IRON MAIDEN REFERENDUM 2020: Results -> Hallowed Be Thy Name wins for the 5th time!
- Thread starter Night Prowler
- Start date
KidInTheDark666
What's yours is mine and what's mine is mine too
I'd actually like to see Age or New Frontier getting the promotion.
jazz from hell
Ancient Mariner
Empire of the cheese all the way.
Well it looks like The Red and the Black will be on its way out of the door. I guess we don't think we can save ya....
KidInTheDark666
What's yours is mine and what's mine is mine too
Same. It would reduce the number of votes cast tho, and that's not really a good thing.
The Dissident
Ancient Mariner
I would be real happy if this game had daily updates.
I think daily updates would be better for the most active participants. With 2 days whenever we add a new album to give listening time. But I do agree with the sentiment from others that there would be less votes which when votes are the main point of the game does really hinder the overall game by reducing the time.
In general, the two come together in a big way on AMOLAD. This is why it's not just arguably their best album, but also their most focused thematic effort (even moreso than Seventh Son).
Critique =/= excessive negativity. The types of examples LC mentioned in the post I responded to are those that are devoid of any real critiques.
The Flash
Dennis Wilcock did 9/11
Sure, but this was your post:
You didn't point out the lack of substance as the source of the issue, you pointed out people's preference for pointing out the negatives instead of positives - hence the response that this is a Survivor and that angle comes with the territory of a "pick the worst" game.
This is my point, I just think we can do a little less "pick the worst" sometimes
A Matter of Life and Death, oh man. Every time I listen to this album, I am continually amazed at what they were able to achieve so late in their career. This album has the ferocity in performance and thoughtfulness in writing of a much younger and hungry band. Thematically speaking, I find it's a more effective concept album than Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. It manages to hit that sweet spot of a unified set of songs each of which also works just fine on their own. There are a few weaker songs that are elevated by being on the album (Different World, The Pilgrim) but I see this as a feature and not a bug. It probably makes a lot of the material disadvantaged in this type of game, but I do believe that at least 6 of the songs on here are top tier and worthy of advancing.
It makes sense that they played every song live on the tour. It really is a complete piece of work. Their selection of songs to play live from each album has historically been pretty predictable. With some exceptions (Journeyman), the songs they select usually aren't surprising. I remember most people had pretty much guessed the selections for both Final Frontier and Book of Souls tours. With AMOLAD, it's hard to imagine what you wouldn't play. All the songs are live ready and each song stands prominently on the album. Nothing is filler. The album had to be played in its entirety. There was no other way.
Different World is a nice opener that is effective at drawing the listener in, but I find These Colours Don't Run is where the album truly begins. Not only is the war theme made explicit here, but it's no accident that we begin with a broad overview of the soldier's experience as they go off to war. This song captures well the feeling of anticipation, excitement even, mixed with dread and despair. There's a sense of melancholic triumph in the "woah oh oh" section before the chorus. This song also establishes a precedent for more complex instrumental sections than what you typically get in a "single" type of song. There's a lot going on here and we're only one song in.
If AMOLAD is the perfect marriage of lyrics and music, Brighter Than a Thousand Suns is the best example. I love how this album slowly eases you into its complexity. We get the accessible Different World, the catchy but dense These Colours Don't Run, and now the heavy and challenging Brighter Than a Thousand Suns. I love the riffs on this song. They are crushing. The 7/4 meter in the verses and the way Bruce phrases across the barlines creates a sense of instability that finally resolves itself briefly during the chorus before we are swept back into instability. The 7/4 section also provides a nice argument for intuition. From listening to live performances of the song, Bruce clearly has no idea how to count the beat or when to come in, his entrances are always different. But it works for the message being conveyed.
This song is going to get a lot of shit for being repetitive from people who don't listen for content. Bruce Dickinson is not Steve Harris. Where Steve often uses repetitive choruses as a songwriting crutch, Bruce uses it for effect. He repeats the "out of the darkness" line with greater fury and intensity as the band swells underneath. The repetition is earned and has a chilling effect. When he utters the final line, the band cuts out, leaving just his voice for a split second. Nothingness, like the fallout of a nuclear holocaust. The final statement of the main riff and Bruce's final lyric illustrates the immediate reaction and regret to what man has created. Genius.
Longest Day is the flawed masterpiece of the album. It does a lot right, but it falls short in some places. Overall it's greater than its flaws, but it ends up on the chopping block early for me. On Dance of Death, it'd be promotion material. I love the way the song builds up, but the choruses leave something to be desired. I also think the way it goes back to the verse after the choruses is somewhat predictable and anticlimatic. The instrumental section, however, is fantastic. I love every minute of it. The riffing invokes machine guns and shells. Fantastic solos from all three players too.
There was a lot of outrage over Out of the Shadows, which is understandable. This song suffers from being in the shadows of giants, but it is also extremely effective in context of the album. While it may seem thematically out of place, being about vampires and all, it fits the tone and is a necessary breather before a long run of heavy hitters. I enjoy the song, but it's one that I don't go out of my way for unless I'm listening to the album. Really nice guitar solo and lyrics though. Love the way Adrian plays ever so slightly behind the beat in his solo. The layering of parts during the instrumental section is also very cool and un-Maidenlike. A rare instance of intricate songwriting in Maiden.
The last four songs stands as one of my favorite runs on a Maiden album. Not only do these songs complement each other well, but each song on its own is a top ten contender. That's right, not just worthy of promotion, but top ten. Benjamin Breeg is classic Steve Harris. Lyrics that describe a tortured mind, a mysterious named figure we know nothing about, and a long soft intro before an explosion of heavy riffing. Also one of Dave's finest hours. Love the crushing riff and it also contains one of his best solos. Greater Good of God is another side of the classic Steve. It had been awhile since we got a true Harris epic in the classic sense of the word, definitely not since the 90s. This one delivers on every front. Most of my feelings on this song are the same as what I wrote in that song's thread a few years ago. Another amazing Maiden instrumental section too. Was thrilled to hear it live on the last tour. Never thought I would. FTGGOG frequently wrestles with Thousand Suns for my favorite song on the album. Thousand Suns takes it, but it's very close.
Lord of Light is the one song on the album that never gets the attention it deserves. Understandable, as it is sandwiched between two monsters, but it is just as strong as the others. Love the psychedelic mellow sections with the flanged cymbals on the drums. The main riff is also one of the heaviest the band has written (in general, this is really their heaviest album). A lot of it reminds me of early Maiden, but it also feels so fresh at the same time. I also love the lyrics and their sympathetic description of Satan as a tragic figure. Very Milton-esque. The chorus is one of their very best. Once again have to praise the instrumental work, with another fantastic Adrian solo. Love the pitch shifting.
I love how the last two songs take us outside the war theme but leave us in its periphery. For the Greater Good of God sets us up for this by pointing at religion as a cause for many global conflicts. Lord of Light takes the religion theme further by shifting our perceptions of a classic figure of evil (also hearkening back to "everybody has a different way to view the world). If we take the Milton influence further, we can also infer references to the war in Heaven.
The Legacy takes us back to the modern real world with a vivid depiction of a warmongering politician's last hours. In addition to religion, war is often caused by power-hungry politicians working in the name of self-preservation and leaving a legacy of greatness. At the end of the day, however, death continues to be the great equalizer. Even the most villainous world leader is not immune to mortality. The song leaves us with a lot to chew on and a message that is as old as Metal itself.
It makes sense that they played every song live on the tour. It really is a complete piece of work. Their selection of songs to play live from each album has historically been pretty predictable. With some exceptions (Journeyman), the songs they select usually aren't surprising. I remember most people had pretty much guessed the selections for both Final Frontier and Book of Souls tours. With AMOLAD, it's hard to imagine what you wouldn't play. All the songs are live ready and each song stands prominently on the album. Nothing is filler. The album had to be played in its entirety. There was no other way.
Different World is a nice opener that is effective at drawing the listener in, but I find These Colours Don't Run is where the album truly begins. Not only is the war theme made explicit here, but it's no accident that we begin with a broad overview of the soldier's experience as they go off to war. This song captures well the feeling of anticipation, excitement even, mixed with dread and despair. There's a sense of melancholic triumph in the "woah oh oh" section before the chorus. This song also establishes a precedent for more complex instrumental sections than what you typically get in a "single" type of song. There's a lot going on here and we're only one song in.
If AMOLAD is the perfect marriage of lyrics and music, Brighter Than a Thousand Suns is the best example. I love how this album slowly eases you into its complexity. We get the accessible Different World, the catchy but dense These Colours Don't Run, and now the heavy and challenging Brighter Than a Thousand Suns. I love the riffs on this song. They are crushing. The 7/4 meter in the verses and the way Bruce phrases across the barlines creates a sense of instability that finally resolves itself briefly during the chorus before we are swept back into instability. The 7/4 section also provides a nice argument for intuition. From listening to live performances of the song, Bruce clearly has no idea how to count the beat or when to come in, his entrances are always different. But it works for the message being conveyed.
This song is going to get a lot of shit for being repetitive from people who don't listen for content. Bruce Dickinson is not Steve Harris. Where Steve often uses repetitive choruses as a songwriting crutch, Bruce uses it for effect. He repeats the "out of the darkness" line with greater fury and intensity as the band swells underneath. The repetition is earned and has a chilling effect. When he utters the final line, the band cuts out, leaving just his voice for a split second. Nothingness, like the fallout of a nuclear holocaust. The final statement of the main riff and Bruce's final lyric illustrates the immediate reaction and regret to what man has created. Genius.
Longest Day is the flawed masterpiece of the album. It does a lot right, but it falls short in some places. Overall it's greater than its flaws, but it ends up on the chopping block early for me. On Dance of Death, it'd be promotion material. I love the way the song builds up, but the choruses leave something to be desired. I also think the way it goes back to the verse after the choruses is somewhat predictable and anticlimatic. The instrumental section, however, is fantastic. I love every minute of it. The riffing invokes machine guns and shells. Fantastic solos from all three players too.
There was a lot of outrage over Out of the Shadows, which is understandable. This song suffers from being in the shadows of giants, but it is also extremely effective in context of the album. While it may seem thematically out of place, being about vampires and all, it fits the tone and is a necessary breather before a long run of heavy hitters. I enjoy the song, but it's one that I don't go out of my way for unless I'm listening to the album. Really nice guitar solo and lyrics though. Love the way Adrian plays ever so slightly behind the beat in his solo. The layering of parts during the instrumental section is also very cool and un-Maidenlike. A rare instance of intricate songwriting in Maiden.
The last four songs stands as one of my favorite runs on a Maiden album. Not only do these songs complement each other well, but each song on its own is a top ten contender. That's right, not just worthy of promotion, but top ten. Benjamin Breeg is classic Steve Harris. Lyrics that describe a tortured mind, a mysterious named figure we know nothing about, and a long soft intro before an explosion of heavy riffing. Also one of Dave's finest hours. Love the crushing riff and it also contains one of his best solos. Greater Good of God is another side of the classic Steve. It had been awhile since we got a true Harris epic in the classic sense of the word, definitely not since the 90s. This one delivers on every front. Most of my feelings on this song are the same as what I wrote in that song's thread a few years ago. Another amazing Maiden instrumental section too. Was thrilled to hear it live on the last tour. Never thought I would. FTGGOG frequently wrestles with Thousand Suns for my favorite song on the album. Thousand Suns takes it, but it's very close.
Lord of Light is the one song on the album that never gets the attention it deserves. Understandable, as it is sandwiched between two monsters, but it is just as strong as the others. Love the psychedelic mellow sections with the flanged cymbals on the drums. The main riff is also one of the heaviest the band has written (in general, this is really their heaviest album). A lot of it reminds me of early Maiden, but it also feels so fresh at the same time. I also love the lyrics and their sympathetic description of Satan as a tragic figure. Very Milton-esque. The chorus is one of their very best. Once again have to praise the instrumental work, with another fantastic Adrian solo. Love the pitch shifting.
I love how the last two songs take us outside the war theme but leave us in its periphery. For the Greater Good of God sets us up for this by pointing at religion as a cause for many global conflicts. Lord of Light takes the religion theme further by shifting our perceptions of a classic figure of evil (also hearkening back to "everybody has a different way to view the world). If we take the Milton influence further, we can also infer references to the war in Heaven.
The Legacy takes us back to the modern real world with a vivid depiction of a warmongering politician's last hours. In addition to religion, war is often caused by power-hungry politicians working in the name of self-preservation and leaving a legacy of greatness. At the end of the day, however, death continues to be the great equalizer. Even the most villainous world leader is not immune to mortality. The song leaves us with a lot to chew on and a message that is as old as Metal itself.
Black Sabbath said:
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
I disagree with this slightly. I think this album — while unlikely to be in my top 5 — is one of the best examples of why I like modern Maiden as much as I do. They’ve matured a lot on their 45 year career. Songs about streakers and hookers are no longer viable; they’ve been around a bit and have seen a lot and write music now that showcases what they’ve learned. And they’re writing what they want to write, something they’ve always done but it’s a lot more noticeable these days. AMOLAD proves that maturity comes with age.
That’s not really what I mean. The music and lyrics show a certain level of maturity, yes, but the energy in performance and level of creativity is more akin to a younger band that has something to prove. That has nothing to do with the content of the music and everything to do with their attitudes.
Black Wizard
Pleb Hunter
Empire of the Clouds
Isle of Avalon
When The Wild Wind Blows
Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
For The Greater Good Of God
Lord Of Light
Isle of Avalon
When The Wild Wind Blows
Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
For The Greater Good Of God
Lord Of Light
Shmoolikipod
Stranger to the Light
Black Wizard, your votes are getting more and more controversial here by the day
Black Wizard
Pleb Hunter
My votes are the same as the previous round.
Shmoolikipod
Stranger to the Light
What a madman 
So looking like Dance of Death will join the game next - removing that album's chaff should provide lots of cover for AMOLAD.
Eliminated after Round 5:
The Red & The Black - 18 votes
When The Wild Wind Blows - 13 votes
The Longest Day - 11 votes
Promoted after Round 5:
If Eternity Should Fail
The Book Of Souls
Empire Of The Clouds
Isle Of Avalon
Starblind
The Talisman
Dance Of Death joins the game!