The Apparition

How good is The Apparition on a scale of 1-10?


  • Total voters
    10
A drumbeat opens the weirdest song Maiden have ever written. Literally stuffed to the gills with lyrics (with the most lines of any song on this album), "The Apparition" is a nearly four minute track that has a unique style all to its own - Verse / False Chorus / Verse / False Chorus / Instrumental / Verse / False Chorus / Verse / False Chorus ("false chorus" because it doesn't feel like a typical chorus but that's clearly what it acts as here). Bruce's performance is all over the place and that only adds to the wackiness on display. The instrumental does several different shades of things with its time, including a rare Janick wah solo. As wacky as it all is, I can't not help but love this song. It's so weird that there's a really charming attraction to it, and it'll be a cold day in hell before I give it anything less than top marks. This is still a Top 20 Maiden song for me. 10
 
This song is just verses (they're not bad though). Great riff and rotation of the solos (unique fact). The song is not that bad, it's just a subpar level for Maiden's high standards - its more of a b-side material. 5/10
 
At first I didn't like it all, this is really a song that grows over the years but I wouldn't consider it among my favourites.
 
I do not consider this... thing... their worst song for one and only one reason:

Both Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger and The Angel and the Gambler are longer.


Regarding the song itself, it's joke. And it do not even make me laugh. 2/10.
 
The lyrics of the song are written in the first person, as if
are the counseling words of the spirit of a recently deceased
to the listener. According to Dickinson, they are a summary of
Harris' views on the issues of the afterlife, fate and
of friendship.
The verse “when the room goes cold tell me you can feel me,‘ cause I’m
here! ” has its roots in the belief that the presence of a ghost in one
space causes a drop in its temperature due to the energy that
absorbs from the environment to exist.
 
The verse “when the room goes cold tell me you can feel me,‘ cause I’m
here! ” has its roots in the belief that the presence of a ghost in one
space causes a drop in its temperature due to the energy that
absorbs from the environment to exist.
The idea of a "cold spot" indicating the presence of a ghost is quite well-known but I wasn't aware of any theories as to why that might be. Interesting!
 
An undeservedly hated track from the band’s wackiest album, “The Apparition” is a lyric dump from Steve on top of a Janick song, and somehow it works. It’s not perfect, but it’s super cool in a weird sort of way. Great underrated track. 8/10
 
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