In retrospect we all see, that Steve should have listened to Adrian, to continue Maiden in a more progressive direction, but Steve being Steve fucked all up (this time, other times he, as creative Mastermind, was Great) Spin in it all you want, this album marks the beginning of Maiden decline.
I always wonder why change something that works, but I guess musician needs to not just do the same stuff, especially if their discography is not same-y. IIRC, Bruce also wanted that direction? Something heavier and proggy would have been perfect back then. I really want to hear NPFTD with a remix, polished and heavier production. I think some of the material will shine. It's probably the
only Maiden album which won't loose its original feel and charm with a remix. Bruce is not against it, but I guess Steve is not a fan.
...both albums that have much better high points than NPFTD, but are nowhere near as consistent or coherent.
That's true. And No Prayer is still not a different ''phase'' for the band.
I'll say this: It is the only Maiden album I dislike. I think Maiden's discography would have been better off if they had gone right into Fear Of The Dark and skipped this one.
Combine both early 90's albums into one with the best songs - and we have a great and classic album.
I will forever maintain that a band "going back to their roots" results in a bad album filled with average-at-best songs 99.9% of the time.
I'm trying to think of a band with such example... but one can make such an argument when a band tries a new style or stuff, right.
Maybe I would like it more if it had better production. That would at least give the songs a little more life.
Definitely.
I also really don't like the raspy singing style Bruce was going for at this time.
At least it fits the material. And there was already some rasp in his singing in '88, so it was a natural way of things.
No Prayer isn't the worst album, but it isn't far off. It probably sits just above the two Blaze albums simply for the fact that it's less depressing (TXF) or embarrassing (VXI).
Despite the mood of TXF, the album is much more interesting and better in terms of the music than No Prayer. VXI embarrassing? Because of the repetition of two songs? That's ridiculous. And we have to say that we compare these albums with such a strong discography. But No Prayer is part of their weakest albums.
Good album, far from their worst.
It's subjective, but it's difficult to point out a worst Maiden album, even No Prayer.
...but NPFTD is still better than everything post BNW. I really dont see where all this dislike is coming from. Production is a bit stale, but still better than on at least 4 other maiden albums.
Wow!
One of the main problems of No Prayer is that it comes after a list of very good/excellent/legendary albums. And also compared to the one that followed, as a whole it may be better but it has no stand out tracks whereas FotD has the title track, Afraid and Be quick.
So as a whole it is better than some albums but the fact that there are no stand out tracks, that Maiden forgot about the album very quickly (and their odd choice of the songs they've played during that tour? Really, playing Public Enema Number One, Hooks in You but not playing Run Silent Run Deep?!?!) is, at least for me one of the reasons this album has this "bad" reputation
Agreed. FOTD highs are just too good and Janick wrote some stuff.
Run Silent Run Deep definitely should have been played live instead of Hooks In You, although the latter is fun, but they had the lead single for that. Public Enema was kind of unique, Holy Smoke was a single, Assassin was an odd choice because of the vocals.
I too have thought No Prayer is a reaction to the boom of Guns 'N Roses. I mentioned this elsewhere, but it's possible Slash's public statements about going onstage with ridiculous icebergs maybe caused the band to rethink their overly theatrical approach. The sound was raw and dirty, Bruce is rasping as much as he's singing, and the lyrical topics are, by and large, far more contemporary than what the band was known for at the time--not to mention once on tour, the theatricality was stripped way back. Who knows.
Possible.
Final Frontier is odd to me. I just did my annual relisten of the whole catalogue, and there's some legitimately great stuff on there. The title track, El Dorado, Isle of Avalon, The Talisman, Starblind...but it's baffling that the album as a whole never really clicked with me like so many others did. I never really get the urge to listen to it, and when I do, I never come away thinking I was wrong to be...largely unaffected by it.
TFF is a kind uneven and experimental album, but worse than No Prayer, no way.
I think my most recent post on the album still holds true regarding what I think of it:
Spot on, again.
