Personally I think the fan base would have had the same complaints if Maiden had gone down the short songs route. At some point, like the epics, they would all start to sound the same. After all, there are only so many riffs and chords progressions (especially in the keys Maiden stick with) that you can write. Especially when it is coming from the same group of people.
We are asking for more short songs per album (3-4, 2-3 epics, the rest 5-8 minutes), not to abandon the epics. A shorter song can feel more like a filler/weaker than an epic, at least with Maiden.
My thought on The Angel and the Gambler has always been that Steve wrote a complete "live participation" song and bafflingly recorded it in the studio, a la the much-extended Sanctuary from Live After Death.
This. A mistake, it could have been a fun short song.
I honestly think it's safer for Maiden to go "longer songs" route. With longer songs there is more room for creativity (whether they use it or not), but woth shorter ones you kinda have to nail and main riff and chorus and solo to make it worth, otherwise it would become parody of their older self.
I wouldn't call it safer, I don't think it's easier to write longer songs, it's just that Maiden are really good with them. Parody? Reunion era rockers aren't as fast compared to the 80s ones, so.
So you could also say they’re choosing the safe route with “complicated” epics while completely avoiding the challenge of writing truly kick-ass short songs. (I do agree that a short track has to be nailed perfectly—tight and spot-on—otherwise it just turns into filler or a forgettable, meh song.) In that sense, it feels like Iron Maiden are leaning toward scale over precision.
Good call.
Yeah, but Iron Maiden also had plenty of great banger-type songs during their golden years. The question is: why did they stop making them? Why fix what isn’t broken? (I remember Steve Harris saying he’s not really into that style anymore—which is a shame, and a big loss for us as fans.)
I think Steve just enjoys the longer songs more. That's it. He probably makes Dave's songs longer too. Adrian and Bruce should bring in more shorter material. And a band like Maiden, 3 guitars and their style, he has more room to be creative and interesting with longer stuff. It's not about filling up the space on a CD. Better with epics than short songs since the Reunion? It can be said.
I also feel Maiden has slightly lost the knack for writing standout shorter songs over the second half of their recording career. The shorter songs need that killer main riff and chorus. Its just that songs like 'Futureal' and 'Rainmaker' have become extremely rare in Maiden albums (both 10/10 songs for me for their style).
The tempo of the shorter songs has changed after 2006, that's probably the main difference. But I don't need every short rocker to be fast, variety is key. I enjoy the recent shorter songs as much as the ones before, that's why I want more of them, and for a balance. I also enjoy the epics ofc, always with Maiden.
It's not like there wasn't space on the disc for both. I prefer Pit, it's different and weird and honestly a bit silly but in a fun way.
^I think that's why it was chosen.
Also, for example, I don’t really consider The Alchemist and The Pilgrim by Iron Maiden to be true “bangers.” To me, those songs lack a certain attitude or punch needed for that category—but that’s just my personal take.
Edit: Now I’m listening to “Abduction” by Bruce Dickinson — a top-tier banger, if you ask me. Also “Silver Wings.” If Iron Maiden were ever to release a Powerslave II, “Silver Wings” should definitely open that album—ha ha.
I don't agree with those two Maiden songs, but Bruce's songs are indeed pure bangers. I really hope he brings them back for the new solo album, they were sadly abandoned for the latest release.
Kevin Shirley’s take on Atmos mixes — is it basically pointless for home listening? From his Facebook:
Hopefully the new album will sound better and with more power, Bruce admits that Atmos is a tricky production.
Smith/Kotzen played Wasted Years and had Bruce as a guest to sing it. It's tuned half a step lower (E flat instead of E) and Bruce sounds absolutely phenomenal.
I feel like Bruce would also want Maiden to use different tunings in the studio (live is different), but it's surprising for him to do that (live). Maybe because no warm-up?
A spoken word tour will be announced soon.
