle\" emoid=\"B)\" border=\"0\" alt=\"cool.gif\" /]
 
[!--quoteo(post=129680:date=Feb 24 2006, 03:29 PM:name=Conor)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Conor @ Feb 24 2006, 03:29 PM) [snapback]129680[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
Of course I know what the song is about, this is why I protest to the lyrics:

"Once he built missiles a nation's defence
Now he can't even give birthday presents"

[/quote]

I'll agree with you about those two lines seeming like they were written to rhyme. I think that "now he can't even give birthday presents" is a fairly stupid line, (keeping in mind this is all just my opinion).
 
I personally think the lesser emphasis on the guitars works well in some of the darker songs, but a more straight-forward track like Man on the Edge really loses a bit of the, well, edge that kind of song needs, which IMO makes it less memorable and easily my least favourite song on the album. Other than that I think it's a brilliant album in more or less every respect.
 
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