Senjutsu - 20 Months Later
- Thread starter Josh
- Start date
The most listened album for me for the last 8 months. I liked all the songs after the first few listens which is very rare, since almost every album I've ever listened to contains 1 or 2 songs that I don't like much or at all. Here is how I feel for each song now:
Death of the Celts contains one of the greatest intros (and ending) I ever heard and could be my favourite song on the album (and easily top 15) if they didn't have that mood change in the middle. The song is perfect up to and including Adrian's first solo; but then the "epic" melody turns into a "joyful" melody which was frustrating on first listen. After a while I got used to it but still see the song as a missed opportunity.
The Writing On the Wall is superb. Acoustic intro, main riff, harmonies, solos (all 3- especially Adrian's) are all great. After 8 (or in that case 10) months it sounds greater. Has grown on me to be the greatest song on Senjutsu.
Hell on Earth classic Steve epic with beautiful melodies. The first half still gives me goosebumps, however the second half somehow lost its impact on me.
The Time Machine not on par with the Gers/Harris epics we used to hear, yet a very good song I still like to listen. I never get bored of it.
The Parchment & Stratego were top 2 on the album for me after the first month but that changed later. Of course this doesn't mean I don't like them now.
Senjutsu was slightly better than average song for me. Probably still is.
Days of Future Past & Darkest Hour apart from Dave and Janick's solos on the latter, nothing special. Enjoyable songs
Lost in a Lost World weakest song on the album. The long acoustic ending is kinda boring. However there are some heavy parts in the middle that I like.
Death of the Celts contains one of the greatest intros (and ending) I ever heard and could be my favourite song on the album (and easily top 15) if they didn't have that mood change in the middle. The song is perfect up to and including Adrian's first solo; but then the "epic" melody turns into a "joyful" melody which was frustrating on first listen. After a while I got used to it but still see the song as a missed opportunity.
The Writing On the Wall is superb. Acoustic intro, main riff, harmonies, solos (all 3- especially Adrian's) are all great. After 8 (or in that case 10) months it sounds greater. Has grown on me to be the greatest song on Senjutsu.
Hell on Earth classic Steve epic with beautiful melodies. The first half still gives me goosebumps, however the second half somehow lost its impact on me.
The Time Machine not on par with the Gers/Harris epics we used to hear, yet a very good song I still like to listen. I never get bored of it.
The Parchment & Stratego were top 2 on the album for me after the first month but that changed later. Of course this doesn't mean I don't like them now.
Senjutsu was slightly better than average song for me. Probably still is.
Days of Future Past & Darkest Hour apart from Dave and Janick's solos on the latter, nothing special. Enjoyable songs
Lost in a Lost World weakest song on the album. The long acoustic ending is kinda boring. However there are some heavy parts in the middle that I like.
daan
Educated Fool
The album has been with me all the time since the release. Absolutely love it. The best one since AMoLaD easily. So much better than TBoS (the weakest reunion album by far IMO - aside from the 10/10 title track). Senjutsu is more inspired, more Maiden. Also, way more "metal" for lack of a better word.
Death of the Celts is the only song that I always feel like skipping. Could work better as a much shorter track. In the current form, I don't think the album would lose much if it was just taken out. The transition from Darkest Hour to The Parchment is actually pretty seamless.
Stratego, The Writing on the Wall, Hell on Earth - 10/10 tracks for me. The Parchment is almost a 10 too (the second half drags just a little bit). Here's my "tier list" I've just come up with (the green ones are actually pretty close):
Masterpiece: Stratego, The Writing on the Wall, Hell on Earth
Excellent: The Parchment, Senjutsu
Great: The Time Machine, Lost in a Lost World
Good: Days of Future Past
OK: Darkest Hour
Subpar: Death of the Celts
So yeah, it's a fantastic album that I like listening to all the time. I'll never forget how good the singles made me feel. It felt like a gift from the universe after coming to terms with TBoS being rather weak. And when the full album arrived, it didn't disappoint.
Death of the Celts is the only song that I always feel like skipping. Could work better as a much shorter track. In the current form, I don't think the album would lose much if it was just taken out. The transition from Darkest Hour to The Parchment is actually pretty seamless.
Stratego, The Writing on the Wall, Hell on Earth - 10/10 tracks for me. The Parchment is almost a 10 too (the second half drags just a little bit). Here's my "tier list" I've just come up with (the green ones are actually pretty close):
Masterpiece: Stratego, The Writing on the Wall, Hell on Earth
Excellent: The Parchment, Senjutsu
Great: The Time Machine, Lost in a Lost World
Good: Days of Future Past
OK: Darkest Hour
Subpar: Death of the Celts
So yeah, it's a fantastic album that I like listening to all the time. I'll never forget how good the singles made me feel. It felt like a gift from the universe after coming to terms with TBoS being rather weak. And when the full album arrived, it didn't disappoint.
chaosapiant
Ancient Marinade
Writing on the Wall is my least favorite track from Senjutsu. It’d also a 10/10 song, so that should say how I feel about the album. The Parchment is up there with the absolute best of all Maiden epics alongside Hell on Earth and Book of Souls.
KidInTheDark666
What's yours is mine and what's mine is mine too
My feelings for Senjutsu haven't really changed in 8 months. It's a great album but I would put it alongside DoD as the weakest of the reunion era. I still gave it the 2021 Top Album Award though. My favorite songs on it are Steve's epics + Darkest Hour, and my least favorites are The Time Machine and the title track.
Poto
Ancient Mariner
10/10 and your least favourite? Wow.
I think Maiden might have 10 songs in total that deserve 10/10 on the last six albums combined.
chaosapiant
Ancient Marinade
10/10 to me means “I wouldn’t change anything in this song.” So most of Maiden’s songs are 10s to me because I adore all their music, but also because I’d never be so arrogant as to think any change I’d like to see is better than the band’s own material. But I still like some songs more than others, but not because a song isn’t good, but because another song is just that much better.
Spaldy
Ancient Mariner
It sounds more like an uncompressed snare hit.Well, I definitely won't be able to unhear it.Sounds like Steve's bass popping to me.
Randalf
Ancient Mariner
I listened the whole thing a couple of days ago. Still loved it.
None of the tracks I loved has "diminished" at the slightest. I still think the title track is a fantastic opener and I love that anthemic chorus. It also makes a great pair with Stratego, which I still consider as one of the better "rockers" of the modern era. Maybe nothing outstanding, but it's got some amazing moments and it has character. The Writing on the Wall has been one of the biggest growers for me since it's release and it complements the first act of Senjutsu beautifully.
I still think Lost in a Lost World steps into more than just one little pitfall, but on the other hand, it has very captivating and evoking atmosphere and really like the melancholic vibe and lyrical view of the song. With all of it's better and worse Steve-isms, it's enjoyable and interesting. The Time Machine has some of that too; some parts are great, but it feels a bit too rehashed at times. Works well enough in the album context, so it gets a pass. I still find Death of the Celts as the only song that somewhat hurts the album flow. My view of the song itself has actually changed into slightly more positive and granted, it's full of kind-of-pleasant Maiden-groove and whatnot. It's a solid song and all, but probably the most unnecessary one for the album as a whole.
The Parchment and Hell on Earth were among my favourites from the start and I still love them. They're very exciting and especially The Parchment has that adventurous & mythical quality, closely related to classic "Steve-epics." When the gallop in Hell on Earth kicks in, I just can't help smiling. Yes, it's that great.
Darkest Hour is more or less similar to Coming Home, Out of the Shadows and such, but maybe a bit more refined. I'm a sucker for it's chorus that has, as so many sources underlined, strong AoB/CW energy.
I really love this album and find it very compelling and in that regard, slightly more solid than The Book of Souls. It also has a bit more vibrant soundscape overall than The Final Frontier, which makes it a lot more pleasant for me to listen. Other than that, I don't really want to compare it too much with older records on a better/worse ratio. I wouldn't go as far as to say it's one of their absolutely best records, but at the same time I don't really think it has that much problems either. It's totally different beast than 45 minute masterpieces they came up in the 80's and represents totally different Maiden, but not in a bad way.
I can't quite put it into words, but there's some interesting emotional depth and weight in it that was there on the previous albums as well, but in smaller dozes. Senjutsu sounds and feels like an album made by an old band. And it's actually a very interesting quality in it.
Very happy with Senjutsu.
None of the tracks I loved has "diminished" at the slightest. I still think the title track is a fantastic opener and I love that anthemic chorus. It also makes a great pair with Stratego, which I still consider as one of the better "rockers" of the modern era. Maybe nothing outstanding, but it's got some amazing moments and it has character. The Writing on the Wall has been one of the biggest growers for me since it's release and it complements the first act of Senjutsu beautifully.
I still think Lost in a Lost World steps into more than just one little pitfall, but on the other hand, it has very captivating and evoking atmosphere and really like the melancholic vibe and lyrical view of the song. With all of it's better and worse Steve-isms, it's enjoyable and interesting. The Time Machine has some of that too; some parts are great, but it feels a bit too rehashed at times. Works well enough in the album context, so it gets a pass. I still find Death of the Celts as the only song that somewhat hurts the album flow. My view of the song itself has actually changed into slightly more positive and granted, it's full of kind-of-pleasant Maiden-groove and whatnot. It's a solid song and all, but probably the most unnecessary one for the album as a whole.
The Parchment and Hell on Earth were among my favourites from the start and I still love them. They're very exciting and especially The Parchment has that adventurous & mythical quality, closely related to classic "Steve-epics." When the gallop in Hell on Earth kicks in, I just can't help smiling. Yes, it's that great.
Darkest Hour is more or less similar to Coming Home, Out of the Shadows and such, but maybe a bit more refined. I'm a sucker for it's chorus that has, as so many sources underlined, strong AoB/CW energy.
I really love this album and find it very compelling and in that regard, slightly more solid than The Book of Souls. It also has a bit more vibrant soundscape overall than The Final Frontier, which makes it a lot more pleasant for me to listen. Other than that, I don't really want to compare it too much with older records on a better/worse ratio. I wouldn't go as far as to say it's one of their absolutely best records, but at the same time I don't really think it has that much problems either. It's totally different beast than 45 minute masterpieces they came up in the 80's and represents totally different Maiden, but not in a bad way.
I can't quite put it into words, but there's some interesting emotional depth and weight in it that was there on the previous albums as well, but in smaller dozes. Senjutsu sounds and feels like an album made by an old band. And it's actually a very interesting quality in it.
Very happy with Senjutsu.
matic22
Ancient Mariner
I'd say, TBOS has aged better for me than Senjutsu in 8 months. Especially tracks like IESF, the title track and Empire. Yes, production is much better on Senjutsu, however, there are a lot things that continue to annoy me with it.
Especially lazy arrangements. I'd say that only the first 3 songs were arranged in the vein I would expect them to be. Steve, you have 3 guitars that can play harmonies. You have probably the best living vocalist/frontman, you don't need to drown him under Janick... Etc.
Buuuut, TWOTW is the best single since The Wicker Man. Easily.
Especially lazy arrangements. I'd say that only the first 3 songs were arranged in the vein I would expect them to be. Steve, you have 3 guitars that can play harmonies. You have probably the best living vocalist/frontman, you don't need to drown him under Janick... Etc.
Buuuut, TWOTW is the best single since The Wicker Man. Easily.
Azas
Stargazer
IMO
The Book of Souls has:
If Eternity Should Fail
Speed of Light
The Red and the Black
The Book of Souls
Death or Glory
Tears of a Clown
Empire of the Clouds
Senjutsu has:
Stratego
The Writing on the Wall
Lost in a Lost World
Death of the Celts
The Parchment
Hell on Earth
The Book of Souls wins in my opinion. In a sense it's a Powerslave II for me. Also, TBOS tour was great, stage design, drapes were great. There's nothing wrong with Senjutsu, normal album. Except, album lacks little bit 'in your face' energy.
Edit: TBOS > Senjutsu > BNW > AMOLAD > TFF > DOD
The Book of Souls has:
If Eternity Should Fail
Speed of Light
The Red and the Black
The Book of Souls
Death or Glory
Tears of a Clown
Empire of the Clouds
Senjutsu has:
Stratego
The Writing on the Wall
Lost in a Lost World
Death of the Celts
The Parchment
Hell on Earth
The Book of Souls wins in my opinion. In a sense it's a Powerslave II for me. Also, TBOS tour was great, stage design, drapes were great. There's nothing wrong with Senjutsu, normal album. Except, album lacks little bit 'in your face' energy.
Edit: TBOS > Senjutsu > BNW > AMOLAD > TFF > DOD
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PieceofMind89
Ancient Mariner
It's an ok album. From the albums of the reunion era, it's better than The Final Frontier and Dance of Death.
I prefer The Book of Souls.
My choices are on bold:
If Eternity Should Fail vs. Senjutsu
Speed of Light vs. Stratego
The Great Unknown vs. The Writing on the Wall
The Red and the Black vs. Lost in a Lost World
When the River Runs Deep vs. Days of Future Past
The Book of Souls vs The Time Machine
Death or Glory vs Darkest Hour
Shadows of the Valley vs Death of Celts
Tears of a Clown vs The Parchment
The Man of Sorrows vs Hell on Earth
I had to leave out Empire of the Clouds because that's the extra track.
I prefer The Book of Souls.
My choices are on bold:
If Eternity Should Fail vs. Senjutsu
Speed of Light vs. Stratego
The Great Unknown vs. The Writing on the Wall
The Red and the Black vs. Lost in a Lost World
When the River Runs Deep vs. Days of Future Past
The Book of Souls vs The Time Machine
Death or Glory vs Darkest Hour
Shadows of the Valley vs Death of Celts
Tears of a Clown vs The Parchment
The Man of Sorrows vs Hell on Earth
I had to leave out Empire of the Clouds because that's the extra track.
Yax
Ancient Mariner
I go a bit back and forth, but today I'd rank the reunion albums as:
1. Brave New World
2. A Matter of Life and Death
3. The Final Frontier
4. Senjutsu
5. The Book of Souls
6. Dance of Death
Senjutsu has way higher peaks than TFF (TWOTW, Parchment and HOE), but TFF has the edge on the mid tier stuff while still sporting a few top tier (9 pointers) songs. All in all, TFF gets the edge.
Edit: Scratch that, I'd call them a tie.
1. Brave New World
2. A Matter of Life and Death
3. The Final Frontier
4. Senjutsu
5. The Book of Souls
6. Dance of Death
Senjutsu has way higher peaks than TFF (TWOTW, Parchment and HOE), but TFF has the edge on the mid tier stuff while still sporting a few top tier (9 pointers) songs. All in all, TFF gets the edge.
Edit: Scratch that, I'd call them a tie.
matic22
Ancient Mariner
Disc 1:
1. If Eternity Should Fail
2. Speed Of Light
3. Stratego
4. The Parchment (Remove Janick following the vocals from 7:06 to 8:33, annoying AF to me)
5. The Writing On The Wall
6. The Book Of Souls
Disc 2:
7. Senjutsu
8. Death Or Glory
9. Tears Of A Clown
10. Hell On Earth
11. Empire of The Clouds
Now, this is a killer, no filler album.
1. If Eternity Should Fail
2. Speed Of Light
3. Stratego
4. The Parchment (Remove Janick following the vocals from 7:06 to 8:33, annoying AF to me)
5. The Writing On The Wall
6. The Book Of Souls
Disc 2:
7. Senjutsu
8. Death Or Glory
9. Tears Of A Clown
10. Hell On Earth
11. Empire of The Clouds
Now, this is a killer, no filler album.
