The Official Maidenfans.com Rankings results (2004-2016)

[LooseCannon]

111: Total Eclipse - The Number of the Beast (Harris, Murray, Burr)
Average score: 7.45/10 Deviation: 0.86
The Number of the Beast 3/9
Top 100: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012

We're entering a pretty snug area of the rankings now, where many songs are separated by only a hundredth of a point, averaged out over 14 years. That should tell you the sort of zone we're looking at, and how close so many of these songs are to each other. With this song, all three tracks officially credited to the drummer are on the board. This one has meandered over the years, from the high sevens to the low sevens, but with no spikes or troughs, almost a gentle slope down. It seems to have stabilized in recent years, and I think we can expect a solid low-sevens performance for the foreseeable future. Three general comments - one, this could have fit in on No Prayer For the Dying. Two - a Black Sabbath vibe. Three - should have been on the original release of the album rather than Gangland.

Choice comments:

is it just me or does that song have a "Black Sabbath" feel to it. You know, that heavy, hauling rhythm sure sounds like early Sab to me - but that's not a bad thing, is it? Great track, it should have been on the album instead of Gangland.

Very good song. I used to play this quite a lot way back then - obviously, it was not on the original release of The Beast, but I had Run to the Hills on picture vinyl. And how I almost wore it out.

It really should have been on the album as oppose to Gangland.

This song remains a B side for me. It would fit right in on NPFTD though. It’s OK, but kinda meh, like Fates, Public Enema and that stuff.

This a cracker Sabbath like intro and some amazing vivid lyrics (which doesn't seem to have been penned by Steve. It sounds like Bruce, although he's not credited). The gear shift to the solos part then to the outro with arpeggios and Bruce's dramatic vocalizations are stunning.

Always thought it was an average song, especially before Hallowed. Unlike most, I actually prefer Gangland.

I wish this song had been on the original album, because it's better than Invaders and Gangland. The chorus is a little weird, but I love the verses, Bruce's performance, and the bridge.

Better than Gangland, and probably equal in quality with Invaders. Good drumming by Clive, and a great chorus.

I'll admit that this is my least favorite song on the album and I can see why they chose to leave it off the album in 1982, but what puzzles me is why they performed it on the tour (at least on Beast Over Hammersmith). While it's my least favorite song on the album I still enjoy it and don't skip it on the album or anything.

It's just a serviceable track. Certainly better than "Invaders", but it was clearly left as a B-side for a reason. The bridge in the middle really makes no sense and sounds incredibly jarring. Normally a Maiden key change or tempo change adds something to a song, but this one just feels tacked on.

Statistics

Spoiler

Yearly ratings & rankings
2004: 7.76; 89/123
2005: 7.88 +0.12; 76/124 +7
2006: 7.98 +0.10; 85/124 -9
2008: 7.96 -0.02; 94/134 -16
2011: 7.12 -0.84; 103/144 -9
2012: 76/144 +27
2014: 7.24 +0.12; 104/144 -28
2015: 7.21 -0.03; 108/144 -4
2016: 7.24 +0.03; 102/155 +6

Overall

Spoiler

111 - Total Eclipse (The Number of the Beast)
112 - Speed of Light (The Book of Souls)
113 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
114 - Judgement of Heaven (The X Factor)
115 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
116 - Heaven Can Wait (Somewhere in Time)
116 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
118 - Can I Play With Madness? (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
119 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
120 - The Mercenary (Brave New World)
121 - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)
122 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
123 - Shadows of the Valley (The Book of Souls)
124 - Charlotte the Harlot (Iron Maiden)
125 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
126 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
126 - Look For the Truth (The X Factor)
128 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
129 - Drifter (Killers)
130 - Another Life (Killers)
131 - Public Enema Number One (No Prayer For the Dying)
132 - Sun and Steel (Piece of Mind)
132 - Innocent Exile (Killers)
134 - Sanctuary (Iron Maiden)
135 - Be Quick or Be Dead (Fear of the Dark)
136 - Wildest Dreams (Dance of Death)
137 - Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger (Virtual XI)
138 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
139 - The Assassin (No Prayer For the Dying)
140 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
141 - Fates Warning (No Prayer For the Dying)
142 - New Frontier (Dance of Death)
143 - Holy Smoke (No Prayer For the Dying)
143 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
145 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
146 - Quest For Fire (Piece of Mind)
147 - Bring Your Daughter... ...To the Slaughter (No Prayer For the Dying)
148 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
149 - The Angel and the Gambler (Virtual XI)
150 - From Here to Eternity (Fear of the Dark)
151 - Fear is the Key (Fear of the Dark)
152 - Chains of Misery (Fear of the Dark)
153 - Hooks in You (No Prayer For the Dying)
153 - Weekend Warrior (Fear of the Dark)
155 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)

Song deviance (least to greatest)

Spoiler

0.34 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
0.68 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
0.76 - Fates Warning (No Prayer For the Dying)
0.78 - The Mercenary (Brave New World)
0.80 - Can I Play With Madness? (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
0.81 - Another Life (Killers)
0.86 - Total Eclipse (The Number of the Beast)
0.90 - Heaven Can Wait (Somewhere in Time)
0.92 - Fear is the Key (Fear of the Dark)
0.93 - Sun and Steel (Piece of Mind)
0.96 - Innocent Exile (Killers)
1.29 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
1.45 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
1.46 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
1.52 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
1.52 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
1.56 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
1.58 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
1.68 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)
1.82 - Drifter (Killers)
1.83 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.84 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
1.86 - Sanctuary (Iron Maiden)
1.87 - Judgement of Heaven (The X Factor)
1.94 - Public Enema Number One (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.94 - Quest For Fire (Piece of Mind)
1.95 - The Angel and the Gambler (Virtual XI)
2.04 - Wildest Dreams (Dance of Death)
2.20 - New Frontier (Dance of Death)
2.22 - Hooks in You (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.27 - Look For the Truth (The X Factor)
2.72 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
2.82 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
2.93 - Bring Your Daughter... ...To the Slaughter (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.94 - Holy Smoke (No Prayer For the Dying)
3.04 - Be Quick or Be Dead (Fear of the Dark)
3.32 - Charlotte the Harlot (Iron Maiden)
3.34 - Chains of Misery (Fear of the Dark)
3.40 - Weekend Warrior (Fear of the Dark)
3.76 - From Here to Eternity (Fear of the Dark)
3.90 - The Assassin (No Prayer For the Dying)
3.95 - Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger (Virtual XI)
n/a - Shadows of the Valley (The Book of Souls)
n/a - Speed of Light (The Book of Souls)
n/a - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)

Albums

Spoiler

Iron Maiden 3/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 5
Killers 4/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 11
The Number of the Beast 3/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 7
Piece of Mind 2/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 1
Somewhere in Time 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
No Prayer For the Dying 7/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 4
Fear of the Dark 9/12 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 20
The X Factor 3/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 11
Virtual XI 3/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 5
Brave New World 2/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
Dance of Death 4/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6
The Book of Souls 3/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 1

 

[Diesel 11]

I'm sorry, Total Eclipse is top 10 material, plain and simple.

 

[LooseCannon]

110: Running Free - Iron Maiden (Harris, Di'Anno)
Average score: 7.46/10 Deviation: 1.46
Iron Maiden 4/9
Top 100: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014

When I was in high school, I was responsible for making mix tapes for my buddy's Dodge Acclaim, as I was the only person with access to a CD burner, a CD player, and a cassette recorder. People would give me request, I'd download them on Napster, burn them to a CD, play the CD in the player, and record the CD to the cassette. They tended to include pop-rock songs of the day, stuff like Smells Like Teen Spirit and Californication and usually Automatic Flowers by Our Lady Peace (a personal favourite at the time). They'd also surely include a collection of angsty teen 90s songs, from bands like Limp Bizkit and Korn and Disturbed and Papa Roach.

Then I got into Iron Maiden, listened to Running Free, and went, "Fuckin' a! It's about driving and running, this will go great on a Driving Tape!" I was completely wrong. My friends hated it, skipped it every time. This began my solo musical journey. In retrospect, I picked a really bad song to try to get people into metal. But this song still makes me feel the same way every time - proud of a new course set, despite people saying it was the wrong call. And I tend to think I was right.

Choice comments:

Great song for new Maiden-heads. It really helped me get into the debut. A classic rocker, and my dad's favorite off the album

This is a 100 horsepower rocker that stomps through any terrain and takes no prisoners. This may be the quintessential NWoBHM track, both music- and lyric-wise. Made to kill onstage and off. Simple, yet effective. A joy to sing along to as well.

Catchy song, which has an insteresting instrumental break. Always work fantastically live.

Studio version is too slow and production kills it's normal live energy.

I used to appreciate this song much more than now. It still has great bass and sounds good live. The lyric "now all the boys are after me, and that's the way it's gonna be" is kind of like "danced and pranced".

he drums sound a bit funny on the album version.It's not among the best of the album but still it's a nice rocker with a catchy sing-along chorus whether it's live or studio.

Low rent Sanctuary. Sorry. High-energy singalongs at live performances do not in any way affect how I enjoy this song on the album. I skip it more often than not these days. It's simple, boring, and somewhat offensive to my sensibilities. It's good live because Bruce makes it fun. It's not good on this album where there's no interplay.

Running Free might be one of the most dated sounding songs that Maiden has ever released, but I’ll be damned if I don’t love it. It’s classic, simple Maiden that translates well onstage. There’s also some nice guitar harmony work in the middle, right before Steve Harris leads the band through a section of alternating chugs and spidery licks.

You can't accuse Maiden's debut of lacking diversity. We had some sledgehammer metal, then a power ballad, and now we've got a simple old-style rock number, like something Free might have written (Paul would have fit like a glove in a band like that, wouldn't he?). Not a great song, but certainly a successful one.

Isn't it what rock n' roll is about?

Statistics

Spoiler

Yearly ratings & rankings
2004: 7.54; 95/123
2005: 7.88 +0.34; 76/124 +19
2006: 8.02 +0.14; 64/124 +12
2008: 8.22 +0.20; 76/134 -12
2011: 7.30 -0.92; 98/144 -22
2012: 71/144 +27
2014: 7.44 +0.14; 95/144 -24
2015: 7.33 -0.11; 102/144 -7
2016: 6.76 -0.57; 122/155 -22

Overall

Spoiler

110- Running Free (Iron Maiden)
111 - Total Eclipse (The Number of the Beast)
112 - Speed of Light (The Book of Souls)
113 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
114 - Judgement of Heaven (The X Factor)
115 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
116 - Heaven Can Wait (Somewhere in Time)
116 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
118 - Can I Play With Madness? (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
119 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
120 - The Mercenary (Brave New World)
121 - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)
122 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
123 - Shadows of the Valley (The Book of Souls)
124 - Charlotte the Harlot (Iron Maiden)
125 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
126 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
126 - Look For the Truth (The X Factor)
128 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
129 - Drifter (Killers)
130 - Another Life (Killers)
131 - Public Enema Number One (No Prayer For the Dying)
132 - Sun and Steel (Piece of Mind)
132 - Innocent Exile (Killers)
134 - Sanctuary (Iron Maiden)
135 - Be Quick or Be Dead (Fear of the Dark)
136 - Wildest Dreams (Dance of Death)
137 - Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger (Virtual XI)
138 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
139 - The Assassin (No Prayer For the Dying)
140 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
141 - Fates Warning (No Prayer For the Dying)
142 - New Frontier (Dance of Death)
143 - Holy Smoke (No Prayer For the Dying)
143 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
145 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
146 - Quest For Fire (Piece of Mind)
147 - Bring Your Daughter... ...To the Slaughter (No Prayer For the Dying)
148 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
149 - The Angel and the Gambler (Virtual XI)
150 - From Here to Eternity (Fear of the Dark)
151 - Fear is the Key (Fear of the Dark)
152 - Chains of Misery (Fear of the Dark)
153 - Hooks in You (No Prayer For the Dying)
153 - Weekend Warrior (Fear of the Dark)
155 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)

Song deviance (least to greatest)

Spoiler

0.34 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
0.68 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
0.76 - Fates Warning (No Prayer For the Dying)
0.78 - The Mercenary (Brave New World)
0.80 - Can I Play With Madness? (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
0.81 - Another Life (Killers)
0.86 - Total Eclipse (The Number of the Beast)
0.90 - Heaven Can Wait (Somewhere in Time)
0.92 - Fear is the Key (Fear of the Dark)
0.93 - Sun and Steel (Piece of Mind)
0.96 - Innocent Exile (Killers)
1.29 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
1.45 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
1.46 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
1.46 - Running Free (Iron Maiden)
1.52 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
1.52 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
1.56 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
1.58 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
1.68 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)
1.82 - Drifter (Killers)
1.83 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.84 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
1.86 - Sanctuary (Iron Maiden)
1.87 - Judgement of Heaven (The X Factor)
1.94 - Public Enema Number One (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.94 - Quest For Fire (Piece of Mind)
1.95 - The Angel and the Gambler (Virtual XI)
2.04 - Wildest Dreams (Dance of Death)
2.20 - New Frontier (Dance of Death)
2.22 - Hooks in You (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.27 - Look For the Truth (The X Factor)
2.72 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
2.82 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
2.93 - Bring Your Daughter... ...To the Slaughter (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.94 - Holy Smoke (No Prayer For the Dying)
3.04 - Be Quick or Be Dead (Fear of the Dark)
3.32 - Charlotte the Harlot (Iron Maiden)
3.34 - Chains of Misery (Fear of the Dark)
3.40 - Weekend Warrior (Fear of the Dark)
3.76 - From Here to Eternity (Fear of the Dark)
3.90 - The Assassin (No Prayer For the Dying)
3.95 - Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger (Virtual XI)
n/a - Shadows of the Valley (The Book of Souls)
n/a - Speed of Light (The Book of Souls)
n/a - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)

Albums

Spoiler

Iron Maiden 4/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 12
Killers 4/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 11
The Number of the Beast 3/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 7
Piece of Mind 2/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 1
Somewhere in Time 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
No Prayer For the Dying 7/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 4
Fear of the Dark 9/12 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 20
The X Factor 3/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 11
Virtual XI 3/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 5
Brave New World 2/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
Dance of Death 4/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6
The Book of Souls 3/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 1

 

[LooseCannon]

I'm sorry, Total Eclipse is top 10 material, plain and simple.

Sir, where do you purchase your crack cocaine, for it must be of superlative quality.

 

[Diesel 11]

Next to Walgreens, at the corner of happy and healthy.

 

[LooseCannon]

109: Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) - Powerslave (Harris)
Average score: 7.47/10 Deviation: 2.26
Powerslave 1/8
Top 50: 2005, 2006
Top 100: 2004, 2008

The first instrumental to join our list (double-check, yep, that's true), and the first song from Powerslave, has a storied history. This song came as close to a 9 as you can without hitting it, and has since fallen into the high-six territory, pretty much dropping off a cliff at the end of the 00s. If you break the deviation down into the two decades, it's not a deviant song, but once you put those decades together, you get a crazy tale. This one has two Top 50 mentions, and two more Top 100 notes. People generally accept this is the least proficient of the four instrumental tracks Iron Maiden has released, and many people compliment Steve's bass.

Choice comments:

This is the worst song on Powerslave but that doesn't mean it's a bad song. It doesn't have the same feeling as Maiden's other instrumental songs, but other than that it's rather hard to explain why I don't like it particularily much. I just could never get into it as much as the rest of the album.

This is by far my favorite instrumental by Maiden. I'm not a musician so I can't speak to the technical quality of it, but the feel of it is amazing, and I love how it moves and shifts over time. It's watery fluid.

it feels like just a normal song without lyrics, not a real instrumental.

Could be the worst song of the golden years. Some of the melodies wouldn't sound out of place on a nintendo game. Come to think of it, its a little better than quest for fire. Impressive bass playing but thats about it.

It's a rocking, catchy instrumental, but it would probably have been better with Bruce singing. I don't listen to it too often.

I don't think this song gets the credit it deserves. It has some great ideas musically and it's a lot of fun to play on guitar. The only problem I have is that it sounds like a studio rehearsal or a demo.

It's not a bad song, but i consider it as one of the four fillers of Fillerslave. Why? It just feels like that way. Too forced - like let's do an instrumental, we haven't done it for two albums, it's played good but the ingredient X for great feeling is missing badly.

The bassline is awesome, very dynamic and driving the song. I love the way the song is structured, with a kind of chorus, a solo, and a fantastic bridge after it. It's always a surprise to read that some people don't appreciate it.

Statistics

Spoiler

Yearly ratings & rankings
2004: 7.92; 83/123
2005: 8.76 +0.84; 44/124 +39
2006: 8.98 +0.22; 49/124 -5
2008: 8.42 -0.56; 66/134 -17
2011: 6.72 -1.70; 116/144 -50
2012: 121/144 -5
2014: 6.90 +0.18; 115/144 +6
2015: 6.94 +0.04; 115/144 NC
2016: 6.96 +0.02; 112/155 +3

Overall

Spoiler

109 - Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) (Powerslave)
110 - Running Free (Iron Maiden)
111 - Total Eclipse (The Number of the Beast)
112 - Speed of Light (The Book of Souls)
113 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
114 - Judgement of Heaven (The X Factor)
115 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
116 - Heaven Can Wait (Somewhere in Time)
116 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
118 - Can I Play With Madness? (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
119 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
120 - The Mercenary (Brave New World)
121 - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)
122 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
123 - Shadows of the Valley (The Book of Souls)
124 - Charlotte the Harlot (Iron Maiden)
125 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
126 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
126 - Look For the Truth (The X Factor)
128 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
129 - Drifter (Killers)
130 - Another Life (Killers)
131 - Public Enema Number One (No Prayer For the Dying)
132 - Sun and Steel (Piece of Mind)
132 - Innocent Exile (Killers)
134 - Sanctuary (Iron Maiden)
135 - Be Quick or Be Dead (Fear of the Dark)
136 - Wildest Dreams (Dance of Death)
137 - Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger (Virtual XI)
138 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
139 - The Assassin (No Prayer For the Dying)
140 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
141 - Fates Warning (No Prayer For the Dying)
142 - New Frontier (Dance of Death)
143 - Holy Smoke (No Prayer For the Dying)
143 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
145 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
146 - Quest For Fire (Piece of Mind)
147 - Bring Your Daughter... ...To the Slaughter (No Prayer For the Dying)
148 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
149 - The Angel and the Gambler (Virtual XI)
150 - From Here to Eternity (Fear of the Dark)
151 - Fear is the Key (Fear of the Dark)
152 - Chains of Misery (Fear of the Dark)
153 - Hooks in You (No Prayer For the Dying)
153 - Weekend Warrior (Fear of the Dark)
155 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)

Song deviance (least to greatest)

Spoiler

0.34 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
0.68 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
0.76 - Fates Warning (No Prayer For the Dying)
0.78 - The Mercenary (Brave New World)
0.80 - Can I Play With Madness? (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
0.81 - Another Life (Killers)
0.86 - Total Eclipse (The Number of the Beast)
0.90 - Heaven Can Wait (Somewhere in Time)
0.92 - Fear is the Key (Fear of the Dark)
0.93 - Sun and Steel (Piece of Mind)
0.96 - Innocent Exile (Killers)
1.29 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
1.45 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
1.46 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
1.46 - Running Free (Iron Maiden)
1.52 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
1.52 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
1.56 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
1.58 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
1.68 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)
1.82 - Drifter (Killers)
1.83 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.84 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
1.86 - Sanctuary (Iron Maiden)
1.87 - Judgement of Heaven (The X Factor)
1.94 - Public Enema Number One (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.94 - Quest For Fire (Piece of Mind)
1.95 - The Angel and the Gambler (Virtual XI)
2.04 - Wildest Dreams (Dance of Death)
2.20 - New Frontier (Dance of Death)
2.22 - Hooks in You (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.26 - Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) (Powerslave)
2.27 - Look For the Truth (The X Factor)
2.72 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
2.82 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
2.93 - Bring Your Daughter... ...To the Slaughter (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.94 - Holy Smoke (No Prayer For the Dying)
3.04 - Be Quick or Be Dead (Fear of the Dark)
3.32 - Charlotte the Harlot (Iron Maiden)
3.34 - Chains of Misery (Fear of the Dark)
3.40 - Weekend Warrior (Fear of the Dark)
3.76 - From Here to Eternity (Fear of the Dark)
3.90 - The Assassin (No Prayer For the Dying)
3.95 - Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger (Virtual XI)
n/a - Shadows of the Valley (The Book of Souls)
n/a - Speed of Light (The Book of Souls)
n/a - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)

Albums

Spoiler

Iron Maiden 4/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 12
Killers 4/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 11
The Number of the Beast 3/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 7
Piece of Mind 2/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 1
Powerslave 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 2
Somewhere in Time 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
No Prayer For the Dying 7/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 4
Fear of the Dark 9/12 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 20
The X Factor 3/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 11
Virtual XI 3/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 5
Brave New World 2/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
Dance of Death 4/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6
The Book of Souls 3/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 1

 

[Diesel 11]

"It feels like just a normal song without lyrics, not a real instrumental."

That actually sums up most of my thoughts very well. Not sure if the user meant it positively or negatively, but I mean it positively.

 

[LooseCannon]

108: The Pilgrim - A Matter of Life and Death (Gers, Harris)
Average score: 7.50/10 Deviation: 0.85
A Matter of Life and Death 1/10
Top 100: 2008, 2011, 2014, 2015

I wonder what a song called A Matter of Life and Death would sound like. Definitely a Harris epic. This is our first song from the 2006 release, which means only one album has yet to be showcased. 7.50 puts us above "acceptable or average" into the "pretty good" or "better than average" area, and I think this is a good track to start that zone. The general consensus of this track is that it's good, but it's the least-good on A Matter of Life and Death, with interesting eastern-inspired guitars.

Choice comments:

the opening and the ending are amazing, and that riff that has that eastern/oriental feel to it really makes me think more of the Crusades, but thats just opinion.

Like The Mercenary on Brave New World, Montsegur on Dance of Death and The Alchemist on The Final Frontier, this is an average rocker that doesn't do very much other than rock and does little impact. Nevertheless, this is a notch up from the others and is actually fairly memorable. The chorus is quite engaging in its own way. The weakest song on the album, which doesn't say very much, though.

The Pilgrim has darker colours as well, even if the pace is not slowing down. Take that Arabic interlude after every chorus, enriched with an atmospheric layer of keyboards. Works really well.

I like the way Bruce sings thoughtout the song, the arabian motif serves well to the lyrical themes, supposedly penned by Jan; I like when Maiden do songs with great 2 choruses like on this one. The song has revealed itself better and better as time went by.

this stands as one of the weaker songs on the album, even though it's still enjoyable. On one hand, it works as a breather between the more epic tracks. But on its own there isn't a lot that sticks out to me that makes me want to come back to it. A solid rocker, but more DoD quality than the rest.

I am surprised to see so many think one is only decent or average. There is so much to like here. The eastern harmonies, Janicks fantastic solo and Bruce's wonderful singing. His last note is golden, like someone said on the previous page.

I think this is one of the weakest tracks on the album.

Statistics

Spoiler

Yearly ratings & rankings
2008: 8.10; 87/134
2011: 7.36 -0.74; 96/144 -9
2012: 117/144 -21
2014: 7.41 +0.05; 96/144 +21
2015: 7.59 +0.18; 95/144 +1
2016: 7.25 -0.34; 101/155 -6

Overall

Spoiler

108 - The Pilgrim (A Matter of Life and Death)
109 - Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) (Powerslave)
110 - Running Free (Iron Maiden)
111 - Total Eclipse (The Number of the Beast)
112 - Speed of Light (The Book of Souls)
113 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
114 - Judgement of Heaven (The X Factor)
115 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
116 - Heaven Can Wait (Somewhere in Time)
116 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
118 - Can I Play With Madness? (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
119 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
120 - The Mercenary (Brave New World)
121 - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)
122 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
123 - Shadows of the Valley (The Book of Souls)
124 - Charlotte the Harlot (Iron Maiden)
125 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
126 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
126 - Look For the Truth (The X Factor)
128 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
129 - Drifter (Killers)
130 - Another Life (Killers)
131 - Public Enema Number One (No Prayer For the Dying)
132 - Sun and Steel (Piece of Mind)
132 - Innocent Exile (Killers)
134 - Sanctuary (Iron Maiden)
135 - Be Quick or Be Dead (Fear of the Dark)
136 - Wildest Dreams (Dance of Death)
137 - Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger (Virtual XI)
138 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
139 - The Assassin (No Prayer For the Dying)
140 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
141 - Fates Warning (No Prayer For the Dying)
142 - New Frontier (Dance of Death)
143 - Holy Smoke (No Prayer For the Dying)
143 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
145 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
146 - Quest For Fire (Piece of Mind)
147 - Bring Your Daughter... ...To the Slaughter (No Prayer For the Dying)
148 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
149 - The Angel and the Gambler (Virtual XI)
150 - From Here to Eternity (Fear of the Dark)
151 - Fear is the Key (Fear of the Dark)
152 - Chains of Misery (Fear of the Dark)
153 - Hooks in You (No Prayer For the Dying)
153 - Weekend Warrior (Fear of the Dark)
155 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)

Song deviance (least to greatest)

Spoiler

0.34 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
0.68 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
0.76 - Fates Warning (No Prayer For the Dying)
0.78 - The Mercenary (Brave New World)
0.80 - Can I Play With Madness? (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
0.81 - Another Life (Killers)
0.85 - The Pilgrim (A Matter of Life and Death)
0.86 - Total Eclipse (The Number of the Beast)
0.90 - Heaven Can Wait (Somewhere in Time)
0.92 - Fear is the Key (Fear of the Dark)
0.93 - Sun and Steel (Piece of Mind)
0.96 - Innocent Exile (Killers)
1.29 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
1.45 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
1.46 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
1.46 - Running Free (Iron Maiden)
1.52 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
1.52 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
1.56 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
1.58 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
1.68 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)
1.82 - Drifter (Killers)
1.83 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.84 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
1.86 - Sanctuary (Iron Maiden)
1.87 - Judgement of Heaven (The X Factor)
1.94 - Public Enema Number One (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.94 - Quest For Fire (Piece of Mind)
1.95 - The Angel and the Gambler (Virtual XI)
2.04 - Wildest Dreams (Dance of Death)
2.20 - New Frontier (Dance of Death)
2.22 - Hooks in You (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.26 - Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) (Powerslave)
2.27 - Look For the Truth (The X Factor)
2.72 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
2.82 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
2.93 - Bring Your Daughter... ...To the Slaughter (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.94 - Holy Smoke (No Prayer For the Dying)
3.04 - Be Quick or Be Dead (Fear of the Dark)
3.32 - Charlotte the Harlot (Iron Maiden)
3.34 - Chains of Misery (Fear of the Dark)
3.40 - Weekend Warrior (Fear of the Dark)
3.76 - From Here to Eternity (Fear of the Dark)
3.90 - The Assassin (No Prayer For the Dying)
3.95 - Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger (Virtual XI)
n/a - Shadows of the Valley (The Book of Souls)
n/a - Speed of Light (The Book of Souls)
n/a - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)

Albums

Spoiler

Iron Maiden 4/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 12
Killers 4/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 11
The Number of the Beast 3/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 7
Piece of Mind 2/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 1
Powerslave 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 2
Somewhere in Time 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
No Prayer For the Dying 7/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 4
Fear of the Dark 9/12 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 20
The X Factor 3/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 11
Virtual XI 3/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 5
Brave New World 2/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
Dance of Death 4/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6
A Matter of Life and Death 1/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
The Book of Souls 3/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 1

 

[LooseCannon]

107: Como Estais Amigos - Virtual XI (Gers, Bayley)
Average score: 7.55/10 Deviation: 1.08
Virtual XI 4/8
Top 100: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2015

To very few people's surprise, Virtual XI becomes the third album to get half its songs on the board. Personally, I'm just glad that two albums achieved this feat before the second Blaze release, as it's always been a personal favourite. This one gets some consensus nods towards Janick's solo and Blaze's singing during the chorus, while noting it is likely missing that certain something, that je ne said quois, that launches an Iron Maiden song into the next level. Statistically, this one suffers from minor Blaze Regression Syndrome, dropping about a point between decades.

Choice comments:

I also feel that something's missing in that song. Not sure if it is Blaze's (I'm not bashing him) voice, or the guitar melody.

I would say its one of those songs wich really grabs you by the heart at first listen, along with the clansman and futureal

And specially like Blaze vocals on this one. Yes, I love all vocals Blaze made with Maiden, but this one in special is so full of feeling and loss. Its a very special song I think.

I love this song. Just so beautiful and emotional. The chorus almost makes me cry. Great guitars and all. At first I thought that The Clansman was the only really good song from Virtual, but now I think that CEA is the best one.

Another underrated tune — majestic and dignified in a melancholy way. One of my favourite Blaze performances and a nice album closer.

Powerful verses and soaring, sad chorus with Blaze's usual emotional delivery in this kind of dark ballads of his time with Maiden. Jan's solo is memorable, with notes picked in thin air and carried by the mood of the song, very inspired by David Gilmour.

I am not that impressed by this song. I like the solo and the part with vocals the best, but it's by far not as exciting

It doesn't stand out as much from the Maiden catalogue as I'd wish it to, though.

The unison and solo are brilliant. Blaze sounds flat on the first verse, but the chorus is sublime. Nicko is a metronome.

The amazing thing about this song is the fact that Maiden was able to write such an emotional song on what's generally considered their worst album. I don't usually cry during a song but this is one of the few that will get those tears flowing. I admit, the music sounds a little weird at first, but as the song gets going it feels fine. Actually it reminds me of the use of the synthesizer in The Beatles' Abbey Road album.

Statistics

Spoiler

Yearly ratings & rankings
2004: 8.00; 79/123
2005: 8.08 +0.08; 65/124 +14
2006: 8.02 -0.06; 64/124 +1
2008: 8.18 +0.16; 79/134 -15
2011: 7.26 -0.92; 101/144 -22
2012: 118/144 -17
2014: 7.19 -0.07; 108/144 +10
2015: 7.53 +0.34; 98/144 +10
2016: 7.10 -0.43; 107/155 -9

Overall

Spoiler

107 - Como Estais Amigos (Virtual XI)
108 - The Pilgrim (A Matter of Life and Death)
109 - Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) (Powerslave)
110 - Running Free (Iron Maiden)
111 - Total Eclipse (The Number of the Beast)
112 - Speed of Light (The Book of Souls)
113 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
114 - Judgement of Heaven (The X Factor)
115 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
116 - Heaven Can Wait (Somewhere in Time)
116 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
118 - Can I Play With Madness? (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
119 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
120 - The Mercenary (Brave New World)
121 - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)
122 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
123 - Shadows of the Valley (The Book of Souls)
124 - Charlotte the Harlot (Iron Maiden)
125 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
126 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
126 - Look For the Truth (The X Factor)
128 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
129 - Drifter (Killers)
130 - Another Life (Killers)
131 - Public Enema Number One (No Prayer For the Dying)
132 - Sun and Steel (Piece of Mind)
132 - Innocent Exile (Killers)
134 - Sanctuary (Iron Maiden)
135 - Be Quick or Be Dead (Fear of the Dark)
136 - Wildest Dreams (Dance of Death)
137 - Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger (Virtual XI)
138 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
139 - The Assassin (No Prayer For the Dying)
140 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
141 - Fates Warning (No Prayer For the Dying)
142 - New Frontier (Dance of Death)
143 - Holy Smoke (No Prayer For the Dying)
143 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
145 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
146 - Quest For Fire (Piece of Mind)
147 - Bring Your Daughter... ...To the Slaughter (No Prayer For the Dying)
148 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
149 - The Angel and the Gambler (Virtual XI)
150 - From Here to Eternity (Fear of the Dark)
151 - Fear is the Key (Fear of the Dark)
152 - Chains of Misery (Fear of the Dark)
153 - Hooks in You (No Prayer For the Dying)
153 - Weekend Warrior (Fear of the Dark)
155 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)

Song deviance (least to greatest)

Spoiler

0.34 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
0.68 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
0.76 - Fates Warning (No Prayer For the Dying)
0.78 - The Mercenary (Brave New World)
0.80 - Can I Play With Madness? (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
0.81 - Another Life (Killers)
0.85 - The Pilgrim (A Matter of Life and Death)
0.86 - Total Eclipse (The Number of the Beast)
0.90 - Heaven Can Wait (Somewhere in Time)
0.92 - Fear is the Key (Fear of the Dark)
0.93 - Sun and Steel (Piece of Mind)
0.96 - Innocent Exile (Killers)
1.08 - Como Estais Amigos (Virtual XI)
1.29 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
1.45 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
1.46 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
1.46 - Running Free (Iron Maiden)
1.52 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
1.52 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
1.56 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
1.58 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
1.68 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)
1.82 - Drifter (Killers)
1.83 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.84 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
1.86 - Sanctuary (Iron Maiden)
1.87 - Judgement of Heaven (The X Factor)
1.94 - Public Enema Number One (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.94 - Quest For Fire (Piece of Mind)
1.95 - The Angel and the Gambler (Virtual XI)
2.04 - Wildest Dreams (Dance of Death)
2.20 - New Frontier (Dance of Death)
2.22 - Hooks in You (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.26 - Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) (Powerslave)
2.27 - Look For the Truth (The X Factor)
2.72 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
2.82 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
2.93 - Bring Your Daughter... ...To the Slaughter (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.94 - Holy Smoke (No Prayer For the Dying)
3.04 - Be Quick or Be Dead (Fear of the Dark)
3.32 - Charlotte the Harlot (Iron Maiden)
3.34 - Chains of Misery (Fear of the Dark)
3.40 - Weekend Warrior (Fear of the Dark)
3.76 - From Here to Eternity (Fear of the Dark)
3.90 - The Assassin (No Prayer For the Dying)
3.95 - Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger (Virtual XI)
n/a - Shadows of the Valley (The Book of Souls)
n/a - Speed of Light (The Book of Souls)
n/a - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)

Albums

Spoiler

Iron Maiden 4/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 12
Killers 4/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 11
The Number of the Beast 3/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 7
Piece of Mind 2/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 1
Powerslave 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 2
Somewhere in Time 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
No Prayer For the Dying 7/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 4
Fear of the Dark 9/12 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 20
The X Factor 3/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 11
Virtual XI 4/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 10
Brave New World 2/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
Dance of Death 4/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6
A Matter of Life and Death 1/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
The Book of Souls 3/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 1

 

[Diesel 11]

Another song that's too low.

 

[Mosh]

It's interesting to see Como Estais Amigos decline. I remember when I started lurking these forums (both here and the official Maiden BB when that was up), I hadn't heard the Blaze albums yet and noticed this song frequently cited as a reason to give them a shot. Nowadays I see it rated as one of the weaker tunes. Time has treated much of the Blaze years well, but not so much this song.

 

[LooseCannon]

106: Mother Russia - No Prayer For the Dying (Harris)
Average score: 7.57/10 Deviation: 1.15
No Prayer For the Dying 8/10
Top 100: 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015

Not a huge deviation here, but unfortunately most of it comes in 2016, which I think knocks this track down a peg or two. It had been averaging in the mid-to-high sevens and low eights until slipping just below a seven in the most recent poll, a fact represented by seven consecutive Top 100 entries in the Maidenfans rankings. This one is probably, inevitably, compared repeatedly to other Harris epics, which set a standard that cannot truly be matched. Another song that misses that certain something, but is still pretty good.

Choice comments:

The music is superb, and unlike almost anything else Iron Maiden plays. Even if it weren’t entitled “Mother Russia” and the words not present, the listener instantly recognises the ‘Russianess’ of the music.

One of the biggest reasons why you have been given a warm welcome is that most people on here love a good discussion/argument as long as you have an intelligent and/or well-educated response.

Good intro, and some poetic lyrics really make the atmosphere great - from the trees the snowflakes drifting, swirling round like ghosts in the snow - but it feels unfinished and uninspired, the SSoASS-allike instrumental background riffs would work, if the SSoASS atmosphere/production was present also.

Easily the best song on the album. This one has the most epic and classic Maiden feel to it.

With regards to the length of this song, I think it could have benefitted from one or two extra verses, as I do quite like the lyrics in it. Overall a pretty decent song; if it counts as a "Harris epic" then it's among the worst of those though.

The most epic song on the album, should've been played live instead of Hooks In You. It lacks something that all 80's epics have

I like the music a lot but -though I find the theme itself very interesting- the vocal melodies lack inspiration in my opinion (except maybe for the slowing down on "Can't you be happy now your people are free").

I actually feel like this is a contender for the worst track on the album. It's not a bad track and I enjoy it but I feel there are better on the album. Would benefit if there was a catchy vocal section I could latch on to.

I think one of the main reasons why i love Mother Russia is because, to me, it evokes a lot of images. Whenever i hear the song i think of the old Soviet Union at the height of it's repression in Stalin's era. The vocal melodies, the keyboards, everything on that song is a big reference to Russia's "spirit" at that time in history. The intro and outro of the song in particular really make me feel cold, it truly evokes images of soldiers marching in the snow and stuff like that. Great song if you ask me.

This is another Steve Harris song that sounds technically competent but misses out because it knows how good it is, much like Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. Unlike that worthy, though, this song happens to be a little less good - and have lyrics that are just sad now. Sorry. No, Russia didn't become our friends.

Statistics

Spoiler

Yearly ratings & rankings
2004: 7.28; 104/123
2005: 7.90 +0.62; 74/124 +30
2006: 8.02 +0.12; 64/124 +10
2008: 8.12 +0.10; 84/134 -20
2011: 7.58 -0.54; 85/144 -1
2012: 74/144 +11
2014: 7.40 -0.18; 98/144 -24
2015: 7.74 +0.34; 87/144 +11
2016: 6.97 -0.77; 111/155 -24

Overall

Spoiler

106 - Mother Russia (No Prayer For the Dying)
107 - Como Estais Amigos (Virtual XI)
108 - The Pilgrim (A Matter of Life and Death)
109 - Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) (Powerslave)
110 - Running Free (Iron Maiden)
111 - Total Eclipse (The Number of the Beast)
112 - Speed of Light (The Book of Souls)
113 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
114 - Judgement of Heaven (The X Factor)
115 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
116 - Heaven Can Wait (Somewhere in Time)
116 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
118 - Can I Play With Madness? (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
119 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
120 - The Mercenary (Brave New World)
121 - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)
122 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
123 - Shadows of the Valley (The Book of Souls)
124 - Charlotte the Harlot (Iron Maiden)
125 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
126 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
126 - Look For the Truth (The X Factor)
128 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
129 - Drifter (Killers)
130 - Another Life (Killers)
131 - Public Enema Number One (No Prayer For the Dying)
132 - Sun and Steel (Piece of Mind)
132 - Innocent Exile (Killers)
134 - Sanctuary (Iron Maiden)
135 - Be Quick or Be Dead (Fear of the Dark)
136 - Wildest Dreams (Dance of Death)
137 - Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger (Virtual XI)
138 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
139 - The Assassin (No Prayer For the Dying)
140 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
141 - Fates Warning (No Prayer For the Dying)
142 - New Frontier (Dance of Death)
143 - Holy Smoke (No Prayer For the Dying)
143 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
145 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
146 - Quest For Fire (Piece of Mind)
147 - Bring Your Daughter... ...To the Slaughter (No Prayer For the Dying)
148 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
149 - The Angel and the Gambler (Virtual XI)
150 - From Here to Eternity (Fear of the Dark)
151 - Fear is the Key (Fear of the Dark)
152 - Chains of Misery (Fear of the Dark)
153 - Hooks in You (No Prayer For the Dying)
153 - Weekend Warrior (Fear of the Dark)
155 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)

Song deviance (least to greatest)

Spoiler

0.34 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
0.68 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
0.76 - Fates Warning (No Prayer For the Dying)
0.78 - The Mercenary (Brave New World)
0.80 - Can I Play With Madness? (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
0.81 - Another Life (Killers)
0.85 - The Pilgrim (A Matter of Life and Death)
0.86 - Total Eclipse (The Number of the Beast)
0.90 - Heaven Can Wait (Somewhere in Time)
0.92 - Fear is the Key (Fear of the Dark)
0.93 - Sun and Steel (Piece of Mind)
0.96 - Innocent Exile (Killers)
1.08 - Como Estais Amigos (Virtual XI)
1.15 - Mother Russia (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.29 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
1.45 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
1.46 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
1.46 - Running Free (Iron Maiden)
1.52 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
1.52 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
1.56 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
1.58 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
1.68 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)
1.82 - Drifter (Killers)
1.83 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.84 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
1.86 - Sanctuary (Iron Maiden)
1.87 - Judgement of Heaven (The X Factor)
1.94 - Public Enema Number One (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.94 - Quest For Fire (Piece of Mind)
1.95 - The Angel and the Gambler (Virtual XI)
2.04 - Wildest Dreams (Dance of Death)
2.20 - New Frontier (Dance of Death)
2.22 - Hooks in You (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.26 - Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) (Powerslave)
2.27 - Look For the Truth (The X Factor)
2.72 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
2.82 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
2.93 - Bring Your Daughter... ...To the Slaughter (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.94 - Holy Smoke (No Prayer For the Dying)
3.04 - Be Quick or Be Dead (Fear of the Dark)
3.32 - Charlotte the Harlot (Iron Maiden)
3.34 - Chains of Misery (Fear of the Dark)
3.40 - Weekend Warrior (Fear of the Dark)
3.76 - From Here to Eternity (Fear of the Dark)
3.90 - The Assassin (No Prayer For the Dying)
3.95 - Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger (Virtual XI)
n/a - Shadows of the Valley (The Book of Souls)
n/a - Speed of Light (The Book of Souls)
n/a - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)

Albums

Spoiler

Iron Maiden 4/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 12
Killers 4/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 11
The Number of the Beast 3/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 7
Piece of Mind 2/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 1
Powerslave 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 2
Somewhere in Time 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
No Prayer For the Dying 8/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 11
Fear of the Dark 9/12 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 20
The X Factor 3/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 11
Virtual XI 4/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 10
Brave New World 2/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
Dance of Death 4/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6
A Matter of Life and Death 1/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
The Book of Souls 3/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 1

 

[LooseCannon]

105: Satellite 15... The Final Frontier - The Final Frontier (Smith, Harris)
Average score: 7.60/10 Deviation: 0.39
The Final Frontier 1/10
Top 100: 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016

Finally, all sixteen Iron Maiden albums are on the board as The Final Frontier presents us with its title track! It took 51 entries in the list, but we made it! This one has a tight deviance, partially because it's only been on the board for five polls, but also because I think it slots in as a "nice rocker with an odd, occasionally beloved intro". Not much more for me to say - check the comments below - so instead I am going to wax poetic. I'm reading some comments I haven't perused, in some cases, in almost thirteen years. I miss some of these posters who are long gone, I miss many of the discussions we've had over the years on what these songs mean, and what they mean to us. There's a change in the tone in these threads from emphasis on the song towards emphasis on the music. Maybe that's not a bad thing, but it certainly is different than the Maidenfans I started with. Not that I'd trade now for then - not in a million years - but maybe once this is done I'll try to spark some in-depth discussion again.

Choice comments:

Anyways... I seem to be the only one that LOVES LOVES LOOOOOOOOVES the first 4 minutes of this. The guitars do EVERYTHING, they growl, scream, sing, and hum a crazy ass intro. Probably my FAVOURITE intro to any Maiden album.

Maybe I'm the only one who hears this, but the very beginning to Satellite 15 reminds me of the jungle breakdown section of Van Halen's Somebody Get Me A Doctor. There, I said it.

seriously the final frontier is so good. it would have been fucking awesome to open the album with it. instead it has the weird corky satellite 15.... not really a fan. although i don't hate it. i'm diging bruces vocals

I don't want this to come across as some kind of reverse snobbery because I love the epics as much as the next guy, but the catchy straight-ahead songs have always been an important piece of the Maiden package for me too.
This one is right there with tracks like Icarus, Wasted Years and Different World.

I loved The Final Frontier section of the song after hearing it but, like many probably, I was unsure about the Satellite 15... portion until earlier today, I turned the speakers up loud and played the album from the beginning and found myself lost in the atmosphere of the song, it's great, different but wonderful at the same time!

I'm especially glad they stopped making Wicker Man clones as the openers, that was getting extremely old. One of my favorites off the album.

There's something about this song that makes me adore it, i think it's the magic melodies by Smith. The chorus is ace, i can't stop listening to the repeat chorus in the end and this is the first time that i am thankfull that Maiden put a repeat chorus in a song.

This song is absolute garbage.

The "real" song itself I do not find that phenomenal, musically, but the lyrics I find very intriguing and I see a connection between these and the lyrics of The Apparition (see my post in that topic, if interested). The intro makes sense to me, naturally the lyrics have an integral role, but the music itself is special as well. And therefore the connection makes sense.

Statistics

Spoiler

Yearly ratings & rankings
2011: 7.44; 90/144
2012: 87/144 +3
2014: 7.83 +0.39; 78/144 +9
2015: 7.67 -0.16; 89/144 -11
2016: 7.45 -0.22; 93/155 -4

Overall

Spoiler

105 - Satellite 15... The Final Frontier (The Final Frontier)
106 - Mother Russia (No Prayer For the Dying)
107 - Como Estais Amigos (Virtual XI)
108 - The Pilgrim (A Matter of Life and Death)
109 - Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) (Powerslave)
110 - Running Free (Iron Maiden)
111 - Total Eclipse (The Number of the Beast)
112 - Speed of Light (The Book of Souls)
113 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
114 - Judgement of Heaven (The X Factor)
115 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
116 - Heaven Can Wait (Somewhere in Time)
116 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
118 - Can I Play With Madness? (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
119 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
120 - The Mercenary (Brave New World)
121 - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)
122 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
123 - Shadows of the Valley (The Book of Souls)
124 - Charlotte the Harlot (Iron Maiden)
125 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
126 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
126 - Look For the Truth (The X Factor)
128 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
129 - Drifter (Killers)
130 - Another Life (Killers)
131 - Public Enema Number One (No Prayer For the Dying)
132 - Sun and Steel (Piece of Mind)
132 - Innocent Exile (Killers)
134 - Sanctuary (Iron Maiden)
135 - Be Quick or Be Dead (Fear of the Dark)
136 - Wildest Dreams (Dance of Death)
137 - Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger (Virtual XI)
138 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
139 - The Assassin (No Prayer For the Dying)
140 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
141 - Fates Warning (No Prayer For the Dying)
142 - New Frontier (Dance of Death)
143 - Holy Smoke (No Prayer For the Dying)
143 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
145 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
146 - Quest For Fire (Piece of Mind)
147 - Bring Your Daughter... ...To the Slaughter (No Prayer For the Dying)
148 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
149 - The Angel and the Gambler (Virtual XI)
150 - From Here to Eternity (Fear of the Dark)
151 - Fear is the Key (Fear of the Dark)
152 - Chains of Misery (Fear of the Dark)
153 - Hooks in You (No Prayer For the Dying)
153 - Weekend Warrior (Fear of the Dark)
155 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)

Song deviance (least to greatest)

Spoiler

0.34 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
0.39 - Satellite 15... The Final Frontier (The Final Frontier)
0.68 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
0.76 - Fates Warning (No Prayer For the Dying)
0.78 - The Mercenary (Brave New World)
0.80 - Can I Play With Madness? (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
0.81 - Another Life (Killers)
0.85 - The Pilgrim (A Matter of Life and Death)
0.86 - Total Eclipse (The Number of the Beast)
0.90 - Heaven Can Wait (Somewhere in Time)
0.92 - Fear is the Key (Fear of the Dark)
0.93 - Sun and Steel (Piece of Mind)
0.96 - Innocent Exile (Killers)
1.08 - Como Estais Amigos (Virtual XI)
1.15 - Mother Russia (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.29 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
1.45 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
1.46 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
1.46 - Running Free (Iron Maiden)
1.52 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
1.52 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
1.56 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
1.58 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
1.68 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)
1.82 - Drifter (Killers)
1.83 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.84 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
1.86 - Sanctuary (Iron Maiden)
1.87 - Judgement of Heaven (The X Factor)
1.94 - Public Enema Number One (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.94 - Quest For Fire (Piece of Mind)
1.95 - The Angel and the Gambler (Virtual XI)
2.04 - Wildest Dreams (Dance of Death)
2.20 - New Frontier (Dance of Death)
2.22 - Hooks in You (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.26 - Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) (Powerslave)
2.27 - Look For the Truth (The X Factor)
2.72 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
2.82 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
2.93 - Bring Your Daughter... ...To the Slaughter (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.94 - Holy Smoke (No Prayer For the Dying)
3.04 - Be Quick or Be Dead (Fear of the Dark)
3.32 - Charlotte the Harlot (Iron Maiden)
3.34 - Chains of Misery (Fear of the Dark)
3.40 - Weekend Warrior (Fear of the Dark)
3.76 - From Here to Eternity (Fear of the Dark)
3.90 - The Assassin (No Prayer For the Dying)
3.95 - Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger (Virtual XI)
n/a - Shadows of the Valley (The Book of Souls)
n/a - Speed of Light (The Book of Souls)
n/a - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)

Albums

Spoiler

Iron Maiden 4/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 12
Killers 4/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 11
The Number of the Beast 3/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 7
Piece of Mind 2/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 1
Powerslave 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 2
Somewhere in Time 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
No Prayer For the Dying 8/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 11
Fear of the Dark 9/12 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 20
The X Factor 3/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 11
Virtual XI 4/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 10
Brave New World 2/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
Dance of Death 4/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6
A Matter of Life and Death 1/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
The Final Frontier 1/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 5
The Book of Souls 3/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 1

 

[Black Wizard]

people actually like RTTH????

It's a great song.

I'm sorry, Total Eclipse is top 10 material, plain and simple.

It should certainly be a lot higher, but not quite that high. Great song and a hell of a lot better than 'Gangland'.

I am also sad to see 'Judgement of Heaven' and 'Wasting Love' so far down the list. The latter in particular is one of my very favourite Iron Maiden songs. Very underappreciated. I feel that 'The Pilgrim' is much worse than these three songs - a very poor Iron Maiden song in my opinion.

 

[fekso]

110: Running Free - Iron Maiden (Harris, Di'Anno)
Average score: 7.46/10 Deviation: 1.46
Iron Maiden 4/9
Top 100: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014

When I was in high school, I was responsible for making mix tapes for my buddy's Dodge Acclaim, as I was the only person with access to a CD burner, a CD player, and a cassette recorder. People would give me request, I'd download them on Napster, burn them to a CD, play the CD in the player, and record the CD to the cassette. They tended to include pop-rock songs of the day, stuff like Smells Like Teen Spirit and Californication and usually Automatic Flowers by Our Lady Peace (a personal favourite at the time). They'd also surely include a collection of angsty teen 90s songs, from bands like Limp Bizkit and Korn and Disturbed and Papa Roach.

Then I got into Iron Maiden, listened to Running Free, and went, "Fuckin' a! It's about driving and running, this will go great on a Driving Tape!" I was completely wrong. My friends hated it, skipped it every time. This began my solo musical journey. In retrospect, I picked a really bad song to try to get people into metal. But this song still makes me feel the same way every time - proud of a new course set, despite people saying it was the wrong call. And I tend to think I was right.

Choice comments:













Statistics

Spoiler

Yearly ratings & rankings
2004: 7.54; 95/123
2005: 7.88 +0.34; 76/124 +19
2006: 8.02 +0.14; 64/124 +12
2008: 8.22 +0.20; 76/134 -12
2011: 7.30 -0.92; 98/144 -22
2012: 71/144 +27
2014: 7.44 +0.14; 95/144 -24
2015: 7.33 -0.11; 102/144 -7
2016: 6.76 -0.57; 122/155 -22

Overall

Spoiler

110- Running Free (Iron Maiden)
111 - Total Eclipse (The Number of the Beast)
112 - Speed of Light (The Book of Souls)
113 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
114 - Judgement of Heaven (The X Factor)
115 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
116 - Heaven Can Wait (Somewhere in Time)
116 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
118 - Can I Play With Madness? (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
119 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
120 - The Mercenary (Brave New World)
121 - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)
122 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
123 - Shadows of the Valley (The Book of Souls)
124 - Charlotte the Harlot (Iron Maiden)
125 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
126 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
126 - Look For the Truth (The X Factor)
128 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
129 - Drifter (Killers)
130 - Another Life (Killers)
131 - Public Enema Number One (No Prayer For the Dying)
132 - Sun and Steel (Piece of Mind)
132 - Innocent Exile (Killers)
134 - Sanctuary (Iron Maiden)
135 - Be Quick or Be Dead (Fear of the Dark)
136 - Wildest Dreams (Dance of Death)
137 - Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger (Virtual XI)
138 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
139 - The Assassin (No Prayer For the Dying)
140 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
141 - Fates Warning (No Prayer For the Dying)
142 - New Frontier (Dance of Death)
143 - Holy Smoke (No Prayer For the Dying)
143 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
145 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
146 - Quest For Fire (Piece of Mind)
147 - Bring Your Daughter... ...To the Slaughter (No Prayer For the Dying)
148 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
149 - The Angel and the Gambler (Virtual XI)
150 - From Here to Eternity (Fear of the Dark)
151 - Fear is the Key (Fear of the Dark)
152 - Chains of Misery (Fear of the Dark)
153 - Hooks in You (No Prayer For the Dying)
153 - Weekend Warrior (Fear of the Dark)
155 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)

Song deviance (least to greatest)

Spoiler

0.34 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
0.68 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
0.76 - Fates Warning (No Prayer For the Dying)
0.78 - The Mercenary (Brave New World)
0.80 - Can I Play With Madness? (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
0.81 - Another Life (Killers)
0.86 - Total Eclipse (The Number of the Beast)
0.90 - Heaven Can Wait (Somewhere in Time)
0.92 - Fear is the Key (Fear of the Dark)
0.93 - Sun and Steel (Piece of Mind)
0.96 - Innocent Exile (Killers)
1.29 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
1.45 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
1.46 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
1.46 - Running Free (Iron Maiden)
1.52 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
1.52 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
1.56 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
1.58 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
1.68 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)
1.82 - Drifter (Killers)
1.83 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.84 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
1.86 - Sanctuary (Iron Maiden)
1.87 - Judgement of Heaven (The X Factor)
1.94 - Public Enema Number One (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.94 - Quest For Fire (Piece of Mind)
1.95 - The Angel and the Gambler (Virtual XI)
2.04 - Wildest Dreams (Dance of Death)
2.20 - New Frontier (Dance of Death)
2.22 - Hooks in You (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.27 - Look For the Truth (The X Factor)
2.72 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
2.82 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
2.93 - Bring Your Daughter... ...To the Slaughter (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.94 - Holy Smoke (No Prayer For the Dying)
3.04 - Be Quick or Be Dead (Fear of the Dark)
3.32 - Charlotte the Harlot (Iron Maiden)
3.34 - Chains of Misery (Fear of the Dark)
3.40 - Weekend Warrior (Fear of the Dark)
3.76 - From Here to Eternity (Fear of the Dark)
3.90 - The Assassin (No Prayer For the Dying)
3.95 - Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger (Virtual XI)
n/a - Shadows of the Valley (The Book of Souls)
n/a - Speed of Light (The Book of Souls)
n/a - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)

Albums

Spoiler

Iron Maiden 4/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 12
Killers 4/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 11
The Number of the Beast 3/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 7
Piece of Mind 2/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 1
Somewhere in Time 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
No Prayer For the Dying 7/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 4
Fear of the Dark 9/12 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 20
The X Factor 3/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 11
Virtual XI 3/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 5
Brave New World 2/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
Dance of Death 4/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6
The Book of Souls 3/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 1

Way to early..

 

[LooseCannon]

T102: Death or Glory - The Book of Souls (Smith, Dickinson)
Average score: 7.62/10 Deviation: n/a
The Final Frontier 1/10
Top 100: 2016

This fast-paced song from the newest album cracked the Top 100 in its first year of eligibility, but unfortunately the actual rating didn't get high enough to push this track into the overall top 100, which we are rapidly approaching. Lots of criticism on this one based on the lyrics, specifically the "climb like a monkey" line, a criticism that was embraced in the 2016 leg of the tour by the band. Most people seem to think this hearkens back to the 1980s, but in a positive way, although several people have noted the Play Classics crowd dislike it. Excellent comment from mckindog on the subject.

Choice comments:

This song has a very memorable pre-chorus. I liked it so much that thought it was the chorus! The chorus itself is also pretty strong. A solid opening of disc 2.

love it! A nice rocker! Love the slider solo by Adrian! Also funny stuff about the climbing monkey!

It's got a killer opening riff that grabs you straight away, which leads into a classic Maiden gallop - What's not to like?

I hear resemblance to Back From The Edge on H's solo, especially at the beginning.
Verse and prechorus remind me of Twilight Zone.

I think this song is really hurt by the production/mixing. The main riff sounds weak and the guitar tone is messy, especially right before the solos.
Also, it suffers from having a pre-chorus much catchier than the chorus itself. After SOL, this is my least favorite on TBOS.

everytime I hear "Climb... like a MONKEY..." I can't help but cringe. It just sounds soo silly.

This is a really good song....maybe let down by the chorus repetition towards the end. However I really did the vocals, the guitars and the solos. Reminds me of The New Frontier for some reason.

I love the way this song bounces. It's got a beat to it that reminds me more of Di'Anno era Maiden than anything else. Fun song. I do like the pre-chorus way better than the actual chorus though. Love how the intro kind of sounds like a spiraling plane in the air.

Those poor monkeys. I haven't seen a Maiden lyric given this much trouble since dinosaurs walked the earth.

Aces high from reunion era. Very catchy pre-chorus, catchy chorus, great energy and Adrian's Solo is absolutely amazing, just like Bruce vocals. I love this song. One of their best short rockers ever.

I get why those who favour the proggy side of Maiden wouldn't be big on this one. But my take on the Play Classics crowd when they dismiss a track like this is that they don't really like Maiden, they only like their memories of what Maiden used to mean to them.
Because if this song had come out in 1985, it would rank among their most successful singles ever. It combines the best attributes of two of their signature 45s: the sweeping, soaring melodies of Aces High and the shuffling, insistent rhythms of Running Free.
The lyric is relatable, but still interesting, the solos cinematic, the pre-chorus and the chorus memorable. It's accessible to the mainstream fan of heavy music without sacrificing the distinct Maiden sound. And, like many other have said, it's a load of fun.

Statistics

Spoiler

Yearly ratings & rankings
2016: 7.62; 85/155

Overall

Spoiler

102 - Death or Glory (The Book of Souls)
105 - Satellite 15... The Final Frontier (The Final Frontier)
106 - Mother Russia (No Prayer For the Dying)
107 - Como Estais Amigos (Virtual XI)
108 - The Pilgrim (A Matter of Life and Death)
109 - Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) (Powerslave)
110 - Running Free (Iron Maiden)
111 - Total Eclipse (The Number of the Beast)
112 - Speed of Light (The Book of Souls)
113 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
114 - Judgement of Heaven (The X Factor)
115 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
116 - Heaven Can Wait (Somewhere in Time)
116 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
118 - Can I Play With Madness? (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
119 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
120 - The Mercenary (Brave New World)
121 - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)
122 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
123 - Shadows of the Valley (The Book of Souls)
124 - Charlotte the Harlot (Iron Maiden)
125 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
126 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
126 - Look For the Truth (The X Factor)
128 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
129 - Drifter (Killers)
130 - Another Life (Killers)
131 - Public Enema Number One (No Prayer For the Dying)
132 - Sun and Steel (Piece of Mind)
132 - Innocent Exile (Killers)
134 - Sanctuary (Iron Maiden)
135 - Be Quick or Be Dead (Fear of the Dark)
136 - Wildest Dreams (Dance of Death)
137 - Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger (Virtual XI)
138 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
139 - The Assassin (No Prayer For the Dying)
140 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
141 - Fates Warning (No Prayer For the Dying)
142 - New Frontier (Dance of Death)
143 - Holy Smoke (No Prayer For the Dying)
143 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
145 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
146 - Quest For Fire (Piece of Mind)
147 - Bring Your Daughter... ...To the Slaughter (No Prayer For the Dying)
148 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
149 - The Angel and the Gambler (Virtual XI)
150 - From Here to Eternity (Fear of the Dark)
151 - Fear is the Key (Fear of the Dark)
152 - Chains of Misery (Fear of the Dark)
153 - Hooks in You (No Prayer For the Dying)
153 - Weekend Warrior (Fear of the Dark)
155 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)

Song deviance (least to greatest)

Spoiler

0.34 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
0.39 - Satellite 15... The Final Frontier (The Final Frontier)
0.68 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
0.76 - Fates Warning (No Prayer For the Dying)
0.78 - The Mercenary (Brave New World)
0.80 - Can I Play With Madness? (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
0.81 - Another Life (Killers)
0.85 - The Pilgrim (A Matter of Life and Death)
0.86 - Total Eclipse (The Number of the Beast)
0.90 - Heaven Can Wait (Somewhere in Time)
0.92 - Fear is the Key (Fear of the Dark)
0.93 - Sun and Steel (Piece of Mind)
0.96 - Innocent Exile (Killers)
1.08 - Como Estais Amigos (Virtual XI)
1.15 - Mother Russia (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.29 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
1.45 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
1.46 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
1.46 - Running Free (Iron Maiden)
1.52 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
1.52 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
1.56 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
1.58 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
1.68 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)
1.82 - Drifter (Killers)
1.83 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.84 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
1.86 - Sanctuary (Iron Maiden)
1.87 - Judgement of Heaven (The X Factor)
1.94 - Public Enema Number One (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.94 - Quest For Fire (Piece of Mind)
1.95 - The Angel and the Gambler (Virtual XI)
2.04 - Wildest Dreams (Dance of Death)
2.20 - New Frontier (Dance of Death)
2.22 - Hooks in You (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.26 - Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) (Powerslave)
2.27 - Look For the Truth (The X Factor)
2.72 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
2.82 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
2.93 - Bring Your Daughter... ...To the Slaughter (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.94 - Holy Smoke (No Prayer For the Dying)
3.04 - Be Quick or Be Dead (Fear of the Dark)
3.32 - Charlotte the Harlot (Iron Maiden)
3.34 - Chains of Misery (Fear of the Dark)
3.40 - Weekend Warrior (Fear of the Dark)
3.76 - From Here to Eternity (Fear of the Dark)
3.90 - The Assassin (No Prayer For the Dying)
3.95 - Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger (Virtual XI)
n/a - Death or Glory (The Book of Souls)
n/a - Shadows of the Valley (The Book of Souls)
n/a - Speed of Light (The Book of Souls)
n/a - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)

Albums

Spoiler

Iron Maiden 4/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 12
Killers 4/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 11
The Number of the Beast 3/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 7
Piece of Mind 2/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 1
Powerslave 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 2
Somewhere in Time 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
No Prayer For the Dying 8/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 11
Fear of the Dark 9/12 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 20
The X Factor 3/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 11
Virtual XI 4/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 10
Brave New World 2/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
Dance of Death 4/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6
A Matter of Life and Death 1/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
The Final Frontier 1/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 5
The Book of Souls 3/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 2

 

[LooseCannon]

T102: Fortunes of War - The X Factor (Harris)
Average score: 7.62/10 Deviation: 1.23
The X Factor 4/11
Top 100: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2014, 2015

Continuing our three-way tie for position 102, we return to The X Factor for a couple songs. This track was a solid Top 100 performer until 2016, when it came crashing down from a fairly low deviation to increase to a 1.23 score. Still, it stays achingly close to the all-time Top 100. Opinions of this one are all over the map, but nobody seems to straight-up hate the track. I think it also has less people that absolutely love it. Many people agree that it is a pretty good song. That's all I have to say. Nothing interesting, I'm afraid.

Choice comments:

Even though this one's a good song I think they did not need to include both The Aftermath and this song on the album since they both deal with almost the same topic.

When I first got The X Factor, I absolutely loved this song. My appreciation for it has decreased a bit with time, though it's still an excellent song. Fantastic lyrics too. This is one song I would really love to hear live.

This is a wonderful, melancholic and deeply meaningful song. The intro is one Maiden's best, the way Blaze sings gives me chills everytime I listen to it; the melodies and solos are, once again, blinding! H and Davey shone in the 80's, but Davey and Jan made their partnership as great as Davey and H, in their own manner. I think this is the Blaze era song I most want back on the set list for some of the next tours. An all time Maiden classic from one of the most underrated Metal albums of the 90's.

Henri Richard to the Maurice Richard that is Afraid to Shoot Strangers (Canadian Maidenfans and Onhell will get the reference). It shares most of the qualities that make its big brother so outstanding, but you really have to pay attention to notice. Study it enough and you’ll fall in love. Study it a little more and you’ll be forced to admit this sequel lacks that star quality that defined its predecessor.

I like this song, but it has its flaws. Some parts are overrepeated, and its beginning is a little boring. Fast part makes up for it.

A sombre tune, excellent lyrics/vocals, the lyrics really convey the idea of mental trauma, and the thoughts and feelings of isolation that one could experience as a result of witnessing the horrors of war first hand.

The first intro is quite boring but it have a lot of emotion. The bass and the nice guitar line that follows are cool but to repetitive.The melodies are good but the key seems to low for Blaze, and I think it should have worked much better two or three semitones higher. The solos are nice but they don't stick out for me.

The music is incredibly progressive, alternating dynamics between bass chords with a single drum hit to a rousing guitar melody. It’s one of my favorite musical moments on the entire album and proves that Maiden has embraced being a semi-prog band. Once Blaze rejoins the song, however, it kind of stalls.

Statistics

Spoiler

Yearly ratings & rankings
2004: 8.00; 79/123
2005: 7.78 -0.22; 85/124 -6
2006: 8.00 +0.22; 73/124 +12
2008: 8.14 +0.14; 81/134 -8
2011: 7.44 -0.70; 90/144 -9
2012: 109/144 +19
2014: 7.66 +0.22; 88/144 -21
2015: 7.69 +0.03; 88/144 +11
2016: 6.91 -0.78; 111/155 -24

Overall

Spoiler

102 - Fortunes of War (The X Factor)
102 - Death or Glory (The Book of Souls)
105 - Satellite 15... The Final Frontier (The Final Frontier)
106 - Mother Russia (No Prayer For the Dying)
107 - Como Estais Amigos (Virtual XI)
108 - The Pilgrim (A Matter of Life and Death)
109 - Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) (Powerslave)
110 - Running Free (Iron Maiden)
111 - Total Eclipse (The Number of the Beast)
112 - Speed of Light (The Book of Souls)
113 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
114 - Judgement of Heaven (The X Factor)
115 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
116 - Heaven Can Wait (Somewhere in Time)
116 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
118 - Can I Play With Madness? (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
119 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
120 - The Mercenary (Brave New World)
121 - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)
122 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
123 - Shadows of the Valley (The Book of Souls)
124 - Charlotte the Harlot (Iron Maiden)
125 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
126 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
126 - Look For the Truth (The X Factor)
128 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
129 - Drifter (Killers)
130 - Another Life (Killers)
131 - Public Enema Number One (No Prayer For the Dying)
132 - Sun and Steel (Piece of Mind)
132 - Innocent Exile (Killers)
134 - Sanctuary (Iron Maiden)
135 - Be Quick or Be Dead (Fear of the Dark)
136 - Wildest Dreams (Dance of Death)
137 - Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger (Virtual XI)
138 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
139 - The Assassin (No Prayer For the Dying)
140 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
141 - Fates Warning (No Prayer For the Dying)
142 - New Frontier (Dance of Death)
143 - Holy Smoke (No Prayer For the Dying)
143 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
145 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
146 - Quest For Fire (Piece of Mind)
147 - Bring Your Daughter... ...To the Slaughter (No Prayer For the Dying)
148 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
149 - The Angel and the Gambler (Virtual XI)
150 - From Here to Eternity (Fear of the Dark)
151 - Fear is the Key (Fear of the Dark)
152 - Chains of Misery (Fear of the Dark)
153 - Hooks in You (No Prayer For the Dying)
153 - Weekend Warrior (Fear of the Dark)
155 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)

Song deviance (least to greatest)

Spoiler

0.34 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
0.39 - Satellite 15... The Final Frontier (The Final Frontier)
0.68 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
0.76 - Fates Warning (No Prayer For the Dying)
0.78 - The Mercenary (Brave New World)
0.80 - Can I Play With Madness? (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
0.81 - Another Life (Killers)
0.85 - The Pilgrim (A Matter of Life and Death)
0.86 - Total Eclipse (The Number of the Beast)
0.90 - Heaven Can Wait (Somewhere in Time)
0.92 - Fear is the Key (Fear of the Dark)
0.93 - Sun and Steel (Piece of Mind)
0.96 - Innocent Exile (Killers)
1.08 - Como Estais Amigos (Virtual XI)
1.15 - Mother Russia (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.23 - Fortunes of War (The X Factor)
1.29 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
1.45 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
1.46 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
1.46 - Running Free (Iron Maiden)
1.52 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
1.52 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
1.56 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
1.58 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
1.68 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)
1.82 - Drifter (Killers)
1.83 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.84 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
1.86 - Sanctuary (Iron Maiden)
1.87 - Judgement of Heaven (The X Factor)
1.94 - Public Enema Number One (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.94 - Quest For Fire (Piece of Mind)
1.95 - The Angel and the Gambler (Virtual XI)
2.04 - Wildest Dreams (Dance of Death)
2.20 - New Frontier (Dance of Death)
2.22 - Hooks in You (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.26 - Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) (Powerslave)
2.27 - Look For the Truth (The X Factor)
2.72 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
2.82 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
2.93 - Bring Your Daughter... ...To the Slaughter (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.94 - Holy Smoke (No Prayer For the Dying)
3.04 - Be Quick or Be Dead (Fear of the Dark)
3.32 - Charlotte the Harlot (Iron Maiden)
3.34 - Chains of Misery (Fear of the Dark)
3.40 - Weekend Warrior (Fear of the Dark)
3.76 - From Here to Eternity (Fear of the Dark)
3.90 - The Assassin (No Prayer For the Dying)
3.95 - Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger (Virtual XI)
n/a - Death or Glory (The Book of Souls)
n/a - Shadows of the Valley (The Book of Souls)
n/a - Speed of Light (The Book of Souls)
n/a - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)

Albums

Spoiler

Iron Maiden 4/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 12
Killers 4/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 11
The Number of the Beast 3/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 7
Piece of Mind 2/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 1
Powerslave 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 2
Somewhere in Time 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
No Prayer For the Dying 8/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 11
Fear of the Dark 9/12 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 20
The X Factor 4/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 18
Virtual XI 4/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 10
Brave New World 2/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
Dance of Death 4/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6
A Matter of Life and Death 1/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
The Final Frontier 1/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 5
The Book of Souls 3/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 2

 

[LooseCannon]

T102: 2 A.M. - The X Factor (Bayley, Gers, Harris)
Average score: 7.62/10 Deviation: 3.81
The X Factor 5/11
Top 25: 2005, 2006
Top 50: 2008
Top 100: 2004

I bet you didn't think the first song with a Top 25 appearance in the countdown would be 2 AM. If anyone tells me they thought that would happen, I will call them a liar. Unless it's Perun, because he was here at the time. But it's true. This song scored a whopping 9.86 in 2006. The highest score given out in 2016 was 9.80, which would mean that out of ten, in 2006, people considered 2 AM alone to be better than every Maiden song is considered today. Let that sink in for a moment. Now, of course, it's one of the primary representatives of Blaze Regression Syndrome with a massive deviation of 3.81. Statistically this song has the single greatest rankings change we've yet seen, dropping a massive 87 points from 2008 to 2011. It's since dropped even further, bottoming out at 140 this year. The word "haunting" is used to describe it quite frequently. I hope you're not sick of doing The X Factor...

Choice comments:

The guitar sounds superb, gentle and sad, in the second strophe adding that bit that makes a rocker's heart sing. And another bit is the chorus. Janick's solo is modest and beautiful.

Another achingly personal, atypical Maiden lyric, this timed framed in a basic, typical rock song structure. Very melancholy vocals and some bittersweet guitar parts that perfectly fit the sadly introspective subject matter. Not typical Maiden, but a good song nonetheless.

Haunting, touching, sincere and appealing to almost every man I know. Janick kinda recreates the mood he did on Wasting Love solo and it works in splendid form! The main melody and the chorus are hard to get off your mind once you listen and feel it. A totally underrated and virtually 'unknown' masterpiece.

At this point it feels like I've heard this before, it's to similar to most of the other songs on the album. It isn't bad but it's just feels so samey and fillerish.
The chorus is still okay and the guitar lines in the middle section are brilliant but it feels flat to me after the last two excellent songs.

I guess anyone who has been mentally worn out/exhausted or depressed at some time can relate to the lyrics. Still, I think the first couple of verses says it all and the chorus fails to add anything. Musically, when I get to this point of the album, I feel that I've already heard it all.

2 A.M. has haunting and glorious melodies, but the lyrics drag it way down. I get that Blaze was aiming his message at the everyman, this song is kind of the depressing version of Rush’s Working Man, but the chorus is far too simplistic. Janick’s guitar playing is stellar, though, and the overall mood is deliciously somber. Blaze echoes the guitar melody at the end and it’s truly a great moment. Too bad about those silly, generic lyrics.

A great and haunting ballad, it really gets its point across - this is one of the tracks that could never work as well with Bruce, IMHO. I also like the guitar lines in the instrumental section, remind me a bit of the even better Como Estais Amigos.

Statistics

Spoiler

Yearly ratings & rankings
2004: 8.38; 60/123
2005: 9.56 +1.18; 22/124 +38
2006: 9.86 +0.30; 16/124 +6
2008: 9.42 -0.44; 30/134 -14
2011: 6.70 -2.72; 117/144 -87
2012: 119/144 -2
2014: 6.93 +0.23; 114/144 +5
2015: 7.09 +0.16; 110/144 +4
2016: 6.05 -1.04; 140/155 -30

Overall

Spoiler

102 - 2 A.M. (The X Factor)
102 - Fortunes of War (The X Factor)
102 - Death or Glory (The Book of Souls)
105 - Satellite 15... The Final Frontier (The Final Frontier)
106 - Mother Russia (No Prayer For the Dying)
107 - Como Estais Amigos (Virtual XI)
108 - The Pilgrim (A Matter of Life and Death)
109 - Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) (Powerslave)
110 - Running Free (Iron Maiden)
111 - Total Eclipse (The Number of the Beast)
112 - Speed of Light (The Book of Souls)
113 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
114 - Judgement of Heaven (The X Factor)
115 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
116 - Heaven Can Wait (Somewhere in Time)
116 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
118 - Can I Play With Madness? (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
119 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
120 - The Mercenary (Brave New World)
121 - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)
122 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
123 - Shadows of the Valley (The Book of Souls)
124 - Charlotte the Harlot (Iron Maiden)
125 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
126 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
126 - Look For the Truth (The X Factor)
128 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
129 - Drifter (Killers)
130 - Another Life (Killers)
131 - Public Enema Number One (No Prayer For the Dying)
132 - Sun and Steel (Piece of Mind)
132 - Innocent Exile (Killers)
134 - Sanctuary (Iron Maiden)
135 - Be Quick or Be Dead (Fear of the Dark)
136 - Wildest Dreams (Dance of Death)
137 - Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger (Virtual XI)
138 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
139 - The Assassin (No Prayer For the Dying)
140 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
141 - Fates Warning (No Prayer For the Dying)
142 - New Frontier (Dance of Death)
143 - Holy Smoke (No Prayer For the Dying)
143 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
145 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
146 - Quest For Fire (Piece of Mind)
147 - Bring Your Daughter... ...To the Slaughter (No Prayer For the Dying)
148 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
149 - The Angel and the Gambler (Virtual XI)
150 - From Here to Eternity (Fear of the Dark)
151 - Fear is the Key (Fear of the Dark)
152 - Chains of Misery (Fear of the Dark)
153 - Hooks in You (No Prayer For the Dying)
153 - Weekend Warrior (Fear of the Dark)
155 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)

Song deviance (least to greatest)

Spoiler

0.34 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
0.39 - Satellite 15... The Final Frontier (The Final Frontier)
0.68 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
0.76 - Fates Warning (No Prayer For the Dying)
0.78 - The Mercenary (Brave New World)
0.80 - Can I Play With Madness? (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
0.81 - Another Life (Killers)
0.85 - The Pilgrim (A Matter of Life and Death)
0.86 - Total Eclipse (The Number of the Beast)
0.90 - Heaven Can Wait (Somewhere in Time)
0.92 - Fear is the Key (Fear of the Dark)
0.93 - Sun and Steel (Piece of Mind)
0.96 - Innocent Exile (Killers)
1.08 - Como Estais Amigos (Virtual XI)
1.15 - Mother Russia (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.23 - Fortunes of War (The X Factor)
1.29 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
1.45 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
1.46 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
1.46 - Running Free (Iron Maiden)
1.52 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
1.52 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
1.56 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
1.58 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
1.68 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)
1.82 - Drifter (Killers)
1.83 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.84 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
1.86 - Sanctuary (Iron Maiden)
1.87 - Judgement of Heaven (The X Factor)
1.94 - Public Enema Number One (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.94 - Quest For Fire (Piece of Mind)
1.95 - The Angel and the Gambler (Virtual XI)
2.04 - Wildest Dreams (Dance of Death)
2.20 - New Frontier (Dance of Death)
2.22 - Hooks in You (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.26 - Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) (Powerslave)
2.27 - Look For the Truth (The X Factor)
2.72 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
2.82 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
2.93 - Bring Your Daughter... ...To the Slaughter (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.94 - Holy Smoke (No Prayer For the Dying)
3.04 - Be Quick or Be Dead (Fear of the Dark)
3.32 - Charlotte the Harlot (Iron Maiden)
3.34 - Chains of Misery (Fear of the Dark)
3.40 - Weekend Warrior (Fear of the Dark)
3.76 - From Here to Eternity (Fear of the Dark)
3.81 - 2 A.M. (The X Factor)
3.90 - The Assassin (No Prayer For the Dying)
3.95 - Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger (Virtual XI)
n/a - Death or Glory (The Book of Souls)
n/a - Shadows of the Valley (The Book of Souls)
n/a - Speed of Light (The Book of Souls)
n/a - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)

Albums

Spoiler

Iron Maiden 4/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 12
Killers 4/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 11
The Number of the Beast 3/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 7
Piece of Mind 2/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 1
Powerslave 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 2
Somewhere in Time 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
No Prayer For the Dying 8/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 11
Fear of the Dark 9/12 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 20
The X Factor 5/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 2 Top 50: 3 Top 100: 19
Virtual XI 4/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 10
Brave New World 2/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
Dance of Death 4/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6
A Matter of Life and Death 1/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
The Final Frontier 1/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 5
The Book of Souls 3/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 2

 

[Brigantium]

Como Estais really doesn't deserve to be this low IMO. Am rather sad now.

 

[bornless1]

The solos alone should have 2 a.m no lower than 60/65... some great guitar melodies. My favorite Blaze era song ( to make an album, like judgment day slightly more)..