Fear is the Key

How good is Fear is the Key on a scale of 1-10?


  • Total voters
    9
A very good song overall, despite an instrumental part (including the part with the voice-over) that lacks focus. One of the best verse-chorus sequence in Maiden's catalogue.
 
Kind of an unique song for Maiden. There is something very weird about it but I can't quite tell what it is. 7
 
A strong opening riff moves into an intriguing verse about AIDS and everything feels rather decent if not outstanding. Then the acoustic thing comes around and it's all sorts of wonkers. Average Maiden song, nothing really too offensive, but it's not one of their best by any stretch of the imagination. 5
 
A different type of song for Maiden. The riff is good and the chorus too. The twin-lead guitar harmony in the middle is a highlight, but after it the song becomes strange (only the screams are good during that part). Good solo from Janick. A unique song. 6/10
 
According to Dickinson, the lyrics refer to his epidemic
AIDS, which, since its inception, has radically changed the way
which sexual intercourse is treated, having established its fear
HIV infection. As inspiration for the lyrics, he mentioned him
death of Queen singer Freddie Mercury (1946 - 1991)
from AIDS, which the Maiden were informed of during the period
composed the songs of the album. As
inspiration also Dickinson mentioned the
example of Ervin "Magic" Johnson (1959-
), the American star player of the NBA, o
who in 1991 announced that he is a player
of HIV.
Although the lyrics are not related to
plot of the book of the same name (1961)
Alistair MacLean (see "Where Eagles Dare"),
the general lesson of the book is that the
fear, in the right hands, can
be a powerful weapon of control. The
book was also transferred to a film of the same name
in 1973.
 
A great hard rocking number about the AIDS crisis, “Fear” starts out with great riffing and builds to a tremendous chorus. The bridge refrain slaps, that solo section is WILD, and then… the hell is that middle section? Bruce is just ad libbing, the guitars are mutating between electric and acoustic, the fuck where they smoking? An eastern solo pulls us out of that piece and we end with that cool bridge. Man, the majority of this song rules, but that mid-section… oof. It’s still a good song, but it would’ve been so much better with that piece cut. 7/10
 
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