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- Thread starter LooseCannon
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GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
I have a soft spot for No Prayer for the Dying because it was the first Iron Maiden album I bought, but it did not turn me into a fan (that was due to getting a cassette tape with The Number of the Beast from a class mate shortly after). With hindsight, No Prayer for the Dying is a really weak effort and, what is worse, one that sees the band trying to change their sound to follow the success of other bands.
Fear of the Dark, whilst more polished and featuring some stronger songs, was even worse in that respect. Be Quick or Be Dead was a great single, but From Here to Eternity was a sad attempt at writing an AC/DC song (Angus and co. were riding high with Thunderstruck at the time) and the least we say about Wasting Love as the band (Bruce's effort for the most part) trying to cast the net a bit wider in order to get an audience who might be interested in MTV ballads, the better.
I think The X Factor was a much more honest album, with Steve showcasing some of his prog-rock influences (shame about the lack of quality of most of the material). Virtual XI is an attempt at recapturing the classic Maiden sound, but it is a forgettable turd (it was hard to be a Maiden fan in the 90s!
).So yes, I agree, Maiden releasing that album on 29th May 2000 was great news!
____no5
Free Man
1984? Actually I find the production of Powerslave 3 -4 years ahead of its time, which is huge.
But I would be interested to know how you’d imagine the perfect step for Maiden in 1984. Care to share?
GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
I think that album epitomises Maiden's classic sound. Absolutely impressive production, with Martin Birch being able to capture melody and heaviness at the same time in a way that nobody else has been able to since.
____no5
Free Man
First time I waited its release. Earlier that year I’d seen the non metal girls in my Class talk about Bruce Dickinson’s Tattooed Millionaire, I had purchased all The First 10 Years and everything that was missing from my collection in original cassette or vinyl or both.
1990 I was at the peak of my Maiden-ness. I started to listen shortly after 7th Son and was worshipping that album already and I knew it by heart.
I was ready. And look what they released.
Worse, there was a local metal program in the biggest station of all Crete, DJ was a Black Sabbath Dio era freak that took advantage that TYR was a relatively strong release and made song to song comparisons of the two albums.
Absolute embarrassment. Next weeks in school every time you’d tried to talk about NPftD you’d hear, yes but TYR is better.
Gods of Metal revenged his blasphemy. He always said he wished Sabbath reunite with Dio then he could die. They did reunite a year or two later but the album was flop mouahahaha! He didn’t die, but suffered a similar embarrassment when asking people in his show if they’d like to change Heaven of Hell with I as opening track for his show, everybody was calling to refuse.
@GhostofCain also X Factor was a step in the right direction, very good instinct by Harris but stubbornness. No good production and weak songs.
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Kalata
Out of the Silent Planet
They tried to change their sound with NPFTD and even more with FOTD, but not to that great extent.
I agree about TXF and the attempt with VXI to bring the classic Maiden sound.
True, but the songs are not weak - the album was not well received mainly because of Blaze's voice.
I meant NPFTD. 100% agree about Powerslave.
GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
srfc
Ancient Mariner
To be fair most if them were closer to 35 at that stage, if not older.
I think they looked better in that era than they had since the Number of the Beast era. Maiden never look cool, but the no nonsense jeans, and the similar photo to the one above of them in aviators from that era, the looked pretty good. Apart from Bruce's frilly leather jacket
Certainly better than stripey spandex or Puma freebies
GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
The quality is not great, but it is nice to see them play a set of rarities (this was around the time they released Lipstick Traces, a compilation of B-sides and covers).
GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
To be fair most if them were closer to 35 at that stage, if not older.
I think they looked better in that era than they had since the Number of the Beast era. Maiden never look cool, but the no nonsense jeans, and the similar photo to the one above of them in aviators from that era, the looked pretty good. Apart from Bruce's frilly leather jacket
Certainly better than stripey spandex or Puma freebies
Nicko was 38 years old by then, but the others were in their early 30s.
I completely agree with you on the Puma freebies though!
GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
____no5
Free Man
Yeah I should have said in their 30s!
I think they looked better in that era than they had since the Number of the Beast era. Maiden never look cool, but the no nonsense jeans, and the similar photo to the one above of them in aviators from that era, the looked pretty good. Apart from Bruce's frilly leather jacket
Certainly better than stripey spandex or Puma freebies
Certainly! No with "outdated" I meant more an age thing. Dress code wise NPftD was Luis Vuitton level ahaha.
I think Phil Anselmo & Pantera brought a freshness and coolness in the dress code department with those shorts to be adopted by Harris a decade or more later.
Speaking of which, let's play some
