The Book of the Final Frontier

Yax

Yax

Ancient Mariner
I have been thinking lately about TFF and TBoS. I think both albums have some really good songs, and TBoS in particular flows well as an album, but many songs don't hold up on their own. While TFF is a bit more direct and TBoS is a little more showoff/artsy many tracks on respective albums could have worked just as well on the other record. Which brings me to this: You could make a hell of an album if you used the songs from each record that flows well with eachother. Would at the very least make a top 5 album to me.

So I sequenced a Spotify playlist out of it. There's a bit of a "kill your darlings" situation going on, where I left a song I really like (i.e. starblind) off the playlist to make it into a better entirety. Anybody else who thinks these two albums consists of almost interchangeable songs (I think they are the most similar pair in this regard in the entire catalog)? Would anybody else want to have a go with sequencing a playlist and post?
 

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CD 1
1. Isle of Avalon
2. Starblind
3. Speed of Light
4. Coming Home
5. The Red and The Black

CD 2
6. Death Or Glory
7. The Book of Souls
8. Tears of A Clown
9. The Talisman
10. Empire of the Clouds

At 89 minutes long, this would be Maiden's best ever album for me.
 
Well that won't work.
TFF is possibly my favorite Maiden album right now and TBOS is never likely to be played again.
 
If I had to...
DISC 1
1. If Eternity Should Fail
2. El Dorado
3. The Great Unknown
4. The Red and The Black
5. Shadows of the Valley
6. The Book of Souls
DISC 2
7. Isle of Avalon
8. Starblind
9. The Talisman
10. Empire of the Clouds
 
If anything El Dorado fits with the "Mayan" theme of Book of Souls. Would have been cool if they included it in the setlist for that tour, but I don't see how these albums are really all that connected to one another or even within themselves.
 
KidInTheDark666 said:
El Dorado is a song that should make a live comeback for sure. It's been almost 10 years and no TFF song has made its live return yet.
Click to expand...

I think I've said this before, but The Final Frontier is the No Prayer for the Dying of the reunion era. I just don't think the band have much of an affection to it.
 
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Whooten said:
If anything El Dorado fits with the "Mayan" theme of Book of Souls. Would have been cool if they included it in the setlist for that tour, but I don't see how these albums are really all that connected to one another or even within themselves.
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I think you could pretty reasonably swap Speed of Light with El Dorado and the end result would be a pair of much more album-appropriate lead singles, thematically.
 
Powerslave

1. Aces High
2. Two Minutes to Midnight
3. Revelations
4. The Duellists
5. Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)

6. Flight of Icarus
7. Powerslave
8. Rime of the Ancient Mariner

:notworthy:
 
I haven't listened to Maiden in a long while.
Put on TFF and loved every minute(okay, the intro is overlong and Bruce's overdubs on the title track are occasionally weird). It's seriously vying for top three status in my Maiden album list.
So I decided to give TBOS another chance. Nope, still a lazy, bloated bore. Eternity feels unfinished and could've been very good. Speed is probably the best, but it's no Eldorado.
Sorrows and Clown have interesting musicality, but my pants aren't on fire.
There are a few moments of possibilities, but they're all dashed.
The difference between these two records is monumental in my eyes and ears. Keep TFF and bin TBOS.
 
Disc 1:
  1. If Eternity Should Fail
  2. El Dorado
  3. The Great Unknown
  4. The Alchemist
  5. Isle Of Avalon
  6. The Talisman
  7. When The Wild Wind Blows
Disc 2:
  1. The Final Frontier
  2. Death Or Glory
  3. The Book Of Souls
  4. The Red And The Black
  5. Empire Of The Clouds
 
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Magnus said:
Why not The Final Book Of Fear And Dying Matter then:

1. Fates Warning
2. The Assassin
3. Judas Be My Guide
4. Fear Of The Dark
5. For The Greater Good Of God
6. Mother Of Mercy
7. The Great Unknown

40:07
Click to expand...
I wouldn't go that far.... I think that AMOLAD is an excellent album and both TFF and TBOS are prety solid ones. On the other hand No Prayer For The Dark would've been a greaaaaaat idea:
  1. Be Quick Or Be Dead
  2. Afraid To Shoot Strangers
  3. Tailgunner
  4. Run Silent Run Deep
  5. Fates Warning
  6. Mother Russia
  7. Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter
  8. Fear Of The Dark

Now that album would be cool... Not top notch but cool.
 
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Azas said:
Powerslave

1. Aces High
2. Two Minutes to Midnight
3. Revelations
4. The Duellists
5. Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)

6. Flight of Icarus
7. Powerslave
8. Rime of the Ancient Mariner

:notworthy:
Click to expand...
Powerslave:
  1. Aces High
  2. 2 Minutes To Midnight
  3. Losfer Words
  4. Flash Of The Blade
  5. The Duelists
  6. Back In The Village
  7. Powerslave
  8. Rime Of The Ancient Mariner

:D:D:D:D:D:D
 
eddie666 said:
Put on TFF and loved every minute(okay, the intro is overlong and Bruce's overdubs on the title track are occasionally weird). It's seriously vying for top three status in my Maiden album list.
Click to expand...
I get a similar feeling. Despite not being one of my top records (it ranks at a solid 11th place) TFF is a record that hasn't got a single bad song. Some of them I really adore (The Talisman, WTWWB ), others I really Like (The Final Frontier, El Dorado, The Alchemist, Isle Of Avalon), but even the 3 songs I listen to the least (Coming Home, Starblind and The Man Who Would Be King) I find them really damn enjoyable and give them a spin from times to times.

The same can't be said about The Book Of Souls although it ranks at the immediate position in my top at 12th place. I don't like Shadows Of The Valley, Speed Of Light is too derivative and Man Of Sorrows, without being a bad song by any sorts, is a bit boring. Empire Of The Clouds is not my cup of tea and The Red And The Black features excellet passages that could be way better organized and perfected (the lead guitar mimicking the voice - or vice versa - for the majority of the 1st part of the song is too basic, the fact they don't repeat that marvelous refrain, etc...). Sure , It deserved more polishing but I really like If Eternity Should Fail, The Great Unknown, When The River Runs Deep and Death Or Glory. Tears is also enjoyable but the title track is the biggest thing around here as far as I'm concerned: epic monster of a song!

So yeah... I prefer The Final Frontier but also don't think there's that much of a gap in quality among those two albums: they're two great recordings if I take in account the longevity of the band and that I still put them in front of 4 earlier records...
 
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CD 1
1.The Final Frontier
2.The Red And The Black
3.Speed Of Light
4.Isle Of Avalon
5.The Book Of Souls

CD 2
6.Death Or Glory
7.Starblind
8.Shadows Of The Valley
9.Coming Home
10.The Talisman

bonus songs: WTWWB, The Alchemist, IESF and EOTC. | ...This was a lot harder than I thought.
 
1. Death or Glory
2. El Dorado
3. Tears of a Clown
4. The Talisman
5. Speed of Light
6. When The Wild Wind Blows
7. If Eternity Should Fail
8. The Book of Souls
9. Empire of the Clouds

In my opinion, this would be a great one CD selection (it clocks at 79 minutes).
 
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