rate all 17 Maiden albums best to worst

[Lost in a lost world]

i’m shocked at how low many people rate TFF.

I find it to be a well rounded and musically rich album. In fact, I’d say Maiden’s last three releases stand out as a testament to their continued musical growth, especially since so many other bands lose the plot or just rest on their laurels by the time they reach the stage that Maiden were in when they recorded those albums.

 

[jeanpoleon]

i’m shocked at how low many people rate TFF.

I find it to be a well rounded and musically rich album. In fact, I’d say Maiden’s last three releases stand out as a testament to their continued musical growth, especially since so many other bands lose the plot or just rest on their laurels by the time they reach the stage that Maiden were in when they recorded those albums.

Yes it's consistant, besides the title track every track sounds good in my ears. Some are actual bangers. I see a lot of hating on Mother of Mercy but it's definitely my favorite short track of the post reunion era

 

[Eddie's Uncle]

I was just joking it's nowhere near my favorite Maiden album. I love it though

Geez, you really got me

 

[Lost in a lost world]

Yes it's consistant, besides the title track every track sounds good in my ears. Some are actual bangers. I see a lot of hating on Mother of Mercy but it's definitely my favorite short track of the post reunion era

I even enjoy the title track, although the Satellite 15 intro is just sort of waiting for the song to start.

 

[The Garlon]

Tracks 5-10 of Final Frontier are perfect. Great album.

 

[MindRuler]

All the unlove that FOTD gets here is insane.

It´s a very unven album with too much filler.

 

[Vaenyr]

It´s a very unven album with too much filler.

Yeah, TFF could've used some trimming!

 

[Prowler]

By tiers:

S: Somewhere in Time, Powerslave, Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son, Piece of Mind.
A: Killers, The X Factor, A Matter Of Life And Death, The Number Of The Beast, Iron Maiden.
B: The Final Frontier, Dance Of Death
C: Senjutsu, No Prayer For The Dying, Brave New World, The Book Of Souls
D: Virtual XI
E: Fear Of The Dark

The closest to mine I've seen. I'd only swap BNW with X Factor and move No Prayer and TFF 2 tiers lower

 

[Prowler]

i’m shocked at how low many people rate TFF.

I find it to be a well rounded and musically rich album. In fact, I’d say Maiden’s last three releases stand out as a testament to their continued musical growth, especially since so many other bands lose the plot or just rest on their laurels by the time they reach the stage that Maiden were in when they recorded those albums.

The last 3 albums seemed bloated to me, especially BOS and all of them have some pretty boring material alongside good tracks.
TFF always ranked pretty low in my personal ranking. It was 15th or 16th, that low. Then I listened to a lot of No Prayer and FOTD before the latest tour to see if they are as bad as I remember them to be and they are even worse. So, TFF is now 13th-14th or so.
Senjutsu ranks a bit higher than the other 2, because of certain tracks ( Stratego and HoE). There isn't a single song in BOS or TFF that I like more than these 2.

 

[Lost in a lost world]

The last 3 albums seemed bloated to me, especially BOS and all of them have some pretty boring material alongside good tracks.
TFF always ranked pretty low in my personal ranking. It was 15th or 16th, that low. Then I listened to a lot of No Prayer and FOTD before the latest tour to see if they are as bad as I remember them to be and they are even worse. So, TFF is now 13th-14th or so.
Senjutsu ranks a bit higher than the other 2, because of certain tracks ( Stratego and HoE). There isn't a single song in BOS or TFF that I like more than these 2.

I agree with you on NPfD and FotD not aging into a good vintage.

Can’t agree on the last 3 albums. I think they are all strong works from Maiden.

Are you more into the NWOBHM side of Maiden?

I like the NWOBHM and more classic metal albums but tend more toward the prog rock aspect of Maiden. I also listen to stuff like Yes, Rush, and Tool. This is why I like Maiden’s last 3 albums more than their first 2, with a split on TNOTB, which has some of their best songs but also a few of their weakest.

 

[Prowler]

I agree with you on NPfD and FotD not aging into a good vintage.

Can’t agree on the last 3 albums. I think they are all strong works from Maiden.

Are you more into the NWOBHM side of Maiden?

I like the NWOBHM and more classic metal albums but tend more toward the prog rock aspect of Maiden. I also listen to stuff like Yes, Rush, and Tool. This is why I like Maiden’s last 3 albums more than their first 2, with a split on TNOTB, which has some of their best songs but also a few of their weakest.

I'm into both sides of Maiden. Well, maybe they got more than 2 sides. My favourites are the first 5 albums with Bruce and the 00s albums (especially BNW and AMOLAD). I grew up in the 00s and AMOLAD was the first new Maiden album I got. So, it's special for me. I think the first 3 reunion albums have a better balance of their 80s style and their current proggier style. Some people could call AMOLAD bloated, but imo it's the perfect balance.

 

[eddie666]

Piece of Mind – one hand tickles brain, the other punches face!
Killers – youthful vibrancy with a little experience.
Powerslave – golden logo for a reason.
The Final Frontier – out of the box brilliance.
Seventh Son – great songs.
No Prayer – dirty, don’t care attitude.
Iron Maiden – classic songs

Dance of Death – grown on me, but was always keen.
Brave New World – waned a bit, still very good.
Number of the Beast – sound great, songs commercial.
Somewhere In Time – Wasted in fantastic, some good, some meh.
Matter of Life and Death – can get tiresome, great drums.

Fear of the Dark – a couple good, NOT the title track. Bad production.
Senjutsu – some tuneful stuff, lots of pointlessness.
X Factor – couple of good ones, miserable.
Book of Souls – Light, Sorrows, Clown good, the rest wastes my life.
Virtual XI – lightweight, wet, but could rise above Souls.


Trying to merge different feelings on release(since November 1981), the growth/decline over the years, and the impression now.
Something like that.

 

[dickinson1978]

i’m shocked at how low many people rate TFF.

I find it to be a well rounded and musically rich album. In fact, I’d say Maiden’s last three releases stand out as a testament to their continued musical growth, especially since so many other bands lose the plot or just rest on their laurels by the time they reach the stage that Maiden were in when they recorded those albums.

El dorado,mother of mercy,coming home the talisman ill give that a 7. Avalon stablind 6 when the wild wind blows 7 too and the rest 4 or 5. Not a bad album but nothing new to see. Final frontier could be a boring can i play with madness

 

[Dick Brucinson]

Piece of Mind – one hand tickles brain, the other punches face!
Killers – youthful vibrancy with a little experience.
Powerslave – golden logo for a reason.
The Final Frontier – out of the box brilliance.
Seventh Son – great songs.
No Prayer – dirty, don’t care attitude.
Iron Maiden – classic songs

Dance of Death – grown on me, but was always keen.
Brave New World – waned a bit, still very good.
Number of the Beast – sound great, songs commercial.
Somewhere In Time – Wasted in fantastic, some good, some meh.
Matter of Life and Death – can get tiresome, great drums.

Fear of the Dark – a couple good, NOT the title track. Bad production.
Senjutsu – some tuneful stuff, lots of pointlessness.
X Factor – couple of good ones, miserable.
Book of Souls – Light, Sorrows, Clown good, the rest wastes my life.
Virtual XI – lightweight, wet, but could rise above Souls.


Trying to merge to different feelings on release(since November 1981), the growth/decline over the years, and the impression now.
Something like that.

Finally someone rating my personal favourite Maiden album rather high, which is NPFTD.
Anyway, I am quite with your list in general - only with POM as an exception. I could never get in that album and score it somewhat 3.5/10

 

[Eddie's Uncle]

It´s a very unven album with too much filler.

It does have fillers, no question. But not more than any other Maiden album that came after it, and it has at least 6 absolute bangers. A much higher ratio than all post reunion albums.

 

[MindRuler]

It does have fillers, no question. But not more than any other Maiden album that came after it,

Maybe only Dance Of Death .

and it has at least 6 absolute bangers.

Hmmm
Be Quick, Strangers, Judas, Childhood´s End and title track. That's 5.

A much higher ratio than all post reunion albums.

I beg to differ.

 

[Vaenyr]

It does have fillers, no question. But not more than any other Maiden album that came after it, and it has at least 6 absolute bangers. A much higher ratio than all post reunion albums.

AMOLAD has 10 bangers, but that's the great thing about opinions.

 

[Edington]

Hmmm
Be Quick, Strangers, Judas, Childhood´s End and title track. That's 5.

And From Here to Eternity and Wasting Love, two I'd place above Childhood's End. So it's at least seven

 

[MindRuler]

And From Here to Eternity and Wasting Love, two I'd place above Childhood's End. So it's at least seven

FHTE is a fun AC/DC-ish track nothing less but certainly nothing more.
Wasting Love is the weaker brother of Son Of A Gun so no thank you but to each his own.

 

[Prowler]

The only song off FOTD that I listen to nowadays is Judas.
If I ever listen to the title track, it'll be a live version (same for Afraid).
I never liked FHTE or Childhood's end or Wasting Love. The Fugitive, the Apparition, Weekend Warrior etc are meh at best (some of their worst tracks tbh). BQOBD is Ok-ish.
I've said it before, if this album wasn't named after this iconic track, it would even be worse than No Prayer or Virtual XI.