New Single - The Writing on the Wall

MrKnickerbocker said:
Also I have no idea what Bruce is saying half the time.
Click to expand...

Song is simple the lyrics drive it so this kills it for me.
The solos are great. I hope this is among the least complex arrangements on the album.

I'm getting TFF vibes off it, without the video.
 
Josh said:
Let's not forget for the last couple of albums the premier single has been the arguably weakest song on the album. I doubt this is any different.
Click to expand...
TROBB and Speed of Light were phenomenal lead singles. Really only Final Frontier and Wildest Dreams were weaker, marginally. But this is good stuff. I like this music I'm hearing.
 
There's good stuff in here, but the way the vocals sounded in the Youtube version ... I honestly struggled to work out the lyrics of the song.

First impression of the music when the first electric guitar riff started was "eh, country?" before it got heavier. The main riff was quite uncharacteristic, but not bad in any way. Good solos.

There were some obvious Star Wars inspirations in the video, but I didn't pick up other potential references. Anyone able to work out a coherent story from the video?

All in all, I have mixed feelings. I'm very happy to hear new stuff from Maiden, but I hope this single isn't representative of the whole new album. Even though I enjoyed listening to it.
 
Good song, but it’ll definitely have to grow on me a little bit.

As for the mix, vocals sound better on Spotify than on YouTube. I think that’s due to YouTube premiere. When AC/DC did that with “Shot in the Dark” back in the fall, the vocals were super buried too. But they’re great on the Power Up album.
 
I don't see why people are so surprised Adrian is involved and calling it uncharacteristic. He is the only band member that keeps developing and working all the time. It's only natural that his songwriting evolves, too. Remember the reactions after Satellite 15 came out?
 
I liked it, a different type of song for Maiden (which is always good IMO ... changing it up a bit). I would probably not care for an entire album along these lines, but I enjoyed this song and the video for it. I am sure there are a billion references in there that I missed.
 
It's something new to Maiden and I very much appreciate it. The sound is great to me, better than BOS and I think it's one of the better overall sound they had for many years. The vocals I think intentionally use more reverb due to Bruce's strain lately, and it's a good thing to me. The single cover is not a big deal but there is a connection to the video and maybe the entire album will have some theme to it too. I like it, pleasantly surprised.
 
Across a painted desert lies a train of vagabonds
All that’s left of what we were it’s what we have become
Once our empires glorious but now the empire’s gone
The dead gave us the time to live and now our time is done

Now we are victorious we’ve become our slaves
A land of hope and glory building graveyards for the brave

Have you seen the writing on the wall
Have you seen that writing
Can you see the riders on the storm
Can you see them riding ~ can you see them riding

Holding on to jury is that all we ever know
Ignorance our judge and jury all we’ve got to show
From Hollywood to Babylon ~ holy war to kingdom come
On a trail of dust and ashes ~ when the burning sky is done
A tide of change is coming and that is what you fear
The earthquake is a coming but you don’t want to hear
You’re just too blind to see

Have you seen the writing on the wall
Have you seen that writing
Can you see the riders on the storm
Can you see them riding
Can you see them riding. . . Riding next to you
 
Smither said:
As soon as I heard the beginning I thought of a Gers song, really uncharateristic for Adrian. Felt weird about it on the YT premiere, really liked it after replaying on Spotify, it sounds like a grower. The solo section is killer as well. It's so nice to see Maiden create something so out of the box, love the melodies, fits the Babylon theme. Bruce's voice is great, probably best recording of it since AMOLAD, production also sounds pretty good on streaming services.
Click to expand...

Agreed on the acoustic guitar - but as soon as the electrics and the western flavour kicks in it is definitely Smith.
 
Ariana said:
I don't see why people are so surprised Adrian is involved and calling it uncharacteristic. He is the only band member that keeps developing and working all the time. It's only natural that his songwriting evolves, too. Remember the reactions after Satellite 15 came out?
Click to expand...
Yeah, this is pretty accurate. He pushes boundaries in ways the other band members don't. And that's pretty good - not everything he's pushed has been great, but it's always led to something interesting.
 
The opening acoustics instantly reminded me of TBOS - and then the riff comes in, and you instantly know it's an Adrian song from the bluesy, western feel it has. It takes a while for the song to build and it never really kicks into first gear - at times it almost feels like it's slowing down, even - but does it satisfy that itch for some new Maiden? Hell yeah it does.

Maybe it's a little stock - almost feels like a continuation of the sound of The Book of Souls - but it's fun at the same time. Bruce's voice is definitely aged, but he know sounds like a cloaked mage giving you the wisdom you need on the quest you're heading on. The real highlight of this track is the solo section. WOW. That's easily up there among the best of their entire 21st century catalogue.

It definitely feels like a first single, although the mid-tempo nature of it is a little strange. But I like it. It's very solid, very fun, a nice and hearty slab of typical Maiden to satisfy the cravings. I'm sure hearing it in the context of the album may increase my appreciation of it. It's definitely a great, enticing track to lead us towards the (hopefully) eventual album announcement.

Verdict: 8/10
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top