Senjutsu - 20 Months Later

Jeffmetal said:
Of course, it has some good songs, great moments, specially, Dave's tone and solos, which are the best moments on the album (perhaps, best production of the Shirley ordered by Harris era albums), but, it is lackluster; title track and Hell On Earth sound badly arranged in the vocal lines department, both songs drag along and are some of Maiden's most boring tunes. The obsession with repetition is, still, very noxious to the enjoyment and objectiveness in many songs of the 6 men line up. Might be the bottom champion of the Maiden albums ranking.
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Its true they repeat 4 times everything. I dont understand why. But in hell on earth for me its almost ok. With the parchment no
 
I've just added the song polls for Senjutsu in the Commentary forums. I encourage everyone to go drop some votes and thoughts:

 
Despite still liking the album a lot almost 2 years after I listened to it the first time I think I'm not as fond of it as I was in 2021. In all honesty it features some traits similar to their recent albums that I truly dislike and these work like a rock in my shoe: at first it's a small itch you can bear but with the passing of time the itch starts to grow. But overall I think it's still a great record... but if they ditched those details it would sound way better as far as I'm concerned. So here's how I see Senjutsu in a much more distant prespective and what I consider to be its weaknesses and strengths.

Cons:

That damn voice mimicking lead guitar: by far Senjutsu's trait that wrecks my nerves and the one I think downgrades the album the most. IMO if the band strongly surpressed it the album would sound way better. Or at least make a tonal harmony (fifths normally work out nicelly) with slight variations in phrasing. Now a lead guitar that copies each note from the vocal line (or does it witheighth variation) with the very same phrasing played throughout almost the entirity of the songs just doesn't work for me. And to make things worst they tend to do it on my favorite songs: In TBOS's The Red And The Black (perhaps Maiden's biggest example of this trait)and the title track and in this album it's prominent in tracks like Stratego and Hell On Earth. Hey I still love these tracks and think they're supperb despite what I consider to be these hold backs. However I think they would sound so much better if the guitar mimicking would be severely cut.

"Recycling": Much less present than in TBOS, this trait still a rears his head in some of Senjutsu's tunes like Lost In A Lost World (The Wicker Man and Afraid To Shoot Strangers), Days Of Future Past (The Pilgrim), The Time Machine (Talisman and Edge Of Darkness), Death Of The Celts (The Clansman The Parchment's final part (Iron Maiden). But overall it's nothing that seriously downgrades the album (and a clear evolution from their previous full length IMO).

Some sections could be shorter while others asked for at least one more go: Why's Hell On Earth's "chorus" only played once? The same happenned with The Red And The Black and IMO those are the two best moments from each album. This is a tune that could be at least 14 minutes long if needed be: it's that awesome and it's more than justifiable if it meant a reiteration of the refrain. On the other hand I think The Parchment, Death Of The Celts, Lost In A Lost World and to a certain degree even the title track would benefit from a bit of trimming. That being said I must confess that what bothers me the most in Senjutsu aren't the repetitions mostly the fact Hell On Earth's chorus is played only once.

Awful sounding keyboards: Lord... what's going on with the keys on this album. Maiden always managed to put quality keyboard sounds on the background but these sound like a cheap midi bank. I wonder why.

Found out a skippable track and a couple more I rarely listen to: ... and it is Darkest Hour. Now I still like the verses but there's something in that chorus that doesn't gel with me. Yeah it's a matter of personal taste since I think there's nothing wrong with the tune and IMO it's far from being bad or even a mere filler. but in the end, besides the aforementioned issue, I think it's a bit boring. I'm also not the The Time Machine's biggest fan and think The Parchment asks at least half of the repititions to be removed. Nonetheless this has minor impact on the record's final evaluation.

Pros:

Epic as f**k: Self explanatory... Senjutsu manages to keep that epic grandeur Maiden used us to since The X Factor and to be fair it is full of long and pompous tracks. Some call this "Prog Maiden" but I prefer to call it "Epic Maiden" - although some of these tunes are quite proggy. Even shorter cuts like Stratego and Days Of Future Past sound epic as hell. It's a formula that by now the band feels 100% confortable with and one that IMO works perfectly. A downside of this aspect is that it may become a bit predictable but the boys still manage to pull some rabbits out of their hats.

Still keep on bringing something new to the table: If in one hand the base is built upon a recognizable formula truth be told: Maiden has always thrown some curveballs in each release, especially in their reunion era. Take for instance the double kick orchestral Face In The Sand, The dire ambiance of AMOLAD and complex time signatures and vocal placing on Thousand Suns, the sci-fi/electro driven Sattelite 15 or the way they fully embraced the Metal Opera genre on Empire Of The Clouds... fact is Maiden always try to bring something new to the band's signature sound. Senjutsu is no different: just check the band building the openning track upon a full tribal drmming platform or how The Writing On The Wall has inks of western like melodies along the more common folk like influences. And this is something that only adds value to each new release.

Great melodies and riffs: Yes, Maiden may have adopted some traits that annoy me and every now and then recurr to recycling. But IMO the majority of songs in Senjutsu are based in jaw dropping delicious melodies and riffs. And proof is, despite somngs like Stratego and Hell On Earth being plagued by the lead guitar vocal mimicking factor, I still have a blast listening to them. Why? Because the base of those tracks is so well crafted and rich that despite that downgrading feat they still sound great and exciting! That's how good these guys still are.

Bruce sounds way better: and taking in account his performance on this tour he has kept that good form. In TBOS his voice sounds a bit tired (even strained at times) but here it's cleaner, less raspy, sounding more powerful and passionate. Love it.

A great album taking in account how old the members are and how deep in their career it was made: by their 45th anniversary the crushing majority of rock bands are a parody of themselves, either releasing absolutely subpar albums or just making nostalgia shows of greatest hits. Maiden is far above that class, still composing really good music and leading the pack, making new fans throughout different generations. Senjutsu is the most recent chapter of this seemingly unending source of inspiration.

Overall I don't listen the album with as much interest as I did 2 years ago but truth be told: I still think it's a high quality release with supperb passages. A middle of the pack in my rank which, taking in a account the quality of Maiden's catalogue is a more than respectable position and one that makes me believe that, if not by health issues, the band still has some new quality music to offer in the future. They sure did it in Senjutsu.

P.S. Just cut the twin guitar/ vocal melodies, please :p
 
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Live version of Hell On Earth is pretty good. Can leave the rest.

Nothing as good as If Eternity Should Fall from the last album. Too many long songs, too many songs with Janick echoing the melody ala BNW and a dozen other songs, that tinny keyboard sounds like the one I had when I was twelve and Death of the Celts still makes me laugh as a blatant paint by numbers rewrite of The Clansman.

If BNW is an 8/10 and DOD is a 7/10 this is a 4/10 sorry. Great if you like it.
 
Last time I listened to the whole album was before the concert. I think 2022 all 3 songs worked well live for me (even Senjutsu as an opener). This time Hell On Earth and The Time Machine were amazing live. The Writing On The Wall and Days Of Future Past were solid and I enjoyed them quite a bit. Death Of The Celts was... still good to listen to, but I would have chosen almost any other song off the album in it's place.
 
BludBrutha said:
Live version of Hell On Earth is pretty good. Can leave the rest.

Nothing as good as If Eternity Should Fall from the last album. Too many long songs, too many songs with Janick echoing the melody ala BNW and a dozen other songs, that tinny keyboard sounds like the one I had when I was twelve and Death of the Celts still makes me laugh as a blatant paint by numbers rewrite of The Clansman.

If BNW is an 8/10 and DOD is a 7/10 this is a 4/10 sorry. Great if you like it.
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There's a certain feel in common, but had the lyrics been different, you wouldn't write this. Those songs are not that close.
 
BludBrutha said:
Live version of Hell On Earth is pretty good. Can leave the rest.

Nothing as good as If Eternity Should Fall from the last album. Too many long songs, too many songs with Janick echoing the melody ala BNW and a dozen other songs, that tinny keyboard sounds like the one I had when I was twelve and Death of the Celts still makes me laugh as a blatant paint by numbers rewrite of The Clansman.

If BNW is an 8/10 and DOD is a 7/10 this is a 4/10 sorry. Great if you like it.
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I have to agree. Theres nothing as good as IESF, TBOS TRATB or EOTC on Senjutsu. HEO is about the best or TWOTW
 
I feel like there's an outstanding album hiding in there somewhere if you combined the best songs off TBOS and Senjutsu into one album. Something like this:

1. If Eternity Should Fail
2. Speed of Light
3. The Writing on The Wall
4. Days of Future Past
5. The Book of Souls
6. Stratego
7. Hell on Earth
8. The Red and the Black
9. The Parchment
10. Empire of the Clouds
 
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