matic22
Ancient Mariner
True... I just posted it, because I foud it a tad ironic. And also 1st and 2nd albums are great. Especially Helloween.
Senjutsu - 3rd September 2021
- Thread starter MrKnickerbocker
- Start date
GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
Sentjutsu is not even in my top 3 of albums released in 2021.
____no5
Free Man
I don't find anything ironic. Similarly Guatemala fans didn't vote TBOS or Egyptians Powerslave
harrisdevot
Priest of the Holy Wristband
Where is it, and which ones are above, if you don't mind me asking?
GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
Of course I do not mind you asking mate. Senjutsu would probably be at #5, right after the following albums:
1. Leize - Leize
2. Manic Street Preachers - The Ultra Vivid Lament
3. Gojira - Fortitude
4. Smith/Kotzen - Smith/Kotzen
Don't get me wrong, I like the Maiden album and think Senjutsu is a solid record with some cracking tunes (and also some mediocre stuff). Unfortunately, I have not been blown away by it and, to be honest, I was expecting more from the band.
harrisdevot
Priest of the Holy Wristband
Gojira's album is actually really good. I used to dislike them a lot until they relesased Magma. The Smith/Kotzen thing is just completely alien to me: it's a bit like The Darkest Hour, I'm just unable to understand this music.
DJMayes
Ancient Mariner
Isn't Smith/Kotzen just straight up hard rock? What don't you get about it?
GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
Gojira are a great band. I got into them with Magma (I prefer them when they are less extreme musically than in their early days) and have followed them with great interest since then. It helps that I share their views on several things, which makes their lyrics more poignant.
Smith/Kotzen are heavily influenced by 70s hard/blues rock that I really like (Free, Pat Travers…), not to mention Adrian’s fantastic guitar playing and soulful voice.
Regarding The Darkest Hour, I do not agree with you: I can understand the music; it’s the lyrics I cannot understand (in the 21st century).
harrisdevot
Priest of the Holy Wristband
Kotzen's voice to begin with: unbearable. Smith's is not very pleasant either. And the sound. And the writing. But to be honest, there is not a single Smith record I've liked in the past. I'm really happy he can explore those paths out of Maiden.
____no5
Free Man
no5' favorite
The new no2 is great, but who is no1?
All kidding aside, I can't rank Senjutsu with mortal terms. I have it associated with so many great moments already, it has given me so many thrills, way over and above of what I could ever ask from a piece of art. So I'm grateful for it and keep it in a special place in my heart.
This is not the case (at all) with TBOS or TFF either. Truly a once in 16 -20 years moment.
Spaldy
Ancient Mariner
They're both fantastic singers. Kotzen in particular. He reminds me a little of Chris Cornell.
And his guitar playing is through the roof.
____no5
Free Man
The Senjutsu Darkest Hour? You don't like it?
harrisdevot
Priest of the Holy Wristband
I hate it. Unmelodic. Just try to whistle the vocal melody. I don't know how such a thing has landed on this fantastic album. I guess Harris penning four songs wanted to let room to the others, even knowing some of their contributions were not good. For me, it's the worst Maiden song ever, and the lyrics are dull. When acknowledging Churchill was not perfect, Bruce cited his depression and alcoolism, forgeting his obsessive racism and his taste for eradication. A man who has ordered the firestorm of Hamburg in 1943, expecting it would kill as many civilians as possible, cannot be praised.
____no5
Free Man
You got a point about the whistling but generally I like the song. Quite a lot. I don't dig the Churchill theme much but reading the lyrics without context I like them a lot, except the naked part which doesn't click. The solo & guitar sound are terrific in my opinion and melody -wise it's the most closest to power ballad that they've ever written.
I'd pick Coming Home over it due to superior theme & lyrics but purely musically speaking, Darkest Hour is my best Maiden ballad.
Oh and I hate the seagulls, the length of it.
I'd pick Coming Home over it due to superior theme & lyrics but purely musically speaking, Darkest Hour is my best Maiden ballad.
Oh and I hate the seagulls, the length of it.
harrisdevot
Priest of the Holy Wristband
GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
The new no2 is great, but who is no1?
Leize are a heavy rock/heavy metal band from the Basque country in north Spain. They formed in 1982 and their latest album is an absolute corker.
In case anyone is interested, the whole album is available here:
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GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
I think we'll have to agree to disagree here. Great songwriting, great playing and very good singing, although I admit Kotzen's voice can be a bit grating sometimes.
I am very happy he has been able to explore other musical interests outside of Maiden, as I personally find his solo work - especially Primal Rock Rebellion - to be the best out of all the solo stuff done by Maiden members this century.
harrisdevot
Priest of the Holy Wristband
Woah, an album sung in Spanish and a record by a French band. You're not the typical British guy.
Edit : fantastic solo.
Edit : fantastic solo.
GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
You bet! Although I have been living in the UK for a very long time, I was born in Spain (I have dual British/Spanish citizenship) and have Basque ancestry. The whole idea of chauvinism has never appealed to me.
Glad you liked the solo. The lead guitar player is Mikel Lazkano, a talented musician who has played with lots of different bands (not only hard rock ones) in the Basque country.
By the way, I am sure (based on your job/research interests) you will like the stage set of Leize's first concert of 2021.
Kalata
Out of the Silent Planet
I also like it a lot (from the first listen). Classic ballad from Maiden - it's up there with ''Coming Home'' and ''Wasting Love''. The solos and guitar sound are indeed great. But it's true that the song is not so melodic like the rest of the album. About whistling the vocal melody, I can - the verses are great and the chorus is memorable imo. I personally don't think there is so much difference in the vocal melody during the verses of this song and ''Out Of The Shadows'', for example.
About the seagulls, I think it's great for the outro (although pretty long, like the outro of ''The Man Of Sorrows''), but maybe not so much for the intro.