Senjutsu - 3rd September 2021

Josh said:
I like how he states there is no repetition in the choruses.
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Sometimes I don't get all that criticism of repetition of chorus, but EVERYONE adore Brave new world - but it was very repetitive album, even comparing to VXI. Your time will come/brave new world/we're blood brothers/show them no fear/the dream is true/nomaaaaad/out of a silent planet.

TFF - has only 2 songs with repetitive chorus, but at the majority of opinions - it's an outsider of new millenium maiden.
 
Revelationer said:
Sometimes I don't get all that criticism of repetition of chorus, but EVERYONE adore Brave new world - but it was very repetitive album, even comparing to VXI. Your time will come/brave new world/we're blood brothers/show them no fear/the dream is true/nomaaaaad/out of a silent planet.

TFF - has only 2 songs with repetitive chorus, but at the majority of opinions - it's an outsider of new millenium maiden.
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I agree. BNW is a bit rose tinted I believe with H and Bruce coming back. Many of the songs feel like they could’ve fit easily on V XI both in the sound and structure of the songs. The big difference being that the production on BNW was miles ahead of V XI and that the performance of the band was better and the arrangements were much more elaborate. Four of the songs are supposed to be leftover material from V XI so it shouldn’t surprise people that there’s an obvious connection between the two albums. The repetition isn’t that blatant and plain boring on BNW though, but it’s there in plain sight, at least to my ears.

Glad to hear that Senjutsu doesn’t have these repetitive stuff going on even if there are themes and sonic signatures from the Blaze era (which I love BTW).
My gathered view of the reviews is that this album will fit my taste of Maiden just right. The mix of Blaze era, darkness, melody, great choruses, a bit out of the box and a sprinkle of Bruce’s solo stuff makes me really excited about Friday!
 
Meliegree said:
Only bad thing that I heard is that Bruce is a little bit muffled on this album.
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Many have complained about that.
I don’t think he’s low in the mix, I think the mix lacks a bit of vocal clarity and top end. A bit sprinkle on the top end would probably work wonders, but TWOTW has a better vocal mix than Stratego so we just have to wait and see what the rest will sound like.
 
Melony said:
To kill some time I translated a "Rockmagazine" review from German into English.
9.5/10

On September 3, Iron Maidens is going to release their 17th studio album, which has been christened with the Japanese sounding name "Senjutsu" - loosely translated as 'tactics and strategy'. Band mascot Eddy was allowed to slip into the skin of a Japanese samurai on the cover - as already on the previous album ingeniously designed by Mark Wilkinson according to an idea by Steve Harris - and looks as usual grimly from the cover - looks a little bit like "Killers" in Japanese.
After the first song from the new album, "The Writing on the Wall", was released on July 15 as a lavishly staged animation video and thus the advertising drum was stirred vigorously, I now had the opportunity to listen to the entire album by Bruce & Co. before the actual release. The appetizer and the first single were already very promising, so of course I was curious how the whole album would sound in the end.
However, Maiden didn`t make it that easy for us press people, because also here, as already with "The Writing on the Wall", there was a little riddle to solve in order to get all the information and the promo version of "Senjutsu". To make the whole thing not so obvious, Maiden hid their album under a secret synonym, so that the album almost slipped through my fingers in the flood of daily press announcements and new releases (Thanks to Sonja from CMM for the tip).
"Do Iron Maiden now play folk music?" was the surprised reaction of an acquaintance who happened to drop by when I was listening to Maiden's new work via Bluetooth speaker while working in the garden. It was probably not quite seriously meant by him, but what he just heard sounded, although he immediately heard Maiden out, unusual for his ears.
So much in advance to all unsure fans - you need not worry, Bruce and Co. have not changed the music genre! Where Maiden is on it, there is of course Maiden in it, even if some unusual sounds for Maiden can be heard. But the band had already announced in advance that they would also explore new shores on the new album.
Of course, "Senjutsu" does not contain, like many albums before, Über-songs à la "The Number of the Beast" or "Fear of the Dark". But that was not necessarily to be expected. The result can still convince and after several runs I like the disc or the promo stream better each time. Overall, of course, as was to be expected from Maiden as a megaplayer, the album reaches an above-average level of quality, even if "the" outstanding song and future live classic has somehow not quite crystallized for me yet.
The album was already recorded in 2019 in Guillaume Tell Studio in France like the previous album "The Book of Souls".
Like the very successful predecessor, "Senjutsu" is also going to be released as a double CD / triple vinyl album, which should be mainly thanks to the three overlong songs with over 10 minutes playing time at the end of the record. Whether this was absolutely necessary is up to the listener, since the total playing time of the album is a meager 82 minutes for a double album, because one or the other song is stretched out quite a bit in some places. If they had renounced the one or other repetition in the songs, the magic 80-minute limit could have been surely undercut and the ten songs would have fit easily on a CD or 2 vinyls. But this way the tracks are distributed on several discs and Maiden can probably generate a little higher sales revenue - evil to him who evil thinks - but Maiden and their management have always been good businessmen who know exactly how to implement the minimax principle cleverly.

If they are going to release a double CD, then they could have added one or two more songs - that's my personal opinion.
All in all, the musical direction on "Senjutsu" suits Iron Maiden really well, is melodic and catchy and can be called a worthy successor to "The Book of Souls", partly also a bit balladesque, it brings out completely new sides of the band.
The title song is a midtempo song, which immediately sets the direction of the album. After the strings are hit hard, Nico's drums form the rhythm of the song - somewhat reminiscent of a bush drum.
The album continues with the two singles "Stratego" and "The Writings on the Wall", which really rock out. What surprises me is that there are few to no Japanese-sounding elements on the album, which one might have expected given the title and cover.
I especially like the almost 10-minute, ballad-like "Lost In A Lost World" with its goosebump-inducing backing vocals, which after a break then turns into a highly melodic midtempo rocker in best Maiden style - a great song, to which "Alexander the Great" also contributed something.
With "Days of Future Past", the gas pedal is pressed, even if the speed is not increased excessively. "The Time Machine" is perhaps the weakest song on the album, although in the middle of the song after the rhythm change Eddy really gallops away on the melody, which is somewhat reminiscent of "Fear of the Dark".
Then it becomes quieter and more contemplative, Maiden as you have never heard. "Darkest Hour" reminds me a bit of the super slow songs from Bruce`s solo career and convinces with a great guitar solo (which you can`t say of all songs).... for me this ballad is one of the highlights of the album.
On half 2 of the album follows at the end a three-pack beyond the ten-minute limit. Here cross-references to older releases appear again and again: "Powerslave" ("Death of the celts"), "Somewhere in Time" (The Parchment) or "Seventh Son ..." , which is certainly not the worst decision, because so the memory and the feeling of the then masterpieces in the 80s and 90s comes up. Of course, there should be no melancholy now, because Maiden have finally evolved and changed their style over the past decades, without neglecting their trademarks. So also on the current album.
Conclusion:
With "Senjutsu" Iron Maiden have added another great album to their long discography, which lacks Über-songs (so far), is very varied and does not get boring even after the 10th run through. Despite the overlength of some songs, the class of the songs becomes more and more clear with each run. The album is less suitable for headbanging, but is highly recommended for a relaxed hour with good rock music.
Even if Bruce's singing sometimes comes across a bit muzzy (Til Schweiger sends his regards), he shows again on "Senjutsu" with his meanwhile 63 years that he is not only on stage one of the best frontmen in metal who can lift a song with his voice to a higher level, but also in the studio. Steve Harris can also convince as always with his distinctive bass playing. Not all parts of the album could convince me, however, the guitar faction around Adrian Smith, Dave Murray and Janick Gers, because in some places, especially in the solos, their playing seems to me a bit without structure and ideas. That was better in the past.
Even if "Senjutsu" goes into the same basic direction of "TBOS", it differs nevertheless clearly and offers completely new sides, which one did not know so far in such a way from the Brits. Highly melodic, also sometimes executed as a ballad, Steve Harris and Co. know how to skillfully weave elements from their classics into the new songs again and again. Although not always necessarily suitable for rocking, the album could really inspire me after a few runs with their versatility.Overall, the songs live this time mainly from the melody arcs and the rhythm section not from the solo work of the three guitarists.
Maiden fans certainy are already chomping at the bit and counting the days until 3 September when they can finally hear the album in its entirety. It will be soon and you can look forward to it already today.
To pick up again the statement of my friend from the beginning, even if "Senjutsu" may sound a little unusual at first, the album has nothing to do with folk music, all fans of sophisticated rock or metal music should be thrilled, Iron Maiden are going to release a really adult album.
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The title track is a mid tempo song.

''Lost In A Lost World'' - highly melodic mid tempo song with backing vocals. ATG contributed something to this song?

''Days Of Future Past'' - fast short rocker.

''The Time Machine'' - gallop in the middle of the song.

''Darkest Hour'' - great solo. One of the highlights of the album.

''Death Of The Celts'' - Powerslave vibe...

''The Parchment'' - SIT/SSOASS vibe...


Maiden have added another great album to their long discography. The album offers completely new sides, which one did not know so far in such a way from the Brits. Highly melodic.
 
The thing is to be able to hear clearly the vocals wherever you listen to the song. Whether it is through cheap headphones or expensive amps. So, yes the vocals are low in in the mix on Stratego especially.
 
techmaster said:
I've heard and as far i recognized, he was refering about Arry asking him to do the base pedal exactly equal to the galop. He made a 'fake double bass'. AFYI, nicko uses a special pedal, very flexible to do such of thing
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It is not a special pedal, it is just the way one adjusts it. Of course, the drummer, the brand and the price play a significant role to be able to do this.
 
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