Finally a good song. Great chorus. Bruce's gruff vocals don't fit the verses, but he sings good on the chorus. I'll give it 6/10.
edge of darkness
Trooper
8. Nice rocker, very catchy, and good lyrics.
Revelations85
Trooper
9/10. A seriously underrated song.
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
8.
A criminally underrated and overlooked song.
A criminally underrated and overlooked song.
Eddieson
Educated Fool
This is exactly what this album needed after all these filler-ish songs. Great melodies, great guitar playing and Bruce sounds good to my ears!
A hidden gem overlooked because it hides between two of Maidens worst songs ever. I think this should have worked perfect as the second single instead of From Here To Eternity!
8/10
A hidden gem overlooked because it hides between two of Maidens worst songs ever. I think this should have worked perfect as the second single instead of From Here To Eternity!
8/10
DJMayes
Ancient Mariner
An easy 8. Just a great song all the way through.
Rankings:
Rankings:
Previous Albums:
Fear Of The Dark
7 - Be Quick Or Be Dead
8 - From Here To Eternity
9 - Afraid To Shoot Strangers
5 - Fear Is The Key
6 - Childhoods End
8 - Wasting Love
7 - The Fugitive
8 - Chains Of Misery
6 - The Apparition
8 - Judas Be My Guide
Iron Maiden - 6.67
Killers - 5.91
The Number Of The Beast - 7.56
Piece Of Mind - 7.44
Powerslave - 6.75
Somewhere In Time - 8.00
Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son - 8.25
No Prayer For The Dying - 6.90
8 - Prowler
6 - Sanctuary
7 - Remember Tomorrow
6 - Running Free
9 - Phantom Of The Opera
7 - Transylvania
4 - Strange World
6 - Charlotte The Harlot
7 - Iron Maiden
6 - Sanctuary
7 - Remember Tomorrow
6 - Running Free
9 - Phantom Of The Opera
7 - Transylvania
4 - Strange World
6 - Charlotte The Harlot
7 - Iron Maiden
Killers - 5.91
6 - The Ides Of March
6 - Wrathchild
6 - Murders In The Rue Morgue
5 - Another Life
5 - Genghis Khan
5 - Innocent Exile
8 - Killers
5 - Prodigal Son
8 - Purgatory
6 - Twilight Zone
5 - Drifter
6 - Wrathchild
6 - Murders In The Rue Morgue
5 - Another Life
5 - Genghis Khan
5 - Innocent Exile
8 - Killers
5 - Prodigal Son
8 - Purgatory
6 - Twilight Zone
5 - Drifter
The Number Of The Beast - 7.56
6 - Invaders
7 - Children Of The Damned
8 - The Prisoner
7 - 22 Acacia Avenue
9 - The Number Of The Beast
10 - Run To The Hills
6 - Gangland
5 - Total Eclipse
10 - Hallowed Be Thy Name
7 - Children Of The Damned
8 - The Prisoner
7 - 22 Acacia Avenue
9 - The Number Of The Beast
10 - Run To The Hills
6 - Gangland
5 - Total Eclipse
10 - Hallowed Be Thy Name
Piece Of Mind - 7.44
8 - Where Eagles Dare
9 - Revelations
9 - Flight Of Icarus
7 - Die With Your Boots On
8 - The Trooper
7 - Still Life
6 - Quest For Fire
6 - Sun And Steel
7 - To Tame A Land
9 - Revelations
9 - Flight Of Icarus
7 - Die With Your Boots On
8 - The Trooper
7 - Still Life
6 - Quest For Fire
6 - Sun And Steel
7 - To Tame A Land
Powerslave - 6.75
8 - Aces High
7 - 2 Minutes To Midnight
3 - Loss Fer Words
7 - Flash Of The Blade
5 - The Duellists
6 - Back In The Village
9 - Powerslave
9 - Rime Of The Ancient Mariner
7 - 2 Minutes To Midnight
3 - Loss Fer Words
7 - Flash Of The Blade
5 - The Duellists
6 - Back In The Village
9 - Powerslave
9 - Rime Of The Ancient Mariner
Somewhere In Time - 8.00
8 - Caught Somewhere In Time
9 - Wasted Years
8 - Sea Of Madness
8 - Heaven Can Wait
8 - The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner
7 - Stranger In A Strange Land
8 - Deja Vu
8 - Alexander The Great
9 - Wasted Years
8 - Sea Of Madness
8 - Heaven Can Wait
8 - The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner
7 - Stranger In A Strange Land
8 - Deja Vu
8 - Alexander The Great
Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son - 8.25
7 - Moonchild
9 - Infinite Dreams
9 - Can I Play With Madness
9 - The Evil That Men Do
10 - Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
6 - The Prophecy
8 - The Clairvoyant
8 - Only The Good Die Young
9 - Infinite Dreams
9 - Can I Play With Madness
9 - The Evil That Men Do
10 - Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
6 - The Prophecy
8 - The Clairvoyant
8 - Only The Good Die Young
No Prayer For The Dying - 6.90
6 - Tailgunner
6 - Holy Smoke
8 - No Prayer For The Dying
7 - Public Enema Number One
7 - Fates Warning
7 - The Assassin
6 - Run Silent Run Deep
8 - Hooks In You
8 - Bring Your Daughter... To The Slaughter
6 - Mother Russia
6 - Holy Smoke
8 - No Prayer For The Dying
7 - Public Enema Number One
7 - Fates Warning
7 - The Assassin
6 - Run Silent Run Deep
8 - Hooks In You
8 - Bring Your Daughter... To The Slaughter
6 - Mother Russia
Fear Of The Dark
7 - Be Quick Or Be Dead
8 - From Here To Eternity
9 - Afraid To Shoot Strangers
5 - Fear Is The Key
6 - Childhoods End
8 - Wasting Love
7 - The Fugitive
8 - Chains Of Misery
6 - The Apparition
8 - Judas Be My Guide
Scream for me Long Beach!
Prowler
Best song on the album.
Operations666
Educated Fool
Dave Murray soars on this song. Love the lyrics. A real hidden gem, one of my favorite Maiden songs. 10/10.
Dave_Murray_rules
Invader
What a wonderful, catchy rocker this is. Dave's lead work is immaculate, his solo here makes my eyes water every time. Kudos, Davey!
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
9/10
Judas Be My Guide, another Murray credit (and my but he seems good at writing rocking penultimate tunes), is awesome. Musically, it sounds like something that could have been on Somewhere In Time but the vocals are more mature and more confidently delivered. The chorus is incredibly catchy and the quick turnarounds during the bridge really add a flavor of unpredictability to the song.
Judas Be My Guide, another Murray credit (and my but he seems good at writing rocking penultimate tunes), is awesome. Musically, it sounds like something that could have been on Somewhere In Time but the vocals are more mature and more confidently delivered. The chorus is incredibly catchy and the quick turnarounds during the bridge really add a flavor of unpredictability to the song.
Signed up just to comment on that song, favorite track on Fear Of The Dark. Was utterly surprised no one had ever mentioned it before I heard it for the first time, 13 years ago
I think the title is an intended change of "Jesus be my guide" with a lyrical theme on how the world has lost the motive for becoming a better place (say, being guided by Jesus who preached benevolence and forgiveness) and instead follows the path of Judas (betraying the world's hope for a handful of silver). Not that I wouldn't expect Iron Maiden to adopt the Judas of Kazantzakis's "The Last Temptation", I just don't think Judas here refers to Judas as a person but as a symbol of betrayal
'Lights out - we live in a world of darkness
No doubt, everything's up for sale
We sleep - all of the world is burning
We pray to God for a better deal'
World is going astray and the people's reaction? Inaction and prayer to God
'Nothing is sacred back then or now
Everything's wasted'
Disillusionment about the world's morality and future
'Is that all there is? Can I go now?'
But in truth not even the one who hits the nail on the matter really cares enough to do anything to change it
'Judas my guide
Whispers in the night
Judas my guide'
The way we live our lives is mandated by betrayal. Not necessarily for money
'Fight wars, die in a blaze of glory
Come home meat in a plastic sack'
You go to war to fight and eventually die for nothing
'Fall down, better pray to your God for mercy
So kneel and help the blade cut clean'
If you're resigned and have given up, all that is left for you is to pray for mercy. But you're nothing more than an easier victim
'Nothing is sacred back then or now
Everyone's wasted
Is that all there is? Is that it now?'
Again the disillusionment, with a bit more despair that things could be better but are getting hopelessly worse.
'I live in the black, I have no guiding light
I'm whispering in your dreams'
The quintessential lyrics of the song. With no light of hope within sight, you are susceptible to the whispers of Judas. Or becoming a Judas oneself
That's my take of the song lyrics, hope you'll find it interesting. Up the Irons lads
I think the title is an intended change of "Jesus be my guide" with a lyrical theme on how the world has lost the motive for becoming a better place (say, being guided by Jesus who preached benevolence and forgiveness) and instead follows the path of Judas (betraying the world's hope for a handful of silver). Not that I wouldn't expect Iron Maiden to adopt the Judas of Kazantzakis's "The Last Temptation", I just don't think Judas here refers to Judas as a person but as a symbol of betrayal
'Lights out - we live in a world of darkness
No doubt, everything's up for sale
We sleep - all of the world is burning
We pray to God for a better deal'
World is going astray and the people's reaction? Inaction and prayer to God
'Nothing is sacred back then or now
Everything's wasted'
Disillusionment about the world's morality and future
'Is that all there is? Can I go now?'
But in truth not even the one who hits the nail on the matter really cares enough to do anything to change it
'Judas my guide
Whispers in the night
Judas my guide'
The way we live our lives is mandated by betrayal. Not necessarily for money
'Fight wars, die in a blaze of glory
Come home meat in a plastic sack'
You go to war to fight and eventually die for nothing
'Fall down, better pray to your God for mercy
So kneel and help the blade cut clean'
If you're resigned and have given up, all that is left for you is to pray for mercy. But you're nothing more than an easier victim
'Nothing is sacred back then or now
Everyone's wasted
Is that all there is? Is that it now?'
Again the disillusionment, with a bit more despair that things could be better but are getting hopelessly worse.
'I live in the black, I have no guiding light
I'm whispering in your dreams'
The quintessential lyrics of the song. With no light of hope within sight, you are susceptible to the whispers of Judas. Or becoming a Judas oneself
That's my take of the song lyrics, hope you'll find it interesting. Up the Irons lads
This song actually only revealed itself to me recently. I never paid much attention to it before, but it's probably the next best song after ATSS. Really great riffing and the energy is finally there. This is one of the few songs where it feels like they're actually trying, I can't believe they never played it live or put it out as a single. It's also buried so deep within the album that it's almost as if they didn't want it to get any attention. But really, if the whole album was like this song it'd be great. Melodically it's like a high speed version of what a lot of the American metal acts were doing at the time, but with the Maiden flair to it.
The classic 3+3+2 rhythm is there but they're doing something different with it. The more staccato changing guitar chords really give it a different flair.
9
The classic 3+3+2 rhythm is there but they're doing something different with it. The more staccato changing guitar chords really give it a different flair.
9
BeThyJames
Trooper
Probably the best short rocker on the album. Much better melodies and much better from Nicko and Dave in particular than on the opener say. Still a bit lacking though
6
6
This is one of those songs that is really on the cusp of greatness. For its length, I think it's pretty fantastic, and Bruce sounds his best on this album. The little intro solo is blistering. 8/10. Could have been a 9 with a bit more substance.