Most depressing Maiden material

JudasMyGuide said:
Was it now? I keep remembering there were 4 factors influencing the dark sound - the divorce, the deteriorating relationship with Bruce, Martin Birch retiring, and I thought that was the fourth one. I don't remember where I read it, so I might be wrong.
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I believe the metal climate in the UK around mid 90s was another factor. UK doom metal bands like My Dying Bride, Anathema, Paradise Lost were very successful around this time and Iron Maiden even brought My Dying Bride with them as support on The X-Factour. I think Steve might have looked in the direction of their success when he penned the longer more atmospheric tracks on The X-Factor.
 
The X Factor is bleak, moody, and depressing as hell. Other than that, I don't really find any Maiden material to be particularly depressing. If I had to pick, I guess I would say that a lot of AMOLAD is dark and melancholic, but not particularly depressing because of the bombast.
 
Without a doubt "Blood on the World's Hands" and most of AMOLAD. As far as lyrics go, obviously "Judgement of Heaven" and "2 am".
 
SixesAlltheway said:
I believe the metal climate in the UK around mid 90s was another factor. UK doom metal bands like My Dying Bride, Anathema, Paradise Lost were very successful around this time and Iron Maiden even brought My Dying Bride with them as support on The X-Factour. I think Steve might have looked in the direction of their success when he penned the longer more atmospheric tracks on The X-Factor.
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Do you mean to say you think that he penned like this because he looked at their success?
I rather think that if he got influenced by it (which I doubt but, alright, even if), he was influenced by them because he liked what he heard.
I don't imagine he tried to score with something. Certainly not because this was such a personal record.
 
What I mean is that I think it's possible that Steve was inspired/influenced by the rising of these bands. My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost etc were almost like a third wave of British metal at the time, in an era where metal was down and out....I think it would have been impossible for Steve not to notice the success these groups had (also he invited My Dying Bride out on tour) Not saying that he tried to copy their style to make a successful album but it might have inspired Steve to put out something darker, heavier and more atmospheric.
 
Ah alright. Sorry, now I see it. Because they had success, Steve was able to hear them.
From an interview with Blaze:

Q: What are some of the support acts that you have had on the current tour, and how does the band go about choosing these?

A: We had a couple of local bands at the start of the tour, and then we had My Dying Bride through most of Europe. Then after Christmas we had a band called Dirty Deeds. They're really good and they're doing an album now which they're financing themselves, and then they're going to try and get a deal with it. It's really who's around and could use the exposure, and wouldn't normally get a chance to play in front of those people, and can actually afford to do it as well, because it's really expensive to go on tour. My Dying Bride was good because they're kind of a doomy band, and they've got a lot of melody and quite a unique sound. In North America, we have Fear Factory. Fear Factory is really an exciting kind of paradox because you have two bands who are both heavy, they're a bit sharper while Maiden is a bit more majestic. I think the two bands show well against each other, I think some things that Maiden have got, Fear Factory has got and vice versa, so it's a pretty good package with two different bands that makes for a good night out.

edit:
From MDB interview:

Blistering.com: The period of the band that resonates with me the most is your mid-90’s era. What’s your recollections of that time?

Stainthorpe: The touring. Steve Harris from Iron Maiden rang Andrew, and Andrew was living at home with his parents at the time. Andrew couldn’t believe it and put the phone down. But Steve said, “Look, The Angel and the Dark River is a killer album, we need someone to support us on our European tour.” That was tremendous; we’ve grown up on Iron Maiden. It was just madness and we loved it. When we came back from that, we did Like Gods of the Sun, then the tour with Dio in States. And again, we had a blast, Dio was the loveliest man ever. It was a good time for us, touring-wise. Because the touring was so massive and we had such a good time, I can’t remember shit about the albums [laughs]. I can’t remember those times other than being on the road and having a great time.
 
Well yes, because this British doom metal genre was rising at the time it would have been impossible for Steve not to have heard it, and if he liked it, it's possible that he also let himself be influenced by it and the darker atmospheric sounds of these groups...Look at a song like The Sign of The Cross for example. It almost has all the elements of a good doom/Gothic metal track. The sort of stuff Paradise Lost was putting out at the time for example with the Icon album.
 
The most depressing songs have already been named, but I have to add When the Wild Wind Blows.

He sees a teardrop from his wife roll down her face
Saying grace
Remember times they had, they flash right through his mind
Left behind
Of a lifetime spent together long ago
Will be gone
 
Come to think of it, yes, Wild Wind is one I find a bit miserable.Not least because while speculation was going on that TFF would be Maiden's last album, I always felt it was a slightly tame way for Maiden to bow out. I don't get that feeling about Empire, I'd be reasonably happy if TBOS was their final album.
 
Brigantium said:
Come to think of it, yes, Wild Wind is one I find a bit miserable.Not least because while speculation was going on that TFF would be Maiden's last album, I always felt it was a slightly tame way for Maiden to bow out. I don't get that feeling about Empire, I'd be reasonably happy if TBOS was their final album.
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The last word of Maiden's recording career, if TBOS is actually the last album, is................. France! "Cocorico!" :) or isn't that actually depressing? :D
 
Well, we all know this isn't going to be their last album.
I didn't know anything about these "doom Metal" bands of mid eighties, and I didn't know of them being a possible influence for Maiden.
 
While we're already in deep seas of conjecture, I'd present my idea too, song from a band which has been a clear influence on Maiden since forever + this record was released in 1993;

 
Yeah I know that. That's why I questioned it, because the discussion was about how the British doom scene exploded in the 90s and possibly influenced Steve Harris and the making of The X-Factor. I corrected harrisdevot who said that the 80s doom bands were the ones influencing Maiden. No, the 90's British doom bands were. Not the history of Doom Metal in general, which I'm well aware of :D
 
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