I am listening to all of them today. That's my goal.
The Worst of the Beast
- Thread starter greeneless
- Start date
Foro, I get what you are saying. And I was probably a little 'jaded' over the difference in the way the albums sounded. I should probably give them a try again. However, I do think that DOD and AMOLAD (also BNW) were great, and felt like what should have happened after SSOASS (IMO). I don't have any Blaze era stuff (and have been told to try, I will), but just commenting on the ones that I do know, Iron Maiden (the first album) through SSOASS were some of my fav albums of all time-- every band will have some album that isn't the best; its natural. Those two just aren't my best, tho I'll give them a shot again.
Cornfed Hick
Ancient Mariner
Just because most people think Romeo and Juliet isn't nearly as magnificent as Hamlet doesn't mean that someone is wrong in thinking that the former is one of their favorite Shakespeare plays, or that he won't be able to come up with completely valid arguments in support of that opinion. Bottom line, while there may be other explanations that contribute, as well, I think it's probably no accident that NPFTD and FOTD are not as highly regarded as other Iron Maiden albums. While each album does have some very good songs, neither is really a masterpiece. There is, of course, room for tastes to change -- Moby Dick was considered by many to be a failure when it was first published. I, for one, have grown fonder of the Blaze albums (though I stand by my earlier statements about Fortunes of War and Angel/Gambler). But, I still don't think they are masterpieces like the 80's albums, BNW or AMOLAD. Doesn't mean the 90's releases aren't good albums, and perhaps it is unfair to tag certain songs from those albums as "worst" (though The Apparition and Hooks in You are bad under any standard), but it's hard for me to think of many songs I wouldn't prefer to those.
Ardius
Trooper
Forostar said:
If thats true, then how did I get the general feeling that Blaze was the worst when I first started listening to Maiden (2004-2005) and talking to people about them? The problem is still there and still going very strongly. I regularly see bad comments made against TXF and VXI with no reasoning other than "its not Bruce" in several places.
I was one of the newbies who thought at first that those albums would be awful (because of the thousands of comments made in magazines, the internet and from friends), but after slowly buying their entire catalogue and getting to these albums I quickly realised that it was all nonsense. I didn't change my opinion because Blaze had gotten more recognition but because I enjoyed those albums. Now I realise not everyone did this, but I don't recall ever seeing many people praise the Blaze years at all even now (as in, in places other than Maiden fan sites).
Nigel Tufnel
Ancient Mariner
My least favorites
1. Quest for fire (Most awful song in the entire catalogue...A turd of such epic porportions, it should be opener on No Prayer)
2.The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (I hate Bruce's vocals on the verses)
3.The Mercenary (Chorus is tooooo repetative)
4. Anything off of No Prayer for the Dying (not kidding, truly awful album, I have'nt bought it on CD yet and don't plan on it anytime soon.)
5. Anything with Blayze (just kidding)
6. Angel and the Gambler (need I explain this one?)
7.The Pilgrim (I hate the intro...it sounds like something someone who is'nt really in a band would come up with and think that they just wrote "Smoke on the Water")
8. Dance of Death (sounds like they were experimenting with a fiddle player)
I made my list on by which tracks that I skip. I actually liked everything on Fear of the Dark. It was a fun album. Nothing really serious on it. Just they guys were jamming and having a good time. My worst of list is songs that I can't sit through. I hear or see the track number and I have to race to hit skip before I can hear too much of those songs because a great band like Maiden should'nt even have created these absolutly horrid songs.
1. Quest for fire (Most awful song in the entire catalogue...A turd of such epic porportions, it should be opener on No Prayer)
2.The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (I hate Bruce's vocals on the verses)
3.The Mercenary (Chorus is tooooo repetative)
4. Anything off of No Prayer for the Dying (not kidding, truly awful album, I have'nt bought it on CD yet and don't plan on it anytime soon.)
5. Anything with Blayze (just kidding)
6. Angel and the Gambler (need I explain this one?)
7.The Pilgrim (I hate the intro...it sounds like something someone who is'nt really in a band would come up with and think that they just wrote "Smoke on the Water")
8. Dance of Death (sounds like they were experimenting with a fiddle player)
I made my list on by which tracks that I skip. I actually liked everything on Fear of the Dark. It was a fun album. Nothing really serious on it. Just they guys were jamming and having a good time. My worst of list is songs that I can't sit through. I hear or see the track number and I have to race to hit skip before I can hear too much of those songs because a great band like Maiden should'nt even have created these absolutly horrid songs.
I think it's fair to remember that this forum has always encouraged people to go back and listen to the albums they originally weren't keen on it, be it Killers, The X Factor, or No Prayer For the Dying. However, I agree with CFH - our opinions are subjective, but many people believe the songs on NPFTD and FOTD aren't up to the level of, say, SSOASS.
Ardius, this forum has always been pro-Blaze, and most members here will tell you that The X Factor is in the top 3 Maiden albums. Perun will literally let you watch him masturbate to TXF. But this forum is a small bastion of sense in a wave of crap. I tend to agree with you.
Ardius, this forum has always been pro-Blaze, and most members here will tell you that The X Factor is in the top 3 Maiden albums. Perun will literally let you watch him masturbate to TXF. But this forum is a small bastion of sense in a wave of crap. I tend to agree with you.
Ardius, I felt the same way till I came on this forum, about the Blaze stuff. Guess it depends if you are more of a 'Bruce' fan or a 'Maiden' fan.
And, CFH, I agree with what you are saying. Thats a good example, using Shakespeare!
And, CFH, I agree with what you are saying. Thats a good example, using Shakespeare!
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
I am not into Shakespeare (I have seen The Merchant of Venice though and I liked it. 
). But I don't know which works are rated the highest or the lowest. I don't know which works are performed the most. I have never seen a poll on his works, so I can't compare it to this subject.
Just for the record: I never meant to say that these early nineties-albums are masterpieces. I just think that out of all Maiden albums these are neglected (whatever the term: choose a term in my previous post and see which you like best) the most, also by the band themselves.
I have the idea some disliking "might" (see how careful I have become now ) have to do with never having witnessed these tracks on stage. Apart from FOTD and in a few cases BYDTTS.
@Ardius: Thousands of comments.... in 2004/2005? Isn't that a bit exaggerated?
). But I don't know which works are rated the highest or the lowest. I don't know which works are performed the most. I have never seen a poll on his works, so I can't compare it to this subject. Just for the record: I never meant to say that these early nineties-albums are masterpieces. I just think that out of all Maiden albums these are neglected (whatever the term: choose a term in my previous post and see which you like best) the most, also by the band themselves.
I have the idea some disliking "might" (see how careful I have become now
) have to do with never having witnessed these tracks on stage. Apart from FOTD and in a few cases BYDTTS.@Ardius: Thousands of comments.... in 2004/2005? Isn't that a bit exaggerated?
Dr. Eddies Wingman
Brighter than thousand_suns
Just to follow up this discussion, I'm listening to No Prayer right now. Tailgunner is a catchy song, no doubt about that. Holy Smoke is a bit of a letdown - but I really enjoy playing the opening riff myself.
PS; I've now listened to the first 5 tracks of the album. How come people dislike Fates Warning? It's great! But now for one of the real stinkers ... and even that one has its moments.
PS; I've now listened to the first 5 tracks of the album. How come people dislike Fates Warning? It's great! But now for one of the real stinkers ... and even that one has its moments.
Well, I crunched the numbers in the IMC polls.
The worst album, as voted by Maidenfans:
Fear of the Dark, with an average song rating of 3.40.
The best album is Powerslave, with an average song rating of 4.52.
The best song is Hallowed Be Thy Name, with a rating of 4.95.
The worst song is Chains of Misery, with a rating of 2.27.
The worst album, as voted by Maidenfans:
Fear of the Dark, with an average song rating of 3.40.
The best album is Powerslave, with an average song rating of 4.52.
The best song is Hallowed Be Thy Name, with a rating of 4.95.
The worst song is Chains of Misery, with a rating of 2.27.
Dr. Eddies Wingman
Brighter than thousand_suns
Crap. I'm a disappointingly average Maiden fan, then ... if I remember correctly, Powerslave shares 1st with 7th Son on my album rating, whereas FOTD is last ... Hallowed is one of my top 5 songs and Chains of Misery is in my bottom 5. In addition to this, I'm white, heterosexual, male, I prefer beer to colourful drinks, I wear blue jeans and I don't dye my hair. I must be an incredibly boring man.
There really aren't any massive surprises, except that I discovered that Maverick is a cheating bastard and that someone up-voted The Wicker Man about a thousand times.
Yeah, he's in company with me! Luckily for him, you don't fit the category.
Look For the Truth - 114/134, rated 3.59
The Angel and the Gambler - 121/134, rated 3.29
Judgement of Heaven - 90/134, rated 4.00
Blood on the World's Hands - 94/134, rated 3.98
Chains of Misery - 134/134, rated 2.27
Weekend Warrior - 119/134, rated 3.41
Heaven Can Wait - 103/134, rated 3.75
New Frontier - 126/134, rated 2.84
Hooks in You - 133/134, rated 2.29
Quest For Fire - 120/134, rated 3.39
The Angel and the Gambler - 121/134, rated 3.29
Judgement of Heaven - 90/134, rated 4.00
Blood on the World's Hands - 94/134, rated 3.98
Chains of Misery - 134/134, rated 2.27
Weekend Warrior - 119/134, rated 3.41
Heaven Can Wait - 103/134, rated 3.75
New Frontier - 126/134, rated 2.84
Hooks in You - 133/134, rated 2.29
Quest For Fire - 120/134, rated 3.39
Cornfed Hick
Ancient Mariner
When I saw the reference to Chains of Misery as being the lowest rated song, my first reaction was, "what the hell is that?" While The Apparition, which comes right after it on the FOTD album, obviously made an impression on me (albeit a terrible one), Chains of Misery apparently made no impression on me at all, as I had completely forgotten its very existence. I listened to it again, and I still say The Apparition is far worse. I also forgot how much I hated From Here To Eternity -- add that to the list.
EDIT: It occurred to me that Iron Maiden could have simply made FOTD a 7-track album and it would have been much better. At 36 minutes, which is very short for Iron Maiden but not unprecedented, we could have had an album consisting of: Be Quick or Be Dead, Afraid To Shoot Strangers, Childhood's End, Wasting Love, The Fugitive, Judas Be My Guide and the title track. Still not a masterpiece, but pretty good, and a hell of lot more satisfying than the current tracklist. I'll just pretend the rest are "bonus tracks" and burn a CD without them.
EDIT: It occurred to me that Iron Maiden could have simply made FOTD a 7-track album and it would have been much better. At 36 minutes, which is very short for Iron Maiden but not unprecedented, we could have had an album consisting of: Be Quick or Be Dead, Afraid To Shoot Strangers, Childhood's End, Wasting Love, The Fugitive, Judas Be My Guide and the title track. Still not a masterpiece, but pretty good, and a hell of lot more satisfying than the current tracklist. I'll just pretend the rest are "bonus tracks" and burn a CD without them.