Senjutsu - 3rd September 2021

DJMayes said:
I wasn't there at the time (I got into Maiden around 2008, so The Final Frontier was the first release I actively followed) but I've a soft spot for Virtual XI. For all its faults it does feel like a conscious effort to return to normality after the markedly different X Factor and I enjoy all of the tracks for that reason.
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I didn't like it because of that, it feels like an album made for Bruce with Blaze singing. Besides, Nicko's drumming really turns me off on VXI. X Factor, on the other hand, is borderline top 5 for me, fantastic album.
 
Hearing people who got into maiden at different times having different reactions / experiences is interesting to me.

I just can’t do the Blaze albums. I couldn’t when they came out and still can’t. I’ve tried a number of times but just find them plodding and rather boring. I have always respected Blaze and his attitude toward his career and his time with Maiden. He seems like a very positive dude who is keeping it real at all times.
 
Smither said:
I didn't like it because of that, it feels like an album made for Bruce with Blaze singing. Besides, Nicko's drumming really turns me off on VXI. X Factor, on the other hand, is borderline top 5 for me, fantastic album.
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To each their own. I think the top songs on X Factor (for me, SOTC, EOD and JOH) are above and beyond what Virtual XI put out, but at the same time I dislike a lot of the rest of the album (Fortunes of War, Look for the Truth, The Aftermath, Blood on the World's Hands, The Unbeliever) because I feel they lack a certain energy; and think it would've been significantly better if it included the B-sides instead. Probably my least favourite as an overall album.
 
Courbet said:
Hearing people who got into maiden at different times having different reactions / experiences is interesting to me.

I just can’t do the Blaze albums. I couldn’t when they came out and still can’t. I’ve tried a number of times but just find them plodding and rather boring. I have always respected Blaze and his attitude toward his career and his time with Maiden. He seems like a very positive dude who is keeping it real at all times.
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I could never come to terms with his voice. Like you say, great guy. I even tried to listen to some of his post Maiden stuff. I just can’t…
 
Iron Lurker said:
I will be at a convention when the album is released so I also pre ordered on iTunes so I can listen during the weekend. I may have to bite the bullet and wait though because I really would prefer my first listen to not be on my phone.
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The same goes for me for first listen. For TBOS, my first chance was here on iMac speakers which I passed on. They don't sound that bad, but they're definitely not good enough for a first listen of new Maiden!
 
Samantas5855 said:
Endure and survive, escape velocity, both great small songs. Blaze can certainly write good stuff. I believe he's a reason why BNW was good
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It was his solo stuff that helped me to appreciate his voice. I didn't like X Factor or VXI at all before that and really wished Bruce was singing on both albums. I still kind of do, but I get much more enjoyment out of both albums now.
 
Travis The Dragon said:
Oh and the second single was released from TFF a month before the album so maybe, just maybe Stratego will come soon!
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I am not sure if I want that. While any new music makes the wait easier, I also think listening to the album in its entirety and in the intended song order is important.
 
Kalata said:
btw, ''The Pilgrim'' was a mixture of two parts of two different songs (according to Janick). Steve turned them into one song.
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That was an interesting debate between Steve and Bruce about whether to write melody first and then fit lyrics or alter the melody instead to accommodate the lyrics. I wonder how they resolved Mother of Mercy. I always feel there are too many words in the verse when i listen to that song.
 
Jadukor said:
That was an interesting debate between Steve and Bruce about whether to write melody first and then fit lyrics or alter the melody instead to accommodate the lyrics. I wonder how they resolved Mother of Mercy. I always feel there are too many words in the verse when i listen to that song.
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When the vocal phrasing is awkward, Steve won. When it’s natural, Bruce won. Notice that the phrasing is nearly always natural on Bruce’s solo work and when Bruce pens the lyrics.
 
Spaldy said:
There's the making of DOD on the DOTR dvd.
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But not for every song (like in AMOLAD documentary).
Samantas5855 said:
Blaze can certainly write good stuff. I believe he's a reason why BNW was good
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I agree Blaze can write great songs, but wow ^
Travis The Dragon said:
Oh and the second single was released from TFF a month before the album so maybe, just maybe Stratego will come soon!
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''Empire Of The Clouds'' was released as a single in 2016 though.

About ''Satellite 15... The Final Frontier'', I'm not sure if Maiden count it as a single. The releases for TFF album were strange - ''El Dorado'' (without video, released as a free download) / ''The Final Frontier'' (only released as a music video).
 
DJMayes said:
To each their own. I think the top songs on X Factor (for me, SOTC, EOD and JOH) are above and beyond what Virtual XI put out, but at the same time I dislike a lot of the rest of the album (Fortunes of War, Look for the Truth, The Aftermath, Blood on the World's Hands, The Unbeliever) because I feel they lack a certain energy; and think it would've been significantly better if it included the B-sides instead. Probably my least favourite as an overall album.
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Blood on the World's Hands is a masterpiece. Totally unlike anything else they've ever recorded.
 
Jer said:
When the vocal phrasing is awkward, Steve won. When it’s natural, Bruce won. Notice that the phrasing is nearly always natural on Bruce’s solo work and when Bruce pens the lyrics.
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It's been that way since day one.

"I've been looking so long for you now you won't get away from my grasp"
 
naranja said:
What? Red and Black less repetitive than Rime???
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Absolutely, yes.

Rime starts off with a 1-2 second intro, then goes right into the main rhythm which is repeated thousands of times throughout the entire song.
duga dug duga dug duga dug
This pattern goes from 2 seconds through to the 1 minute mark, then there is a harmony part which goes for about 8 seconds, then right back to duga dug duga dug duga dug for the next 7 seconds, then the harmony again for a few brief seconds then back to duga dug duga dug duga dug
from 1.22 through to 1.41 then the "sailing on and on" part which is repeated twice and takes us to the 2 minute mark then back to duga dug duga dug duga dug to 2.15 then "the curse goes on" to the same tune of "sailing on and on" repeated twice. then back to duga dug duga dug duga dug
Finally at the 3 minute mark after all this tedious repetition it speeds up a little, "There goes the mariner..." dugada dugada dugada dugada <pause> dugada dugada dugada dugada Then it repeats this part again "But how can she sail... dugada dugada dugada dugada <slight pause> dugada dugada dugada dugada "See, onward she comes" then it immediately repeats this tune/rhythm, "See, she has no crew...", Then it goes to "Death and she life and death" which is a repeat of the tune from "There goes the mariner" dugada dugada dugada dugada <pause> dugada dugada dugada dugada which is again repeated twice. At the 5 minute mark you then get the quiet part which is just a short phrase repeated over and over and over again for the next 2 and half minutes. You get some instrumentals and stuff then at 11:15 back to the duga dug duga dug duga dug all the rest of the song is just a repeat of the beginning part of the song, this drags on for the next 2 and a quarter minutes.
It's a highly repetitive song.
 
I don't think I went back to listen to Virtual XI in over 15 years. Other than Clansman, I could not get into any other song or the vocals. Thank god Bruce and Adrian came back after that album. X Factor in my opinion is a vastly superior album.
 
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