The X Factor Awards

Diesel 11

Diesel 11

As you scream into the web of silence...
In the style of @Aces_High 's two threads for TBOS and Powerslave, I'd like to do something similar for The X Factor, just for fun and stuff.

Best song:
Worst song:
Surprisingly good song:
Most disappointing song:
Best moment:
Song that makes you the most nostalgic:

Best lyrics:
Best line:
Best first line:
Best verse:

Best title:

Best intro:
Best outro:

Blaze's best performance:

Best chorus:
Best pre-chorus:

Most catchy song:
Best melody:
Best bridge:
Best instrumental:

Best guitar solo:

Best main riff:

Man of the match:

Best song: "Lord of the Flies"
Worst song: "Man on the Edge"
Surprisingly good song: "The Edge of Darkness"
Most disappointing song: "Man on the Edge"
Best moment: The instrumental of "Sign of the Cross"
Song that makes you the most nostalgic: "Lord of the Flies"

Best lyrics: "The Aftermath"
Best line: "Once a plowman hitched his team; here he sowed his little dream..."
Best first line: "I don't care for this world anymore!"
Best verse: Anything from "Lord of the Flies"

Best title: "Sign of the Cross"

Best intro: "Sign of the Cross"
Best outro: "Sign of the Cross"

Blaze's best performance: "Lord of the Flies"

Best chorus: "Lord of the Flies"
Best pre-chorus: "Lord of the Flies"

Most catchy song: "Man on the Edge"
Best melody: The instrumental of "The Unbeliever"
Best bridge: I dunno...
Best instrumental: Tie between "Sign Of The Cross" and "The Unbeliever"

Best guitar solo: "2 AM"

Best main riff: "Lord of the Flies"

Man of the match: Blaze Bayley
 
Best song: "Sign of the Cross"
Worst song: "2 AM"
Surprisingly good song: "Look For the Truth"
Most disappointing song: "The Aftermath"
Best moment: "The Unbeliever" (the transition from Janick's solo to Dave's)
Song that makes you the most nostalgic: "Sign of the Cross"

Best lyrics: "Sign of the Cross"
Best line: "Sign of the Cross" ("Praying to God won't keep me alive")
Best first line: "Sign of the Cross" ("Eleven saintly shrouded men...")
Best verse: "Sign of the Cross"

Best title: "Blood On the World's Hands"

Best intro: "Sign of the Cross"
Best outro: "Sign of the Cross"

Blaze's best performance: "Blood On the World's Hands"

Best chorus: "Man On the Edge"
Best pre-chorus: "Man On the Edge"

Most catchy song: "Man On the Edge"
Best melody: any from "Sign of the Cross"
Best bridge: probably "Sign of the Cross"
Best instrumental: "Sign of the Cross"

Best guitar solo: no idea

Best main riff: "Lord of the Flies"

Man of the match: Blaze Bayley, for giving his best and trying to keep it together when the rest of the band seemed tired and considerably uninterested.
 
Best song: Lord of the Flies
Worst song: 2 A.M.
Surprisingly good song: Look for the Truth (It's been many years since I first heard the album, so I don't remember if there were any surprises, but it seems like most people don't like this one, and I genuinely love it)
Most disappointing song: 2 A.M.
Best moment: Judgement of Heaven's instrumental part
Song that makes you the most nostalgic: Lord of the Flies

Best lyrics: The Aftermath
Best line: "After the war that no one has won, I'm just a soldier" - The Aftermath
Best first line: "I don't care for this world anymore" - Lord of the Flies
Best verse: First verse of The Aftermath

Best title: Sign of the Cross

Best intro: Sign of the Cross
Best outro: Sign of the Cross

Blaze's best performance: The Aftermath

Best chorus: Lord of the Flies
Best pre-chorus: Sign of the Cross

Most catchy song: Lord of the Flies
Best melody: The melody in the middle of Judgement of Heaven (before "All of my life now I have believed")
Best bridge: Judgement of Heaven, perhaps
Best instrumental: Judgement of Heaven!

Best guitar solo: Dave's in Sign of the Cross

Best main riff: Lord of the Flies

Man of the match: Blaze is definitely a worthy contender - solid performance on his first album, and the material very much suits his voice. However, I'll hand the MotM-award to Steve, for tackling a divorce, the death of his father and Bruce leaving, and channeling everything into making a dark, brooding masterpiece.
 
Best song: "Blood On The World's Hands"

Worst song: "Look For The Truth"

Surprisingly good song: "2 A.M."

Most disappointing song: "Judgement Of Heaven", for the worst vocal performance on the album. (Honorable mention to "The Edge Of Darkness" for having all the makings of a great song, but falling way short of the mark.)

Best moment: See "best verse" below.

Song that makes you the most nostalgic: N/A

Best lyrics: "The Edge Of Darkness" (though it has a few of the worst lyrics, too)

Best line: "Here I am, the knife in my hand, and now I understand why the genius must die"

Best first line: "All my dark dreams drift like smoke in the breeze"

Best verse: "Now I stand alone in darkness / With his blood upon my hands / Where sat the warrior, the poet / Now lie the fragments of a man"

Best title: "Blood On The World's Hands"

Best intro: "Blood On The World's Hands"

Best outro: "2 A.M."

Blaze's best performance: "Blood On The World's Hands"

Best chorus: "2 A.M."

Best pre-chorus: "Sign Of The Cross"

Most catchy song: "Lord Of The Flies"

Best melody: The clean guitar melody at the beginning of "The Aftermath"

Best bridge: "The Aftermath"

Best instrumental: "The Unbeliever"

Best guitar solo: "Look For The Truth" second solo, (~4:05), though none of the solos on the album are particularly great.

Best main riff: N/A. All the main riffs on this album are boring and forgettable.

Man of the match: Dave Murray, for hanging in there with a smile while surrounded by a borderline incompetent singer, a sloppy and derivative second guitarist, and an egomanical bass player who couldn't recognize his own weaknesses as a songwriter and a producer.
 
Best song: Lord of the Flies
Worst song: Man on the Edge
Surprisingly good song: 2 AM for being a dark yet heartfelt ballad in the way Maiden never did before or would do again
Most disappointing song: None really, although Man on the Edge falls short of what it's trying to do. Alternately Fortunes of War because here the weak production shows the most if you compare it to the live version.
Best moment: Too many to pinpoint one. Some that stick out are the slow build-up of Sign of the Cross, the vocal bridge leading up to the solo in The Aftermath, the bass solo in Blood on the World's Hands, the fade of The Unbeliever and many more.
Song that makes you the most nostalgic: Probably Judgement of Heaven

Best lyrics: Hard to choose, but I guess Look for the Truth
Best line: What is at home when the battles are done, after the war and when no-one has won?
Best first line: All my dark dreams drift like smoke in the breeze
Best verse: Tie between "Why then is god still protecting me/Even when I don't deserve it/Though I am blessed with an inner strength/Some they would call it a penance" and "You're searching in the dark, clutching at straws to find a way/You take the Tarot cards and throw them to the wind/You question your beliefs, your inner thoughts, your whole existence/And if there is a God then answer if you will"

Best title: Fortunes of War

Best intro: Blood on the World's Hands
Best outro: The Unbeliever

Blaze's best performance: Sign of the Cross

Best chorus: Lord of the Flies
Best pre-chorus: The Aftermath

Most catchy song: Lord of the Flies
Best melody: Hard to choose, but probably the vocal melody in the verses of Fortunes of War
Best bridge: The Aftermath
Best instrumental: Sign of the Cross or The Unbeliever

Best guitar solo: The Aftermath

Best main riff: Lord of the Flies

Man of the match: Steve for his most enduring and impeccable songwriting efforts
 
Best song: Lord of the Flies
Worst song: The Edge of Darkness
Surprisingly good song: 2 A.M.
Most disappointing song: The Unbeliever
Best moment: hard to choose, but probably the intro of Lord of the Flies
Song that makes you the most nostalgic: Sign of the Cross

Best lyrics: Lord of the Flies
Best line: "It's my final stand I make a fist out of heach hand"
Best first line: "I don't care about this world anymore"
Best verse: "Why then is god still protecting me/Even when I don't deserve it"

Best title: The Aftermath

Best intro: Lord of the Flies
Best outro: The Unbeliever

Blaze's best performance: Look for the Truth

Best chorus: 2 A.M.
Best pre-chorus: Lord of the Flies

Most catchy song: Lord of the Flies
Best melody: Lord of the Flies
Best bridge: 2 A.M.
Best instrumental: Man on the Edge

Best guitar solo: Lord of the Flies

Best main riff: Lord of the Flies

Man of the match: Harris
 
Best song: "Sign Of The Cross"

Worst song: "2 AM" (while being a good one)

Surprisingly good song: "Look For The Truth"

Most disappointing song: "The Unbeliever" or "2 AM" (for usurping Judgement Day's inclusion)

Best moment: entirety of Sign of the Cross

Song that makes you the most nostalgic: Fortunes Of War

Best lyrics: "Sign Of The Cross"

Best line: "And the guilty'll bleed when the moment comes/ They'll be coming to claim, take your soul away"

Best first line: "Eleven saintly shrouded men, Silhouettes stand against the sky "

Best verse:
"It's my final stand
I make a fist out of each hand
To the shadows of the past
Take a breath and I scream attack"

Best title: "Fortunes Of War"

Best intro: "Sign of the Cross"

Best outro: "Sign of the Cross"

Blaze's best performance: "Look For The Truth"

Best chorus: "Sign Of The Cross"

Best pre-chorus: "Sign Of The Cross"

Most catchy song: "Man on the Edge"

Best melody: 2nd movement of Fortunes Of War

Best bridge: "Judgement Of Heaven"

Best instrumental: "Sign Of The Cross"

Best guitar solo: "Sign Of The Cross"

Best main riff: "Man on the Edge"

Man of the match: Steve Harris
 
Last edited:
Best song: Judgement Of Heaven
Worst song: The Unbeliever
Surprisingly good song: 2 A.M.
Most disappointing song: Fortunes Of War
Best moment: the instrumental part of JOH

Best lyrics: Sign Of The Cross
Best line: ''Standing alone in the wind and rain, Feeling the fear that is growing''
Best verse: Lord Of The Flies

Best title: Lord Of The Flies

Best intro: Look For The Truth
Best outro: SOTC

Blaze's best performance: SOTC

Best chorus: JOH or LOTF
Best pre-chorus: SOTC

Most catchy song: Man On The Edge
Best melody: SOTC and JOH

Best bridge: The Unbeliever

Best instrumental: JOH

Best guitar solo: Janick's solo in The Aftermath or his solo in 2 A.M.

Best main riff: LOTF
 
Best song: Fortunes of War
Worst song: The Aftermath
Surprisingly good song: "Look For The Truth"
Most disappointing song: The Unbeliever (while I love it, it feels underdeveloped in parts-its plays as a rocker while its screaming to be an anthem)
Best moment: Heavy riffing throughout "Blood on the World's Hands", Blaze's vocal phrasing/inflection on Fortunes of War and Edge of Darkness
Song that makes you the most nostalgic:Lord of the Flies (guitar riffs are the most reminiscent of the grunge rock that was popular during that era)

Best lyrics: Look For The Truth
Best line: "I'm scarred for life, but it's not my flesh that's wounded" (Blaze's delivery plays a big part in this line's success)
Best first line: "Silently to silence fall In the fields of futile war"
Best verse:
"It's my final stand -I make a fist out of each hand
To the shadows of the past - Take a breath and I scream attack"
Best title: Blood on the World's Hands

Best intro: Sign of the Cross
Best outro: Fortunes of War

Blaze's best performance: "Look For The Truth"

Best chorus: Sign Of The Cross
Best pre-chorus: Sign Of The Cross

Most catchy song: Judgement of Heaven
Best melody: Instrumental/Solo sections of 2 A.M. - Blaze's passionate final repeat chorus deservers praise too
Best bridge: Blood On The World's Hands
Best instrumental: "Sign Of The Cross"

Best guitar solo: 2 A.M. (honorable mention to Davey's brief soaring snippet in "Edge of Darkness)

Best main riff: Blood On THe World's Hands

Man of the match: Blaze Bayley (TXF is a great instrumental album without him - but with him, the tortured inner workings of the subject matter in each song is revealed)
 
Last edited:
Honestly, I've been reading this old/and new thread and thinking, "boy, wouldn't this be fun for a panel discussion".
 
When is the first episode of the Maidenfans podcast being recorded?
 
Best : The opener
Worst : The closer
Good surprise : Lord of the flies
Bad surprise : The closer
Best moment : Breakdown on Blood on the World's Hands
Nostalgia : Look for the Truth

The Unbeliever is not a good song on the first listen. It comes in pieces and bad pieces come first. That instrumental section came as a surprise because you'd expect way better song to have it. The arrangement is not good, it's too fractured and some pieces are completely unremarkable and not worthy. On the other hand, Lord of the Flies is a song that Maiden have never done before, yet it just works. My nostalgia with Look for the Truth is just remembering other events from that period in my life when I connected to TXF as a whole.

Lyrics : The Aftermath
Line : "Once a ploughman hitches his team, here he sowed his little dream. Now bodies arms and legs are strewn where mustard gas and barbwire bloom"
First line : Aftermath...
Verse : "Standing alone in the wind and rain..."
Title : Blood on the World's Hands

Intro : Blood on the World's Hands
Outro : The Judgement Day

Blaze's best : Aftermath

Chorus (I'm getting pretty tired at this point and I won't be doing this for any other album probably. What a fucking chore) - Man on the Edge
Pre-chorus - Man on the Edge

Instrumetal/guitar solo - The Judgement Day
Melody/texture - Post-solo of 2.AM, the melody backed up by dark synth and acoustic bass.
Best riff - Fast stacatto bridge after second chorus in SOTC
Men of the match - Harris/McBrain
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top