Tailgunner vs If Eternity Should Fail - Big fan of the former but theres just something about the latter that I adore, might even make the hallowed Top 10. The instrumental of Tailgunner is class but the slide (especially live) into the chorus of Eternity is just sublime. And its a chorus for the ages.
Holy Smoke vs Speed of Light - Always liked Holy Smoke. Both are kind of throw away Maiden songs, not a patch on the big hitters, like the kind of thing they wrote because they felt they had to. Holy Smoke is much more fun.
No Prayer For The Dying vs The Great Unknown - great match up. Both evocative, for me but theres just something about The Great Unknown that I just love, the tuning, the rhythm, the lyrics and the delivery (On the weak alone), it just about shades it.
Public Enema Number One vs The Red And The Black - I hate this vote. I love a good Public Enema. Not a fan of the bridge, really but some good solos and a nice heavy verse but, really, the last 4 mins of The Red And The Black are phenomenal. As an overall song, it annoys me. Verses are too long (especially with the guitar-followin-vocal carry on) and there's too many of them and the instrumental section has a few minutes of throw away stuff, but....but.....when its good, its fuckin great. Would the last 4 mins be so good without the previous 3 mins of nonsense? I don't know. Maybe the payoff only pays off when taken in context. Either way, the final push of this song is up there with the most joyous shit they have ever done and so therefore it beats a very decent song.
Fates Warning vs When The River Runs Deep - tight as a gnats chaff, as they say in Russia. Not a fan of the bridgy bit nor the verses in Fates Warning and I really like River Runs Deep but the main drive of Fates Warning and the solos sway this one. River Runs Deep is a rolicking ride of a song and I like the fact that the chorus slows down but, vocally, the verses are a tad bland. That said, I really like Bruces delivery on the chorus. Probably the fact that I've know Fates Warning for 28 years longer has a part to play here.
The Assassin vs The Book of Souls - Come on. No contest.
Run Silent, Run Deep vs Death or Glory - Another very tight one. Ive always liked Run Silent, Run Deep, love the wee riff between vocal lines during the verse, the whole thing is quite heavy and aggressive and I like the change of pace of the solo in the middle. Death or Glory is also good. Very good. Just not good enough.
Hooks In You vs Shadow of the Valley - Hooks in You is a turd. That is all*
Bring You Daughter To The Slaughter vs Tears of a Clown - Like them both but there's only one that I will be listening to in 10 years time. Well, that's not strictly true but you know what I mean.
Kill Me Ce Soir vs The Man of Sorrows - obviously not a fair match up but Man of Sorrows is a top song. Not standard Maiden but good nonetheless. The verses aren't great, to me, much like Dave's other recent efforts but the intro and the rest are top. There's a certain atmosphere to this one and I think that everywhere Age of Innocence fails, this tune succeeds. The last bit is class, a real example of how Maiden could be a proggy jam band but its cut short, listen to the background bass, it could go on for days.
Mother Russia vs Empire of the Clouds - I don't adore either but the latter has the riff from The Legacy so game over. If Mother Russia was 18mins long, it might win but it's not so there ye go.
... give me a 'kin break.
