Sara
Not even Wensleydale?
Yea it is! You would think drop D but there are a lot of open chords that require the whole guitar to be tuned down. I imagine this was done because of Bruce, he can barely hit that high D in the chorus, imagine him trying to go for the E.
That's true, Bruce really struggles during that chorus... I guess with that in mind, it makes perfect sense that they would have to tune that one down a bit!
Yup, but it's a lovely sound. The Legacy is also tuned down that way.
Eddieson
Educated Fool
This (as well as Gates Of Tomorrow a few albums later) suffers from a bad opening riff. I could have started directly at 0:44.
After that the song picks up, and the riff is good! Creates a interesting mood. I also really like Blazes delivery here, great vocals! I have also read the book so I think the lyrics are interesting. Then comes the intro riff again and, even if it work better this time, it feels unnecessary. The solo that follows is good, as well as the singalong section. Misses the octave on the last chorus but o well, understand that Blaze can't do it.
7/10
After that the song picks up, and the riff is good! Creates a interesting mood. I also really like Blazes delivery here, great vocals! I have also read the book so I think the lyrics are interesting. Then comes the intro riff again and, even if it work better this time, it feels unnecessary. The solo that follows is good, as well as the singalong section. Misses the octave on the last chorus but o well, understand that Blaze can't do it.
7/10
Sara
Not even Wensleydale?
The song sounds awesome in E tuning too, and the solo in fact, sounds better in that tuning. I didn't know The Legacy was in D tuning, that's news to me! lol Is that the only song on the album in that tuning?
It's D open tuning to be exact: DADGAD. that's for the acoustic guitars, the others are in standard tuning with drop d. No other songs on the album do this but TFF has the Talisman also with acoustic guitars in DADGAD (and I suspect Book of Souls will probably have this too) and Mother of Mercy with every guitar in D standard.
Sara
Not even Wensleydale?
I read an interview with Dave Murray where he said that all 3 guitars were tuned to drop D for Mother Of Mercy... it does sound more like D standard though.
Interesting. I learned it in D standard, solos and all. It always made sense to me that way since it played like a typical E minor Maiden song, so I figured they wrote it in E and tuned it down to accompany Bruce since he already strains to hit that high D. I'd be interested in seeing that interview if you have a link!
Sara
Not even Wensleydale?
Sara
Not even Wensleydale?
Thanks! Pretty cool article, didn't know about some of that stuff. I'll have to try playing Mother of Merch in drop D sometime to see the difference.
You're welcome.
In a way, it kind of makes sense, cos Adrian has been playing in drop D for a while now, and no Maiden song have ever been in D standard before to my knowledge. I need to learn the song myself and see how it sounds in that tuning.
Maturin
Sköldpadda
They're playing in E Standard, not D. Just moved the riff down the fretboard and moved someparts up an octave. The guitar-part that H plays in the intro is sort of a dubbing of Dave's album part, played an octave above. And Janick's intro is nothing like on the album. They took the post-chorus breakdown and inserted it as a new intro already when they played it live with Blaze. (May have something to do with trouble keeping in time with the original finger-plucked riff.)
Anyway, as for "Lord of the Flies" it's one of my absolute favourites. Love the buildup in the intro (especially the experienced key change going to the verse-riff), the verses and chorus, as well as the super-atmospheric solo-section.
A solid 10.
eddienephwrack
Invader
I'm a 7 too. Verse is pretty good, and I really like the pre-chorus.
This is a cool rocker. The riffing almost follows the vocal melodies, but not quite. I think that's a cool way to do it.
Fantastic melodic guitar solo that shows Janick is capable of more than the signature frantic soloing style. The melody that follows is cool but it would've made an even cooler twin lead.
This song is really screaming for Bruce's operatic touch though. They're still learning to accommodate Blaze's vocal style here. But he makes up for the limited range with solid delivery.
Fantastic melodic guitar solo that shows Janick is capable of more than the signature frantic soloing style. The melody that follows is cool but it would've made an even cooler twin lead.
This song is really screaming for Bruce's operatic touch though. They're still learning to accommodate Blaze's vocal style here. But he makes up for the limited range with solid delivery.
BeThyJames
Trooper
Not a bad rocker. Nothing much more to elaborate on
6
6
I've always liked this one. Worst version is the one from Death on the Road. Bruce butchered it live, unfortunately. Quoted this in a Grade 12 English paper, +1 for that. This would be a 7, +1 for being used in fomenting early LC.
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
8/10 Blazes burning solidly.
Lord of the Flies is a more traditional Maiden rocker based on the classic book of the same name. Written by Harris and Gers (who no doubt contributed the bizarre delayed chord riff), it's a decent song. The cracks start to show in Blaze’s range here. He comes off sounding like Glenn Danzig doing his best Bruce Dickinson impression. Check out photos of Blaze from these early days - those sideburns! Anyway, Lord of the Flies is a good listen that never manages to impress beyond being rather decent.
Lord of the Flies is a more traditional Maiden rocker based on the classic book of the same name. Written by Harris and Gers (who no doubt contributed the bizarre delayed chord riff), it's a decent song. The cracks start to show in Blaze’s range here. He comes off sounding like Glenn Danzig doing his best Bruce Dickinson impression. Check out photos of Blaze from these early days - those sideburns! Anyway, Lord of the Flies is a good listen that never manages to impress beyond being rather decent.