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

[Whooten]

I think the band Iron Maiden is pretty good.

 

[LooseCannon]

61: Flight of Icarus - Piece of Mind (Smith, Dickinson)
Average score: 8.28/10 Deviation: 0.38
Piece of Mind 4/9
Top 100: 2004, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016

Well, no controversy here. This track has rated between 8.00 and 8.50 the entire time, with a nicely snug 0.38 deviation. Most Maidenfans agree this song is pretty good! It's never broken the Top 50 but never been out of the Top 100 either. A track that seems destined to hover around this area, which is not, in any way, a bad thing! Many people agree that the version on Live After Death is greater than the studio performance, and Bruce steals the show with his vocals.

Choice comments:

If you read the original myth about daidalus and icarus, you will see that Icarus was nothing more than foolish and disobedient in his desicion to fly near the sun despite his father's warning. However, in the song, there's a streak of teenage rebellion in his attitude ("looks the old man in the eye" etc.), and I think maiden add a layer to the lyrics, approaching teenage reaction to parents.

Nothing special, just a simple rock song with kind of a catchy chorus. My least favorite song of the album after Quest for Fire.

I used to love this song, not so much these days. The best on this song are the solos imo, specially the outro. Besides that everything else is solid, guitar work, bass line, vocals and drums, but not too spectacular. The version from LAD is much better like many pointed out.

Solos are great, and as again with a PoM song, so is Bruce's vocal performance. The gallop in the LAD version is dead quick and much more awesome.

I lack patience for this song. I have yet to experience it live which may change my attitude. Too damn slow and unlike most I'd don't think the solo is that great.

I admire this song, which is my very best out of this album. Lyrically is just brilliant as it gives an alternative explanation of a known myth. Musically, is fully accomplished from the start to the end; A mind-taking crescendo of music & vocal performances. The epilogue with that scream, leaves me speechless every single time.

A nice, straightforward and simple song that wins a lot live... as Jonszat said, this would have been the better "Wrathchild". It's a good song to get you pumped, although it may not do too much else. But then, does every song have to?

I never really cared for this song, I'm not sure why really now that I look back. I haven't been able to get this song out of my head the last few weeks. It is straight forward, but it is just a great song. Glad I finally warmed up to it!

Weak songwriting saved by amazing vocal performance.

Statistics

Spoiler

Yearly ratings & rankings
2004: 8.14; 72/123
2005: 8.12 -0.02; 62/124 +10
2006: 8.04 -0.08; 62/124 +2
2008: 8.42 +0.38; 66/134 -6
2011: 8.24 -0.18; 57/144 +9
2012: 51/144 +6
2014: 8.28 +0.04; 59/144 -8
2015: 8.38 +0.10; 58/144 +1
2016: 8.36 -0.02; 51/155 +7

Overall

Spoiler

61 - Flight of Icarus (Piece of Mind)
62 - The Aftermath (The X Factor)
63 - The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (Brave New World)
64 - Run Silent, Run Deep (No Prayer For the Dying)
65 - Strange World (Iron Maiden)
66 - Only the Good Die Young (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
67 - The Duelists (Powerslave)
68 - Judas Be My Guide (Fear of the Dark)
69 - Face in the Sand (Dance of Death)
69 - No More Lies (Dance of Death)
71 - Out of the Silent Planet (Brave New World)
71 - Prowler (Iron Maiden)
73 - Wrathchild (Killers)
74 - Man on the Edge (The X Factor)
74 - The Great Unknown (The Book of Souls)
76 - The Ides of March (Killers)
77 - Tears of a Clown (The Book of Souls)
78 - The Educated Fool (Virtual XI)
79 - Futureal (Virtual XI)
80 - Different World (A Matter of Life and Death)
80 - No Prayer For the Dying (No Prayer For the Dying)
82 - Run to the Hills (The Number of the Beast)
82 - The Red and the Black (The Book of Souls)
84 - Prodigal Son (Killers)
85 - Die With Your Boots On (Piece of Mind)
86 - The Prophecy (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
87 - The Alchemist (The Final Frontier)
87 - Deja Vu (Somewhere in Time)
89 - El Dorado (The Final Frontier)
89 - Mother of Mercy (The Final Frontier)
91 - Flash of the Blade (Powerslave)
92 - Out of the Shadows (A Matter of Life and Death)
93 - Blood on the World's Hands (The X Factor)
94 - Montsegur (Dance of Death)
95 - Journeyman (Dance of Death)
96 - Back in the Village (Powerslave)
97 - Purgatory (Killers)
98 - The Man of Sorrows (The Book of Souls)
99 - The Man Who Would Be King (The Final Frontier)
99 - Lightning Strikes Twice (Virtual XI)
101 - Lord of the Flies (The X Factor)
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

0.26 - Different World (A Matter of Life and Death)
0.26 - Mother of Mercy (The Final Frontier)
0.27 - The Alchemist (The Final Frontier)
0.34 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
0.38 - Flight of Icarus (Piece of Mind)
0.39 - Satellite 15... The Final Frontier (The Final Frontier)
0.44 - Die With Your Boots On (Piece of Mind)
0.54 - El Dorado (The Final Frontier)
0.55 - Prowler (Iron Maiden)
0.55 - The Man Who Would Be King (The Final Frontier)
0.60 - Flash of the Blade (Powerslave)
0.66 - Deja Vu (Somewhere in Time)
0.68 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
0.70 - Montsegur (Dance of Death)
0.70 - The Prophecy (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
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 - Run to the Hills (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)
1.02 - Lord of the Flies (The X Factor)
1.03 - No Prayer For the Dying (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.04 - Purgatory (Killers)
1.08 - Como Estais Amigos (Virtual XI)
1.15 - Mother Russia (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.22 - Wrathchild (Killers)
1.23 - Fortunes of War (The X Factor)
1.24 - Face in the Sand (Dance of Death)
1.26 - No More Lies (Dance of Death)
1.29 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
1.31 - Futureal (Virtual XI)
1.45 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
1.46 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
1.46 - Running Free (Iron Maiden)
1.51 - Only the Good Die Young (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
1.52 - Journeyman (Dance of Death)
1.52 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
1.52 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
1.54 - Out of the Silent Planet (Brave New World)
1.54 - Prodigal Son (Killers)
1.56 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
1.58 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
1.62 - Judas Be My Guide (Fear of the Dark)
1.67 - Out of the Shadows (A Matter of Life and Death)
1.68 - Man on the Edge (The X Factor)
1.68 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)
1.69 - Strange World (Iron Maiden)
1.82 - Drifter (Killers)
1.83 - The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (Brave New World)
1.83 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.84 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
1.86 - Back in the Village (Powerslave)
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)
2.10 - Blood on the World's Hands (The X Factor)
2.20 - Lightning Strikes Twice (Virtual XI)
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)
2.36 - Run Silent, Run Deep (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.50 - The Duelists (Powerslave)
2.72 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
2.82 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
2.87 - The Ides of March (Killers)
2.89 - The Aftermath (The X Factor)
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)
3.26 - The Educated Fool (Virtual XI)
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 - Tears of a Clown (The Book of Souls)
n/a - The Great Unknown (The Book of Souls)
n/a - The Man of Sorrows (The Book of Souls)
n/a - The Red and the Black (The Book of Souls)
n/a - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)

Albums

Spoiler

Iron Maiden 6/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 6 Top 100: 26
Killers 8/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 1 Top 50: 9 Top 100: 36
The Number of the Beast 4/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 16
Piece of Mind 4/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 19
Powerslave 4/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 6 Top 100: 18
Somewhere in Time 2/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 15
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 3/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 20
No Prayer For the Dying 10/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 1 Top 50: 7 Top 100: 23
Average Rating: 6.67 Average Deviation: 2.11
Fear of the Dark 10/12 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 27
The X Factor 9/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 4 Top 50: 7 Top 100: 44
Virtual XI 7/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 1 Top 50: 9 Top 100: 13
Brave New World 3/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 1 Top 100: 11
Dance of Death 8/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 37
A Matter of Life and Death 3/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 15
The Final Frontier 5/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 24
The Book of Souls 7/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6

 

[fekso]

...Many people agree that the version on Live After Death is greater than the studio performance...

This song secured me as a fan. I need to go and compare the studio and the live version!

 

[Diesel 11]

Same, sounds enjoyable. The song itself is great, maybe lyrics aren't the best, but it's a killer track nonetheless.

 

[LooseCannon]

60: The Clairvoyant - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (Harris)
Average score: 8.33/10 Deviation: 1.62
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 4/8
Top 50: 2004, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016
Top 100: 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011

This track had a pretty deep dive down the ratings in 2005-6, and that's probably why it didn't squeeze into the "Excellent" category of 8.50-8.99, despite several ratings returned in that zone. It's been remarkably consistent except for those years, and would post a tiny deviation of a third of a point without the two aberrant years. Still, it can't be more evident that this song is very well regarded, from a very well regarded album; at 60, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son finally posts half its songs. Many people agree Steve's bass intro is absolutely killer, but it seems to meander by the end of the track. Some find the chorus jarring, others find it inspired.

Choice comments:

I don't like this one, its too blunt and not poignant enough for me. It seems like its going nowhere. This song is a step towards NPftD, but NPftD sounds better!

I love the brilliant bass intro (like everyone else here it seems), and the whole feel of the song. This is one of my most favourite non-epic Maiden songs, along with The Wicker Man, Flight Of Icarus, among others.

I've never understood why fans love this or why it was a single for that matter. Am I missing something? The chorus is uninteresting and the opening riff/outro and Dave's solo are too "joyful" sounding for a song about dying.

At my first Maiden gig, this was the only song I had no idea was on the set list. Okay, it was predictable, but I had managed to avoid spoilers for this song and I didn't anticipate it. That feeling of surprise is a great memory. And, this song is overall excellent, from the bass intro and the great melody to the catchy chorus and deep lyrics. That being said, it's still not quite as good a rocker as Wasted Years, Aces High or The Evil that Men Do

The intro is one of the band’s best ever and the mix of rhythms and guitar melodies is vintage Maiden. But somehow it loses momentum and fails to keep my attention for the full four-and-an-half minutes. Maybe it’s because Maiden songs are usually so structured and this one has more of a free-form feel. I do like it a lot, but don’t feel it’s as good as it could have been.

It's mystical feeling is again perfect for the album. Bruce is excellent. I love the part Foro mentioned and also "Just by looking through his eyes..... couldn't *pause of awesome proportions* foresee his own demise" *cue awesome melody.

The chorus was the first thing that go me hooked to the song because it's really catchy but the melodies, lyrics and atmosphere made me love it more. The underrated song off of SSoaSS

Talk about a song that just won't go out of your head. It continued to grow on me, and now I just can't get around calling this one of Maiden's best. Everything is right: Bass, vocals, guitars - both solo and harmony - and I also love the lyrics. It manages to create a mystical atmosphere even in its faster passages, something only outdone by The Evil That Men Do.

That was a time when Steve's songs were just perfect.No repetition, o redundant parts.Those were the days.The song is really good.The only thing that I always felt weird is the intro bass riff that is TNOTB riff played backwards

I love the intro/outro of this one! Perhaps Maiden's best IMHO, I obviously am a sucker for bass intro/outro's as I love the one on The Red And The Black as well! Love the upbeat atmosphere of this song! But I must agree with some that the chorus is a little odd, but that's fine!

Statistics

Spoiler

Yearly ratings & rankings
2004: 8.70; 36/123
2005: 7.80 -0.90; 83/124 -47
2006: 7.08 -0.72; 88/124 -5
2008: 7.96 +0.88; 94/134 -6
2011: 8.40 +0.44; 52/144 +42
2012: 35/144 +17
2014: 8.62 +0.22; 49/144 -14
2015: 8.65 +0.03; 45/144 +4
2016: 8.65 NC; 34/155 +11

Overall

Spoiler

60 - The Clairvoyant (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
61 - Flight of Icarus (Piece of Mind)
62 - The Aftermath (The X Factor)
63 - The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (Brave New World)
64 - Run Silent, Run Deep (No Prayer For the Dying)
65 - Strange World (Iron Maiden)
66 - Only the Good Die Young (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
67 - The Duelists (Powerslave)
68 - Judas Be My Guide (Fear of the Dark)
69 - Face in the Sand (Dance of Death)
69 - No More Lies (Dance of Death)
71 - Out of the Silent Planet (Brave New World)
71 - Prowler (Iron Maiden)
73 - Wrathchild (Killers)
74 - Man on the Edge (The X Factor)
74 - The Great Unknown (The Book of Souls)
76 - The Ides of March (Killers)
77 - Tears of a Clown (The Book of Souls)
78 - The Educated Fool (Virtual XI)
79 - Futureal (Virtual XI)
80 - Different World (A Matter of Life and Death)
80 - No Prayer For the Dying (No Prayer For the Dying)
82 - Run to the Hills (The Number of the Beast)
82 - The Red and the Black (The Book of Souls)
84 - Prodigal Son (Killers)
85 - Die With Your Boots On (Piece of Mind)
86 - The Prophecy (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
87 - The Alchemist (The Final Frontier)
87 - Deja Vu (Somewhere in Time)
89 - El Dorado (The Final Frontier)
89 - Mother of Mercy (The Final Frontier)
91 - Flash of the Blade (Powerslave)
92 - Out of the Shadows (A Matter of Life and Death)
93 - Blood on the World's Hands (The X Factor)
94 - Montsegur (Dance of Death)
95 - Journeyman (Dance of Death)
96 - Back in the Village (Powerslave)
97 - Purgatory (Killers)
98 - The Man of Sorrows (The Book of Souls)
99 - The Man Who Would Be King (The Final Frontier)
99 - Lightning Strikes Twice (Virtual XI)
101 - Lord of the Flies (The X Factor)
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

0.26 - Different World (A Matter of Life and Death)
0.26 - Mother of Mercy (The Final Frontier)
0.27 - The Alchemist (The Final Frontier)
0.34 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
0.38 - Flight of Icarus (Piece of Mind)
0.39 - Satellite 15... The Final Frontier (The Final Frontier)
0.44 - Die With Your Boots On (Piece of Mind)
0.54 - El Dorado (The Final Frontier)
0.55 - Prowler (Iron Maiden)
0.55 - The Man Who Would Be King (The Final Frontier)
0.60 - Flash of the Blade (Powerslave)
0.66 - Deja Vu (Somewhere in Time)
0.68 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
0.70 - Montsegur (Dance of Death)
0.70 - The Prophecy (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
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 - Run to the Hills (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)
1.02 - Lord of the Flies (The X Factor)
1.03 - No Prayer For the Dying (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.04 - Purgatory (Killers)
1.08 - Como Estais Amigos (Virtual XI)
1.15 - Mother Russia (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.22 - Wrathchild (Killers)
1.23 - Fortunes of War (The X Factor)
1.24 - Face in the Sand (Dance of Death)
1.26 - No More Lies (Dance of Death)
1.29 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
1.31 - Futureal (Virtual XI)
1.45 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
1.46 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
1.46 - Running Free (Iron Maiden)
1.51 - Only the Good Die Young (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
1.52 - Journeyman (Dance of Death)
1.52 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
1.52 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
1.54 - Out of the Silent Planet (Brave New World)
1.54 - Prodigal Son (Killers)
1.56 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
1.58 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
1.62 - Judas Be My Guide (Fear of the Dark)
1.62 - The Clairvoyant (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
1.67 - Out of the Shadows (A Matter of Life and Death)
1.68 - Man on the Edge (The X Factor)
1.68 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)
1.69 - Strange World (Iron Maiden)
1.82 - Drifter (Killers)
1.83 - The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (Brave New World)
1.83 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.84 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
1.86 - Back in the Village (Powerslave)
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)
2.10 - Blood on the World's Hands (The X Factor)
2.20 - Lightning Strikes Twice (Virtual XI)
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)
2.36 - Run Silent, Run Deep (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.50 - The Duelists (Powerslave)
2.72 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
2.82 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
2.87 - The Ides of March (Killers)
2.89 - The Aftermath (The X Factor)
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)
3.26 - The Educated Fool (Virtual XI)
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 - Tears of a Clown (The Book of Souls)
n/a - The Great Unknown (The Book of Souls)
n/a - The Man of Sorrows (The Book of Souls)
n/a - The Red and the Black (The Book of Souls)
n/a - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)

Albums

Spoiler

Iron Maiden 6/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 6 Top 100: 26
Killers 8/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 1 Top 50: 9 Top 100: 36
The Number of the Beast 4/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 16
Piece of Mind 4/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 19
Powerslave 4/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 6 Top 100: 18
Somewhere in Time 2/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 15
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 4/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 7 Top 100: 24
No Prayer For the Dying 10/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 1 Top 50: 7 Top 100: 23
Average Rating: 6.67 Average Deviation: 2.11
Fear of the Dark 10/12 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 27
The X Factor 9/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 4 Top 50: 7 Top 100: 44
Virtual XI 7/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 1 Top 50: 9 Top 100: 13
Brave New World 3/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 1 Top 100: 11
Dance of Death 8/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 37
A Matter of Life and Death 3/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 15
The Final Frontier 5/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 24
The Book of Souls 7/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6

 

[fekso]

When discovering the Seventh Son album as a new fan, The Clairvoyant is the track that hooks you. But then after a few years as a fan you can really tell it suffers from the Wrathchild syndrome...

 

[LooseCannon]

59: Coming Home - The Final Frontier (Smith, Harris, Dickinson)
Average score: 8.34/10 Deviation: 1.00
The Final Frontier 6/10
Top 50: 2011, 2014
Top 100: 2012, 2015, 2016

This one is slipping, with a big cut in the ratings in the last year, as people appear to be a little less enamoured with this emotional Bruce-led ballad nowadays. Still, its earlier performances are able to get it into a pretty favourable position, as two Top 50 finishes out of five possible attempts would secure any song a solid place on the all-time rankings. Many people compare this to some previous songs, like Out of the Shadows, but in general it seems to come off a bit more favoured.

Choice comments:

This is what I wanted from Maiden on this release! This is from the heart...as a matter of fact the lead break reminds me of Rainbow's "Catch The Rainbow" (anybody else get that?)

One of the songs that makes me proud of being a Maiden fan. I love the mood, the emotion, the chorus... and that intro is so old school! I love this fucking song.

Seems like most people like this from the beginning. It's definitely my favourite of the album, and the chorus is just magnificent. This song will be a killer live. The introriff is also great.

No question in my mind, this is the 'hit' song maiden will have for the radio, and to bring in many new fans. I think it is perfect. Hard enough to satisfy the metal head [like me], yet melodic and easy enough for the main streamers. I think everyone will love Coming Home. Side note. I think one thing that I love, being old enough to remember the 80's, is that it has that 'big Power Ballad' feel.
It is powerful and beautiful and metal all at once. The lads nailed it here.

I too am old enough to remember the power ballads of the 80's... However, I for some reason am having a hard time with this song... its just not that big to me

Not afraid to admit that this song nearly brings a tear. Some of Bruce's finest vocal moments here...and I don't give a shit what anyone says...this is NOT a ballad, anymore than COTD or ATSS were ballads. Just because there's a part with acoustics and beautiful melodic vocal lines, doesn't make it a ballad...especially since a good portion of the song kick in heavier....while still maintaining the beautiful vocal lines.

I don't like the intro/outro and the verses are pretty run of the mill as well. The best thing about it is the chorus, yet that's not enough

I can't help but compare this one to Out of the Shadows, and to be honest, it can't win. Coming Home is a great and moving song, and I like it very much. It is certainly honest and emotional, but it somehow lacks the ingenuity of Out of the Shadows. Also, that song dealt with one of the most elemental things in life, birth. This one is about an aeroplane, more or less. Still, I don't want to make this song bad. I had been expecting Bruce to write a song like this for ages, and the lyrics are poetic and beautiful, the music does a lot of talking by itself... and if Out of the Shadows was five and a half minutes of admiring Dave at his very best, this is the same for Adrian. One of his best moments, perhaps.

I don't think this song is that strong. Yes it's a good song, lots of emotion and good melodies, but it doesn't do that much for me. I can't feel the song in the same way as many of you seems to do, and since the whole song is built on raw emotion, the experience for me becomes quite flat. Strong points are the solos, which suits the song and are great. The pre chorus is also good, it's the strongest part of the song.

Statistics

Spoiler

Yearly ratings & rankings
2011: 8.50; 47/144
2012: 57/144 +10
2014: 8.68 +0.18; 47/144 +10
2015: 8.56 -0.12; 51/144 -5
2016: 7.68 -0.88; 82/155 -31

Overall

Spoiler

59 - Coming Home (The Final Frontier)
60 - The Clairvoyant (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
61 - Flight of Icarus (Piece of Mind)
62 - The Aftermath (The X Factor)
63 - The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (Brave New World)
64 - Run Silent, Run Deep (No Prayer For the Dying)
65 - Strange World (Iron Maiden)
66 - Only the Good Die Young (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
67 - The Duelists (Powerslave)
68 - Judas Be My Guide (Fear of the Dark)
69 - Face in the Sand (Dance of Death)
69 - No More Lies (Dance of Death)
71 - Out of the Silent Planet (Brave New World)
71 - Prowler (Iron Maiden)
73 - Wrathchild (Killers)
74 - Man on the Edge (The X Factor)
74 - The Great Unknown (The Book of Souls)
76 - The Ides of March (Killers)
77 - Tears of a Clown (The Book of Souls)
78 - The Educated Fool (Virtual XI)
79 - Futureal (Virtual XI)
80 - Different World (A Matter of Life and Death)
80 - No Prayer For the Dying (No Prayer For the Dying)
82 - Run to the Hills (The Number of the Beast)
82 - The Red and the Black (The Book of Souls)
84 - Prodigal Son (Killers)
85 - Die With Your Boots On (Piece of Mind)
86 - The Prophecy (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
87 - The Alchemist (The Final Frontier)
87 - Deja Vu (Somewhere in Time)
89 - El Dorado (The Final Frontier)
89 - Mother of Mercy (The Final Frontier)
91 - Flash of the Blade (Powerslave)
92 - Out of the Shadows (A Matter of Life and Death)
93 - Blood on the World's Hands (The X Factor)
94 - Montsegur (Dance of Death)
95 - Journeyman (Dance of Death)
96 - Back in the Village (Powerslave)
97 - Purgatory (Killers)
98 - The Man of Sorrows (The Book of Souls)
99 - The Man Who Would Be King (The Final Frontier)
99 - Lightning Strikes Twice (Virtual XI)
101 - Lord of the Flies (The X Factor)
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

0.26 - Different World (A Matter of Life and Death)
0.26 - Mother of Mercy (The Final Frontier)
0.27 - The Alchemist (The Final Frontier)
0.34 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
0.38 - Flight of Icarus (Piece of Mind)
0.39 - Satellite 15... The Final Frontier (The Final Frontier)
0.44 - Die With Your Boots On (Piece of Mind)
0.54 - El Dorado (The Final Frontier)
0.55 - Prowler (Iron Maiden)
0.55 - The Man Who Would Be King (The Final Frontier)
0.60 - Flash of the Blade (Powerslave)
0.66 - Deja Vu (Somewhere in Time)
0.68 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
0.70 - Montsegur (Dance of Death)
0.70 - The Prophecy (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
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 - Run to the Hills (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)
1.00 - Coming Home (The Final Frontier)
1.02 - Lord of the Flies (The X Factor)
1.03 - No Prayer For the Dying (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.04 - Purgatory (Killers)
1.08 - Como Estais Amigos (Virtual XI)
1.15 - Mother Russia (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.22 - Wrathchild (Killers)
1.23 - Fortunes of War (The X Factor)
1.24 - Face in the Sand (Dance of Death)
1.26 - No More Lies (Dance of Death)
1.29 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
1.31 - Futureal (Virtual XI)
1.45 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
1.46 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
1.46 - Running Free (Iron Maiden)
1.51 - Only the Good Die Young (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
1.52 - Journeyman (Dance of Death)
1.52 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
1.52 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
1.54 - Out of the Silent Planet (Brave New World)
1.54 - Prodigal Son (Killers)
1.56 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
1.58 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
1.62 - Judas Be My Guide (Fear of the Dark)
1.62 - The Clairvoyant (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
1.67 - Out of the Shadows (A Matter of Life and Death)
1.68 - Man on the Edge (The X Factor)
1.68 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)
1.69 - Strange World (Iron Maiden)
1.82 - Drifter (Killers)
1.83 - The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (Brave New World)
1.83 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.84 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
1.86 - Back in the Village (Powerslave)
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)
2.10 - Blood on the World's Hands (The X Factor)
2.20 - Lightning Strikes Twice (Virtual XI)
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)
2.36 - Run Silent, Run Deep (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.50 - The Duelists (Powerslave)
2.72 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
2.82 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
2.87 - The Ides of March (Killers)
2.89 - The Aftermath (The X Factor)
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)
3.26 - The Educated Fool (Virtual XI)
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 - Tears of a Clown (The Book of Souls)
n/a - The Great Unknown (The Book of Souls)
n/a - The Man of Sorrows (The Book of Souls)
n/a - The Red and the Black (The Book of Souls)
n/a - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)

Albums

Spoiler

Iron Maiden 6/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 6 Top 100: 26
Killers 8/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 1 Top 50: 9 Top 100: 36
The Number of the Beast 4/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 16
Piece of Mind 4/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 19
Powerslave 4/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 6 Top 100: 18
Somewhere in Time 2/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 15
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 4/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 7 Top 100: 24
No Prayer For the Dying 10/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 1 Top 50: 7 Top 100: 23
Average Rating: 6.67 Average Deviation: 2.11
Fear of the Dark 10/12 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 27
The X Factor 9/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 4 Top 50: 7 Top 100: 44
Virtual XI 7/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 1 Top 50: 9 Top 100: 13
Brave New World 3/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 1 Top 100: 11
Dance of Death 8/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 37
A Matter of Life and Death 3/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 15
The Final Frontier 6/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 27
The Book of Souls 7/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6

 

[fekso]

The Final Frontier is the album I struggle the most with, except for the title track and WTWWB. Coming Home has never worked for me, not the studio version or the En Vivo version. Accept and Iron Maiden both released albums in 2010, and while TFF didn't blow me away, Blood of the Nations did!

 

[LooseCannon]

58: Genghis Khan - Killers (Harris)
Average score: 8.34/10 Deviation: 2.19
Killers 9/11
Top 25: 2005, 2006
Top 50: 2004, 2008
Top 100: 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016

Hooboy. I've been trying to stay away from personal opinions during my little screeds here, sticking to the data produced by almost fifteen years of Maidenfans, but I can't help but say that I don't understand how this track got so darn high. Never seemed special to me. Lots of people think it's pretty special though, more earlier on in Maidenfans than nowadays, but it's still got a good rep in 2016. This track has a large deviation, likely due to the crazy rankings that occurred in the mid 00s.

Choice comments:

I love the speed on that one, it's a great instrumental, probably the best the boys have done. I wouldn't mind seeing that one back in the setlist.

I like it but it isn't that great. A good, solid track. I feel for a 2 and a 1/2 minute song that quite a lot happens, which is good.

This is the perfect proof that instrumentals don't have to be boring, overlong guitar-wankery. It's short, it's exciting and it has a lot going on for 3 minutes. The way it starts out almost like a disciplined march and then breaks havoc all of the sudden at around the minute mark really does make Mongol hordes stomp through your head.

For such a short song it has quite an epic and proggy sound to it. Yep, the riff that kicks in at 1:47 certainly foreshadows the songwriting that was to happen on NOTB. The wailing guitar at 2:12 is hauntingly sad.

Their best instrumental. Great galloping bass just like the song would suggest. Clive did a great job on drumming.

Never really liked this song. That part in the middle reminds of another Maiden song, but I can't remember which.

okay an instrumental. I like those. the only problem is that this is the worst of the instrumentals thus far through the first three albums. It's still decent and I like the howling guitars around the 2:20 mark.

This one starts off kind of boring for me. The riffs and melodies are okay but nothing special. But 1:45 in the song changes totally and the last minute of the song is great. It really builds up a great sound landscape and use melodies we haven't heard at all on the album yet.

With my like for Transylvania and Losfer, and my hatred for Ides, this is often the instrumental I forget about. And to be fair, I don't find it to be particularly memorable. Not that it's bad, since the 1 minute mark really kicks the song into gear. Like Transylvania, it seems a little confused, but it doesn't really set the atmosphere like Transylvania does. It's just noise, albeit good noise.

I'm actually glad Steve didn't write any lyrics for that song. Maybe he would have written some lines about how great a warrior and king he was, forgetting about the systematic use o terror in warfare. The same goes with Alexander : he gives a very positive (and western oriented) vision of a king whose attitude in warfare is quite questionable. The instrumental gives a perfect rendition/evocation of an army in campaign, without having to deal with tendencious matters.

Statistics

Spoiler

Yearly ratings & rankings
2004: 8.92; 28/123
2005: 9.62 +0.70; 15/124 +13
2006: 9.84 +0.22; 19/124 -4
2008: 9.44 -0.40; 28/134 -9
2011: 7.78 -1.66; 74/144 -46
2012: 64/144 +10
2014: 7.84 +0.06; 77/144 -13
2015: 7.65 -0.19; 90/144 -13
2016: 7.90 +0.25; 71/155 +19

Overall

Spoiler

58 - Genghis Khan (Killers)
59 - Coming Home (The Final Frontier)
60 - The Clairvoyant (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
61 - Flight of Icarus (Piece of Mind)
62 - The Aftermath (The X Factor)
63 - The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (Brave New World)
64 - Run Silent, Run Deep (No Prayer For the Dying)
65 - Strange World (Iron Maiden)
66 - Only the Good Die Young (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
67 - The Duelists (Powerslave)
68 - Judas Be My Guide (Fear of the Dark)
69 - Face in the Sand (Dance of Death)
69 - No More Lies (Dance of Death)
71 - Out of the Silent Planet (Brave New World)
71 - Prowler (Iron Maiden)
73 - Wrathchild (Killers)
74 - Man on the Edge (The X Factor)
74 - The Great Unknown (The Book of Souls)
76 - The Ides of March (Killers)
77 - Tears of a Clown (The Book of Souls)
78 - The Educated Fool (Virtual XI)
79 - Futureal (Virtual XI)
80 - Different World (A Matter of Life and Death)
80 - No Prayer For the Dying (No Prayer For the Dying)
82 - Run to the Hills (The Number of the Beast)
82 - The Red and the Black (The Book of Souls)
84 - Prodigal Son (Killers)
85 - Die With Your Boots On (Piece of Mind)
86 - The Prophecy (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
87 - The Alchemist (The Final Frontier)
87 - Deja Vu (Somewhere in Time)
89 - El Dorado (The Final Frontier)
89 - Mother of Mercy (The Final Frontier)
91 - Flash of the Blade (Powerslave)
92 - Out of the Shadows (A Matter of Life and Death)
93 - Blood on the World's Hands (The X Factor)
94 - Montsegur (Dance of Death)
95 - Journeyman (Dance of Death)
96 - Back in the Village (Powerslave)
97 - Purgatory (Killers)
98 - The Man of Sorrows (The Book of Souls)
99 - The Man Who Would Be King (The Final Frontier)
99 - Lightning Strikes Twice (Virtual XI)
101 - Lord of the Flies (The X Factor)
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

0.26 - Different World (A Matter of Life and Death)
0.26 - Mother of Mercy (The Final Frontier)
0.27 - The Alchemist (The Final Frontier)
0.34 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
0.38 - Flight of Icarus (Piece of Mind)
0.39 - Satellite 15... The Final Frontier (The Final Frontier)
0.44 - Die With Your Boots On (Piece of Mind)
0.54 - El Dorado (The Final Frontier)
0.55 - Prowler (Iron Maiden)
0.55 - The Man Who Would Be King (The Final Frontier)
0.60 - Flash of the Blade (Powerslave)
0.66 - Deja Vu (Somewhere in Time)
0.68 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
0.70 - Montsegur (Dance of Death)
0.70 - The Prophecy (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
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 - Run to the Hills (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)
1.00 - Coming Home (The Final Frontier)
1.02 - Lord of the Flies (The X Factor)
1.03 - No Prayer For the Dying (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.04 - Purgatory (Killers)
1.08 - Como Estais Amigos (Virtual XI)
1.15 - Mother Russia (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.22 - Wrathchild (Killers)
1.23 - Fortunes of War (The X Factor)
1.24 - Face in the Sand (Dance of Death)
1.26 - No More Lies (Dance of Death)
1.29 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
1.31 - Futureal (Virtual XI)
1.45 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
1.46 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
1.46 - Running Free (Iron Maiden)
1.51 - Only the Good Die Young (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
1.52 - Journeyman (Dance of Death)
1.52 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
1.52 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
1.54 - Out of the Silent Planet (Brave New World)
1.54 - Prodigal Son (Killers)
1.56 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
1.58 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
1.62 - Judas Be My Guide (Fear of the Dark)
1.62 - The Clairvoyant (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
1.67 - Out of the Shadows (A Matter of Life and Death)
1.68 - Man on the Edge (The X Factor)
1.68 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)
1.69 - Strange World (Iron Maiden)
1.82 - Drifter (Killers)
1.83 - The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (Brave New World)
1.83 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.84 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
1.86 - Back in the Village (Powerslave)
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)
2.10 - Blood on the World's Hands (The X Factor)
2.19 - Genghis Khan (Killers)
2.20 - Lightning Strikes Twice (Virtual XI)
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)
2.36 - Run Silent, Run Deep (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.50 - The Duelists (Powerslave)
2.72 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
2.82 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
2.87 - The Ides of March (Killers)
2.89 - The Aftermath (The X Factor)
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)
3.26 - The Educated Fool (Virtual XI)
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 - Tears of a Clown (The Book of Souls)
n/a - The Great Unknown (The Book of Souls)
n/a - The Man of Sorrows (The Book of Souls)
n/a - The Red and the Black (The Book of Souls)
n/a - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)

Albums

Spoiler

Iron Maiden 6/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 6 Top 100: 26
Killers 9/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 3 Top 50: 11 Top 100: 41
The Number of the Beast 4/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 16
Piece of Mind 4/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 19
Powerslave 4/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 6 Top 100: 18
Somewhere in Time 2/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 15
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 4/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 7 Top 100: 24
No Prayer For the Dying 10/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 1 Top 50: 7 Top 100: 23
Average Rating: 6.67 Average Deviation: 2.11
Fear of the Dark 10/12 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 27
The X Factor 9/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 4 Top 50: 7 Top 100: 44
Virtual XI 7/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 1 Top 50: 9 Top 100: 13
Brave New World 3/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 1 Top 100: 11
Dance of Death 8/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 37
A Matter of Life and Death 3/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 15
The Final Frontier 6/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 27
The Book of Souls 7/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6

 

[Mosh]

I reckon most of The Final Frontier will slip in rankings, and then years after Maiden retire most of the album will have achieved a sort of cult status. It really is this century's Somewhere In Time.

 

[MrKnickerbocker]

Genghis Khan doesn't make any damn sense considering the far superior songs that have averaged below it.

 

[LooseCannon]

57: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner - Somewhere in Time (Harris)
Average score: 8.43/10 Deviation: 0.92
Somewhere in Time 3/8
Top 50: 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012
Top 100: 2004, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016

Another song with a narrow deviation that has wavered, but never really come out of the range it now comfortably sits within. This track has some absolute ardent lovers, and a fair few who think it is average. Most people compliment the guitarwork in the instrumental, and the primary negative seems to be Bruce's vocals sounding strange and tired (a problem that plagues most of Somewhere in Time, in my opinion).

A few songs back I challenged you to guess what the next album to close out, after No Prayer For the Dying would be. I don't want to give it away to everyone (though NP and Flash know), so I will only answer in the affirmative if someone guesses both the album and song upon whose shield the album lies.

For fun, I have included what might be the most Swedish-like English post Shadow ever made.

Choice comments:

I have noticed that this song gets very bad response. Not because I actually like this song, I think the lyrics destroys it, but I still wonder why.

I think it's a great track! I think it's a wayyyy better track than HCW. I mainly like the allegorical aspect of it (lyric-wise). Or should we take it all at face value and assume that it is abouit some runner? My loose interpretation of it is if you want something you have to go and get it. If you run into a hurdle, then you must get over it to reach your dream (or whatever). I don't know, that's what it is to me. It's inspired me!

I love the guitar solos and harmonies (esp. the intro), and I think Nicko's drumming on this song is superb. My only complaint is that the closing harmonized-guitar solo isn't up to the standard of the rest of the song. The rhythm of the melodic line has no variation, and the repeat adds nothing. I'd have ended the song after the recap of the intro melody which follows the last chorus.

TLOTLDR is a masterpiece, both musically and lyrically, the best song from SIT (along with the title track). If you know the story that it is based on , not only do the lyrics make sense but give me shivers .The melody at the beiginning and the end of the song is absolutely amazing and the fast tempo of the song is great also.

My least favorite Dickinson era song, and the song that turns SIT from being a masterpiece to simply being a great album. Good intro, but generic verses, a bad chorus, and a boring and aimless solo/instrumental section.

Pretty aggressive song with its neat riffs and drums. Nicko really shows some stamina here, playing so fast, so long. The intro is really lovely indeed. I like the way Nicko comes in hitting his snare, not using his bass drum before Bruce sings the first word.

During the couplets Dave and Adrian play some nice harmonies, where Adrian in specific plays pretty much on the edge, aggressive, which fits well to the nature of the song.

My favourite on the album. Whenever I hear the "run, on and on" plus the chorus, with the pounding drums and the relentless guitars, a smile comes on my face without fail.

It starts good, but the translation to the verse is awful to me. And Bruce doesn't sound good here at all according to me, he's to strained, just like the first track on the album. The melodies are nice and solos are good, but they are to smooth for my taste, a have a hard time finding the real feeling in them. It's still a okay track, but the worst until this point.

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner is a lyrical misfire from the get-go. Heavy metal can be a lot of things, folks, and I’m generally open-minded about subject matter as long as it fits the tone of the music. This time around, though, Steve thought he should write an Iron Maiden song about running. Not running for your life, not running to be free, not running to the hills…just running. I’m sorry, but I cannot take it seriously. The whole song basically narrates what it feels like to run for a long while on a track (and apparently it’s all worthless because the runner is lonely). It’s a damn shame, too, because the music is phenomenal.

Statistics

Spoiler

Yearly ratings & rankings
2004: 8.52; 53/123
2005: 8.80 +0.38; 42/124 +11
2006: 9.00 +0.20; 38/124 +4
2008: 8.98 -0.02; 43/134 -5
2011: 8.08 -0.90; 61/144 -48
2012: 26/144 +35
2014: 8.23 +0.15; 60/144 -34
2015: 8.33 +0.10; 59/144 +1
2016: 8.17 +0.25; 56/155 +3

Overall

Spoiler

57 - The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (Somewhere in Time)
58 - Genghis Khan (Killers)
59 - Coming Home (The Final Frontier)
60 - The Clairvoyant (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
61 - Flight of Icarus (Piece of Mind)
62 - The Aftermath (The X Factor)
63 - The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (Brave New World)
64 - Run Silent, Run Deep (No Prayer For the Dying)
65 - Strange World (Iron Maiden)
66 - Only the Good Die Young (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
67 - The Duelists (Powerslave)
68 - Judas Be My Guide (Fear of the Dark)
69 - Face in the Sand (Dance of Death)
69 - No More Lies (Dance of Death)
71 - Out of the Silent Planet (Brave New World)
71 - Prowler (Iron Maiden)
73 - Wrathchild (Killers)
74 - Man on the Edge (The X Factor)
74 - The Great Unknown (The Book of Souls)
76 - The Ides of March (Killers)
77 - Tears of a Clown (The Book of Souls)
78 - The Educated Fool (Virtual XI)
79 - Futureal (Virtual XI)
80 - Different World (A Matter of Life and Death)
80 - No Prayer For the Dying (No Prayer For the Dying)
82 - Run to the Hills (The Number of the Beast)
82 - The Red and the Black (The Book of Souls)
84 - Prodigal Son (Killers)
85 - Die With Your Boots On (Piece of Mind)
86 - The Prophecy (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
87 - The Alchemist (The Final Frontier)
87 - Deja Vu (Somewhere in Time)
89 - El Dorado (The Final Frontier)
89 - Mother of Mercy (The Final Frontier)
91 - Flash of the Blade (Powerslave)
92 - Out of the Shadows (A Matter of Life and Death)
93 - Blood on the World's Hands (The X Factor)
94 - Montsegur (Dance of Death)
95 - Journeyman (Dance of Death)
96 - Back in the Village (Powerslave)
97 - Purgatory (Killers)
98 - The Man of Sorrows (The Book of Souls)
99 - The Man Who Would Be King (The Final Frontier)
99 - Lightning Strikes Twice (Virtual XI)
101 - Lord of the Flies (The X Factor)
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

0.26 - Different World (A Matter of Life and Death)
0.26 - Mother of Mercy (The Final Frontier)
0.27 - The Alchemist (The Final Frontier)
0.34 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
0.38 - Flight of Icarus (Piece of Mind)
0.39 - Satellite 15... The Final Frontier (The Final Frontier)
0.44 - Die With Your Boots On (Piece of Mind)
0.54 - El Dorado (The Final Frontier)
0.55 - Prowler (Iron Maiden)
0.55 - The Man Who Would Be King (The Final Frontier)
0.60 - Flash of the Blade (Powerslave)
0.66 - Deja Vu (Somewhere in Time)
0.68 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
0.70 - Montsegur (Dance of Death)
0.70 - The Prophecy (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
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 - Run to the Hills (The Number of the Beast)
0.90 - Heaven Can Wait (Somewhere in Time)
0.92 - Fear is the Key (Fear of the Dark)
0.92 - The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (Somewhere in Time)
0.93 - Sun and Steel (Piece of Mind)
0.96 - Innocent Exile (Killers)
1.00 - Coming Home (The Final Frontier)
1.02 - Lord of the Flies (The X Factor)
1.03 - No Prayer For the Dying (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.04 - Purgatory (Killers)
1.08 - Como Estais Amigos (Virtual XI)
1.15 - Mother Russia (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.22 - Wrathchild (Killers)
1.23 - Fortunes of War (The X Factor)
1.24 - Face in the Sand (Dance of Death)
1.26 - No More Lies (Dance of Death)
1.29 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
1.31 - Futureal (Virtual XI)
1.45 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
1.46 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
1.46 - Running Free (Iron Maiden)
1.51 - Only the Good Die Young (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
1.52 - Journeyman (Dance of Death)
1.52 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
1.52 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
1.54 - Out of the Silent Planet (Brave New World)
1.54 - Prodigal Son (Killers)
1.56 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
1.58 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
1.62 - Judas Be My Guide (Fear of the Dark)
1.62 - The Clairvoyant (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
1.67 - Out of the Shadows (A Matter of Life and Death)
1.68 - Man on the Edge (The X Factor)
1.68 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)
1.69 - Strange World (Iron Maiden)
1.82 - Drifter (Killers)
1.83 - The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (Brave New World)
1.83 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.84 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
1.86 - Back in the Village (Powerslave)
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)
2.10 - Blood on the World's Hands (The X Factor)
2.19 - Genghis Khan (Killers)
2.20 - Lightning Strikes Twice (Virtual XI)
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)
2.36 - Run Silent, Run Deep (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.50 - The Duelists (Powerslave)
2.72 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
2.82 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
2.87 - The Ides of March (Killers)
2.89 - The Aftermath (The X Factor)
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)
3.26 - The Educated Fool (Virtual XI)
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 - Tears of a Clown (The Book of Souls)
n/a - The Great Unknown (The Book of Souls)
n/a - The Man of Sorrows (The Book of Souls)
n/a - The Red and the Black (The Book of Souls)
n/a - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)

Albums

Spoiler

Iron Maiden 6/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 6 Top 100: 26
Killers 9/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 3 Top 50: 11 Top 100: 41
The Number of the Beast 4/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 16
Piece of Mind 4/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 19
Powerslave 4/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 6 Top 100: 18
Somewhere in Time 3/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 4 Top 100: 20
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 4/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 7 Top 100: 24
No Prayer For the Dying 10/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 1 Top 50: 7 Top 100: 23
Average Rating: 6.67 Average Deviation: 2.11
Fear of the Dark 10/12 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 27
The X Factor 9/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 4 Top 50: 7 Top 100: 44
Virtual XI 7/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 1 Top 50: 9 Top 100: 13
Brave New World 3/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 1 Top 100: 11
Dance of Death 8/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 37
A Matter of Life and Death 3/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 15
The Final Frontier 6/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 27
The Book of Souls 7/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6

 

[LooseCannon]

Genghis Khan doesn't make any damn sense considering the far superior songs that have averaged below it.

It has huge averages in early years. Simply massive. Even with the rolling rankings rating those years at a lower value, it kicks it up into the mid-eights. The original & Dance of Death generations of Maidenfans simply loved the track.

 

[Lampwick 43]

I used to love Runner, but for some reason I'm not as high on it these days. #57 seems fair.

 

[Lampwick 43]

A few songs back I challenged you to guess what the next album to close out, after No Prayer For the Dying would be. I don't want to give it away to everyone (though NP and Flash know), so I will only answer in the affirmative if someone guesses both the album and song upon whose shield the album lies.

I take it it's not Killers, then?

 

[Diesel 11]

Genghis Khan is awesome, The Clairvoyant is slipping in my own rankings, Coming Home is weird but great, Loneliness defines SIT, and did I mention Genghis Khan is awesome? It's the weirdest ear worm I've ever had, maybe second cuz The Apparition falls under that category too. Did I mention it's awesome? Khan should be higher.

 

[LooseCannon]

T55: Lord of Light - A Matter of Life and Death (Smith, Harris, Dickinson)
Average score: 8.49/10 Deviation: 0.53
A Matter of Life and Death 4/10
Top 50: 2011, 2014, 2015
Top 100: 2008, 2012, 2016

We haven't spent much time with A Matter of Life and Death yet, but we will certainly be finishing up all the albums soon. We're getting pretty close to the 67% mark, and I know I'm excited (partially because it's hard to keep coming up with things to say in this part). This track deviates a bit more, but it never leaves the low-to-mid-eights, which means we're pretty unified on it over the years. I don't expect much change, maybe a little slip lower.

Apparently this was the thread where the infamous thousand_suns prank hit its stride. Or did it? I think it did not, but then it did. Who!


Choice comments:

The intro is very creepy...Bruce has some great vocal melodies on there, and the little melody shortly before the main riff kicks in (at about 1:06) is very chilling. And that riff is very, very good. A really good galloper, with some brilliant bridges vocal melodies.

In all, it sounds like "Fear of the Dark" and "Lord of the Flies" got REALLY drunk one night and had a messed-up bastard offspring - "Lord of Light". The bastard was then sent to "Age of Innocence", who, like Obi-Wan Kenobi, tried to show it the Force (in this case, how to have an awesome slow-tempoed intro), but like Darth Vader, it left before its training was complete. This is definately the Quasimodo of the album, and should be relegated to the Notre Dame bell towers of Maiden's repitoire.
(How's that for mixed metaphors!)

A real disappointment.

I think that this song could have benefited from a double bass drum during Dave Murray's solo or since Nicko has professed his style makes it hard to start playing double-bass drums, he could have at least used the "cradling the pedal" (thanks Mav ) technique as in Ghost of the Navigator. This would have made the song even more "evil" . Despite believing this, I find myself liking this song more and more.

Raven, I am thinking that it is with great disrespect that you post such things. This song is of Iron Maiden's most listened and most watched. Perhaps as you write you might think about the things that thinking is about, and then post more appropriate words. I do not think you disrespect the song! I think that you just do not understand what you post about. Your words are to me of good import. I do not listen to them but I know I cannot stand this song just as you can.

I love this song. It has a great spooky opening, and then it morphs into one of my favorite Maiden riffs... H RULES! Bruce sounds incredibly powerful when the verses come. Chorus is fantastic. This is my favorite AMOL&D song.

Talk about a grower. At first, I thought this song was utterly forgettable, but over the years, I've warmed up to it and now consider it a little masterpiece. It may be one of the most atmospheric pieces since The X Factor, dark and gloomy, with some great, mystic lyrics, a fantastic build-up and superb instrumentation.

This song creates some kind of sinister and yet desperate feeling at the same time. The intro is one of the most meaningful intros on the album. Lyrics are interesting and inspired. H's riff is monstrous and and Bruce's vocals on the verses are powerful. I love the chorus and I like that the chorus takes down the dynamics a little bit, it fits the song. The best part of the songs follows, as we go back to the soft part before the heavy bridge kicks in and introduces H's disharmonic solo. The solo builds tensions and goes into Murray's harmonic solo. This is so well done, and Murray's solo sounds so good after H's strange and heavy part. The song enters a nice instrumental section and then goes into the chorus once again. Another nice touch here is that the song ends with a bang and not with a soft outro.

Statistics

Spoiler

Yearly ratings & rankings
2008: 8.26; 70/134
2011: 8.58 +0.32; 44/144 +26
2012: 89/144 -45
2014: 8.69 +0.11; 45/144 +44
2015: 8.64 -0.05; 47/144 -2
2016: 8.16 -0.48; 57/155 -10

Overall

Spoiler

55 - Lord of Light (A Matter of Life and Death)
57 - The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (Somewhere in Time)
58 - Genghis Khan (Killers)
59 - Coming Home (The Final Frontier)
60 - The Clairvoyant (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
61 - Flight of Icarus (Piece of Mind)
62 - The Aftermath (The X Factor)
63 - The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (Brave New World)
64 - Run Silent, Run Deep (No Prayer For the Dying)
65 - Strange World (Iron Maiden)
66 - Only the Good Die Young (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
67 - The Duelists (Powerslave)
68 - Judas Be My Guide (Fear of the Dark)
69 - Face in the Sand (Dance of Death)
69 - No More Lies (Dance of Death)
71 - Out of the Silent Planet (Brave New World)
71 - Prowler (Iron Maiden)
73 - Wrathchild (Killers)
74 - Man on the Edge (The X Factor)
74 - The Great Unknown (The Book of Souls)
76 - The Ides of March (Killers)
77 - Tears of a Clown (The Book of Souls)
78 - The Educated Fool (Virtual XI)
79 - Futureal (Virtual XI)
80 - Different World (A Matter of Life and Death)
80 - No Prayer For the Dying (No Prayer For the Dying)
82 - Run to the Hills (The Number of the Beast)
82 - The Red and the Black (The Book of Souls)
84 - Prodigal Son (Killers)
85 - Die With Your Boots On (Piece of Mind)
86 - The Prophecy (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
87 - The Alchemist (The Final Frontier)
87 - Deja Vu (Somewhere in Time)
89 - El Dorado (The Final Frontier)
89 - Mother of Mercy (The Final Frontier)
91 - Flash of the Blade (Powerslave)
92 - Out of the Shadows (A Matter of Life and Death)
93 - Blood on the World's Hands (The X Factor)
94 - Montsegur (Dance of Death)
95 - Journeyman (Dance of Death)
96 - Back in the Village (Powerslave)
97 - Purgatory (Killers)
98 - The Man of Sorrows (The Book of Souls)
99 - The Man Who Would Be King (The Final Frontier)
99 - Lightning Strikes Twice (Virtual XI)
101 - Lord of the Flies (The X Factor)
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

0.26 - Different World (A Matter of Life and Death)
0.26 - Mother of Mercy (The Final Frontier)
0.27 - The Alchemist (The Final Frontier)
0.34 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
0.38 - Flight of Icarus (Piece of Mind)
0.39 - Satellite 15... The Final Frontier (The Final Frontier)
0.44 - Die With Your Boots On (Piece of Mind)
0.53 - Lord of Light (A Matter of Life and Death)
0.54 - El Dorado (The Final Frontier)
0.55 - Prowler (Iron Maiden)
0.55 - The Man Who Would Be King (The Final Frontier)
0.60 - Flash of the Blade (Powerslave)
0.66 - Deja Vu (Somewhere in Time)
0.68 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
0.70 - Montsegur (Dance of Death)
0.70 - The Prophecy (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
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 - Run to the Hills (The Number of the Beast)
0.90 - Heaven Can Wait (Somewhere in Time)
0.92 - Fear is the Key (Fear of the Dark)
0.92 - The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (Somewhere in Time)
0.93 - Sun and Steel (Piece of Mind)
0.96 - Innocent Exile (Killers)
1.00 - Coming Home (The Final Frontier)
1.02 - Lord of the Flies (The X Factor)
1.03 - No Prayer For the Dying (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.04 - Purgatory (Killers)
1.08 - Como Estais Amigos (Virtual XI)
1.15 - Mother Russia (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.22 - Wrathchild (Killers)
1.23 - Fortunes of War (The X Factor)
1.24 - Face in the Sand (Dance of Death)
1.26 - No More Lies (Dance of Death)
1.29 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
1.31 - Futureal (Virtual XI)
1.45 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
1.46 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
1.46 - Running Free (Iron Maiden)
1.51 - Only the Good Die Young (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
1.52 - Journeyman (Dance of Death)
1.52 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
1.52 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
1.54 - Out of the Silent Planet (Brave New World)
1.54 - Prodigal Son (Killers)
1.56 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
1.58 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
1.62 - Judas Be My Guide (Fear of the Dark)
1.62 - The Clairvoyant (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
1.67 - Out of the Shadows (A Matter of Life and Death)
1.68 - Man on the Edge (The X Factor)
1.68 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)
1.69 - Strange World (Iron Maiden)
1.82 - Drifter (Killers)
1.83 - The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (Brave New World)
1.83 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.84 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
1.86 - Back in the Village (Powerslave)
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)
2.10 - Blood on the World's Hands (The X Factor)
2.19 - Genghis Khan (Killers)
2.20 - Lightning Strikes Twice (Virtual XI)
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)
2.36 - Run Silent, Run Deep (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.50 - The Duelists (Powerslave)
2.72 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
2.82 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
2.87 - The Ides of March (Killers)
2.89 - The Aftermath (The X Factor)
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)
3.26 - The Educated Fool (Virtual XI)
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 - Tears of a Clown (The Book of Souls)
n/a - The Great Unknown (The Book of Souls)
n/a - The Man of Sorrows (The Book of Souls)
n/a - The Red and the Black (The Book of Souls)
n/a - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)

Albums

Spoiler

Iron Maiden 6/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 6 Top 100: 26
Killers 9/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 3 Top 50: 11 Top 100: 41
The Number of the Beast 4/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 16
Piece of Mind 4/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 19
Powerslave 4/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 6 Top 100: 18
Somewhere in Time 3/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 4 Top 100: 20
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 4/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 7 Top 100: 24
No Prayer For the Dying 10/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 1 Top 50: 7 Top 100: 23
Average Rating: 6.67 Average Deviation: 2.11
Fear of the Dark 10/12 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 27
The X Factor 9/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 4 Top 50: 7 Top 100: 44
Virtual XI 7/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 1 Top 50: 9 Top 100: 13
Brave New World 3/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 1 Top 100: 11
Dance of Death 8/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 37
A Matter of Life and Death 4/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 3 Top 100: 18
The Final Frontier 6/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 27
The Book of Souls 7/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6

 

[LooseCannon]

I take it it's not Killers, then?

As in Killers, the title track of the album Killers?

 

[Lampwick 43]

As in Killers, the title track of the album Killers?

It's gotta be Killers with the title track.

 

[The Flash]

Lord of Light is an immense song. Easily Top 20 material.