The MAIDEN Years: 2018/19/20/21/22/ad infinitum (Rock in Rio and Nights of the Dead)

[Diesel 11]

I think Balls to Picasso is probably the lowest point in Bruce’s solo discography simply because its highs don’t quite hit the highs of his other albums. It’s not as fun as TM or TOS, and he doesn’t sound as artful and in control as he does on the three records that succeeded this one. I’ll get the other major low out of the way really quick: I can’t tell if it’s his singing or the vocal mixing, but this is the nadir of Bruce’s voice. Something went wrong and while it’s bearable it’s also very noticeable and brings down excellent tracks like “Tears of the Dragon”. You can also hear this slightly in Skunkworks and The Final Frontier. It almost sounds too nasally but I don’t know if that’s just the singing or the mix.

Besides that though, all that stands in the way of this album is the somewhat spotty songwriting, which (aside from “Fire”, which is pure filler) actually makes it slightly more interesting (nothing on here is worse than “Lickin’ the Gun” which is his worst track — and I’d also throw “Zulu Lulu” in here if it wasn’t so damn catchy). The best thing about Balls is the vast amount of outtakes they’ve released from all three sessions and I think each and every bonus track is well worth hearing. It’s like a treasure chest of extras and I love it. What Balls lacks as an album it makes up for in spades as a time piece, with the main and bonus discs capturing an incredibly interesting moment in the Bruce Dickinson discography.

 

[Mosh]

Balls is definitely a weak Bruce performance in a lot of areas. I don’t think it’s the mixing, I think his voice went through many changes during that period and he’s still figuring out how to use it. This was a theme pretty much from 1988 to 1997.

 

[Randalf]

Balls is definitely a weak Bruce performance in a lot of areas. I don’t think it’s the mixing, I think his voice went through many changes during that period and he’s still figuring out how to use it. This was a theme pretty much from 1988 to 1997.

Yeah, I think one of the best outcomes of the Skunkworks project for Bruce was, as I believe he himself mentioned, rediscovering his range. And he's already doing great on Alive in Marquee/Studio A; raspy, but there's power and range too.

As for Balls, I quite enjoy the album. It's not quite as tight, powerful and fleshed out as his next projects, especially AoB & TCW, but most of the songs are very good and it's an interesting album to dig into every now and then. Gods of War is huge and one of the more overshadowed songs from his soloworks catalogue. The live versions are impressive, but due to more stripped down arrangement some of the brilliant details are obviously missed. Along with Cyclops, it's probably one of those songs that the heavier, Roy Z production approach would've suited very well.

I've always had a soft spot for Sacred Cowboys. It has bit of a groove, it's fun and that chorus is just epic.

Very good and interesting record.

 

[srfc]

Did you touch on Tattooed Millionaire and I missed it?

I really enjoy the sound of Balls to Picasso. Unlike the rest of Bruce's albums, it sounds very 90s. I don't exactly know what Tattooed Millionaire is supposed to be, but it's fine, you know? But Balls is just...it's just the sound I'd expect in 1994. That's the only way I can put it.

90s snare sound big time!

Wasn't mad about Tears of the Dragon when it came out and subsequently never got any of the solo stuff, up until a mate in school played me his new single "Accident of Birth". I probably wouldn't have liked it* at the time with a teenager mindset, but nowadays I'm more open minded. I think Balls is pretty good. It's not top drawer but it's an enjoyable listen with Fire being the weak spot and even that is ok. Skunkworks a step up again and is as good as the big 2, AOB and CW.

EDIT: * it being the albums preceding AOB

 

[srfc]

Also calling the album such a shit name must have had an effect on the success, or lack thereof, of BTP. I don't think many got the joke on the album cover and thought it meant something like "fuck picasso" which just sounded juvenile.

 

[Arrakis]

This is the album where Bruce had the "balls" to do something different, according to that era. He said in interviews that the album contains drum patterns and rythms that were unimaginable on a Maiden record. In this era, after Bruce's departure too, Maiden just vanished off the radar. Metal in general had a low point. When this album was released, it was a breath of fresh air, I was really looking forward to what Bruce had to offer. The album is not that consistent, but I liked the change in sound as well as the creative freshness of the songs. Also, it introduced Roy Z to the wider audiences. The songwriting trio of Adrian, Roy Z and Bruce is still unmatched to this day in my book. The album produced the biggest "hit" of his solo career, Tears of the Dragon, which was all over music TV back in the days. He wanted to express his creativity which he could not fully express (to say the least) in Maiden and adapt to the change of times. While Maiden had a mediocre period up until the reunion, Bruce's solo career had an upward trend in terms of quality and creativity, though the expected success was not imminent. I love that each Bruce solo record is different, and like them all for different reasons.

 

[Arrakis]

This is the album where Bruce had the "balls" to do something different, according to that era. He said in interviews that the album contains drum patterns and rythms that were unimaginable on a Maiden record. In this era, after Bruce's departure too, Maiden just vanished off the radar. Metal in general had a low point. When this album was released, it was a breath of fresh air, I was really looking forward to what Bruce had to offer. The album is not that consistent, but I liked the change in sound as well as the creative freshness of the songs. Also, it introduced Roy Z to the wider audiences. The songwriting trio of Adrian, Roy Z and Bruce is still unmatched to this day in my book. The album produced the biggest "hit" of his solo career, Tears of the Dragon, which was all over music TV back in the days. He wanted to express his creativity which he could not fully express (to say the least) in Maiden and adapt to the change of times. While Maiden had a mediocre period up until the reunion, Bruce's solo career had an upward trend in terms of quality and creativity, though the expected success was not imminent. I love that each Bruce solo record is different, and like them all for different reasons.

I know that Adrian is not on this particular album, but I wanted to highlight the trio in Bruce solo career in general.

 

[MindRuler]

Also calling the album such a shit name must have had an effect on the success, or lack thereof, of BTP. I don't think many got the joke on the album cover and thought it meant something like "fuck picasso" which just sounded juvenile.

I always thought it was a reference to the Cubic era of P. Picasso. Balls were square shaped like on the album cover.

 

[srfc]

I always thought it was a reference to the Cubic era of P. Picasso. Balls were square shaped like on the album cover.

Yeah that's what it is, but I think many people didn't get that joke, especially if they only heard the album title and didn't see the picture.

 

[Black Bart]

Gods of War is huge and one of the more overshadowed songs from his soloworks catalogue.

This.

 

[Mosh]

The X Factor
This is undoubtedly the most challenging Maiden album, but it also lays the groundwork for a lot of great material to follow. To me, this is the beginning of modern Maiden. Sprawling epics, dark subject matter, raw sound, less sci-if/fantasy imagery and more direct lyrical content. In many ways, it’s a lot like the debut. It’s rough around the edges, it leaves a lot to be desired, but it shows even more potential for greatness to come. I also rate it about the same as the debut. X Factor has more substance, but substance isn’t everything and some of the songs just aren’t as memorable.

Let’s first address the elephant in the room. Blaze is no Bruce Dickinson, and I also don’t really buy the often repeated argument that Bruce wouldn’t have handled this material any better. The Rock in Rio recording of Sign of the Cross should immediately disprove that. With that being said, I’m also no Blaze basher. He was brought into an awkward situation, to say the least, and Bruce was an impossible act to follow, even if he left the band with some of his worst performances. I don’t believe Blaze was a great fit for the band in the first place, but Steve also didn’t do anything to make use of his voice. This isn’t anything new, Steve notoriously abuses vocalists with his writing, part of why Bruce is the perfect guy for the job is that he can handle that in a way most vocalists can’t. Of the two Blaze albums, he sounds best on this one and his voice works fine for the material. Although I do think the album would benefit from a more operatic vocal style to play against the brooding sound.

As for the music itself, every song on the album is far more interesting than anything Maiden had produced in the 90s up until that point. Sign of the Cross alone is such a refreshing moment after the stretch of substanceless music. Finally Maiden is going back to what they do best. This album also doesn’t get enough credit for how melodic it is. So many great instrumental sections and fantastic guitar work. Very singalongable and, again, you can hear the ripples of this album throughout the reunion era. Not every song is a winner, and many of the more progressive tunes have some pretty clunky transitions, but it does sound like they’re trying throughout all of it. I love all the new stuff they’re trying. The bass solo at the beginning of Blood on the World’s Hands, the soft clean guitar intros (commonplace now but unusual then), the way Harris opts to play chords rather than a flashy bassline, the honest lyrics. It almost sounds like a new band.

Janick Gers really secures his place in the band here. Not only is he contributing a lot of material, but he’s contributing some of the best material. This is an album that could’ve been almost too Harris-y, but songs like Man On the Edge, Look For the Truth, and The Aftermath provide a new edge to Maiden that largely comes from his writing style. His playing also takes a huge step up here.

This is by no means a perfect album. As I said before, it lays the groundwork but it doesn’t perfect the formula. The biggest thing holding it back is the production. The guitars sound awful. No bite, no power. Drums are even thinner than Fear of the Dark. Blaze’s vocals are painfully dry. And despite the rawness of the instruments, there’s the cheesy synths throughout.

Sometimes I think the songs are a little too brooding, a little too raw. I appreciate that for what it is, but it’s a hard album to listen to unless you’re in the right mood. Some of the songs also just don’t really work. Edge of Darkness feels way too jumbled, for example. A lot of the vocal melodies are awkward. It’s kind of an ugly album, which is often to its benefit, but sometimes it’s just a little too much. But when this album is good, it’s some of the best material Maiden ever did. On today’s listen, I thought about how fantastic it would be if one of the Harris epics on Senjutsu was in the vein of Sign of the Cross. Amazing song.

 

[DJMayes]

I don't think I'll ever love The X Factor the way some people here do. Its my least favourite Maiden album...and yet, it still has gems like Sign of the Cross.

On an aside, I actually think The Edge Of Darkness is a highlight of the album. It's got an energy and immediacy the album lacks in places. I really like all of the B sides for that very reason.

 

[shadowpants]

The X Factor
This is undoubtedly the most challenging Maiden album, but it also lays the groundwork for a lot of great material to follow. To me, this is the beginning of modern Maiden. Sprawling epics, dark subject matter, raw sound, less sci-if/fantasy imagery and more direct lyrical content. In many ways, it’s a lot like the debut. It’s rough around the edges, it leaves a lot to be desired, but it shows even more potential for greatness to come. I also rate it about the same as the debut. X Factor has more substance, but substance isn’t everything and some of the songs just aren’t as memorable.

Let’s first address the elephant in the room. Blaze is no Bruce Dickinson, and I also don’t really buy the often repeated argument that Bruce wouldn’t have handled this material any better. The Rock in Rio recording of Sign of the Cross should immediately disprove that. With that being said, I’m also no Blaze basher. He was brought into an awkward situation, to say the least, and Bruce was an impossible act to follow, even if he left the band with some of his worst performances. I don’t believe Blaze was a great fit for the band in the first place, but Steve also didn’t do anything to make use of his voice. This isn’t anything new, Steve notoriously abuses vocalists with his writing, part of why Bruce is the perfect guy for the job is that he can handle that in a way most vocalists can’t. Of the two Blaze albums, he sounds best on this one and his voice works fine for the material. Although I do think the album would benefit from a more operatic vocal style to play against the brooding sound.

As for the music itself, every song on the album is far more interesting than anything Maiden had produced in the 90s up until that point. Sign of the Cross alone is such a refreshing moment after the stretch of substanceless music. Finally Maiden is going back to what they do best. This album also doesn’t get enough credit for how melodic it is. So many great instrumental sections and fantastic guitar work. Very singalongable and, again, you can hear the ripples of this album throughout the reunion era. Not every song is a winner, and many of the more progressive tunes have some pretty clunky transitions, but it does sound like they’re trying throughout all of it. I love all the new stuff they’re trying. The bass solo at the beginning of Blood on the World’s Hands, the soft clean guitar intros (commonplace now but unusual then), the way Harris opts to play chords rather than a flashy bassline, the honest lyrics. It almost sounds like a new band.

Janick Gers really secures his place in the band here. Not only is he contributing a lot of material, but he’s contributing some of the best material. This is an album that could’ve been almost too Harris-y, but songs like Man On the Edge, Look For the Truth, and The Aftermath provide a new edge to Maiden that largely comes from his writing style. His playing also takes a huge step up here.

This is by no means a perfect album. As I said before, it lays the groundwork but it doesn’t perfect the formula. The biggest thing holding it back is the production. The guitars sound awful. No bite, no power. Drums are even thinner than Fear of the Dark. Blaze’s vocals are painfully dry. And despite the rawness of the instruments, there’s the cheesy synths throughout.

Sometimes I think the songs are a little too brooding, a little too raw. I appreciate that for what it is, but it’s a hard album to listen to unless you’re in the right mood. Some of the songs also just don’t really work. Edge of Darkness feels way too jumbled, for example. A lot of the vocal melodies are awkward. It’s kind of an ugly album, which is often to its benefit, but sometimes it’s just a little too much. But when this album is good, it’s some of the best material Maiden ever did. On today’s listen, I thought about how fantastic it would be if one of the Harris epics on Senjutsu was in the vein of Sign of the Cross. Amazing song.

Great analysis here. A flawed but unique album. Really got into it back in 95. Hasn't stuck too well over the years, and would pay serious money to have Sign of the Cross studio recorded with Bruce, with the production and strength of Brave New World. Well at least we have the Rock in Rio version. But I also remember playing SOTC for many friends of mine who weren't into Maiden and them all LOVING it.

 

[Arrakis]

Here we go, discussed to death, but it's still quite interesting to see what this album caused. I remember when it was released, it was a huge shock. Everyone had high expectations, the album took a very long time to produce and then I saw the first reviews in Metal Hammer...The reviews were very bad. They mainly complained about the lack of ideas, overly long and boring songs, the same repetitive patterns and the very bad sound. Blaze got a lot of flak, as well as Nicko due to his boring drumming. I saw them on the tour, and the show was very energetic, it was a good show and being present in the concert hall in 1995, I did not notice the problems, I truly enjoyed the show. I still remember the cross signs projected onto the walls of the concert hall during Sign of the Cross. Live, they sounded good actually that night.

I think the album could be one of their best, but there are serious issues with it. Songs like SOTC, Edge Of Darkness are outstanding and I liked the brooding intros too with some of the songs. However, the album is very badly produced, and mainly you can't let your singer sing out of key on a studio album. It's not Blaze who is the problem here, but the terrible production.

It was the very first Maiden album that simply does not flow. You can argue about Steve's writing patterns, you can even like it, but having the majority of the album written in a similar pattern will cause the album to not flow. It can get boring if you listen to the whole product. The songs themselves can still be good.

This is more like a Steve solo project, at least given the circumstances how it was written, why, the changes and the lack of a producer.

I still listen to some of the songs, like Edge of Darkness and I even bought the Man on the Edge single with the extra songs which I never understood why weren't included on the album.

If they have had a proper production this album could have been much better as a whole.

Given how they write songs nowadays, they could take more songs from this album and include them in their live sets, would be nice.

 

[srfc]

Don't really agree with some of your points about which songs you like and the bsides being on the album @Arrakis but the first few paragraphs are exactly how I remember it as well. It took me a few years to get into it, and when it was released I was heartbroken by the time The Aftermath started and it was yet another track with a moody intro, I was 15 years of age at the time I just wanted low brow fast metal.

I think there is the bones of a great album there, if it was recorded and released today by the current line up then it would have none of the flaws it has. Because the flaws aren't in the songwriting department. They are, first and foremost, the all time wimpiest guitar sound, then slow tempo and uncharacteristic laid back drumming, and finally a bad vocal performance. Blaze at his best is only a serviceable vocalist, but his best is not on show on this album.

 

[eddie666]

After borrowing Best of the Beast in winter 97-98 and liking the Blaze tunes, I bought X Factor. So like many, I suspect, I was an 'ex' to the band at this point and vice-versa, having ditched them post Fear.
And listening to this feels like having lunch with a miserable, embittered old sow of an ex.
There are highlights, the first three and Unbeliever, but it's tough going, especially with that vocal. Gets really dry in the middle with Truth and Aftermath. Sloppy work.
But it's still Maiden and therefore holds my interest.

I recently got the reissue vinyl which helps alot. When tracks have a physical presence and position, they have a stronger identity than just an invisible state marked by a nondescript cd list. Plus I'm far more forgiving in my old age. We now know this state wasn't to last, so it's just an interesting diversion.

P.S. The debut pisses on this.

 

[srfc]

It didn't help that I didn't have a CD player in 1995, so my original format that I listened to the album on was the clear vinyl. And the quiet parts are so quiet it's unbelievable, the first minute of Look for the Truth I wasn't sure there was even anything happening.

 

[Arrakis]

It didn't help that I didn't have a CD player in 1995, so my original format that I listened to the album on was the clear vinyl. And the quiet parts are so quiet it's unbelievable, the first minute of Look for the Truth I wasn't sure there was even anything happening.

I did like Look for the Truth actually, still do, it's one of the better songs on this album, but it's a prime example of terrible production. As you said, the album suffers from sonic problems, level problems, and in particular, that beautiful intro is sung terribly by Blaze. Not that he could not sing it well, he was let sing that way, a very bad production. Songs like that are simply ruined. It was sad to see they let a brand like Maiden to go downhill due to personal issues, stubornness and did not involve a good producer at their level after Martin Birch. When talking about production it's not just the sound, but everything including the performance of each musician. You simply can't afford bad singing on a studio album, they a little bit let Blaze down too at the time.

 

[srfc]

that beautiful intro is sung terribly by Blaze. Not that he could not sing it well, he was let sing that way, a very bad production.

That last line of the verse in particular, he's nowhere near the note on a few of the words. As you say not his fault, he should have been made sing it again and again until it was right.

Otherwise it's actually a brilliant and unusual track from Maiden, one of the best on the album, just let down, like a lot of the record.

 

[Arrakis]

That last line of the verse in particular, he's nowhere near the note on a few of the words. As you say not his fault, he should have been made sing it again and again until it was right.

Otherwise it's actually a brilliant and unusual track from Maiden, one of the best on the album, just let down, like a lot of the record.

Yes, exactly, out of key at other places too. Bruce had to sing the intro lines of NOTB like dozens of times back in the days, as Martin Birch was not satisfied with the results. No one ever has done this ever since, even Bruce gets away with things on recent albums, he wings it quite often