Best song contest - Round 1, Part 11

Choose the best song in Virtual XI

  • Total voters
    39
  • Poll closed .
E

Eli

Educated Fool
Part 10 is over and Sign of the Cross was a clear winner. I was expecting 1 or 2 votes for The Unbeliever but at least it got mentioned in the comments by "MindRuler".

We're finishing the Blaze Bayley era with the inferior and one of the lowest ranked albums of the band. The Virtual XI...at least it gave us The Clansman! Maybe it gave more than that for some of you. Let's see...


Already in round 2: Phantom of the Opera, Killers, Hallowed Be Thy Name, Revelations, Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Caught Somewhere in Time, Infinite Dreams, No Prayer for the Dying, Fear of the Dark, Sign of the Cross
 
I remember when I bought (in 1998) and listened to Virtual XI... :facepalm: Apart from Futureal and The Clansman, this album is a quintessence of a fall from grace. Whining Fest and despair. This album IS the worst of all Maiden albums. Almost a year earlier Accident of Birth was released. Comparing these two You can clearly see how Mighty have Fallen.
I voted for Futureal. This song is one little gem. Explosive and to the point, and with crushing solos.
 
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I voted for Futureal which is my favorite Blaze-era song.

I don’t love (as in top 15 IM) any songs from the four 90s albums but I like almost every song on this one it’s my favorite 90s album by them.
 
I really like ‘Lightning Strikes Twice’ for its gorgeous, dreamy intro and hard hitting verses. So one lovely vote for it from me
 
"The Clansman" is clearly the best song on this third underrated album by Iron Maiden. I vote for it because I know it will win this round. Nevertheless, I still think that "Como Estais Amigos" could have a chance, because of its great melodies.
 
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Futureal for me. A great little classic-Maiden-esque rocker that opens the album with an energy that sadly doesn't always carry through the rest of the album. It's also probably the only song that doesn't suffer from production or performance issues, or need trimming down in any way.
 
Futureal and The Clansman are the tracks that I like most from this album. Also worth noting that Lightning Strikes Twice, When Two Worlds Collide, The Educated Fool and Como Estais Amigos are tracks that I like within the quality of this album. Even if these 2 Blaze albums have their moments, the last time I ranked albums (before Senjutsu) both were unfornately placed at the very bottom of the list.
 
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“Futureal” is the only track worth listening to on this otherwise tepid-to-abysmal album.

“The Clansman” isn’t the song so many people seem to think it is, especially in its album form. The opening is rhythmically disconnected, the guitar parts enter out of sync with each other, there’s crackling in the audio on top of some of the guitar leads, Blaze’s performance sucks, and the chorus is boring as shit. It’s fundamentally not a good song, and the production errors make it even worse. It’s passable live with Bruce, though.
 
"Futureal" is probably the worst Maiden opener ever, on par with "Different World". Yes, it takes work to write interesting lyrics and vocal melodies.

"The Clansman" would win if it weren't for the first two notes that remind me of "Infinite Dreams" too much and the fact it is a bit too long.

The contenders: "The Educated Fool", "DLTTEOAS" and "Como Estais Amigos".

The winner : "Como Estais Amigos"
 
Jer said:
“The Clansman” isn’t the song so many people seem to think it is, especially in its album form. The opening is rhythmically disconnected, the guitar parts enter out of sync with each other, there’s crackling in the audio on top of some of the guitar leads, Blaze’s performance sucks, and the chorus is boring as shit. It’s fundamentally not a good song, and the production errors make it even worse. It’s passable live with Bruce, though.
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Fundamentally not a good song? I think you’re using that kegerator too much, Old Speckled Hen is beginning to make you go balmy.

Anyway, the answer is obviously “Como Estais Amigos”, and “The Clansman” is a close second. Both better than anything on SSOASS. :ok:
 
Diesel 11 said:
Fundamentally not a good song?
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Nope, it's not. Bruce improves it by at least adding more than one note to the chorus.
Diesel 11 said:
I think you’re using that kegerator too much, Old Speckled Hen is beginning to make you go balmy.
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Well, it is a balm for the soul...
Diesel 11 said:
Anyway, the answer is obviously “Como Estais Amigos”, and “The Clansman” is a close second. Both better than anything on SSOASS. :ok:
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What's in your kegerator -- bleach...? :ninja:
 
The Clansman is a fun song, nothing special, but fun at least. A word I cannot equate with any other song on this album.

I'm conflicted though as to which is worse, Virtual XI or X Factor. X Factor is downright depressing with no highlights, Virtual XI is a bit happier but moronic and incredibly repetitive with really dull choruses. X Factor drum sound is really off putting, Virtual XI has a better drum sound. This was a very bad period for Iron Maiden. Next album please. (Bring back Bruce, bring back Adrian)
 
I loved this album when it came out, and love it still. Of course it's not Maiden at their best, of course Bruce squashed it in comparison when he came out the back-to-back colossi of Accident of Birth and The Chemical Wedding, and of course Bruce performs Clansman better than Blaze ever did, but I still consider it an underrated gem. Yes, Angel and the Gambler is repetitive, but it's fun if you fall into the groove and stop counting choruses. Also, to me the album plays like a reaction to the negative response the The X Factor--very few long, slow intros, much brighter sound, and a bunch of shorter, punchier songs like they did back in the '80s.

Not saying anyone's criticisms aren't valid because there are usually a fair number of good points brought up, but I just have a lot of fun with this album...though even I'll admit the Steve's football nerdgasm concept with the CD sleeve was probably cool only to him.
 
Dick Brucinson said:
I have listened to the album only once, when it came out. It's unbearable. The Clansman my vote.
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Only once?! Believe me there are too many great songs that I didn't like at first listen, and some of them are in my top 10 now. Every song deserves to be heard at least twice, and if it's your favourite band it deserves more. Just a friendly suggestion :)
 
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