Deserves more respect

After the crushing disappointment of NPFTD and FOTD, I confess I couldn't face X-Factor initially and it was the first time since 1981 that I didn't see Maiden live. I eventually listened to it a couple of months before Virtual XI was released and I was immediately intrigued.

The most obvious thing about the album is that Blaze is not as good a vocalist as Bruce, but then who is? He's a good singer in his own right, but coming into Maiden after so long with Bruce fronting them, he had to cover a lot of material that was written for a very different voice. I get the impression from this album that Steve hadn't fully adapted to Blaze's voice, which is why some of these songs sound better with Bruce doing them. The other obvious thing about this album is that compared to all it's predecessors, this is a very slow paced and dark album.

All of that sounds really negative, yet I have grown to really like this album. The quality of all of the songs here is far superior to most of what is on the previous two albums. Iron Maiden sounded like they had a new lease of life in them and overall it seemed like the right move to have a change of vocalist. This is the only album, other than SSOASS that I have to listen to from start to finish, in order. This isn't a concept album, but it's such a cohesive album that it really benefits from being listened to this way.

This isn't a typical Maiden album, and I wouldn't suggest it as a starting point for a new fan, but it is a seriously good album. The fact that it doesn't feature higher on my ranked list of Maiden albums say more about the strength of their other albums rather than any weakness in this one. Make no mistake, this is a very good album. My youngest son was born at around this time and he is called Blayze, which says a lot about how highly I regard this album. You have to admire anyone who tries to step into Bruce's shoes and overall, Blaze made a very promising start
 
. My youngest son was born at around this time and he is called Blayze, which says a lot about how highly I regard this album.
I love this. My youngest daughter was born at the start of this year and I have referred to her endlessly as 'Blaze Baby' to no-ones amusement except my own. Eventually my wife's nerves snapped and she had agreed I can call our future Dog Blaze Bayley if I shut up.
 
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