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

[SixesAlltheway]

Depends on what you think of St.Anger. Even that album has people who claim to think it's Metallica's best. I don't really find that any stranger than people thinking AMOLAD is Maiden's best...

Bye PlayClassics What other bands do you like?

 

[syriaca]

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.

Well resumed. Exactly what i think about the mix. It really seems that there is no cohesion of levels between tracks. It is sounds really weird.
Another thing: Nicko Mc Brain... doesn't he seems to be bored with all of this ? Always playing the same way ? Without any strenght in it ?

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

The word parody is maybe too strong... the shadow of itself fits better... i think.

Not at all, as far as I'm concerned. British Lion is a much tighter band than Maiden these days.

I found Britsh Lion really a bad album... and really low mixed.

 

[Black Bart]

Spoiler

Just listened to IESF on YouTube. Can any musicians out there who have listened to the album confirm that the song is in E flat. If so, guitars are probably dropped down to E flat tuning (unique for maiden) or it could be that the uploaded dropped the pitch down a semitone so it wouldn't be detected. If it is in E and not E flat it makes bruces's vocals even more impressive

Edit: its probably been raised in pitch not lowered. Probably in d minor originally

It is in D minor indeed.

 

[Meliegree]

Bye PlayClassics What other bands do you like?

I have block him - is he still crying?

 

[Brave New Pilgrim]

Still trying to decide whether I think Empire of the Clouds is a masterpiece of a mishmash of cool ideas. That's definitely a song that's going to take multiple listen to gauge properly.

The beginning almost made me cry, though.

 

[syriaca]

Where does this "TBOS is a Jam" come from? It's not as if Iron Maiden has suddenly become Can (band). They still sound like IM, albeit a fresh new take on IM

"JAM" is the good word if you read maiden interview where they explain their studio approach for that album.

 

[SixesAlltheway]

I have block him - is he still crying?

I don't know, but I'm trying to do him a favor and not think about how much he hates the last 20 years of Iron Maiden...Maybe he could find a new best band?

 

[syriaca]

Still trying to decide whether I think Empire of the Clouds is a masterpiece of a mishmash of cool ideas. That's definitely a song that's going to take multiple listen to gauge properly.

The beginning almost made me cry, though.

Can i choose for you ?
Mishmash.

 

[nuno_c]

I have block him - is he still crying?

Sadly yes

 

[Meliegree]

I don't know, but I'm trying to do him a favor and not think about how much he hates the last 20 years of Iron Maiden...Maybe he could find a new best band?

Lets find him great band. Priest maybe?

 

[SixesAlltheway]

Yes, @PlayClassics! , Do you like Priest? They are a great band. They have a forum too.

 

[Severian]

Can we wait til @PlayClassics! actually listens to TBOS, maybe he'll like it. all his opinions so far have been based off negative reviews, he seems to have completely ignored all the positive things most members have said

 

[Maturin]

It really seems that there is no cohesion of levels between tracks. It is sounds really weird.

I really hoped that was just me. It sounds like an unfinished rough-mix in that regard.

 

[blindg3]

What an amazing album. It would be no exaggeration to say that it's their strongest since BNW.

Exaggeration? Are you kidding me? BNW was garbage compared to this!

 

[FTB]

Can we wait til @PlayClassics! actually listens to TBOS, maybe he'll like it. all his opinions so far have been based off negative reviews, he seems to have completely ignored all the positive things most members have said

But every time someone says something negative PlayClassics goes

 

[syriaca]

I really hoped that was just me. It sounds like an unfinished rough-mix in that regard.

Exactly. After that, it doesn't mean that composition are horribles. It is just a shame to sell an unfinished work like that. The recording is finished since the ending of 2014. So, a lot of time to mix well...

 

[dostoevsky]

Exaggeration? Are you kidding me? BNW was garbage compared to this!

Haha. Fair enough. It requires, like, a dozen of listens - there's so much to explore.

 

[Severian]

Exaggeration? Are you kidding me? BNW was garbage compared to this!

while i agree with the sentiment i wouldn't ever call BNW garbage

 

[Josh]

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...

Im in the exact same boat.

 

[Brave New Pilgrim]

Can i choose for you ?
Mishmash.

Actually it's sounding a lot more cohesive upon a second listen.

And no, you may not choose for me.