Hell On Earth

How good is Hell on Earth on a scale of 1-10?

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    61
Even though the intro and outro take up 3 minutes and 45 seconds of what is claimed to be a 11 minute and 20 second long song, I still give the beautiful 7 minutes and 35 seconds in between a 10/10!
 
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I love that this particular new track seems to be the one fans can agree is something special. Most are even wishing it was longer (myself included). Very rare to see that for a reunion era epic! I've been listening to it nonstop, and just seem to enjoy it more each time.
 
It feels like every closer since Journeyman has been scrutinized as a possible swan song, which is fair. All of them have been appropriate enough, with the exception of Empire of the Clouds (too Dickinsonian and too tied to a specific event). There have been enough “perfect Maiden swan songs” for me to think this is it. However, I can’t think of a more appropriate way for Maiden to go out than with three Harris epics and Hell on Earth in particular sums up what Steve is all about while looking beyond in a pretty direct way.
 
Not even Dream Theater can create an 80 minute album that does nto need trimming. As I said before part of what makes this album so good are the solely written by H tracks and the fact that Steve improved on lots of his shortcomings. Is there fat? Yep, but last time enjoyed a Maiden album that much was on May 1992.
 
Just to share some of my musings

I think the intro is very important for the story. It sounds to me like a lullaby, I get the notion of someone sleeping, don't really now who, might even be a child, dreaming dreams as innocent and hopeful as that haunting melody. And then, very abruptly (after some 5 and a half iterations, totally unexpected), the band comes in full tilt, like suddenly woken up by an explosion ("Beginning of a sunrise bores a big hole in the sky"), into a reality of what I assume is a war that has been going on for so long that people barely remember the time before. Every day is panic and confusion and they don't know if they would stay alive. But the song first needs to lull the listener into the sense of calm and security, to reinforce the feeling of chaos and panic that comes after, that's why the intro needs to be that long.
Conversely, the outro gives me the feeling of having survived another day and returning to the (temporary) calm, but it's going on and on, and finally into fade out, to better illustrate the nature of that eternal conflict

So by "trimming the fat" you would get a more compact song, but you would lose half the story. Someone mentioned the middle part of Rime, I sometimes do think (after a million listens) it's too long, but the listener needs to really feel the ship stranded in the middle of ocean with not a whiff of wind, so the next, optimistic, part has more impact

Btw, the only part I think is unnecessary is at 4:35 where the guitar "announces" the next part (like in TRATB ), but it's very short, so not really irritating
 
Severian said:
I hear it as being told by the same narrator as the song Senjutsu with Hell of Earth describing the desolation following the battle told in the earlier so
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That is an interesting interpretation, I like really like that.

On the other hand, I would really like to imagine the lyrics from a particular person in history (can't really think of anyone at the moment though, my knowledge is rather limited and the lyrics doesn't give any obvious clues).
 
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Yeah there's a moment in Parchment where Gers joins rhythm guitar on right channel and it starts clipping.
 
The right channel has specific clipping problems on disc two that make me think there was some sort of unintentional mastering error. It’s something that could be fixed in a remaster that they could quickly upload to streaming services without any pomp and circumstance, although the physical versions are stuck with it. Anyone know if the vinyl has this problem?
 
Mosh said:
It feels like every closer since Journeyman has been scrutinized as a possible swan song, which is fair. All of them have been appropriate enough, with the exception of Empire of the Clouds (too Dickinsonian and too tied to a specific event).
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And most importantly: Having France as its last word. You knew immediate it wouldn’t be their last album! :D
 
Their cartridge is also not aligned correctly since one channel is louder than the other which can also lead to distortion
 
daan said:
As expected, Steve delivers something really special for the final track on the album. The melodies here are outstanding. The intro is a standard one, but it teases the main melody effectively. After that, the first proper part kicks in and I can already visualise a whole stadium jumping along with the band. Then, when you think you can't make it more euphoric… BOOM! 2:46! It gets to a whole new level. The transition feels amazing (like a rollercoaster drop) and this melody is ridiculously satisfying to listen to. So is the chorus. This track is all about melodies and they are really something else. Not sure what to add. It's a very powerful and moving song.

When I listen to it, I can't help thinking about the band, the impact they had on my life throughout the years. I also can't help feeling it's like them saying goodbye to me. I'm sure many of you share the feeling for obvious reasons. I hope it's not the case and keep my fingers crossed for another album in the not-so-distant future.
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They aren't saying goodbye, recording of a new album is imminent
 
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