Bruce Dickinson Solovivor 2024: FINALS - Round 2
- Thread starter Diesel 11
- Start date
Kalata
Out of the Silent Planet
Road To Hell? This is even more madness than Man Of Sorrow's exit. FARCE!!!
Votes:
Chemical Wedding
Jerusalem
Acoustic Song - very beautiful ballad, I could have easily saved my vote for it, but I just like the other Best Of songs more. They are some of my favorites
Midnight Jam - nice vibe but feels more like an intro or outro
Dracula - typical song for the 70's, has a Priest/Purple vibe. Not bad, but not that good either
I could leave out the votes for TCW songs, but it wouldn't be fair. I felt obligated to vote for both songs because they are good (with different instrumental parts) and I like them.
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
Wicker - Dracula
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
Broken - Pretty kickass anthem about saying "fuck you!" to the world. Certainly not one of Bruce's deepest songs but the dual guitar is killer and it definitely is ripe to rip you out of your seat. Love the vocal layers in the bridge too. Could've been an awesome album opener to a hypothetical record between TCW and TOS but alas it doesn't exist. Should bring it back live.
Silver Wings - I don't think this one is quite as good as a lot of people think. It's mostly an "Aces High" retread with power metal verses and frankly I'd rather hear "Aces" or even "Tailgunner", which has a lot of similar lyrics. It's fine, but it's pretty cookie-cutter. Vote
Wicker Man - I can concede that this song feels a little unfinished and I can get why Bruce wasn't satisfied enough to put this out on AOB. That said, it's a terrifically moody track and was one of the first solo Bruce songs I ever heard. I love all the imagery - kind of a sister song to "Return of the King" - and the mantra finale is so fucking cool. Underrated.
Acoustic Song - Beautiful track. For such a relative throwaway (not even having a proper title!) this is such a gorgeous song that gets me right in the feels. So good.
Midnight Jam - Very much a dud. It's insane to hear "Sonata" 23 years after this track was first released and hear Bruce and Roy do the same thing in the same sessions and create something so much stronger than this bland-ass track. I know people are quick to go after "Sonata" but it really is so much stronger than "Midnight Jam" and I think that that at least counts as something. Vote
Dracula - Always impressed at how well-rounded this song is for such a young band. Silly lyrics, a catchy chorus, and the "waiting for the midnight hour" refrain coming full circle at the end. Great piece of history, although I'll still give it a Vote.
Silver Wings - I don't think this one is quite as good as a lot of people think. It's mostly an "Aces High" retread with power metal verses and frankly I'd rather hear "Aces" or even "Tailgunner", which has a lot of similar lyrics. It's fine, but it's pretty cookie-cutter. Vote
Wicker Man - I can concede that this song feels a little unfinished and I can get why Bruce wasn't satisfied enough to put this out on AOB. That said, it's a terrifically moody track and was one of the first solo Bruce songs I ever heard. I love all the imagery - kind of a sister song to "Return of the King" - and the mantra finale is so fucking cool. Underrated.
Acoustic Song - Beautiful track. For such a relative throwaway (not even having a proper title!) this is such a gorgeous song that gets me right in the feels. So good.
Midnight Jam - Very much a dud. It's insane to hear "Sonata" 23 years after this track was first released and hear Bruce and Roy do the same thing in the same sessions and create something so much stronger than this bland-ass track. I know people are quick to go after "Sonata" but it really is so much stronger than "Midnight Jam" and I think that that at least counts as something. Vote
Dracula - Always impressed at how well-rounded this song is for such a young band. Silly lyrics, a catchy chorus, and the "waiting for the midnight hour" refrain coming full circle at the end. Great piece of history, although I'll still give it a Vote.
Kalata
Out of the Silent Planet
Broken is one of his most ''modern'' sounding and heaviest songs. I love every part of it. The dual harmonies are Maiden-worthy. Both it and Silver Wings are some of my favorite solo songs. They would have been included in an album after TCW, but I wonder why Bruce didn't save one of them for TOS. Great openers, great live songs.
I'm curious what solo Roy would have played for it back then.
Wow.
Agreed, and maybe it feels that way, but Wicker Man would have been a perfect fit for the AOB album. Certainly more interesting than some songs (at least 2). The vibe and imagery are just so good.
This.
Black Bart
Ancient Mariner
I agree. What I really like in the song though is the rhythm change in the solo section.
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
Eliminated after Round 17:
Midnight Jam - 18 votes
Dracula (by Shots) - 18 votes
Acoustic Song - 16 votes
Wicker Man - 12 votes
Promoted after Round 17:
Broken
Silver Wings
ROUND 18
 | Tyranny of Souls (2005) 1. Mars Within (1:29) Dickinson/Z 2. Abduction (3:50) Dickinson/Z 3. Soul Intruders (3:52) Dickinson/Z 4. Kill Devil Hill (5:07) Dickinson/Z 5. Navigate the Seas of the Sun (5:51) Dickinson/Z 6. River of No Return (5:13) Dickinson/Z 7. Power of the Sun (3:29) Dickinson/Z 8. Devil on a Hog (4:01) Dickinson/Z 9. Believil (4:50) Dickinson/Z 10. A Tyranny of Souls (5:48) Dickinson/Z Bonus track: 11. Eternal (5:59) Dickinson/Z |
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
Mars Within - Very moody intro, Bruce definitely plays up the theatrics here. Great start to the album but I'll give it a Vote.
Abduction - Kickass from beginning to end. Heaviest riff in Bruce's discography to date (and won't be the last time the album really digs into the abyss for its guitarwork). Lots of Maiden nods with the melodic dual guitar melodies as Bruce sings about aliens and shit. The chorus rocks. The solo isn't my favorite style and is the first moment where you can hear Roy's guitarwork decline BUT it really fits the song and comes out into a cool double-tracked melody that I love. Great opener for sure.
Soul Intruders - A pummeling opening keeps the album trucking right along, although this is one of those moments where you can hear how the production isn't quite as good as what we've been used to from Roy. This one is kind of underrated, lots of soaring moments, a killer chorus, a cool solo, and absolutely crushing guitars. Great track.
Kill Devil Hill - If you thought "Abduction" was heavy, holy shit. Bruce retells the visions of Wilbur and Orville Wright and turns the flight of the first airplane into a heavy metal MONSTER. The verses conjure up God and Nature to demand success, the pre-chorus is teeming with anticipation, and that chorus. Oh my god. It SOARS. One of Bruce's most stunning moments without a doubt. The quiet outro juxtaposes all of this and makes you feel like we've just traveled back to the present, when planes have become the standard manner of travel all across the world. It's like you can see Bruce himself in the cockpit telling the brothers, "And look where we are today." Phenomenal song.
Navigate the Seas of the Sun - I sleep on this song a lot but it is impeccably arranged. The acoustic guitars take center stage but there are a ton of layers in this one. Definitely Roy Z at his best. Bruce is pretty soft throughout, only raising his voice up a couple times. Otherwise he plays the role of almost a fatherly figure, talking about flowers, Einstein and God, and the navigators of the solar system. Really beautiful ballad, complete with a Latin-inspired acoustic solo.
River of No Return - A spacey intro before the riff kicks in, which almost harkens to hair metal days but I love it. Bruce is quiet during the verses but erupts in the chorus. It's kind of a weird transition but it still works. There's some heavy riffing in the instrumental. This is one of those songs that definitely grew on me over the years and I really like it, but I'll give it a Vote given the competition.
Power of the Sun - I like this one less than I used to, but it's still a really good rocker. Injecting a nice amount of energy into the album's back half, Bruce tells of bustling cities spinning 24/7 without rest. The chorus is super fun. Another Vote but again, that's down the album's overall quality.
Devil on a Hog - I think this one is really underrated. A hard rocker with some dirty Sabbath riffage, this beast really comes to life in the bubbly chorus which has some amazing melodies courtesy of Roy Z. I wish I knew what that kind of melody is called because it's one of my favorite types in music in general. Great stuff.
Believil - The album's darkest horse but tremendously underrated, it's probably in my Top 3 from ToS. I love the atmospheric verses, with some really twisted lyrics about carcasses and shit. And then out of nowhere that chorus just crashes down on you like a wraith. Cool as fuck.
A Tyranny of Souls - Might be my least favorite song on the album but that's just because the competition is so fierce. It's another great song, this time coming from the perspective of the Macbeth witches. Bruce is in full theater mode here. The chorus is a belter. Probably could've gone even farther than it does but it's still a killer. The fact that we missed out on a version with Halford and Dio is a crime. Vote
Eternal - Beautiful ballad that at first seems like a one trick pony but gradually builds into a really moving piece. Amazing chorus and I love the music on this one. Giving it a Vote though.
Abduction - Kickass from beginning to end. Heaviest riff in Bruce's discography to date (and won't be the last time the album really digs into the abyss for its guitarwork). Lots of Maiden nods with the melodic dual guitar melodies as Bruce sings about aliens and shit. The chorus rocks. The solo isn't my favorite style and is the first moment where you can hear Roy's guitarwork decline BUT it really fits the song and comes out into a cool double-tracked melody that I love. Great opener for sure.
Soul Intruders - A pummeling opening keeps the album trucking right along, although this is one of those moments where you can hear how the production isn't quite as good as what we've been used to from Roy. This one is kind of underrated, lots of soaring moments, a killer chorus, a cool solo, and absolutely crushing guitars. Great track.
Kill Devil Hill - If you thought "Abduction" was heavy, holy shit. Bruce retells the visions of Wilbur and Orville Wright and turns the flight of the first airplane into a heavy metal MONSTER. The verses conjure up God and Nature to demand success, the pre-chorus is teeming with anticipation, and that chorus. Oh my god. It SOARS. One of Bruce's most stunning moments without a doubt. The quiet outro juxtaposes all of this and makes you feel like we've just traveled back to the present, when planes have become the standard manner of travel all across the world. It's like you can see Bruce himself in the cockpit telling the brothers, "And look where we are today." Phenomenal song.
Navigate the Seas of the Sun - I sleep on this song a lot but it is impeccably arranged. The acoustic guitars take center stage but there are a ton of layers in this one. Definitely Roy Z at his best. Bruce is pretty soft throughout, only raising his voice up a couple times. Otherwise he plays the role of almost a fatherly figure, talking about flowers, Einstein and God, and the navigators of the solar system. Really beautiful ballad, complete with a Latin-inspired acoustic solo.
River of No Return - A spacey intro before the riff kicks in, which almost harkens to hair metal days but I love it. Bruce is quiet during the verses but erupts in the chorus. It's kind of a weird transition but it still works. There's some heavy riffing in the instrumental. This is one of those songs that definitely grew on me over the years and I really like it, but I'll give it a Vote given the competition.
Power of the Sun - I like this one less than I used to, but it's still a really good rocker. Injecting a nice amount of energy into the album's back half, Bruce tells of bustling cities spinning 24/7 without rest. The chorus is super fun. Another Vote but again, that's down the album's overall quality.
Devil on a Hog - I think this one is really underrated. A hard rocker with some dirty Sabbath riffage, this beast really comes to life in the bubbly chorus which has some amazing melodies courtesy of Roy Z. I wish I knew what that kind of melody is called because it's one of my favorite types in music in general. Great stuff.
Believil - The album's darkest horse but tremendously underrated, it's probably in my Top 3 from ToS. I love the atmospheric verses, with some really twisted lyrics about carcasses and shit. And then out of nowhere that chorus just crashes down on you like a wraith. Cool as fuck.
A Tyranny of Souls - Might be my least favorite song on the album but that's just because the competition is so fierce. It's another great song, this time coming from the perspective of the Macbeth witches. Bruce is in full theater mode here. The chorus is a belter. Probably could've gone even farther than it does but it's still a killer. The fact that we missed out on a version with Halford and Dio is a crime. Vote
Eternal - Beautiful ballad that at first seems like a one trick pony but gradually builds into a really moving piece. Amazing chorus and I love the music on this one. Giving it a Vote though.
Jer
A window to the west, a blazing star above
Kalata
Out of the Silent Planet
Expected.
Votes:
Chemical Wedding
Mars Within - I think it's one of the best, but it's still just an Intro
Believil - the heavy middle part is great, but overall it's too similar to the title track and not an impressive song for me, despite the vibe.
TOS is my favorite album, so for this round I won't vote for the other songs. Love them.
Kalata
Out of the Silent Planet
Wow, I won't say that at all. Roy's guitar work on the album is great.
This.
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
Voting for everything from Tyranny except Abduction (the only great song), Navigate and River (the next best two).
Something about TOS just doesn't really ever get there for me. Is it technically his third best solo album? I guess so. But it just feels pretty average, even when it's good.
Something about TOS just doesn't really ever get there for me. Is it technically his third best solo album? I guess so. But it just feels pretty average, even when it's good.