New Single - The Writing on the Wall

Guitars do sound better, not muddy, but the rhythm section is so 'live' which is not my preference.
 
If this turns out to be a concept album, I wonder if there will be an animated video to go with each song.
 
I wonder what Kevin Shirley's productions are like for other bands. Does he always make drummers sound like they're hammering old dustbins with baseball bats? Absolutely headache inducing, time after time.

Maiden should credit him as Kevin "Bin Man" Shirley on the album sleeve.
Dream Theater's Falling Into Infinity or Aerosmith's Nine Lives (ok, they are both from 1997) are records I love, including for the production. The DT album is undoubtedly the one in which Mike Portnoy sounds the best ever.
 
With further listens, after the Southern Comfort has worn off, I admit that it does kinda sound like The Book of Souls [the song] vol. 2. The acoustic intro, the Oriental feel, the chorus even, a bit.

But without the fast gallopy section. And without my favourite part - the weird, yet familiar harmonies at 7:04 and 9:09.
I'd think that would piss me off, but it doesn't.
 
Adrian as lyricist? That surprises me. I know Bruce does play guitar but I wouldn't have thought he could come up with riffs and composition like that.

I wouldn’t be surprised if that is a mistake. It sounds like a Bruce story with a video he has been very involved in creating.
 
I'd think that would piss me off, but it doesn't.
I think it's probably the same thing I'm realizing. It's a one-dimensional and kinda 'stock' song, but sometimes that's all a track needs to be. It delivers, it sounds good, and it makes me happy to hear it. They can throw more shit in the mix elsewhere on the album; "The Writing on the Wall" does enough.
 
A lot of times their lead sings tend to feel like that though. "The Final Frontier" wasn't exactly something to be crazy about.... And yet, I'd never skip it in the context of the album - which grew to a favourite.

The Final Frontier is one of my favourite singles (10/10) whereas The Writing On The Wall (3/10) is just slightly better than Wildest Dreams (1/10).
 
Back
Top