Darkest Hour

How good is Darkest Hour on a scale of 1-10?


  • Total voters
    29

Jon

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Staff member
Thread for all discussion of the track 'Darkest Hour' from Iron Maiden's 17th studio album 'Senjutsu'.
 
This track, man... This track. I've been listening to it on repeat. It's one of the most emotional Bruce performances. Hands down best song along with The Time Machine on the album. W O W. There have been tracks like Coming Home, but in this one, Bruce enters another dimension vocally. Infuckingcredible.
 
One of my favourites after one listen. Really emotional. Bruce carries this song. The chorus is simply great. I think Janick plays some licks during the last chorus? Really nice playing if I remember correctly. This could be a fantastic live song.
 
My early choice for track of the album. Hope it's played live. Adrian really saved this album.
 
Really melodic and calm song yet with a tragic and dark tone to it. Well written and it would easily fit in any one of later Dickinson's solo records (it's no coincidence... just check the authors). The sang intro and verses sounds a bit like Gates Of Urizen. As I said before it's a really well put together song in an already over used typology in metal. But damn... this thing conveys such a sense of dread and sadness alongside the lyrics it really becomes a tad bit too depressive. But what you expect from a WWII inspired song from the human perspective anyway? 7/10
 
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The bit in the lyrics about Winston Churchill standing alone is nauseatingly fetid.

The seagulls remind me of one taking my rhubarb and custard ice cream last year in Dorset.

Emotional singing, great solos, but inferior to Coming Home if we were to compare similar recent songs.

Very good song, but worse than The Longest Day when it comes to moving WWII songs.
 
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This opening lead guitar riff ... I liked it more the first time I heard it, at the beginning of "Victim of Changes". :cool:

If you sped this up a bit -- give it the "33 rpm record played at 45 rpm" treatment -- I think it would become a good uptempo rocker. This song sounds like slow-motion to me.
 
This is now my favourite Maiden ballad (H should write more of them), not too impressed with the lyrics but the musical performance of the whole band is outstanding on this one. Hope this gets it due in the live act can see it being a very emotional setpiece to the show. Usually not been a fan of when Maiden attempt things like this but Darkest Hour really knocks it out the park, I've been waiting for them to really get it right and they delivered.
 
I love Coming Home, but I feel like this will surpass it over time. Wonderful chorus and H's solo is fantastic. My only gripe is with Dave using the exact same specific phrase from his CH solo here as well. It really throws me off every time I hear it. Nevertheless a great song.
 
Nicko is so good on this album but I realized it the first time, during the second(!) listening session when Darkest Hour happened. The first album listening session was more focused on the melodies (guitar, bass, Bruce), riffs and solos.

Relaxed but secure playing and some mighty enjoyable rolls during Adrian's solo. Adrian's Darkest Hour solo is probably my favourite by him on this album, topping his work in The Writing on the Wall.

Also check what Nicko does with his cymbals in the beginning. These double crash cymbal hits work very well over that atmospheric, calm intro.
God bless Nicko. He makes our favourite band a real band with real human presence in the music. Wonderfully produced.
 
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Darkest Hour could be perfectly fitted in The Final Frontier album, same atmosphere.

Another song with a superb guitar solo by Adrian Smith.

I'm only still a little bit reticent about the chorus, but I think it will grew on me.
 
Darkest Hour is my favorite from the record right now, atypical, great melodies & performances without a doubt my best Maiden ballad. CD2 is an absolute beast from start to finish.

I got Chemical Wedding vibes mostly but Tears of the Dragon came to mind at times too.
 
Sounds pretty run-of-the mill to me :S
The only interesting part are the the kick ass solos

Doesn't even resemble the wonderful Gates of Urizen ("...from the void, a crimson fortress rises", serious goosebumps - where's that in DH?)
 
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