Iron Maiden (1980)
A masterpiece! Despite the raw sound on the production, it only contains hyms of Heavy Rock and real music, in general. Phantom Of The Opera is obviously the highlight of the album with a level of musicality up there with the classical compositions. Strange World is also unique, with a bass line which sounds more like a solo thoughout the whole song, which has some of the most heartfelt guitar solos one can ever have the pleasure to listen to. Paul Di'Anno sings like a master of his own style throughout the album, especially on Strange World and Remember Tomorrow. Perhaps, the best debut album of history, alongside Black Sabbath debut, Kill 'Em All, In The Court Of The Crimson King and Ozzy Osbourne's Blizzard Of Ozz. It started something. 9/10
Killers (1981)
I use to say that there's Heavy Rock before and after Killers. And there is indeed! Now with Adrian Smith emblematic, storytelling and atmospheric guitar solos and melodies to make a counterpart and counterpoint to the wildness of Dave Murray style, the band made an album with classic after classic. The first hints of what later turned into metal with groove/funk like Suicidal Tendencies, Infectious Grooves became famous for, are in the anthemic Wrathchild (what a bass tone Harris got on this album!!!). More of this groove can be heard on the almost funkmetallic hymn Innocent Exile with some incredible guitar duets and eye watering solos, especially Adrian's. Genghis Khan is a destroyer instrumental song written to fill the album time and what a way to fill it. The album also has space to one of the best progressive like ballads of all times - Prodigal Son; the song was never played live and it's hard to know why 'cos it would certainly be a show stopper with Paul's incredible interpretation and Smith/Murray mind blowing solos following each other. It seems weird, but there's not a weak moment on the album. Another masterpiece. 10/10
The Number Of The Beast (1982)
Bruce Dickinson had proved on the live shows at the end of 1981 that he was going to be a legend and he proved it also with new written songs for the new album on this same 1981 shows, to introduce him to the fans. The Number Of The Best is an album that shook the world and made loads of kids start up a band and annoy everyone else with it's anthologic album cover. The music on the album is strong, with loads of catchy and unforgettable choruses, but it did lost a bit of the progressive twists the band had done so far. Invaders is a destroyer opener with a vocal delivery from Dickinson which made people forget Paul in the blink of an eye (or of an ear, or both ears!). Children Of The Damned is the first real Heavy ballad it an interesting change from the sad mood of the first half of the song into a menacing, macabre groove and lyricism on the second half. An anthem! The Prisoner has one of the most catchy Maiden songs. Catchy in the lyrics, in the verses and obviously, in the chorus. Adrian did one of the greatest instrumental sections ever with that fanstatic legato melody which bursts into a rabid groove followed by amazing solos. 22 Acacia Avenue is the craziest song on the album, with 4 different movements into the structure. Dave's bluesy solo is a killer one! This was an old Urchin song, which Adrian Smith had written back in the mid 70's. The title track needs no introduction and it's anthemic in every sense. Run To The Hills was the first great success worldwide as a single and despite being catchy and nice to hear, it is one of the less impressive songs on the album and gets old quite fast, specially live where it seems to lack a bit of the edge of the studio version. Gangland is the last song Clive Burr co-wrote for Maiden and it is a great song! The instrumental section is superb, with some great Steve's bass runs and inspired duets by Murray/Smith. Total Eclipse was added on the 1998 edition of the album and gladly it was. A Sabbath like intro sets perfectly the dark mood of the lyrics and it then shift gears ofr the blistering solo section. Hallowed Be Thy Name is a song which builds up from an incredibly sad and macabre intro into an aggressive lament about the meaning of existence. This song is so amazing that it seems to have a life in itself and the band never leave it out their set list since the album's tour. The Number Of The Beast is a strong album in its own terms and showed the world that despite having a newbie on the vocals, the band went from strength to strength and became even more powerful, both as composers and live performers. 9/10
Piece Of Mind (1983)
This is my favourite album! Despite another major change into the band with the mad as hat genius of drumming Nicko McBrain on the fold now, replacing the irreplaceable Clive Burr, the band conjured up in this album everything the had done of the first 3 albums (people say the 4th album is what takes the band into stardom or into the larger bowl of the 'could've been a great band' bands, and with Piece Of Mind, Iron Maiden went much beyond stardom. They changed history!); the album was written in the sunny islads of the Bahamas and much of the brilliance of the album is due to the fact that it was a band with all guns blazing in terms of creativity and musicality crafting song of dark storylines alongside the sunny beaches of Bahamas. It is so perfect that the albums sounds really like product of our metallic fantasies! The fuzzy guitar tone Martin Birch gotten for Dave and Adrian is almost like that from Black Sabbath's masterpiece from 1972 Vol 4 and it makes perhaps, the heaviest of all Maiden albums. From the drum riff opening of Where Eagles Dare up to the exotic melodies and grooves with an apocalyptic history of a future world, not so different from our own planet Earth, in To Tame A Land (formerly called Dune), it sounds even more like a fantasy! Revelations, The Trooper, Sun And Steel are the highlights of the album with duets at full force, Dickinson's clean, strong and heartfelt voicings, Steve's even more grooving tone and basslines and new drummer Nicko MacBrain almost as riffing drumming as guitar lines, the band achieved such status among Rock fans that hardly happened since Sabbath/Zeppelin achieved in the mid 70's. It really is a Piece Of Metal genre Mind. 10/10
Powerslave (1984)
Back from his vacation in Egypt, Dave brought the whole environment in his bags and it developed intomaybe the most influential Heavy Rock/Metal albums if all times (once again). Powerslave was also written in the Bahamas and it showed the band developing more and more into the complexity of the instrumental passages, which is eveident in masterpieces like Aces High, which contains a short but with unearthly synchronized and tight instrumental section which has its summit in the almost 'spitfire fighting another spitfire' solo section; the chorus Bruce delivers with unmatched voice and technique. 2 Minutes To Midnight is a constant on the live shows, but it's a song that despite having a catchy chorus and complex basslines and structure, is a song that drags a bit because of the repetitve chorus. Far from a bad song, but also far from being one of the best songs (its case is similar to that of Run To The Hills). Losfer Words is a multi parted instrumental song with a different vibe and several harmony changes which makes up for another kind of the term progressive in rock music. Flash Of The Blade is another solo Dickinson composition and contains some unbeliveable guitar harmonies and bass lines. It's the summit of Maiden as musicians and composers. The Duellists has verse and choruses which can sounds a bit annoying as Bruce sings too high on both parts, but then comes the instrumental section and oh, boys and girls, they deliver. 2, 3 and even 4 guitar harmonies, multi layered and soaring through the picture the song paints. Adrian's solo has so much emotion and depth that it's hard to believe it was composed by a mortal man. Back In The Village has Bruce delivering aggressive and dynamic vocals to top and song written about The Prisoner series, once again. it contains the most complex Iron Maiden duet up to that point and perhaps the most complex up to this day. Unfairly underrated. Powerslave it seems to come straight as a gift from the pharaohs. The song has 2 parts - the first dark and macabre with scary melodies and the second, a show of melodies from Dave, Adrian and Steve which in the end, get back to the macabre initial theme. What else can be said about it? Then, Rime Of The Ancient Mariner comes to close the album, telling a poem written in the 17th century and the music just matches all the disgrace and the repentance the mariner goes through in open sea. The molodies and instrumental passages make like the soundtrack to the movie its lyrics conjures up into the listener's mind. The 'comes the rain' scream before some of the best solos ever recorded can change lives, like it did to me and loads around the world. 9/10
Somewhere in Time (1986)
From the cover artwork, you can tell that Maiden has something different to offer and when you put the stylus (as I did, back in 1987) or push play, you feel that it's title is not for nothing. This album is really weird. It has nothing to do with anything Maiden had done before, which already hadn't almost anything to do with what they've done before (I'm saying it 'cos Maiden has a strong carachter and that's what keeps the trademarks in the sound up to this day; people who say all their albums are the same are in need of a lobotomy, just like Eddie on Piece Of Mind cover, or it really is just a case of cleaning out the wax off their ears). The title track is a journey through the mind of someone contemplating selling their soul to achieve something better than what açready have in life; the synthsizers which permeates the whole album doesn't kill any of the musicality nor the typical Maiden trademarks - on Wasted Years, Adrian came up with an intro riff that once again, brought and bring tears to the eyes of millions, culminating on one of best choruses ever in the history of music and the solo Adrian came up is just as heartfelt as his lyricism. Sea Of Madness with weird tempos in the intro, an intricate groove and another brilliant instruental section is the second of 3 Adrian sole compositions. Stranger In A Strange Land, the thirs one, is perhaps te best of the 3. I wonder how pondering Adrian was at the time about life and everything 'cos his solos seems like a cry, a claim which is almost visible to the listener. Really touching! Heaven Can Wait is anthemic and is the most famous song from the album. It's got a great solo by Dave Murray, which competes side by side with Adrian in terms of soloing in this album. The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner is an overlooked masterpiece which has some difficult singing by Bruce and amazing passages and rhythm shifts; Déjà-Vu is short, fast and it makes you want to headbang 'til the end of your strengths. Funny it was never played live 'cos the spark it would cause would be similar to that of Aces High or Wrathchild. Then comes the, perhaps, most brilliant album closer - Alexander The Great, despite a few inaccurate historical facts in its lyrics, has a cinematographic motif thoughout the whole song. I think never Harris wrote passages that mathced so perfectly the storytelling. Somewhere In Time takes you through a journey that is unique and you'll want to do over and over, somewhere in your time. 9/10
Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son (1988)
I was presented with this album on the last day of the year of 1988. I had already bought a magazine which had an interview with Bruce and Davey, I guess, talking about the new album, but as a child, I forgot about it as there were a lot of games to play and school. But when I saw it on the shelf of a big store on that day, I remembered that it was the new album and I promptly took it and went to the saleswoman for the paying. When I arrived home, I picked the record and out it on my turntable, sat in yoga position in front of my sound system and started another journey... Moonchild, with those profetic verses on the intro, had put me right in the mood for that album. Infinite Dreams just took me to another dimension even being right there, in my living room, with all the rest of my family changing gifts with each other. Can I Play With Madness broke the mood the first 2 had set, but it was a nice break; I love that typical rhythm change Steve love's to write after the second chorus, it reminds me of Led Zeppelin most groovy pieces. The Evil That Men Do went back to the macabre and desperate motif of the first 2 songs. This song has one of my fave solos of all times and Bruce performance is so emotive that one can't avoid its power. One of all time Maiden classics, no doubt! Then comes the best epic Harris ever wrote - the title of the album - someone said one of these days that the slow passage kills the music. I'll say that people like this don't have too much imagination. I remember listening to this song in the years that followed the release and thinking how it would sound in the future, when I had became an adult man. well, I can tell you that the impact is just the same. It still captures my imagination and I still do that journey as I did when I first listened to it, at 7 years old. The Prophecy has great guitar works and that brilliant acoustic ending, which is very similar to Black Sabbath anthem Heaven And Hell. The Clairvoyant has one great groove and a lot of emotion oozing from it. Bruce's delivery is still one of his best and Dave's solo really makes you choke a tear or two. Only The Good Die Young closes the album in high style and makes a good criticism on the holy hypocrites that are hosted in Vatican on a perish nearby. The album ends and closes just as Pink Floyd's 1977 masterpiece Animals and it one of the features that makes it not only Maiden's most progressive album, but also the only conceptual one. 10/10
No Prayer For The Dying (1990)
It took a while for me to listen to the album as my turntable was fucked up. Once again, I had bought a Rock Brigade magazine, which I still have, with an amazing Dave interview about the album and Adrian's departure, and also a review of the new album. But I forgot to ask someone to buy me the album, and on December 1st 1990, I just bought it, but had to wait 'til January 1991 to listen to it. One thing I noticed when buying the album was that Adrian wasn't these and I had never heard about Janick Gers! I felt upset as Adrian was always my fave guitarrist, alongside Tony Iommi, Ritchie Blackmore and Alex Lifeson. But onto the album, my first impression was that it sounded more direct, nothing of great epics, nothing of great concepts, but still it sounded a lot like Iron Maiden. Tailgunner is heavy, it's rough and it is a killer song. Holy Smoke I knew because of the video I think and I've always liked it. Bruce's voice is rispid, whining and it matches exactly what he was goin through in his life - coming out of a divorce, getting pissed off with unitedstaters and all the hypocratic bullshit that the media was throwing on the population. The title track has some nice melodies, but it is too raw to be called and epic. Mother Russia is more a twist into the traditional Russian traditional music with some great atmosphere and wild solos by Dave and Jan. Both shine a lot on the solos, specially Dave on Public Enema Number One (a very heartfelt protest against media alienating the masses), Fates Warning which contains classic Maiden harmonies and different passages and a blistering solo by Dave and a simple, but which speaks volumes solo by Gers; on The Assassin and Hooks In You is where they shine more, with Janick making solos that makes one think he seemed to have always been a big Maiden fan. Run Silent Run Deep has a cool atmosphere matching the lyrics about sea battles on WWII (lyrics Bruce wrote for the Somwhere In Time album) and one of the most intricate and fantastic guitar duets ever created in Maiden catalogue. No Prayer For Dying is subpar when compared to what preceded it, but an album must not be judged like this; each album has its own carachteristics and in No Prayer For The Dying, Maiden just took it into another perspective, takiing care more of the songs impact than the complexity of the arrangements and of the band's imagery on stage. I won't call it a masterpiece like all 7 albums up to now are, but it is a fucking honest and enjoyable album. 8/10
Fear Of The Dark (1992)
This album is special 'cos it brought Maiden for the second time to Brasil and it's a kind of return to experimentalism and of the big sound and imagery of the 80's. Be Quick Or Be Dead is one of my fave album openers ever. A really strong song with blistering solos from Murray and Gers. From Here To Eternity is another catchy song with great chorus and solos and works amazing live. Afraid To Shoot Strangers has some short, but beautiful lyrics and another show by Murray and Gers in duets and solos. It is one of the best on the album. Fear Is The Key has a cool trance like groove, which reminds a kind of drug trip - specially marijuana - and has a great melody Gers does after the second chorus, the first experimental bit of the album is in this song, where Bruce is kinda monologuing about the lost youth and its freedom while some clean chords and punctuating guitars runs sets the mood. Interesting. Childhood's End has Bruce singing in a totally different manner of which we're used and he spits the words with anger on the verses and despair in the chorus. The guitar work is once again brilliant and as I discovered thourgh a friend of the forum, via an interview with Bruce, it's not only Gers who's soloing on this song; Dave's section starts by 3:02 and it really seems like it's one guitar solo. Great song! Wasting Love is the most made for radio Heavy ballad the band wrote (in fact, Bruce and Jan wrote it during the sessions to Tattooed Millionaire album, but kept it 'cos it was too strong for a b-side). Gers makes a genius solo on this one, reminding a lot the brilliant solo John Sykes did on the hymn of broken hearted lovers Is This Love? from Whitesnake. What I find even greater is that Maiden didn't cash in with its single and never played it again, on stage. Only a band with balls and honesty could resist such temptation. The Fugitive is a straight rock song, with nice solos and overall simple structure. Chains Of Misery has a Hard Rock vibe, kinda like Judas Priest. Dave Murray delivers one of his best all time solo, full of emotion and his black blues guitarrist unique feel. It brings tears to the eyes. The Apparition has some amazing lyrics by Harris, but the song isn't such thing. It has some weird changes and key tone changes, but it's a bit lacking in having more edge and more impact. The weaker on the album alonside Fear Is The Key. Judas Be My Guide is one of the fave forgotten songs from many fans and with good reason - it stars unusual with Dave Murray playing a high string Dm riff that bursts into the first of 3 blistering solos thoughout the song. The chorus is absolutely soaring, with Bruce mixing the rispid style on the verses and the classic, soaring golden thorat, for the chorus. This song is really destroyer! Great lyrics, also, saying that pain, misery and violence seems to be the way humanity was led into and loads choosen to find salvation. Weekend Warrior has some lyrics dealing with an apparently silly problem, but that caused the death of many thoughout stadiums all over the world - the football cliques violence. The vocals sounds like Bruce giving a sermon inside the head of the fool who follows his mate into the clique heading for the game. The song in itself is simple, with a rock 'n' roll beat, similar to The Who, AC/DC and Alice Cooper. Again, Murray twice and Gers once give amazing solos and kinda sad vibe on the duet. It's very UnMaiden, but it's a cool song. Then, the title track, which closes the album on a high note 'cos Fear Of The Dark, despite being the song most trivial rock fans know from Maiden, it also can open up the doors to the incredible world of Iron Maiden whole opus. The song is just epic, anthemic, with perfect lyrics taking on a subject that makes lots of men, women, old or not and children almost die in frightening. Everything is perfect in this song. It is a hymn in the world of Heavy Rock. Fear Of The Dark, as whole, is a mixed album in terms of musicality and opinions. I love the drum sound, the interweaving between Murray and Gers and the variety it contains. Bruce sounded much better than on No Prayer For The Dying and nobody was predicting he would make such awful shows on the 1992/1993 tours that followed with his departure. 9/10
The X Factor (1995)
After 14 years, Iron Maiden was in a rut. Bruce Dickinson, The Voice, had left for good. The band had already picked the substitute, but they launched a worldwide contest for a new singer, just to attract the spotlights on the band again. Blaze Bayley was the man and he had nothing to do with Bruce, nor physically, even less vocally. The X Factor is another watermark in the band's discography 'cos it brings a new singer, like on The Number Of The Beast, to try and keep the band up and running. But despite doing an album as great if not greater than The Number Of The Beast, the occasion was different. The album starts with sinister gregorian chants and it the crescendo goes for more than 1 minute, when a catchy melody sets the mood for the voice; the voice is low, in tone and in expression, so we can't say much. All of a sudden, the song bursts in a marching pace and that low voice shows its face. Blaze Bayley delivers very well, really well! It is one of Maiden's longest songs and has a different approach to the other epics. This one is kinda doomy, like in doom metal really. When the solos came up, Blaze hadn't made an impressions yet. Great opener. Lord Of The Flies comes next and has great vibe, full of emotions and amazing chorus. By then, Blaze had convinced me even more he was the right choice. Then Man On The Edge came and it's as catchy as Lord Of The Flies, but with an Aces High pacing and fantastic back ot back solos by Janick and Dave. Fortunes Of War builds up into a Sabbath like pace on the verses and the bursts into a very emotional instrumental passage. Murray and Gers sounds as explosive as Murray/Smith were in the past. The album contains great lyrics, amazing instrumental passages and Blaze Bayley singing with the need emotions in every theme presented on the album. Another highlights goes to The Edge Of Darkness, with its insane/schizoid story of a man who finds the dark side of human in the middle of the African jungle and 2 A.M., a classy melancholic ballad, that really makes you think about life. Again, Gers delivers with a full of emotion solo that only he can deliver. Really outstanding song. The X Factor is one of the best Maiden albums and it's the most heartfelt of all 'cos it deals with hardships of life and that's exactly what was happening with Steve Harris and the band during this period. Blaze came in showing great voice, but unfortunately only for the songs he recorded and in the studio. The X Factor is an album made with intention and focus. A real gift in a world where plastic emotions are praised. 9,5/10
Virtual XI (1998)
Brave New World (2000)
Dance Of Death (2003)
A Matter Of Life And Death (2006)
Virtual XI (1998)
First of all, the production is lacklustre. it leaves a big gap on the album which took a lot of the edge it could've had. Second, Blaze's voice didn't change since The X Factor and despite having great vocal lines on some songs and being a good lyricst, his lack of dynamic and power in his voice makes it sounds like a band album, but it isn't. Opening in fast manner with Futureal was a good idea to make one forget the opener on The X Factor and avoid comparisons. Futureal has potential, but Blaze's voice compomises a lot the result and it turns it into one of the weakest Maiden songs (Bruce made it sound a lot better, on Ed Hunter tour 99). The Angel And The Gambler is one of the first songs with problems of bad arranged long songs. The song has some great lyrics, but Steve started this minimalist style of dragging the song along just to squeeze all the lyrics into the music. The edited versions sounds much better 'cos musically, it's a nice song. Lightning Strikes Twice has a great mood, great melodies and dynamics. Blaze sings with emotion, but once again his lack of dynamics makes it sound a bit weird, specially the chorus, where he seems to lose his breath to make a last high note on the words 'strikes twice'. An awesome song, anyway. The Clansman is the second of 3 epics and it has amazing melodies thoughout the song it makes the song so amazing. Some meldies gives me goosebumps. When Two Worlds Collide is the best delivery of Blaze on the album, in which he sings with power and doesn't compromises the song. Again, Murray and Gers give a show with their musicianship and as meldy makers. The typical 'oh, oh' in this song reach its peak on emotion. The only complain in this song, is the very last part, where Blaze repeats the chorus on a higher tone and I could live without this very well. The Educated Fool is a great atmospheric songs with lyrics that shows the kind of man Steve Harris is or was at a certain point in his life, which has a lot to do with myself. The song only sins for the repetitve chorus, which become boring after so much repeats due to Blaze's low and powerless deliver, but it is a noce song with bliztering solos from Dave and Jan. Don't Look To The Eyes Of A Stranger is a weird, but original and great type of Maiden epic. Steve said that Jan isn't so sure about the middle instrumental section - I also think could've been even more brilliant -, but it contains a great deal of surprise and emotion. Really great song. Como Estais Amigos closes the album in a sad, really sad tone and the song oozes emotion. Gers solo reminds those of alien genius disguised as guitarrist called David Gilmour for the carefully chosen notes to make the guitar as much a strong voice of this manisfesto as is Blaze's powerful (in this song) and emotional delivery. Virtual XI is an albnum very hard to praise or destroy. It has its grerat moments and crap moments, but it sounds to me like Maiden was trying to make the better they could at the time. Comparing to another albums, even to those considered weak, it might get a really low rating, but as I like to judge an album by its own account, I'll give it 7,5/10.
Brave New World (2000)
Bruce and Adrian proved on Ed Hunter Tour that they seemed to have only been on Maiden cover band all that time. Bruce came back singing like he never sang in Iron Maiden before, at least since World Piece Tour and Seventh Tour. Adrian Smith enhanced his style with low tuned guitars and lots of wah blistering delivery. All this set the scenario for the making of a possible masterpiece and it indeed came in the form of Brave New World. Opening with The Wicker Man, the album brings back a shine to our ears and mind's eye like after standing during months on clouded, windy and rainy days and nights. Bruce's voice has so much substance that one may think his singing was never so perfect, and never was, indeed. Adrian solo on this one shows where he belongs and that the best band you could ever see in your life was back, and stronger! Ghost Of The Navigator starts with spine shivering melodies and chords that seems to have been inspired clealy by Jethro Tull (I can even see Ian Anderson posing in his typical number 4 legs figure!), the crescendo in this song is absolutely mastodontic and when the whole thing explodes, it makes sound! Lyrics sounds like poems about the captains of the seven seas, but looking deeper the sea is out own lives and we're at the helm. Middle passage has some manic guitar interludes that shift tones and reminds Maiden of Powerslave easily. The title track comes next and build up from the typical slow intro and Bruce's soft singing, like on Still Life or Infinite Dreams and them comes the story of hard reality that we're sold to this Brave New World. Janick Gers delivers a simply anthologic solo on this song followed by Murray's bluesy sad runs which culminates on a brilliant 3 guitar harmony that makes on cry and drool. A new masterpiece in Maiden catalogue. Blood Brothers is Steve's epic which is a little minimalist, but Bruce's performance, Steve's truth to the bone lyricism and a plethora of melodies makes it for a classic Maiden song. The Mercenary reminds of No Prayer For The Dying and Fear Of The Dark material, like Tailgunner and The Fugitive and it is a short rocker with Adrian's blistering solo and great guitar duets. Even Bruce's singing reminds of those albums. Dream Of Mirrors is my fave on the album with vivid lyricism, rhythm changes and once again a magistral totally Ritchie Blackmore inspired solo by Gers. Bruce sounds perfect! The Fallen Angel is the 'Lizzyesque' short number that bursts with power from everyone. It is straight in your face and it rips! The Nomad is the epic that pleased me like no other did since Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son. It has two different choruses and set of solos in which 'Los Tres Amigos' show their unique skills and tasteful melodies. The instrumental passage is really borrowed from Beckett's Life's Shadow, but it sounds more like a tribute Steve did to the band and it is simply one of the best instrumental sections one can ever listen. I can't believe it wasn't played live. Out Of The Silent Planet is Run To The Hills of the 00's and it soars. So much emotion on this song that it makes the eye a bit watery. Jan steals the show on this album, it utterly fantastic melodic solos that stick on your mind instantly. The closer, The Thin Line Between Love And Hate, is a differetn kind of long song in which the band leans towards a Rock groove, like 70's rock of Purple/UFO/Uriah Heep and Dave Murray deliver 4 solos, being the third one - before changing to the soft section of the song - one of his best, like a blusey cry from Hendrix. Brave New World has all the carachteristic Maiden trademarks and it proved that the band had lost none of its genius and love for making Heavy Rock music. 10/10
Dance Of Death (2003)
After the gargantuan Brave New World album and tour, the band took 2002 to play 3 gigs, in March, to raise funds to help legendary drummer Clive Burr and make masterpiece live album and DVD Rock In Rio, released in June. In November, the band strated writing new material for the next studio album and it eventually came out on September 2003. Dance Of Death shows it's weirdness from the artwork, made by uncredited on request Dave Patchett from skethces the band accepted before his final touch. Between May and June, the band made a summer tour though the northern hemisphere and presented one new song amongst old classics - Wildest Dreams, the first single and track on the album opens up bursting and soaring with Adrian taking the music and Steve, the lyrics. It's just a great rock Maiden song and despite some say it is weak, it is not weak at all. I think some Maiden fans complains too much and want classics and masterpieces all the time. It is totally moronic to think about. Get a life! Rainmaker has got to be the best single Maiden ever released. A melodic, catchy and remarkable Murray/Harris song with Bruce penning the lyrics about the will to make life better somehow. Dave's licks and solo, plus the duets makes up for one of the most remarkable Maiden singles ever. I think it is far better than Wasted Years, Run To The Hills, 2 Minutes To Midnight, From Here To Eternity. The reason it's not widely regarded as a classic Maiden song is because it wasn't released in the 80's. Beautiful song! No More Lies comes next and it's like Steve caught back all the emotion he felt on The X Factor era and brought it into the new niche they created since Bruce and H came back. Bruce steals the show on this one and the guitar works is more minimalist, but the 3 amigos deliver amazing solos! Great song. Montségur strats kicking in the face and the becomes menacing and kinda sarcastic by the acid tone Bruce implies on the singing. After the chorus there's a verse in which is all in major tones and it kinda breaks the dark and sarcastic mood it had been settled, but maybe that was the intention, to make this counterpoint. Gers makes on blistering solo and again, guitar harmonies brings tears to the eyes before shifting gears back to the happy major harmony part. A great song, nevertheless. The title track has Bruce stealing the show, once again, 'cos he gives life to Steve's tale in what other singer or a less theatrical singer would crapped all over this song. There's not too much rhythm shifts on this song, and again, it is a different kind of Maiden epic, less complex and more introspective. Gates Of Tomorrow starts a bit like Lord Of The Flies and has that Uriah Heep/AC/DC kind of vibe when the drums enters, as Bruce starts singing, you can clearly see fantastic Uriah Heep singer David Byron influence with the doubled vocals making it kinda trippy. Loads say this song is weak, but I totally disagree as Bruce gives an energetic perfomance, briliantly on the chorus and although the song is simple in structure, is really well arranged and makes it very enjoyable. New Frontier, although Nicko's first attmept as a songwriter, is very lacking with some silly lyrics and kinda annoying vocal lines, which sounds a bit like crap power metal bands. Really weak. Then comes Paschendale, Adrian's first epic song and what a song. It sets the perfect mood for the lyrics and the orchestrations during the song really adds a lot to the whole song. Loads of melody changes, which sounds like those tunes of war when the army is being called for the battle, but with a classical touch. Another new masterpiece! Face In The Sand is another new style for Maiden and Nicko specially 'cos it has a double bass and the song is an angry and claiming march through the dark future this planet seems destined to go through. Lots of turths are said in this lyrics and musically, it's one of the most orchestral songs Maiden done. Anthologic. Age Of Innocence is a typical Murray/Harris number with slow build up with Dave soloing on top and Bruce singing according to the mood which is very angry in this song. The chords and structure is really unusual and it makes a great dynamic in Maiden songwriting style. The chorus is wonderful and its kinda progressive, like Tull/Genesis. Dave's solo is perfect and the 3 guitar harmony on the following is wonderful. There's a bit of Bruce No Prayer/Fear Of The Dark era style of rispid/angry voicings that matches the lyrics perfectly. Great song! Journeyman is the first all out acoustic Maiden song with wonderful orchestration and vocals and lyrics that will never go away from your mind. On the live version, Adrian makes a little solo which should've been added on the studio version, but it's clear that he made that off the cuff, like a great improviser he also is. Dance Of Death is as varied as Fear Of The Dark, but it is darker, more aligned with the times it was released, which paints a picture that medieval torturing and overall human behaviour is more evident and inquisitor as ever. 8,5/10
A MAtter Of Life And Death (2006)
After the 2 great albums the band released since the 6 line-up debuted as a songwriting team, the expectations were really high for the third one, but it didn't quite match 'em at all. It contains 4 classics - Brighter Than A Thousand Suns, The Reincarnation Of Benjamin Breeg, Different World and Out Of The Shadows. Amazing lyrical content, strong lines on those lyrics, but musically it's minimalist, repetitive, badly arranged, it sounds like a demo made in a state of the art studio by the best producer. The band were lazy by not pushing themselves to be challenged, musically (off 10 songs, 6 has the same harmony - E,G,C,D or E,C,D,A). For The Greater Good Of God is, by far, the worst Maiden song. It never happened before!!! But I can't listen to this album more than 3 or 4 times in a year. Playing it live was a really bad move. On the 2007 leg of the tour, things were better by reducing half of it from the set, but it could've been better to replace FTGGOG with Out Of The Shadows. Some fans claim it's a masterpiece, the best since Seventh Son, but I utterly and completely disagree. The album plods and the epics, apart from Brighter Than A Thousand Suns (TROBB is ont an epic. It's long, but it's more rocker than epic) are all minimalists just as with The Angel And The Gambler and Dance Of Death (which is a masterpiece). I think the band sounds really bad in terms of emotional depth for the songs which is really strange given the strong lyrics. I really didn't see it growing after 3 years and I only bought it last October 8th, to make an idea of how disappointed I am with this album. Well, I can't say much about it 'cos the songs spark no interest in learning the lyrics (as I know 99% of all Maiden lyrics), learning to play them and even less trying to describe them. I give it 5,5/10 (4 for the four classics, and the other 1,5 for the lyrics and some great parts in other songs lost in the middle of badly arranged ideas).
I assume you are Swedish? The word "smörgås" has made some confusion among Norwegians. An aunt of my father once told she'd been in a dinner party in Sweden (she was then very young and didn't know what it meant). She'd been told they would get "smörgåsar" and of course thougth it had to do with the bird. (For you English-speaking, the literal meaning as a Norwegian usually thinks of it would be butter goose). She was obviously very disappointed when there was no goose at all, just sandwiches 
) 
. Let's hope this creative process goes on in future...
I will make the others a bit quick..
