Poll: To produce or not to produce?

If a miracle happens and fans are allowed to vote, which option would you choose:

  • The Band continues to work with Kevin Shirley.

    Votes: 11 28.9%
  • The Band waives the services of Kevin Shirley. Available: Roy Z, Andy Sneap, Fredrik Nordstrröm.

    Votes: 27 71.1%

  • Total voters
    38
I think that either Magnus or Jer will produce the next Iron Maiden album. Basing this off of hidden clues in the artwork and 5G.
 

Gonna be controversial, but this is an example of modern heavy metal production that I would like Maiden to sound like. Band sounds a bit Maiden-ish, doesn't use double bass either.

Better produced than DOD, TFF and TBOS. Loud drums and guitars, and noticeable bass. Most importantly, the sound has punch to it that Maiden has been missing for a while.
 

Gonna be controversial, but this is an example of modern heavy metal production that I would like Maiden to sound like. Band sounds a bit Maiden-ish, doesn't use double bass either.

Better produced than DOD, TFF and TBOS. Loud drums and guitars, and noticeable bass. Most importantly, the sound has punch to it that Maiden has been missing for a while.

IRYO.
 
I'd like Maiden to sound a bit like the last Opeth album. Not muddy, enough room for all instruments and voice. Modern with nice arrangements.
This. Polished studio - STUDIO - work. Not muddy, 'let's play it live in the studio' thing. :mad: Modern Maiden albums would sound so much better.
 
I think the problem with Maiden's production is Steve Harris, unfortunately. Unfortunate because it won't change. Maiden's production quality hasn't been up to snuff ever since he got more hands on with the production. The one exception is Brave New World, but that's only because he gave the producer space to work with.

Maiden's is Steve's baby, he deserves to have an input, but a man has got to know his limitations.
 
What I've always appreciated with reunion era Maiden is how they don't sound too overly polished (BNW by far being the most produced album with the amount of sample replacement going on). A lot of Metal music, while sounding aggressive, doesn't sound natural. Maiden's Shirley era albums almost exclusively sound well mixed without being overly tampered with. The snare drums don't have excessive amounts of low end with over the top compression, three layered samples so that every hit sound the same (Dream Theater and Primal Fear anyone?). Iron Maiden are looking for an authentic sound, with one leg in the sound of old and one in the realm of today. Now, I'm not happy with everything Maiden have created with Shirley at the helm (only really love the AMOLAD and BNW production, yet only dislike TBOS and the original DoD release), but they stay true to the somewhat authentic recording sound and more importanly, to the general Maiden sound rather than trying to sound like everybody else. I guess Steve Harris is largely to credit/blame for this - I do however believe Steve isa bit too dominant on the production side of things, and Shirley could have made the rest of the albums sound better if he was given more leeway.
 
I think the problem with Maiden's production is Steve Harris, unfortunately. Unfortunate because it won't change. Maiden's production quality hasn't been up to snuff ever since he got more hands on with the production. The one exception is Brave New World, but that's only because he gave the producer space to work with.

Maiden's is Steve's baby, he deserves to have an input, but a man has got to know his limitations.
Peter Principle.
Or Percy Principle.
 
It’s also important to recognize that Shirley is the compromise pick. Bruce insisted on a producer when coming back. If it were up to Steve, there would be no producer. They had to get the most hands off guy possible while still turning in a professional sounding product. Shirley does a good job threading the needle usually. When he doesn’t, it’s because of meddling from Steve (DoD).
To be honest, TBOS had more performance issues than production issues IMO.
The biggest flaw of TBOS is fake orchestra and Bruce’s midi corrected 1 finger piano playing on Empire Of the Clouds. They could’ve really gone the extra mile to create something special there. Hoping Bruce does this on his own at some point.
 
The biggest flaw of TBOS is fake orchestra

Yep. This is a major issue with Reunion-era Maiden unfortunately. They go for cheap keyboard sounds to do orchestral background stuff instead of putting actual musicians together. It's really annoying because they obviously have the budget and the brand name to do it.
 
Yep. This is a major issue with Reunion-era Maiden unfortunately. They go for cheap keyboard sounds to do orchestral background stuff instead of putting actual musicians together. It's really annoying because they obviously have the budget and the brand name to do it.
Could be worse. Could be like Priest's Nostradamus orchestra bits (although they did get Don Airey to score it).
 
Firepower is a good model of what this would sound like. A classic 80s level of pristine but with modern technology and sound. I’m skeptical that it would fit the proggier sound of modern Maiden. For what Priest are currently doing it was perfect (if not somewhat generic).
I think that perhaps more than any band, Priest needed dragging out of that musty 70s broom cupboard sound. I get that it was meant to sound retro and true to their earlier recordings, but hell it sounded shockingly dated.
 
I think that perhaps more than any band, Priest needed dragging out of that musty 70s broom cupboard sound. I get that it was meant to sound retro and true to their earlier recordings, but hell it sounded shockingly dated.
Are you referring to Redeemer? That was a clusterfuck... Jugulator however - Fuckin great.
 
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