"The Book of Souls" - Official pre-release thread (CONTAINS ALBUM SPOILERS)

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PlayClassics! said:
Horrible, if it's true. But it is exactly what I've feared and predicted, since reading that first official statement on how they approached this album. Seems like a severe case of the "because we can"-syndrome. No young band struggling for fame would approach an album with such a carefree attitude. Maiden are undeniably in a position where they can do what the fuck they like and not give a fuck what anyone thinks of it, but a little modesty wouldn't look bad on them, neither would some sort of sense of obligation to really sweat for the fans. Perhaps what it would take to inspire the band to create another really good album would be a need to prove something again. Like - BOS is a commercial disaster, and the label tells them: OK, next album you get your act together, fire that Shirley bum and actually write some songs before you go into the studio, or the deal is up" But it's never gonna happen of, course. Might as well get used to the idea that Iron Maiden of today is really "Iron Maiden", not really a band in the true sense of the word, it's 6 aging men living in seperate parts of the word that has music as a past-time hobby between flying airplanes, barbequing, fishing, golfing and what have you, that get together once in a while to jam a bit for the fun of old times...well, of course, I haven't actually heard it yet, but all signs point in a bad direction. Everyone knows I've not been overly keen on what they've been doing lately, and from what people are saying it seems they are just going down that same road this time...and here I was thinking a 5 year break from recording would make a difference, and people are telling me it sounds like a jam? This might just turn out to be Maiden's "St.Anger", as far as I'm concerned.
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That's taking it a little bit too far.
 
God, this is hard to explain for me. "Ok" like "TFF has horrible production for me, BoS has better so I don't have problem with that". It's hard for me to translate that from my language to English.
 
Where does this "TBOS is a Jam" come from? It's not as if Iron Maiden has suddenly become Can. They still sound like IM, albeit a fresh new take on IM
 
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PlayClassics! said:
Everyone knows I've not been overly keen on what they've been doing lately, and from what people are saying it seems they are just going down that same road this time...and here I was thinking a 5 year break from recording would make a difference
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Apparently not.

Bye bye PlayClassics :hello: Go listen to your next favorite band and all will be right with the world. Please don't post here anymore either.
 
And to top that off, the guitarsound - which I thought was rather weak on TFF, but which worked for the songs and sat where it should in the mix - it's just all over the place. Too loud! Too trebly, taking up too much attention in the mix. Three rhythm guitars all doing their own thing at any given moment, drowning the vocals out, a bass somewhere below all that playing as eagerly as ever and a drummer who has long since given up on trying to keep things together instead doing fills all over his enormous kit at any given moment.

It's a parody of what made this band great. Nothing else.

Brigantium said:
That's taking it a little bit too far.
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Not at all, as far as I'm concerned. British Lion is a much tighter band than Maiden these days.
 
PlayClassics! said:
Horrible, if it's true. But it is exactly what I've feared and predicted, since reading that first official statement on how they approached this album. Seems like a severe case of the "because we can"-syndrome. No young band struggling for fame would approach an album with such a carefree attitude. Maiden are undeniably in a position where they can do what the fuck they like and not give a fuck what anyone thinks of it, but a little modesty wouldn't look bad on them, neither would some sort of sense of obligation to really sweat for the fans. Perhaps what it would take to inspire the band to create another really good album would be a need to prove something again. Like - BOS is a commercial disaster, and the label tells them: OK, next album you get your act together, fire that Shirley bum and actually write some songs before you go into the studio, or the deal is up" But it's never gonna happen of, course. Might as well get used to the idea that Iron Maiden of today is really "Iron Maiden", not really a band in the true sense of the word, it's 6 aging men living in seperate parts of the word that has music as a past-time hobby between flying airplanes, barbequing, fishing, golfing and what have you, that get together once in a while to jam a bit for the fun of old times...well, of course, I haven't actually heard it yet, but all signs point in a bad direction. Everyone knows I've not been overly keen on what they've been doing lately, and from what people are saying it seems they are just going down that same road this time...and here I was thinking a 5 year break from recording would make a difference, and people are telling me it sounds like a jam? This might just turn out to be Maiden's "St.Anger", as far as I'm concerned.
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But...they did just create a really good album.

This album has already been a critical hit, it will most likely be a financial hit as well. No reason for them to fix what ain't broke.

We are truly in the second golden age of Maiden. This album is class exemplified.

After this standard, I would be absolutely mortified if they were to create an album of "short rockers".
 
I don't know, I just listened to Red and Black on headphones and I don't have any major gripes with the production. And I think it says a lot that they can record the way they did with this one and still put out something incredible. As far as "jam sessions", whatever. Bring that shit on. They have three guitarists. They are awesome guitarists. God forbid if they actually sound like they are jamming.

Unlike BNW which is so polished and clean that if you told someone who didn't listen to Maiden that there are three guitarists, that person would ask you what you have been smoking.
 
PlayClassics! said:
Horrible, if it's true. But it is exactly what I've feared and predicted, since reading that first official statement on how they approached this album. Seems like a severe case of the "because we can"-syndrome. No young band struggling for fame would approach an album with such a carefree attitude. Maiden are undeniably in a position where they can do what the fuck they like and not give a fuck what anyone thinks of it, but a little modesty wouldn't look bad on them, neither would some sort of sense of obligation to really sweat for the fans. Perhaps what it would take to inspire the band to create another really good album would be a need to prove something again. Like - BOS is a commercial disaster, and the label tells them: OK, next album you get your act together, fire that Shirley bum and actually write some songs before you go into the studio, or the deal is up" But it's never gonna happen of, course. Might as well get used to the idea that Iron Maiden of today is really "Iron Maiden", not really a band in the true sense of the word, it's 6 aging men living in seperate parts of the word that has music as a past-time hobby between flying airplanes, barbequing, fishing, golfing and what have you, that get together once in a while to jam a bit for the fun of old times...well, of course, I haven't actually heard it yet, but all signs point in a bad direction. Everyone knows I've not been overly keen on what they've been doing lately, and from what people are saying it seems they are just going down that same road this time...and here I was thinking a 5 year break from recording would make a difference, and people are telling me it sounds like a jam? This might just turn out to be Maiden's "St.Anger", as far as I'm concerned.
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I don't exactly want to sound offensive, but do you actually believe what you just said?
 
First listening finished (not in one go though): I get a very positive overall impression. I have prefered the first disc and I feel "Death or Glory", "Shadow of the Valley" and "The Man of Sorrows", though very enjoyable, are a bit behind the rest. My most memorable moment: the first guitar solo on "The Book of Souls". Let's see what further listenings bring... :)
 
The more I listen to it, the more I like the songs and the more the sound is getting tiring. It is a pitty.
 
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