Senjutsu - 20 Months Later

Abas said:
I was lurking to see if I could find something to listen to while at work. I stumbled upon this interview dated from January 2020.

I assume that they uploaded this fairly around the time it actually took place and was broadcast. He says "this new one that's coming out just now". This was well over a year before The Writing on the Wall was released.

Was this the first time a new Iron Maiden album was mentioned pre-COVID 19? This was more than nineteen months before Senjutsu was released.
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Is Steve talking about the Maiden album or the second British Lion album? He did quite a bit of promotion for the latter.
 
GhostofCain said:
Is Steve talking about the Maiden album or the second British Lion album? He did quite a bit of promotion for the latter.
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I hear it as to be in regards of a new Iron Maiden album.
My interpretation is this: They were discussing album covers when he said that. The British Lion album had already come out at that point.
 
Senjutsu stands the test of time for me. I still find it interesting and intriguing.
I only listened to songs from Senjutsu today and "The Nomad" (just because I found it appropriate, walking through the heath with sand under my shoes).
"The Time Machine" fits well with climbing up a hill (musically, not because of the lyrics).
 
Melony said:
Senjutsu stands the test of time for me. I still find it interesting and intriguing.
I only listened to songs from Senjutsu today and "The Nomad" (just because I found it appropriate, walking through the heath with sand under my shoes).
"The Time Machine" fits well with climbing up a hill (musically, not because of the lyrics).
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"The Nomad" is the prequel to "The Parchment", so it fits perfectly when you listen to 'Senjutsu'. :)
 
The more I listen to The Parchment, the more it wrestles with being my number 1 favorite Maiden song ever. It's only competition at the moment is The Book of Souls and Starblind. But all three are in my top five. Imagine that. Maiden still making music so good that their last three albums each have a track in my top five all-time Maiden songs.
 
chaosapiant said:
The more I listen to The Parchment, the more it wrestles with being my number 1 favorite Maiden song ever. It's only competition at the moment is The Book of Souls and Starblind. But all three are in my top five. Imagine that. Maiden still making music so good that their last three albums each have a track in my top five all-time Maiden songs.
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Fully agreed. Its way up there for me too, though I never can quite decide whether I prefer Parchment or Lost in a Lost World - I love them both for unique and different reasons.

Book of Souls, Isle of Avalon, Starblind, No More Lies, The Thin Line Between Love and Hate -- just a few of Maiden's recent-era songsthat are easily in my all-time top-20 Maiden song ranking.
 
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chaosapiant said:
The more I listen to The Parchment, the more it wrestles with being my number 1 favorite Maiden song ever. It's only competition at the moment is The Book of Souls and Starblind. But all three are in my top five. Imagine that. Maiden still making music so good that their last three albums each have a track in my top five all-time Maiden songs.
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I still cant get into this song at all even after listening to it dozens of times. I actaully think its the most boring song theyve ever done. Then again im not a huge fan of the album.
 
one of the key aspects that moved my like of The Parchment to becoming a LOVE (and eventually a top 20 all time Maiden song) was when I connected with Nicko's punctuation of the rhythm guitar parts and (especially) Bruce's vocal lines. Granted, there isn't many traditional vocal "hooks" to latch onto, and Bruce has (in some ways) pioneered a completely unique approach to the verse-bridge-chorus-repeat style of songwriting.

That in and of itself takes some getting used to. It took me 10 listens to actually like The Parchment, about 15-20 for me to love it, and 25+ listens for it to move into my top 20 all time (and probably Top 10 if I'm to be completely honest).

The second aspect (after Nicko's superb phrasing and fills) would be Bruce's keen phrasing and vocal change ups throughout. You can almost imagine pure bile emerging from his vocal chords on several stanzas (especially in the first two stanzas - "just remember that patience is no SIIIINNNN"), and then he goes for the melt/stun/heartbreaking progressions "Cry we are ready to BELIEVE" and "Meet Me There!" sections. Instant goosebumps all over and fists outreached to the sky in both of those sections .. every damned time since about the 17th listen of the track.

The Parchment keeps on getting better - to the point where the section that I once felt was the weakest (the progressions and solos immediately after Bruce's final vocal climax) are now just as goosebump-inducing as the earlier sections.

Its all and ebb and flow from beginning to end. Every player is performing to their full potential. Bruce isn't "Air Raid Sirening" things, but he is setting his vocals to stun in new and
 
not to forget the way Bruce vocalizes in the final stanza before the second theme is introduced:

"Sweet revenge will be ours
Vengeance of a shaken world
Just remember that patience is no sin
And to find another way
Live to breathe another day
Lord of light in the DARKNESS OUR GUIDE"

I emphasized those last few words just as Bruce does, to amazing effect.

The replay factor on the Parchment is just off the charts for me.

Also big kudos to Darkest Hour - I realized that I enjoy listening to it over and over again to a much greater degree than other reunion era ballads (Coming Home especially). The Darkest Hour has it all - great songwriting, great pacing, incredibly emotive vocals, great rhythm section, and those MONSTER melodic solos!!
 
Christopher Baines said:
I still cant get into this song at all even after listening to it dozens of times. I actaully think its the most boring song theyve ever done. Then again im not a huge fan of the album.
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It just depends which aspect of Maiden you enjoy. I think if you have a hard time enjoying songs that have no immediate hooks or choruses, then yea, a lot of Senjutsu might be hard to get into.

And that’s not meant to say that you only prefer “hooky” Maiden material in a derogatory way.

Out of curiosity, which songs are your fave on the album?
 
14 months in and it still feels very strong and fresh. Still think it's the third best album by this lineup.
 
chaosapiant said:
It just depends which aspect of Maiden you enjoy. I think if you have a hard time enjoying songs that have no immediate hooks or choruses, then yea, a lot of Senjutsu might be hard to get into.
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The Parchment is not your usual catchy Maiden epic (like TRATB, for example). Sometimes I wish Steve had put a catchy chorus (repeated only once like in Hell On Earth) between the repeat of the instrumental part after Janick's first solo and before Dave's solo (the repetition works great for the song though).

Something like (with Rainmaker's chorus melody):

''Ancient scroll of time,
Fate is on our side,
Burning like a flame,
The Parchment comes to our rescue again''.

LOL.

The catchiest songs in Senjutsu are: Stratego, The Writing On The Wall, Days Of Future Past and Hell On Earth.
 
chaosapiant said:
It just depends which aspect of Maiden you enjoy. I think if you have a hard time enjoying songs that have no immediate hooks or choruses, then yea, a lot of Senjutsu might be hard to get into.

And that’s not meant to say that you only prefer “hooky” Maiden material in a derogatory way.

Out of curiosity, which songs are your fave on the album?
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The title track i really enjoy, Days of future past, The Time Machine and Hell on Earth. The rest i dont much care for.
 
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