The Writing On The Wall

How good is The Writing on the Wall on a scale of 1-10?

  • Total voters
    34
Edington said:
I'd assume that too (I think there's no question that he played the intro however), but there's very clearly three guitars playing that riff. If Adrian said he plays the low line and Janick plays the high one, then given Maiden's tendency to record live that obviously leaves Dave, I can't imagine him sitting that part out only for Adrian or Janick to lay down an acoustic track afterwards.
Click to expand...
I don't know, but they recorded the song in sections - like a lot of the songs from the album.
Live, the ''horn line'' riff (0:35-0:45 and after the chorus) is played by all three of them and the acoustic part underneath is omitted (like the outro licks), but the riff (0:24-0:35, the main one?) is played only by Adrian and Dave.
 
terrell39 said:
Lyrics remind me of the Doomsday is coming style of Darkside of Aquarius from Bruce's Accident of Birth
Click to expand...
And Adrian's solo has a "Man Of Sorrows'' (AOB ) vibe. Come to think of it, it could have been a song from this album, of course heavier, with a different melodic riff, more folky harmonies and a higher chorus. Something like a fusion of ''Welcome To The Pit'' and ''Machine Men''.

Adrian experimented with some heavy stuff in the 90's, but I think this is a song he always wanted to write for Maiden. He likes this style a lot. Even the Psycho Motel's song ''Western Shore'' (from 1995) hinted at that. He really made a unique song in the band's dicsography.
 
The music video for this song is Maiden's first-ever animated video (not CGI), but it seems there were plans for this kind of video back in 1988 for ''Can I Play With Madness'' - the info is from Adrian, I found this interview at random.

''We've been talking about making an animated video for a long while because it's something different and because we've never particularly enjoyed making videos''

Speaking of that hit single, Adrian also achieved another thing connected to it in Senjutsu - the original version of the song was a ballad and he finally wrote a full-on ballad in the form of ''Darkest Hour''.
 
When I first heard this song I was frankly a little worried about the rest of the album. It's a bit slower, more classic rock (almost southern rock), and the band really shows their age here. Fortunately, it's not representative of the entire album and I can find myself appreciating it more for what it is. Bruce brings out one of his best vocal contributions on the album, although I have to say lyrically it's not to the usual standard that I expect from him. Some of the lines are a bit goofy and the song isn't quite as evocative as something like Empire of the Clouds or Out of the Shadows, to name two more recent examples. But what this song lacks in prose it delivers in lead guitar work. Adrian puts in one of the best solos of his career, love when he stretches out like that. 8.
 
The guitar parts in this song sound a bit similar to The Writing On The Wall, or is it just me?

 
Last edited:
I just noticed something. The four bikers are actually five:
4:55 Eddie with the axe (Killers).
4:59 Eddie with the sickle (No Prayer for the Dying).
5:05 Cyborg Eddie with gun (Somewhere in Time).
5:11 Powerslave.
5:16 Book of Souls.

 
Don't know if mentioned before but I like how they hinted (a then upcoming new song) The Writing On The Wall on the poster of Legacy Of The Beast Tour '21. I wonder if they will do something similar for the next "big tour".

Screenshot_20240502-204501_Gallery.jpg
 
Niklas Strömstedt, "Om" released in 1990 (he is a famous pop artist in Sweden).

Did Adrian hear this track before composing "The Writing on the Wall"?
Or more likely, is it is another track that is the inspiration for both songs?

The only connection to Maiden that I can find is that Strömstedt played football against Maiden on the Virtual XI tour. :D
 
Last edited:
At first I wasn't a big fan of the song, but everything is class and feels perfect here. The acoustic intro sets the vibe perfectly and the whole intro is beautiful with the chords and the bass fills. Like two intros. The melodies are really catchy. Strong main riff, strong verses, pre-chorus and memorable simple chorus. The folky riff and the melody under the chorus are just awesome. Dave's solo is really good, but Adrian's long solo is one of his best! The guitar harmony is one of my favorites from this rich album. Janick's guitar licks are needed, like the drum fills. Something a bit different for Maiden, the structure is effective and the song is great live. Classic single-type of song. 10/10
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top