Senjutsu - 3rd September 2021
- Thread starter MrKnickerbocker
- Start date
DJMayes
Ancient Mariner
I think you've pretty much nailed it. Bands change and evolve and it's unreasonable to expect everyone to follow that. I'd understand the reactions to reunion albums if this was the first but it's been so long at this point I don't get how people keep devoting the energy.
I'd have loved to have seen Shadows of the Valley live, but otherwise it was a very strong selection. Better on the first leg in my opinion; I enjoyed Tears of a Clown a lot.
In any event I am younger than a lot here and haven't seen Maiden many times, so there are many songs they could pull out that I've not had the opportunity to hear. I haven't even heard them play Wrathchild yet!
Iron Lurker
Ancient Mariner
Wrathchild was the first Maiden song I ever heard and it’s a banger. A lot seem to think it has overstayed it’s welcome in the setlist over the years but I will always be happy to hear it live. Short burst of a song to bring the energy up a bit, kind of like the Trooper.
Flaming Blimp Crash
Ancient Mariner
It's still a good crowd pleaser. Also not bad to have if you need to fill three or so minutes of set time.
Samantas5855
Ancient Mariner
What? Red and Black less repetitive than Rime???
Samantas5855
Ancient Mariner
Madness really. Rime is one of the most adrenaline pumping songs, its beautiful, creative, its different. The Red and The Black is the usual post reunion boring long Harris epic. Ooohoooh I need somebody to saveeee meee x20
Josh
Ancient Mariner
I've accepted that there is the Powerslave 2.0 crowd. There is no changing the mind of the 2.0.
Jadukor
Can I play with Agnes
I have just used the ignore option on one of these fans. Works brilliantly. It is gonna get worse once the album comes out. Why Derek riggs didn't do the cover, why no short songs, why Martin Birch did not come out of retirement and produce etc etc.
Josh
Ancient Mariner
Maiden should be celebrated at this point. This album is going to be great. People are worried it's a jam session and if it is, I'm all for it. Let these guys do what they want. Who gives a shit it's 2021 we're still getting Maiden. I have had just as much fun listening to their new material as I did with their old.
Jadukor
Can I play with Agnes
Hell yes and we will celebrate this record. It has been almost a six year wait and I am not letting the powerslave 2 fans ruin it for me.
Back to topic, Is Days of Future Past the shortest track post reunion? Or is it Fallen Angel?
Edit: just checked.. Fallen angel is 2 seconds shorter
Edit 2: Rainmaker is even shorter!
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I really think Harris has some tricks up his sleeve. Last time he was this prolific on his own, we were in the Blaze era and, for better or worse, he was trying a lot of new stuff there. I think there’s going to be a lot of variety on the new album. I am very much looking forward to the new epics. Also super curious about the stuff that was very challenging to record. Their songs are long but not often technically challenging, at least not since the Somewhere in Time era.
Also, lets look at his track record on the reunion albums:
Blood Brothers - Fantastic song, now a classic.
No More Lies - Not one of his most popular songs, but definitely laid the groundwork for some of the proggier material on later albums.
For the Greater Good of God - Come on, fantastic song. A highlight in their career, for any era.
When the Wild Wind Blows - An awesome story telling epic with no repetitive chorus in sight.
The Red and the Black - Mixed bag of a song for sure, but has a lot of really interesting elements and no repetitive choruses.
So despite the cliche (and especially if we look at other material on the recent albums), it’s not like Harris’ material has gotten more repetitive. And I would say 3 of the 5 songs listed above are commonly seen as high quality material. I don’t think there’s any reason to be worried about the new album. Like yea they can’t all be winners, but I’m sure at least one of them is going to blow our minds.
Also, lets look at his track record on the reunion albums:
Blood Brothers - Fantastic song, now a classic.
No More Lies - Not one of his most popular songs, but definitely laid the groundwork for some of the proggier material on later albums.
For the Greater Good of God - Come on, fantastic song. A highlight in their career, for any era.
When the Wild Wind Blows - An awesome story telling epic with no repetitive chorus in sight.
The Red and the Black - Mixed bag of a song for sure, but has a lot of really interesting elements and no repetitive choruses.
So despite the cliche (and especially if we look at other material on the recent albums), it’s not like Harris’ material has gotten more repetitive. And I would say 3 of the 5 songs listed above are commonly seen as high quality material. I don’t think there’s any reason to be worried about the new album. Like yea they can’t all be winners, but I’m sure at least one of them is going to blow our minds.
Jadukor
Can I play with Agnes
The strongest songs of each post reunion album were the epics imo and I expect much the same with this album. I am a huge fan of No More Lies. That main riff is awesome.
Iron Lurker
Ancient Mariner
Around the time when DOD was released the Official Fan Forums were still open to everyone; you didn't have to be a FC member to use them.
At that time they was a lot of negativity on the forum over the album cover, the songs, the song writing, the tour, setlists, hating on Janick, Bruce can't sing anymore, etc. (kind of like what's still going on now).
It got to be a bit overwhelming so I made a little rant. A mock statement from Maiden that they were cancelling their World Tour to announce the "Dance of Death at Your Door" Tour. I made up all kinds of ridiculous things like:
Maiden will show up in a bus at your house to play a 2 1/2 hour show with the setlist of your choosing.
They will play anything you want. They will even play Alexander the Great 5 times in a row if that's what you wish.
Derek Riggs will be on hand to create a special, customized Dance of Death album cover to your exact specifications.
For all you Janick Gers haters, he will wait on the bus.
Ending with; And all just to please you, the whiniest bunch of fans on God's Green Earth....
I wish I had saved that post. I think it got around 100 responses.
Anyway, with some of the stuff I've seen in various places since the single and album announcement came out it made me think of this.
At that time they was a lot of negativity on the forum over the album cover, the songs, the song writing, the tour, setlists, hating on Janick, Bruce can't sing anymore, etc. (kind of like what's still going on now).
It got to be a bit overwhelming so I made a little rant. A mock statement from Maiden that they were cancelling their World Tour to announce the "Dance of Death at Your Door" Tour. I made up all kinds of ridiculous things like:
Maiden will show up in a bus at your house to play a 2 1/2 hour show with the setlist of your choosing.
They will play anything you want. They will even play Alexander the Great 5 times in a row if that's what you wish.
Derek Riggs will be on hand to create a special, customized Dance of Death album cover to your exact specifications.
For all you Janick Gers haters, he will wait on the bus.
Ending with; And all just to please you, the whiniest bunch of fans on God's Green Earth....
I wish I had saved that post. I think it got around 100 responses.
Anyway, with some of the stuff I've seen in various places since the single and album announcement came out it made me think of this.
Some things never change. Dance of Death is going to be old enough to vote in the USA this year. In other words, it’s now about the same age as Piece of Mind was when people were complaining about it as a new album. I’m thrilled that the band is still producing new material.
jvitor_amaral
Trooper
Also “wildest dreams”
Jadukor
Can I play with Agnes
Ahh memories. Rainmaker, No more lies, Monstegur, DoD, Paschendale, Journryman. I remember being blown away by this album. The Death on the road dvd is still by far my most favorite concert. Towards the end.. with Bruce singing Journeyman with a towel around his neck and the improvised solo from H was pure magic.
jvitor_amaral
Trooper
I think DoD and BNW are tied for me for the best reunion albums.
Jadukor
Can I play with Agnes
Agreed. Very difficult to pick one. I sometimes try to compare the strong songs and i do believe BNW has the slight edge.
Wickerman - Rainmaker
Mercenary - Wildest Dreams
Ghost of the navigator - No More Lies
Brave New World - Dance of Death
Blood Brothers - Journeyman
Dream of Mirrors - Pascendale
Fallen Angel - Monstegur
Nomad>Face in the Sand
Out of the Silent Planet > Gates of Tomorrow
Thin Line > Age of Innocence
*Minus points for New Frontier, lol
tillyvick14
Trooper
I’m thinking the answers to suddenly having four Harris epics might lie in this interview from 2016. Either Harry felt now was the time to let more of his ideas out or the other writers didn’t bring as much material into the studio in 2019:
Steve: "Well, these days I seem to be having problems writing anything [of] five minutes [in length] — I don't know — so the answer to that at the moment is that it's easier to write long ones, I suppose… I don't know… I don't really time 'em. I mean, I'd like to write more songs, and write more songs on my own too. And I've still got loads of ideas — too many ideas, probably — but I think that's a nice problem to have. I'd rather have that problem than run out of ideas."
And that's the way it's been going the last three or four albums — certainly since Adrian's come back — just because there's been lots of ideas. But that doesn't mean I haven't got my ideas of my own — I've got loads of ideas of my own. I'm not frustrated about that, because I think it's important that the band goes in different directions, and so I think what has been done has been the right thing to do. That's what I felt was the gut instinct was the right thing to do. If I thought the material of theirs wasn't strong enough, then I'd tell 'em. But it is what it is, and I think it's been good [getting] different directions happening. So, I don't know… We'll see what happens in the future, and if everyone carries on writing. The good thing is, if they dry up, I've got loads of ideas, so it's not gonna be a problem."
Steve: "Well, these days I seem to be having problems writing anything [of] five minutes [in length] — I don't know — so the answer to that at the moment is that it's easier to write long ones, I suppose… I don't know… I don't really time 'em. I mean, I'd like to write more songs, and write more songs on my own too. And I've still got loads of ideas — too many ideas, probably — but I think that's a nice problem to have. I'd rather have that problem than run out of ideas."
And that's the way it's been going the last three or four albums — certainly since Adrian's come back — just because there's been lots of ideas. But that doesn't mean I haven't got my ideas of my own — I've got loads of ideas of my own. I'm not frustrated about that, because I think it's important that the band goes in different directions, and so I think what has been done has been the right thing to do. That's what I felt was the gut instinct was the right thing to do. If I thought the material of theirs wasn't strong enough, then I'd tell 'em. But it is what it is, and I think it's been good [getting] different directions happening. So, I don't know… We'll see what happens in the future, and if everyone carries on writing. The good thing is, if they dry up, I've got loads of ideas, so it's not gonna be a problem."