No Prayer for the Dying: individual album judgement by yours truly

  1. Tailgunner 4.5/10 - a castrated Aces High
  2. Holy Smoke 6.75/10 - catchy, happy, a good single
  3. No Prayer for the Dying 8/10 - aka Afraid to Shoot Strangers: the reharsals
  4. Publica Enema Number One 6.75/10 - bad title, but a good song
  5. Fates Warning 8/10 - the intro solo is a masterpiece, the song is a hidden gem
  6. The Assassin 4/10 - terrible
  7. Run Silent Run Deep 4.5/10 - the intro is the only good thing
  8. Hooks in You 5/10 - Adrian's worst song to those days
  9. Bring your Daughter... to the Slaughter 3.5/10 - I often question myself what did Steve find in this waste of time which led him to want the song on the album
  10. Mother Russia 5/10 - Alexander the Great mixed with Seventh Son's coda, but badly done
Overall: 5.5/10
 
  1. Tailgunner 7/10 - Good opener.
  2. Holy Smoke 6/10 - Least favorite song on the album.
  3. No Prayer for the Dying 9/10 - Wonderful song, the fast part is great.
  4. Public Enema Number One 8/10 - Great intro and chorus. This should´ve been the single.
  5. Fates Warning 8,5/10 - Don´t know if the title is dedicated to the American prog metal pioneers but very good song nevertheless.
  6. The Assassin 7/10 - Good, great solo too.
  7. Run Silent Run Deep 7,5/10 - Weak chorus but nice intersection
  8. Hooks in You 9/10 - Underrated as hell!!! This song is very catchy. Sublime solo.
  9. Bring your Daughter... to the Slaughter 8/10 - Great song.
  10. Mother Russia 9/10 - Epic closer.
Overall: 7.9/10
 
IRON MAIDEN - NO PRAYER FOR THE DYING (2020 re-listening)

1- Tailgunner: Maiden's 8th studio album starts with a typical build up as familiar (The Number Of The Beast, The Clairvoyant) as exciting. I really love that simple yet catchy bass and guitar variations before the rhythm kicks in. While being really stripped down when compared with previous openners and featuring a much more contained vocal line by Bruce (and raspier, an aspect that's common throughout NPFTD), Tailgunner sounds stellar and does a great job while picturing the memories of a WWII veteran. In all honesty it's not your pure adrenaline kickstart like Aces High, Caught Somewhere In Time or Moonchild (nor do I think the band intended it to be so) but everything's extremely well put together. The chorus is quite simple and while not being anything out of this world it's far from compromising. Most people say this is a poor man's Aces High. Well I disagree and I only can see the connection between the two tracks on two points: the WWII dog fight lyrical subject and the rumbling bridge after the chorus. And although Aces High's on a league of its own, Tailgunner's bridge is also amazing, giving way to some cool solos courtesy of Dave and rookie Janick Gers. At first listening it's a bit of a shock when compared with the majesty of previous Maiden openers but IMO Tailgunner is one hell of a song with a really unique charm. 8.75/10

2- Holy Smoke: To begin with I must admit I love this track: a reckless and heavy rock n' roll song. The guitar harmonies sound great, the solos are really cool, drums and bass are clicking at 100% and Bruce's amazing breath technique enhances the verses punch in stellar fashion as he throws satyric diatribes left and right (near comical at times) on the greediness and BS of tele evangelists. That being said there's something wrong here: despite being the advance single, Holy Smoke is completely out of place. Its lyrics, mood and even musical morphology seems like a strange body when compared with all other tracks in NPFTD (except one I'll roast further down this review). It comes to the point that I believe the cover they made of Stray's All In Your Mind (as a B Side for the single) sounds almost 100% Maiden and should've been included here and Holy Smoke should be the B' Side instead (a really great one nonetheless). So I'd easily give Holy Smoke a 8 or a 8.25, but since it's so out of place I have to downgrade it a bit. Still have a ball every time I listen to it. 7.25/10

3- No Prayer For The Dying: Starting with a soft melody the title track goes even softer into semi acoustic terrain and man both this sections sound great! And if it's a fact that for the last 8 years Bruce has been killing it as a singer on the band this time he simply slaughters this song. I don't know what happened during the recording sessions but it's not only the raspy tone that really sounds horrible on this calm section: this absolute off the charts singer even gets out of key in some parts. This is a disgrace and it's beyond my comprehension since I've heard several live versions of this song (one of them being a From Here To Eternity single B' side) and he sounds stellar: much but muuuuuuch better than in the album version. This whole situation really puzzles me but hey... it is what it is. The next melody and crescendo are also top notch and the instrumental part is fantastic. My only complaint regarding these sections is that I think they deserved to be a bit longer but the song is still great as it is. So I give 8/10 to the live version but man: Bruce's performance really makes me avoid the studio version. 7.25/10

4- Public Enema Number One: Now this is a charming song title... really? Don't know what the guys were thinking about but this is the antithesis of appealing. And to be fair the song is far from being shite (unlike what the title suggests). During many years I kinda ignored this track but in all honesty it started to sound better and better with the passing of ages. The initial guitar harmonies are really good, the verses are bombastic and Bruce's harsher approach does wonders as he spits his rough criticism on modern society. The chorus is also absolutely engaging and melodic and rightfuly so Bruce here returns to his more traditional tenor clean singing. Plus the solo section is gorgeous. So yeah... This is a really good track tarnished by a stupid title. For fucks sake couldn't they call it P.E.N.O. or something? I don't care... anything but this! A song that has a certain pomp being associated with Enemas even in a metaphorical way is one of the last things you want stamped on a Maiden record back cover! 7.75/10

5- Fates Warning: After a gorgeous brief intro that slightly reminds me of the beginning of The Prophecy a pounding yet simple bass line by Mr. Harris serves as the high octane motor that propels the entire tune with full force. The opening guitar notes on the verses are also truly simple yet well imagined and filled with power and Bruce's singing on this one is amazing, giving that apocalyptic flavor the lyrics demand. As for the chorus while not being top tier stuff is strong enough to keep up with the song's strong pace. The bridge is your 101 Maiden inflection point before the solos but works brilliantly and the solos themselves are also really tasty. We're still presented with a great dual guitar harmony and a state of the art pause for some cool guitar pulls and squeals before the last chorus. Besides having that mystical Maiden side Fates Warning is a superb composition, a true hidden gem. 8.25/10

6- The Assassin: Man does this song sounds well from the get go! A wicked sounding track built upon an incredible bass line and cool drumming patterns with the guitars and vocals accentuating the extremely tense ambiance the lyrics demand. It's a pity the chorus absolutely sucks (those "better watch out" choirs are really cringe worth). Apart from that the rest of the song is quite enjoyable: a bit rough on the edges but still great stuff. And once again I must stress: it deserved a refrain that didn't pull its final rating this low. 7,25/10

7- Run Silent Run Deep: After a really well thought acoustic intro this track makes way with a galloping riff a la Powerslave. And although it falls short when compared with such classic the verses on this WWII deep ocean battle themed song are really compeling and muscular. The chorus is also really cool featuring a slightly folkish flavor. And although I'm not much of the fan of the soloing here, the guitar harmony before the song returns to the verses is simply awesome and so are the closing lines, re-ashing the chorus in acoustic fashion. Overall this is great stuff, more in line with what Maiden have done in previous albums and another unfairly overlooked composition. 8.25/10

8- Hooks In You: It really puzzles me why the band decided to include this track. First it's one of the worst compositions ever by a member that wasn't even no longer with the band by the time the record came out - that being Adrian Smith that throughout his first season in Maiden wrote nothing but great tunes unlike this one (perhaps Gangland being the only exception). Then this thing is a rock n' roll song that is utterly out of place in this album. Well, so is Holy Smoke you may say. But Holy smoke is fast, heavy and energizing while this thing is so feeble and bland it's endearing. The only good part in this wreck of a song is the "Hooks in you, I got those hooks in you" one: I must admit I really love the typical Adrian Smith guitar line here. The solos are also ok but soon we're back to the essay onmediocrity that is this waste of time. Charlotte's third chapter deserved a better song and we deserved this song to be hidden somewhere on a B' side. 5/10

9- Bring Your Daughter... To The Slaughter: Ok lets start with the only down side of this song: It sure does have some corny lyrics. Other than that it's no coincidence this single was the only one that went #1 on the UK charts during Maiden's career. The thriller like verses are catchy as hell, the chorus is simply the best on this record by far (and to be fair ranks among my favorites when it comes to radio friendly Maiden tunes), the "So pick your foolish pride..." bridge is absolutely bombastic and the ensuing solo by Janick is also brutal. And what to say about the ambiance of the still section? The manner how those infernal choirs make way to the last assault on the refrain is flawless. So cut the "let's hate BYDTTS because band member X or Y doesn't like it" crap: this is commercial Maiden done with class, intensity and focus and if it wasn't for the goofy lyrics my rate would be even higher. Plus it's one of Maiden's songs that gains the most when played live. 9/10

10- Mother Russia: Starting with a great guitar harmony followed by an excellent keyboard/ acoustic guitar combination, Mother Russia conjures the frozen landscapes of the by then dismantelling USSR winter with its march like infectious rhythm courtesy of Mr. McBrain as the verses kick in. And while Bruce's singing is merely acessory here (and overall rhythmic), reinforcing the main harmony it works decently. The following bridge bring once again the keyboards that convey a huge dramatic dimension to the whole thing until the song comes to a moment of inflection and enters a whirlwind of excellent bridges and solos, some of them kinda resembeling the vibe of Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son (the song) instrumental section. It then returns to the main verses briefly only to fade out on the frozen acoustic opening section. This is a great song but still I have one main complaint: like the title track it sounds too rushed, too much compacted, like the band wanted to finish it as soon as possible. It seems like an edit of the original a la single version and that kinda hurts the final outcome and I think it deserved at least two more minutes for all the sections to breathe and develop. And this is the only fault that I spot here because since everything else sound great. 8/10

PS: 7.67/10 points song average

So Maiden tried to revamp their more direct and raw side on this album after a prog metal stravaganza in Seventh Son. Due to this some say No Prayer For The Dying sounds poor, lacks ambition and quality. I disagree. Although it features some lackluster moments and some coherency I really like the majority of the songs here (almost every single one of them, to be fair) and I believe the main problem is the band kinda got stuck in no man's land. It is far from a epic metal album like its predecessor, Powerslave, Piece Of Mind, Somewhere In Time or to a certain degree The Number Of The Beast but it's way too polished and pompous when compared with the DiAnno era records. There are some songs that try to reach for that more stripped down feel to it like Holy Smoke, The Assassin, Hooks in you and even Bring Your Daughter but there's still lots of more refined later Maiden arrangements in tracks such as Mother Russia, Fates Warning and Run Silent Run Deep. They're not as epic as the last three albums but sure retain some common traits. And there's nothing wrong with it. Derek Riggs' cover is also a bit more stripped down but I truly love it overall and although I liked all the enhancements on the 1998 release version I miss the grave robber being grabbed by the neck by Eddie. Decentely produced, the record was kind of a let down when it came out and obviously their least good release to date. But with the passing of time It grew on me and IMO it's overall a really solid record featuring some stellar passages. 7.25/10
 
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I don't have a huge problem with the production on this one, a bit raw but so what

Tailgunner - 8. Intro is good as is the verse but not keen on the chorus, it's not a great lyric and the melody is poor. Interesting rhythm guitar part outshines the two solos

Holy Smoke - 10, A brilliant pop single from Maiden, catchy riff, no flab and a great lyric from Bruce. Love Janick's fluttery harmonics in the solo

No Prayer for the Dying - 9, Soulful verse reminiscent of Kayleigh, nice touch with the melody instead of a chorus, typical Maiden style tempo change for the solos, which again feature really interesting rhythm guitar parts

Public Enema Number One - 9, terrible pun, great melody intro, love the way the chorus slows down and then kicks back in, plus the side to side riff between the verse, love the build up to Dave's solo and it's maybe the best one on the album. TBH not sure exactly why I'm docking this one a mark, it's pretty great.

Fates Warning - 7, intro sounds good, as does the riff that kicks in, verse not great, melody isn't the best and lyrics are fairly generic and I think Steve has dumbed down the lyrics a bit, he's done this topic before a lot better. Good harmony after the first solo, as usual from Maiden even with a song that's not firing on all cylinders they throw in a great melody, more side to side harmonics at the end of Janicks solos but song ends real abruptly.

The Assassin - 7, I think this is musically brilliant, it creates a real menacing atmosphere and there's very little flab, rhythm guitar parts in the solo are again real interesting. But the lyrics are so dumb it's beyond belief, and Bruce's vocal performance is so hammy and hackneyed. The chorus is really catchy if only the words were nearly anything else.

Run Silent, Run Deep - 10, Best track on the album, Intro creates a nice mood and a great groove for the verse, Bruce sounds great on the chorus, and how he delivers the line "a cunning fox in the chicken's lair" with a straight face deserves a medal. Yet again great rhythm for the solo, it's a real theme of this album. Plus another stellar harmony coming out of it. Love the breakdown for the last chorus repetition.

Hooks in You - 8, I don't think Maiden do sleazy well but I can't help but enjoy this one as it's just mindless fun, Riff is good, it's the Crue's Looks that Kill with a bit of panache added.

Bring Your Daughter... ...to The Slaughter - 10, more mindless fun, as the first Maiden track I ever heard I'll always have a soft spot for this one. Love all the noises and creaks during the verses, and the riff for the chorus is so rock n roll Marty McFly could have invented it. One of my favourite wildman Janick solos. Fetch is so english it's no wonder Bruce voted leave:lol: Bonkers "ah ah" section before the last chorus, track is so off the wall it's great and ending on a Hendrix chord must be unique for Maiden.

Mother Russia - 6. some ok Russian sounding melodies, but the lyrics and vocal melody are pretty bad, maybe it would have worked better as an instrumental? Low key Nicko drumming, a theme which developed throughout the 90s, just doesn't work for me, especially the grooveless solo sections.
 
No Prayer for the Dying (1990)

Tailgunner - 8/10 >
Holy Smoke - 7/10 >
No Prayer for the Dying - 8/10 >
Public Enema Number One - 9/10 >
Fates Warning - 6/10 >
The Assassin - 5/10 >
Run Silent Run Deep - 8/10 >
Hooks in You - 7/10 >
Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter - 6/10 >
Mother Russia - 6/10 >

There are some underrated moments on this record, but it really is a big step down from everything Maiden had been building up to, continuing the decline after Seventh Son. A lot of these songs remind of older classics, but don’t come together nearly as well. It’s a solid album, but not up to Maiden’s high standards.

Total: 70%
Weighted: 70%
 
I gave this a spin earlier today. It's definitely gone up in my estimation, albeit slightly. The production is still paper thin and it sounds like a demo. The Assassin is still crap and Mother Russia just limps on. But some tracks are quite underrated such as NPFTD, Public Enema Number One (shit title aside) and Run Silent, Run Deep. Hooks in You sounds more like a Bruce solo song from Tattooed Millionaire which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I still love the singles and Tailgunner is fun, even though I wish it had better lyrics in the chorus.

It's probably not their worst album and would benefit from a Kevin Shirley remix.
 
Spaldy said:
I gave this a spin earlier today. It's definitely gone up in my estimation, albeit slightly. The production is still paper thin and it sounds like a demo. The Assassin is still crap and Mother Russia just limps on. But some tracks are quite underrated such as NPFTD, Public Enema Number One (shit title aside) and Run Silent, Run Deep. Hooks in You sounds more like a Bruce solo song from Tattooed Millionaire which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I still love the singles and Tailgunner is fun, even though I wish it had better lyrics in the chorus.

It's probably not their worst album and would benefit from a Kevin Shirley remix.
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This is a band that released Virtual XI. Therefore, No Prayer for the Dying cannot be their worst album!

No Prayer for the Dying was my first Maiden album and I have fond memories of 1991, but it is still pretty weak, especially considering how consistently good the albums before that one had been.
 
____no5 said:
They also released The X Factor.
Rule of thumb: A Maiden album better not have an X in the title.
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Their second best post 80's album IMO (only below AMOLAD in my rank). And it's not the best one just because Blaze's voice back then was quite meh. That feeling was more than reassured after absolute monsters songs like SOTC, MOTE and LOTF become when sang by Bruce or even TEOD, LFTT, 2AM and JOH performed by Blaze several years later when he refined his techniques and his voice matured.
 
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I rank it even below Virtual XI, at the very bottom of the Iron Maiden catalogue.
Man on the Edge is my best from that record and a top tier song. Sign of the Cross is worth-mentioning as is The Aftermath.
 
Virtual XI occupies the second worst position on my rank (only above the train wreck that is Fear Of The Dark). More than half of the album is either kinda half baked (LST and CEA) or utter stinkers as far as I'm concerned (TAATG, DLTTEOAS, WTWC). It still has some great tracks like Futureal, The Clansman or The Educated Fool nevertheless just three tracks won't cut it as an album. On the other hand there's not a single song in The X Factor I dislike. It ranges from cool stuff (The Unbeliever, 2 AM, The Aftermath, Blood On The World's Hands) to great tunes (Lord Of The Flies, Look For The Truth, Judgement Of Heaven) and some really excellent ones (Man On The Edge, Fortunes Of War or even Judgement Day- IMO Maiden's best B side ever... it'sa crime it didn't make it to the album) and on top of everything there's the monument called Sign Of The Cross. I like this masterpiece so much it easily ranks one of my top 10 favorite Maiden tracks (alongside classics such as Phantom Of The Opera, Murders In The Rue Morgue, Revelations, Aces High, Powerslave, Rime Of The Ancient Mariner, Wasted Years, Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner or Moonchild).
 
Been listening to the album recently and some of the songs are good, but what I do not particularly like about the album is that some songs, like "Holy Smoke" and "Public Enema Number One", while good in their own way. Sound more like Punk Rock songs than typical Maiden, Something must have happened that triggered the writing process of Harris and Dickinson to become Political and Misanthropic, if this was like a mid-2000s Avenged Sevenfold album it would probably get a pass and be well received, if it was an early 80s Toy Dolls or better yet a Sex Pistols Album, or even a 1980s Hardcore Punk Album it would be well received.

I sort of Understand the tone of it though, it seemed Iron Maiden wanted to go back to their Roots like with Paul Di Anno, and it ended up causing a lot of negative reception, and tensions within the band.

It's a shame because some of the songs are really good, but this is, among one of the most divisive Iron Maiden Albums ever written.

I wish I understood more about the creative writing process of the album.
 
ScarfaceOne said:
Misanthropic
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“Misanthropic” means hating mankind. The lyrics aren’t misanthropic, they’re just critical of groups like religious leaders and politicians. I think it’s pretty clear that as they stripped back their sound they took inspiration from current events and wrote songs inspired by them.
 
^ Yes. And I guess they even wanted to deviate from the lyrical concept of the 80's albums (some fantasy/mystical stuff) too, not only the stripped down approach to the songs - which is the album's biggest fault imo. Going back to their earlier sound too, especially after the previous two albums. The lyrics are also not a reason they don't play songs from this album (they don't play from all 90's albums), it's because it's considered one of their ''weaker'' albums and Steve and Bruce are not big fans of it.
 
Diesel 11 said:
“Misanthropic” means hating mankind. The lyrics aren’t misanthropic, they’re just critical of groups like religious leaders and politicians. I think it’s pretty clear that as they stripped back their sound they took inspiration from current events and wrote songs inspired by them.
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Hating Government then, it's pretty similar.
 
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