Speed Of Light

How good is Speed of Light on a scale of 1-10?

  • Total voters
    20
I listened to this tune back-to-back with some SiT tracks, and other than the obvious production/tone differences, this would have fit quite well in that general time period. 9/10 for me.
 
Putting this in the same category as El Dorado, a really great rocker with cool ballsy riffs and catchy chorus, and just an overall very enjoyable song, while not being mind blowing in any way.
Cleverly done as well, with very cleverly done key modulations between every part of the song, achieving that great feeling of tension and release, making every part feel unique and exciting (something El Dorado does very well as well).
This song, as most of the songs on the album, should had been more polished, similar to for example Brave New World, multilayered Bruces' vocals on the chorus for example would had made it fatter and bigger.

But overall a great and memorable song, keeps the momentum going on the album, deserves an 8.

8/10
 
9/10

Speed of Light increases the pace. It’s a killer Deep Purple-esque rocker penned by Smith and Dickinson about traveling, naturally, at the speed of light. Bruce unleashes a wail over some silly cowbell hits before we get into the rollicking main portion of the song. Speed of Light is a classic upbeat Maiden rocker that recalls their early years, especially songs like 2 Minutes to Midnight. We get our first taste of a traditional Dave Murray and Adrian Smith solo duel here and it’s a beautiful thing. Bruce’s final wail at the end is one of my favorite vocal moments he has ever recorded. It sounds like he’s calling on the soul of Ronnie James Dio as he bellows, “We slip into the night!” This one is destined to be a concert staple for years to come.
 
Easy 9/10. It's a fun song, a great song, a classic song, one of the best out of Maiden's 21st century offerings. Might've worked better as the opener, but even as the second track it's great.
 
It's one of those songs made to be performed live, just like Death or Glory. It just sounds better live. And when it comes to songs resembling the early years, I prefer El Dorado, The Mercenary and even Death or Glory.

6/10
 
A solid catchy single. Every time I play it, it grows on me and I enjoy it a little more. The chorus is very memorable and the song overall is probably the most "accessible" on the album. Great for live shows (I can confirm from seeing them play it last year). 8.25/10
 
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This song is actually quite fun, especially live, but it's far from being great. It's the second-weakest track on the album (behind "Death or Glory"), and a terrible, really awful choice for a lead single since it does almost nothing for the rest of the album, showcasing something too reminiscent of Maiden's classic period which is definitely not what the band were aiming for with The Book of Souls. Nonetheless, it's a very good song, quite catchy, and the video kicks ass! Nice riff too. A 7.
 
I like their change in style towards more complex music, but it’s still nice to see that they can still put out (and pull off live) a great rocker like this one. From the lyrics to the solos, everything is pretty great. 9/10
 
A melodic intro gives way to the cowbell part we didn't know we needed(!), and a scream kicks off a strong uptempo verse. Bruce strains a bit in places. A stronger pre-chorus with nice melodic guitar builds into a bright, soaring, catchy chorus.

Another round of verse through chorus and we kick into a pair of great solos followed by a pre-chorus guitar reprise before falling back into the chorus and wrapping up with a big rock ending.

Short and to the point, this is an effective and appealing rocker that's knocked down a peg by Bruce's vocal struggles throughout the track. 7/10.
 
Malmsteen's and Strato's keyboarder are one and the same person. :)

Blaze - Speed of Light > Stratovarius - Speed of Light > Iron Maiden - Speed of Light > Malmsteen - Faster than the Speed of Light
 
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