Maiden gone Prog Metal ?

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The progressive side of Maiden was more noticable in their early years because it was fresh.  Or having regard to the 70's style prog rock Maiden were a different take on prog, with a twist.  The punk side of them gave them that 'in your face' feel which has diminished over the years due to two things. 

One, they've matured and say what they wanna say in a different and perhaps more educated manner, they don't need to bash anyone over the head.  But having said that no one could sway me in my thinking that The Fallen Angel (for example) stands up against any of the 'slamming in your face' tracks by other bands out there today.  But Maiden don't need to do this quite so much anymore, and personally I'm happy for it.

Two, we've all matured.  Like most things these days, metal has engrained itself into society and it takes 'more' these days to get that shock value.  The days of Maiden being howled at and accused of being devil worshipers (for the most part) has gone cause it takes more to shock people today and let's face it I never thought they were anyhow.  I digress...

I think with bands like Dream Theater or Ark (their Burn the Sun was awesome and reccomended to those interested in this style music and big vocals, by Jorn Lande!) and with those kinda bands doing the prog business, the progressive side of Maiden didn't seem to carry as much weight.  Unlike the bands I mentioned and others like em, Maiden have never forced the progressive side of them, it was just the edge they had over others IMO.  I think on AMOLAD without forcing it they've pushed the progressiveness out front which is magnificent, but they haven't allowed it to take away from their sound or style, cause at the end of the day it has always been there just not so overtly, not for a very long time at least.

Just my 2c worth!
 
Mike616 said:
Unfortunatley, Maiden have lost their "Maiden Unique Touch" and they really wanted to do a number with this progressive thing. shame, though i'm glad I've started with NOTB and not with DoD coz i'd feel its an avrage band.

I started off with 'The Number of the Beast' as well and I hold that I do like them better since 2000.To me, their 'Golden Years' have begun when Bruce and Adrian rejoined the band and the music seems to be better than ever indeed.I know that I'm in the minority as lots of people becoming fans in the 80's now seem to think the band has been on the downgrade ever since.I hope the new album proves them wrong, though.
 
Don't know about a minority but I'm with you.  I am enjoying thier latest work as much as their 80's work.  Each to their own ;)
 
I like their new stuff a lot.But I dont think its quite as good as their 80's output. The songs are progressive in that they are long but are not extremely intricate.
 
Cosmiceddie said:
I started off with 'The Number of the Beast' as well and I hold that I do like them better since 2000.To me, their 'Golden Years' have begun when Bruce and Adrian rejoined the band and the music seems to be better than ever indeed.I know that I'm in the minority as lots of people becoming fans in the 80's now seem to think the band has been on the downgrade ever since.I hope the new album proves them wrong, though.
I think the 80s stuff (until and including Powerslave) was brilliant, after that they went downhill for me. I didn't even listen to any of their other material until DoD came. That sparked my interest in their more recent material. BNW, DoD and AMOLAD (sorry 'bout the acronyms, Mav ;)) are in my mind definitely on a par with Piece of Mind, Beast and Powerslave. I still don't really enjoy Somewhere in Time, Seventh son, No prayer and those very much - sure some songs are brilliant, but so many songs are not. "A Matter of Life and Death" is, to me, their most "even" album yet with no fillers and no boring songs, but if it's progressive or not doesn't matter to me. I really don't think it's necessary to put a label on it. It's Maiden. It's Maiden at their best, ever, and that's all that matters to me. If they make a few more studio albums and keep improving like they have since the reunion, imagine what music we'll get :yey: :D
 
You know, just because the songs are long and have more than 2 riffs in them and it's not all verse - chorus - verse - chorus - solo - chorus, it dosn't mean it's prog. Maiden still makes the same simple and to the face music they've always made. never heard a proggy sound in thier music.
 
Slash10 said:
never heard a proggy sound in thier music.

The Nomad is a good example and so is Thin Line Between Love and Hate. A lot of DOD too... Specially DOD because they expand the use of three guitars.
 
Onhell said:
The Nomad is a good example and so is Thin Line Between Love and Hate. A lot of DOD too... Specially DOD because they expand the use of three guitars.
"Expanding the use of three guitars" does not necessarily make a band proggy.  To be a proper prog band, Maiden would need to use unusual time signatures, and not write practically everything in 4/4 ;)
 
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