The X-Factor or Virtual XI

Which album do you like better?

  • The X-Factor

    Votes: 59 72.8%

  • Virtual XI

    Votes: 22 27.2%
  • Total voters
    81
X Factor hands down. The songwriting is better and the dark atmosphere suits Bayley's voice much more. I like some songs off Virtual XI (Clansman, When Two Worlds Collide, Futureal) but there are some crappy songs on there too (Angel and the Gambler, DL2tEoaS) and it's just not as exciting overall.
 
X Factor. While it can be a slog at times, I think it's more exciting, experimental (in a good way) and atmospheric than VXI. To be fair though, the two albums are trying to be different things. On X Factor, it felt as though Steve was letting his mind wander wherever it wanted, and it resulted in a pretty dark and relatively challenging record. VXI is more of a traditional Maiden album, but unfortunately it was hobbled by some relatively poor songwriting - Angel+Gambler being the ultimate example.
 
Virtual XI, no question about it in my mind. Even if you cut out the several X Factor songs I can't hum a single memorable part of and pit my favourite 8 from each together, Virtual XI still wins pretty much track for track.
 
The X Factor, as it probably is somewhere in my Top 3. A unique experience in every way, it is a home to many beautiful and underrated, unappreciated and overall forgotten songs (The Unbeliever, The Edge of Darkess, 2 AM, Judgement of Heaven) + classics like Sign or Lord of the Flies. It's also very atmospheric and the first album of the "New Maiden" (VXI feels somewhat a retreat in that regard). Since the CD was not completely full, they could however spice it up with the B-side songs, to spice it up a bit; I'll be the first to agree the sequence Fortunes -> Look for the Truth -> The Aftermath is not one of the luckiest and having, for example, Live My Way between any of them would help diversify the mood a bit. Well, you can use custom playlists nowadays.

But that's a minor complaint. I still love it.
 
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frus said:
Yeah, X factor works better as a whole, kinda like Seventh Son
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I dont see any similarity with SSoaSS. The three songs I removed don't (in my opinion) enhance the album as much as increase the amount of plodding between the songs on it I like.

X Factor has a largely consistent mood/theme but said mood just bores me. Virtual XI has much more energy and is much more fun in my mind as a result.
 
Virtual XI is preferable to me because I can actually listen to it in full without becoming depressed or falling asleep. Also, the individual songs sound more like Maiden and it has better production than TXF.
 
Forostar said:
Nice to see praise for The Unbeliever, more than once on one and the same page!
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Well, maybe I'm wrong, but in my book The Unbeliever is one of the most "prog" songs they ever did. One of the most unique ones, too (the similarity with the "soul will fly" in Thin Line notwithstanding).
 
From an objective point of view i'd say TXF but, for some reason, i actually kind of prefer VXI. And i really can't explain why :confused:
 
OMG, this has to be the subject I am infamous for....
In my opinion - apart from the lyrics - TXF has to be one of the worse albums ever made. Poor drumming, lifeless songs, awful production / sound, some very unfortunate-to say the least- vocal deliveries.

I am rather keen on songs that never made their way to the album ( judgement day + Justice of the piece (although Blaze's delivery is incredibly bland)).

For some reason VXI, although it contains even worse drumming than TXF with almost no fills at all, is more energetic and enjoyable to my ears. However it surely contain some poor songs too.
 
VXI. The highlights (Futureal and Clansman) are, relatively speaking, of sufficient quality to make up for the sheer tedium of TAATG
 
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