Tron's Maiden Countdown - ROTAM and AMOLAD win

Re: Tron's Maiden Countdown!

stopped typing, mustve reached the limit... blaze at his best in a powerful low voice matchingthe dark moving instruments and the harmonising voices being of a higher tone to blaze worked great almost saying its ok your not where you want to be now but theres hope. i cant see any particular weak points and its a blaze song that does mould together properly and matches up. but not my kind of theme, not big on the sortof im depressed woe is me themes of someone having a bit of a moan. oh i found a fault  :p

#96 - Back in the Village - the second worst song on powerslave, i get grapped by that raw guitar intro then swept into bruces story by the sweeping drums like a clipclop of hooves of a rogue coming to town. a great song from his point of view and a very boistrous tone on the lyrical sound that gets carried through. some different guitar work and it all works well, im a particular fan of the solo around 2:30 (make that both the main solos)but overall the instrumental section is wanting something more flowing. maybe that desert like tune from TMWWBK :)          a nice catchy song overall thats bloody catchy and im always singing to myself. nothing too special though so he sits right here.
Night Prowler said:
No huge blasphemies here, except for the fact you place HIY higher than Phantom, Seventh Son, Loneliness, Remember Tomorrow etc. :D
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well when you say it like that  :lol: theyre really different songs and HIY is good at being what it is (a bit of joke and fun) but of most of those theyre considered epic and for that i expect complexity in bucketloads a captivating story that matches and nomestop entertainment... phew :p for some of them i dont get that.
 
Re: Tron's Maiden Countdown!

  Ill have to agree no real blasphemy here.  Maybe Hooks in you is a bit high, and Back in the village a bit low.  Prodigal son is a great work.  Davey has stated it as one of the only songs that he sees as having come out "exactly how they envisioned it".  It is a classic and I would have PS in the top 50.  The Educated fool/sun and steel are classics as well and may be a smidge low...over all good placements and you get another praise brother.  Keep it up!!
 
Re: Tron's Maiden Countdown!

I thought Total Eclipse was the best performance by Bruce in TNOTB. He sings those high Ds' without any effort and the guitar solo was fast but not sloppy at all. Opinions are opinions and I can't wait to see the top 50 and see what reaction this gives.
 
Re: Tron's Maiden Countdown!

A good bunch, besides The Educated Fool and Strange World.
 
Re: Tron's Maiden Countdown!

Tron, am I close when I say I have the idea that you're not much into lengthy, dark / (doomy) atmospheric songs, released in the eighties and nineties? You might like some of them, but Maiden made more and they really ended up low in the list.

The following could even be a better guess:

You especially prefer the songs Maiden made with the current line-up (you mentioned less than 5 of them up til now!).
In fact, I'm going to count the amount of 2000-2010 songs in your top 50, to see if I'm right.
 
Re: Tron's Maiden Countdown!

i agree total eclipse is a bloody good song, no faulta with it but being faultless doesnt make it perfect ... :huh:

uh oh i think foro has read my mind. those eyes have looked into my soul.  with the 80s-90s big atmospheric songs they feel often a bit empty and wanting just something. the success for me of the current line up and their epics have to effect that, the three guitar attack makes it bloody hard to come up with an uninspired section. and im sure youll see that not all the old epics are placed quite so low  ;)

either way today were on the 8s, yay! ill post a bit later when i wake up
 
Re: Tron's Maiden Countdown!

Ok much later, when im preparing to go to bed then  ::)   and just realised not into the 8s til #69

#95 - Man on the Edge - I like the intro, the slow thoughtful guitar before the pace setting drums. Falling down falling down falling down... a nice fast song to show off Blazes party side  :lol: i kind of strangely enjoy blazes fast paced rockers, they sound unique and untamed in a nice way. so does the here music with guitars running away from the pace and zigzagging all over i a way that helps rather than hinders and doesnt do the X factor thing of following the drums the whole way. A particularly mad solo i assume being Janick that matches this song well so is actually a plus so good job there but making a song about Falling down (movie not the action) i find a bit out of nowhere and not that interesting of a movie really nor my kind of story. Oh plus you dont get more metal than a lyric paralleling birthday presents and cannibal state  :edmetal: TXF writing at its best.

#94 - The Fallen Angel - Brave new world says Hi. I cant get to grasps with what this one is telling me, Bruce sounds overstrained in an awkward scream in some parts and the chorus sounds so underenthused that its disturbing and it continues. I probably could place it lower if not for the great instrumental section near the end of the song, from it beginning its filled with brilliant guitar work almost jamming in battle with the drums and the inspired guitar lives on behind the lyrics afterward. The drums are punchy keeping it all alive despite poor lyrics, the yea-ah at the end seems so out of place it actually becomes a positive  :huh:

#93 - The Prisoner - drum lead intro that i think should have been half as long and increasing in pace and gaining more melody. Bruce sounding full of energy and entering the brilliant chorus that i think as with Sun and steel is probably the main draw for this song overall i think the pattern of instruments repeats a bit too much and its all a bit linear on that front of course it being a straight rocker. Im not a massive fan of the soloing and i find it a bit fast and not all that complex in the first part but getting betterbefore becoming a bit shrill and not all that pleasing almost just being mindless shredding toward the end. But oh that chorus and so obviously from tNotB with such distinctive classic sound from the lineup

#92 - Chains of Misery - Not bruces best singing but i quite like him with a more raspy edge on his voice, and here he shows he can vary them with the rasp breaking into high melody for building sections. The Instuments are fairly basic but match the lyrics well and i find that a song holding together well is alot more important than singular complexity. The bit i love is the section following the chains of misery at 1:53 with Bruce giving a mock emotional drawn note into some great guitar work almost flowing from his body then let down slightly by returning to the plodding lyrics and an ok end. One of those guilty pleasures, i know it should be lower somewhere but i cant convince myself i dont like it enough to be here.  :bigsmile:

#91 - Purgatory - back to the gritty sound of maiden/killers and their dirty party soundtrack. i wouldve loved to be born soon enough to see one of the early shows  -_-   anyway i great intro into a light melody that carries you into the extra fast bulk of the song fillied with the typical NWOBHM energy with a chorus thats lead into amazingly and fits so seemlesly with the song. at points the sound is empty as with please take me away take me... and could usean extra melody to keep up the impressive pace rather than just dropping it but regardless one of the songs on killers that dont feel completely recycled to me.


Album #12 - No Prayer for the Dying -
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There are some tracks on here like Holy smoke that a like for their cheeky approach to criticising both religion and politics and altogether its a more edgy album thematicaly which drags up its ratings. However the musical content as a whole is largely uninspired and began somewhat of a downward slope from seventh son in that sense. the sound in some places seems to try and emulate powerslave in my opinion but lacking the complexity and coming off sounding very simple aswell as there being no bass work that i can ever remember standing out anywhere. Overall it feels a bit underthought, an attempt to emulate past melodies poorly (perhaps Janick couldnt perform as intricately as H had) rather than moving forward along with most songs being rather tongue in cheek rather than trying to create anything truly important. A lot of catchy little songs that mostly drop below par for maiden giving a score of 6.8
 
Re: Tron's Maiden Countdown!

Are you sure you wanted me to post on this, Tron? Because you seem to be baiting me, putting Prisoner at 93 - top 5 for me, if not top 3. Oy. We definitely diverge here!!!!
 
Re: Tron's Maiden Countdown!

An out of nowhere family excursion and my internet going down means theres a massive 3 updates to do today. ill try not to decrease quality as a result.

#90 - The Nomad - Overall feeling very powerful but a bit basic. an intro of repeating guitar over an ill inspired drum and rythm. Bruce also doesnt sound overinspired but it has a nice mysterious sound around it and the guitarwork help it build to a beautiful section where brucey exploads noomaad and then an equally inspired solo. for me this part shows the kind of instrumentals and powerful voice that could lift the bland areas of TMWWBK with them having such a similar distant desert like sound and feel. Overall it demonstrates their new approach to music and has some brilliant progressive guitar work that just lift and lift throughout but isnt one of the greats but is very grand.

#89 - Lord of the Flies - A brilliant mix of fast paced and slow and building to accomidate for Blazes singing style. Builds into a cruising melody and Blaze  sounds so relaxed and emotive than many other tracks, then more building to a similar section just building the suspense up until the chorus saints and sinners which is a beautiful light section emerging from the dark description of the story behind it. then into a complimentary solo but not a fan of Blaze woahoahs  :blush: then a less uniform beaut and melody with the closing lyric and end. A nice little diamond in the rough and not even Brucey can pull that one off any better.

#88 - The Clairvoyant - The intro is amazing, nothing works badly with Bruce dreamily describing a vision of a confusing future building levels of imagery that i feel is lost by the chorus that is very harsh and haults the flow of the lyric way too much making it jerky and awkward needing to be carried out by another amazing section of instrumental andsolo dropping into more story building. The song continues in his pattern for me with a near perfect piece of work being brutally disturbed by a poorly suited chorus. It still is a great song though. however i dont fnd it as impressive as a live track and is almost lost in the setlist.

#87 - The Ides of March - some great pulsing guitar with rolling drums bilding dramatically and slowly to a release over the guitar in a high melody that runs over fast military-esque drumming builds holding a tangible emotion slowly into a light fade which is then amazingly taken over by wrathchild. All i can critisize is its too short and the amazing work moves almost immediately on to the medial album that is Killers.

#86 - Fates Warning - More emotional melody to begin which we can always rely on, then energy beginning the bulk of the songs. Bruce sounds sincere in his performance and moves alongside the driving guitar not above or below it. Speaking from a detached mystical view about the views of fate in an interesting way but not very crypticly as i like from him. Then solos sprout out that sound ok... then a sudden end. Again not a masterpiece but with bits working better holding the whole.

#85 - The Edge of Darkness - Slow dark entrance with background helicopter sounds, could this be themed around war? yhup. Describing the horrors of war and trauma looking into the abyss. Frustration building as the music does as hes there through obligation. Melody taking over with a strangely briliant and unstructured Blaze song that i bloody love then further brilliant guitardown to the slow plod of war once more having been made a soldier of war and out again to the helicopter. I understand its somewhat a masterpeice, especially by blaze maiden but as with its album it not a song i could listen at any time. Maybe even i under rate it.

#84 - The Mercenary - Very energetic but little content in all fairness. it has a nice flow with nicely held long notes which i love about Bruces later voice. The drums move well with the lyrics, beating with every other word then a pretty good instrumental section, firstly a solo i find overdone leading into the flowing melody once more and then show them no fear. it runs on but is very listenable despite lower content of the other songs from the album. ts powerful despite.

#83 - Sea of Madness - One of the songs that mystical effect over bruces voice comes across as pleasant, it all flows brilliantly with building image if not a bit drawn out until the amazing solo at 2:30. From this a peacefull section begins with bruce building a breathtaking climax over into a rolling section that could befit the song better and doesnt very well after the melody in the middle. here i think the drums should have been a bit lower in the mix because of how the guitar and vocals soar together beautifulyespecially at the end.

#82 - The Duellist - Fast paced and exciting but of the songs from powerslave i dont feel took as much effort to give birth to  :innocent: regardless the tone of powerslave is so classicly mixed and here the driving drums and multi-voiced wooah make it much more involved than the last of the album i posted. it chok full of fun melody again with that gungho spirit to combat from the 80s songs. and n the middle the way guitars split some taking the rythm and remaining high in the mix with a new melody over it is great however there are many empty feeling sections around later on before back into the vocals for a dramatic end. nice.

#81 - Wildest Dreams - Works great live as i found last year, i at first thought it very straight and a bit too lyrically isnt life great but i appreciate it more now. very nice light guitar all over the place and Bruce sounds like the star in this one being very clear and high in the mix. the guitar through the chorus perfectly fluttering around in time. Lyrically i still find it too straight but the music behind it a bit above what is expected of such an opening rocker and feels like the energy is perfectly directed. the solo pops in as a great release to it and bruce builds the pace back in good voice but it all sounds very clean. much better live.

#80 - Weekend Warrior - For me ill call it a bit of a rocker that goes on too long and i find it has a bit of charm. its punchy and in that converting raspy voice im a fan of. Rather than around a big concept it goes back to like the writing of the early 80s being a personal issue. just not as serious as say being a prowler  :lol: I love the solo which comes from nowhere but is very interesting. then moving in to merge with the rest of the music at a higher pace. its not atall complex and ill probably be hung and quartered for putting it up here but i like it and i never used to.

#79 - Run to the Hills - Im not going to write about the music much, we all know it gallops great run to the hills is as much tied with maiden as eddie and mostof the band and it becomes part of the family. it works great but boy have we heard it alot, i think i have at least 10 versions on my ipod and through plain overplaying it only got a high 7 and resides here. Good live track however

#78 - Twilight Zone - a groovy almost swing intro with drums rolling into the song. it all just feels so beautifully retro and has some really perfectly tailored music around it grooving around the high building lyrics that pop in and out. I love paul in this one and the melody of his voice in the chorus that sits perfectly centre stage in the complimentary instruments. In early songs like this im happy to see the back of the kind of dirty playing like prowler as it would butcher this number (great on prowler though).

#77 - Sanctuary - A section of Iron Maiden songs now, Both of these to me sound very similar and both involve running i suppose also, The instruments have that house band gritty sound and brilliant powerful soloing sprouting after the first chorus. it all follows a grand melody with interesting little sounds here and there of police activity. Paul puts performancevalue on it straining in parts and then ending with a building guitar section and a defiant ending. Golden

#76 - Running Free - As above very house band which is a redeeming factor with maiden because its their roots, this one comes out above sanctuary for it an a sense being their story, having little money and going out putting everything into making musi for people. Its also a nce one live having that repeatable drum section to repeat for any form of mucking about. Seen them three times and also heard it thrice at them. Im a bit tired of it live after the same encore but its a good one and its jumpy sound and fun energy is really refreshing despite its gritty style.

My quality dropped off there, sorry its geting late and alot of songs to get through (wipe the sweat from my brow)...(its just the fear, this is quite a post now)  ::)    anyway album time... just a quick one i think.

Album #11 - Fear of the Dark
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Contains some gems including a certain live staple that nobody ever gets sick of hearing on the forum  :innocent:, Judas be my Guide and Afraid to Shoot Strangers but other than that its a song of many and memorable of a few. A few are ok like that above but WW does dip and dive frequently and i expect to like it less over time. I think this symbolises the creative drying up of that lineup and leading to the following years ofreinventing the music. It all begins to get pretty dark and reinventing old sounds that works occasionaly but doesnt create an important album in its own right. Still when its good its bloody great.
In addition until my internet is sorted out i might not be too reliable but will stay on schedule making up for any days i miss.
 
Re: Tron's Maiden Countdown!

In my opinion The Nomad, The Clairvoyant, Sea of Madness, The Mercenary and Run to the Hills should be much higher but other than that  :ok:
 
Re: Tron's Maiden Countdown!

#75 - Stranger in a Strange Land - deep driving waves of guitar beginning and all sounding distant and mysterious suiting the strange theme of the song. Bruce sounds a bit detached and could be a bit more emotive i think playing it as someone lost. brilliant guitar drives every part with drums backing it all up. on of those songs thats always full of interesting beat and melody. the instrumental from 3:20 is one of my favourites and a real traveller im not a big fan of the ending as it doesnt really add much to the story but ah well.

#74 - Where Eagles Dare - that brilliant drum intro signalling the entry of McBrain. fast pace with the drums carrying the song along throughout in a huge manner. really nickos song. The guitars serve to enhance the drum work in my ears rather than running off on their own until the soloing at the 2min mark and Bruce soars above that with powerful voice. a bit of a long drum section that doesnt really add anything and couldve been compacted. back into the lyrics the escape of the eagles and a screamy high note to end for good measure.

#73 - Journeyman - a really interesting one with maiden opting for the acoustic orchestral version they'd dropped to singles with the other songs. Thank goodness they did because it works so much better than the electric version. the avoustic sounds relay more emotion, a risky move to play it live but as a oneoff experiment its brilliant. the instruments are so descript of the story with the driving flow of orchestra. bruce is powerful here with the emotion also adding strain which helps add feeling like with drives the mist away and it all comes together and comes of as pretty much exactly how it shouldve sounded, sitting as one of the better songs of DoD. the repeating i know what i want... etc gets a bit much by the end but thats only minor.

#72 - Childhoods End - very atmospheric start with towering pulses drum? thats fast. then bruce comes in with probably his most convincing and clear vocal of the album. after the first section of vocal instruments carry the story on meeting again with a chorus to the quick original drums and then some great soloing and a janick solo i actually like (theres no way thats not janick) and then a more controlled section of davey guitar wrapping with other melodies leading to an equally spacious reflective sounding end.

#71 - The Pilgrim - HOLYheck, amolads in this countdown? i find this the easy worst song. it has a great pace but very straight and little to say there. bruces story here is more the importance and it is bloody powerful raise me up take me home power erupting from nowhere throughout in addition to dark melody kingdom of heaven to hell that gives a great balance and in some way sews the song to the dark thematic ladder of amolad. another solo i believe of janick im a fan of and then a predictable ending but amazing fir such a musically basic song.
 
Re: Tron's Maiden Countdown!

The Clairvoyant should be much higher IMO! Otherwise good choices :)
 
Re: Tron's Maiden Countdown!

Yeh, did I miss it? (can't be bothered looking back), The Clairvoyant is a nice song. Lovely Davey lead work. Perhaps higher, if it's already appeared.
 
Re: Tron's Maiden Countdown!

  Dude I totally had to laugh to myself when I saw Stranger and Where Eagles Dare behind Childhoods End..wow!!  That is way out there!!  But you laid out some nice points about all three, and its all good.  I actually pulled up childhoods end and gave it a closer listen.  Such a cool song really, but better than Stranger and WED??  haha... awesome job Tronster,  looking forward to the top 70!!
 
Re: Tron's Maiden Countdown!

Im baaaaack, another three days it is then  :lol:

#70 - Mother Of Mercy - Ill repeat myself a bit in saying it suffers from being a war track amidst many much better war epics by the band. Not naming any just for now. regardless it has a nice slow intro building to a battle with beautifully held tones by bruce and as the instruments build asif a building mood for a battle a new area of war music is ventured. MoM more in depth ventures into the view of a holy man in the warzone and though such themes have been touched on this really hammers it home. I love the playing here and it is really atmospheric, however i can think of others that are better in that respect (PFD,  :innocent:). There is something unique about this sound and possibly more suited to becoming and epic than remaining a bit short and punchy like it ended up. The last lyrics are really strong and tell the whole story in a big rounded powerful manner, thats how to finish.

#69 - To Tame a Land - A slow suspense building intro with drums and bass rythms sneaking in with a very mystical sound. Then all start and the ride begins. The bass carries the song here for me clearly which creates a nice earthy sound Bruce handles the lyrics well with the pace and the Melodies moving over with the guitars are lovely and after the first area of lyrics take over moving the sound higher and lower before down into a darker sound with building voice and insturments exploding into a powerful trademark Bruce highnote/scream. Havent got a clue about the story having not read Dune as was mentioned on another countdown i believe but its a technically great song running away at the end into a fast energetic all round brilliant instrumental section.

#68 - Moonchild - I unique spaceage building intro then drum beat into the song. All high energy and mystical, again not a clue what its about but the imagery of evil lucifers my name along with high haunting melody makes it great despite not being a typical opener and being more an album track than standalone. Its packed with thoughtful melody and nothing seems atall wasted. The lyrics move like a big encoded imagery story i havent delved into yet but sounds spinetingling and the soloing section moves from slow flowing melody to fast yet controlled near shredding. Damn thats sweet

#67 - Flight of Icarus - A big drum driven one, a real good song for tapping your feet to with its so distinct rythm. I used to think it lurched along this rythm but now i like it and how it carries at a suspended controlled pace toward that great release fllyyyyy though that still feels heldback like there should be more of a release to come with the follow up solo. A great practice in holding a listeners attention then another chorus before a more harsh section of lyric then one last brilliant solo before fly as high as the sun. Not very long but nor is flying too high and then falling to earth aflame (thats what happens when eddie gets a flamethrower)

#66 - Wrathchild - An amazing show of basswork. I love the bass in this and how its so powerful in moving the music, The drums are merely noticed for the high cymbals. Paul suits the lyrics perfectly grittily grunting Wrathchild. A very balanced pace but that bass could repeat in my ears all day and id not get over it, the sound drops before being carried back away with powerful guitar and the whole song is a showboat of the early power of the band and that killers had some good songs.  ;)

#65 - Fortunes of War - A brilliant atmosphere set by the intro with a spacious light melody before again being balanced by Blazes barrotone voice in reflecting on the darkness of war and the effects upon the mind in an amazingly emotional and believable manner. The song then builds into a strong marching pace to heavy drum and frontal attack of guitar melodies. more melody appears in the back adding more grandure to the song befor Blaze returns in a powerful role fighting back at an army thats failed him. The light beautiful guitar that erupts from this story are such a surprise and carry the song to a whole new level. The repeating section of lyric after isnt need but i learn to accept that.

#64 - New Frontier - Opening with interesting guitarwork sounding a bit Janickesque. Bruce in the high end of his voice throughout this one along a moving strange melody. The lyric builds with guitar to make the most of a story equally as strange as the disjointed melody. Creating strange life and playing god in doing so, normally this wouldnt strike so highly with me but i love that chorus with its high proud sound and i also like how wrong it sounds and anything less wouldnt do justice tothe theme. The erupting solo tops it off as its totally brilliant in this song. A real fun song.

#63 - Bring Your Daughter... ...To the Slaughter - I prefer Bruces solo version as it feels alot darker and altogether more edgy and threatening. This ones not much different and a song that while not having... ...well any story atall, really is fun. Annoying how its their highest charting single despite being awful as a swan song but it doesnt take itself seriously and the solos, bruces tone and all points really reflect that they werent after a masterpiece. Nevertheless i can still enjoy it but hope never to hear it live as long as i may live  :lol:

#62 - The Number of the Beast - This however ive heard every time ive seen them live. it gets a bit old but not as much as say RttH just because i believe it has more content. Furnished with readings from revelations and a bruce scream to begin the fast, panicked pace that ensues into the all recognisable call of 6..6.6. the number of the beast etc. you in no way need to know of the band to know this song and its probably their most easily recognisable song with really unique guitar work and solos. While its overplayed and ive probably heard it more than id wish its part of being a maiden fan and in being the song that catapulted them to fame its a bit of a great.

#61 - Sign of the Cross - A brilliant dark song, especially with the first few lines building dark religious imagery. the dark slow bleakness explodes into life and a story to my mind describing the realisation of faith and fear of judgement. It works really well in not being overly complex and focusing on Blaze and the story hes trying to put across. minus the out of place yeah  ::)  The instrumental section remains quiet so as not to overtake the story and then drops away before allowing the song to build once more into a pagan sounding dark march along with more clear drums. At 6:38 a more upbeat melody takes control that doesnt make alot of sense but its a welcome respite to give more energy to the slow dark song, Janick takes control leading it into madness before settling back down into a controlled pace. the sign of the cross chanted to end emotionally. The story gets a bit lost but i enjoy this song regardless.

#60 - Judgement of Heaven - A 'nice' intro, Blaze near talking the lyrics to an upbeat guitar and drum beat talking of not taking the easy way out and i like it, its a nice upbeat side to Blazes singing that enters a sort of wonderful clarity during a kinda gallop before the beautiful peak all of my life, i have believed that carries the song to a height before that awkward yeah,yeah that ive come to know Blaze for now. The song then get carried off in a light guitar section before building back to another statement of his new found life view and its a really 'nice' song  :bigsmile: i state again. everything feels upbeat in an important way rather than like say... Wildest dreams which seems superficial compared to the character bringing his life back from the brink. Not Blazes best singing but it does the job and certainly sounds sincere (minus yeahyeah!)

#59 - Be Quick or be Dead - As with these following three the draw of this one is pure energy and attitude, the latter mostly with this one. In many ways its tracks like this that make me parallel NPFTD and bruces Tattooed Millionnaire along the story of Fat cats getting all what they want at the expense of those that wrongly believe corporates. Daveys soloings cool here And probably the technical highlight but explaining my choice, im a sucker for jokey attitude especially when its politically motivated  :smartarse:

#58 - Charlotte the Harlot - A really great song in my eyes, Typical show of the early days that they made a song about a local hooker and it became a huge success spawning a series of related songs. The song alone explores firstly the use of her as just a common hooker but moving on to a more thoughtful section maybe beginning questioning the morality that gets torn up with acacia ave but altogether a real pinpoint in history for the band and a barnstorming fun song. Another one i wouldve loved to hear live back with DiAnno.

#57 - From Here to Eternity - I can see why many arent big fans. Its again another quick punchy single this time with a real cheesey video to complete the package. Another cheeky number by my hearing full of inuendo so clearly, while having a really powerful sound filled with attitude. Part of what i love about maiden is their ability to tackle both tender or technical themes while also having a silly attitude with these few songs (more recently songs like The Age of Innocence... How Old?  :)) I love the Corus and how its chanted rather than sung and it all just comes together as really great and punchy and catchy as the flu.

#56 - Caught Somewhere in Time - I believe many would probably place this higher as would they probably place the album higher than i will. Regardless 56th aint that bad is it? it has a great melody into a superpowerful drum line with Bruce leading a charge over it luring us in and being the master of time. everythings fast and energetic and i can imagine brucey bouncing off the walls on the stage to it. Then the huge chorus that to me is at a bit of a wierd tone that doesnt sound quite right but thats no fault of the writing i suppose. Half way through soloing begins, im not a big fan of it at first but builds higher and redeems itself a bit but never sounds too controlled until the original pacing of the song returns. After this the song never seems to build anymore and i begin to lose interest of what otherwise is a bloody good song. Ending on falling drum breakdown.


Album #10 - Iron Maiden -
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Sadly here falls Iron Maiden with a ranking of 7.33... despite having such gems and having an amazing raw live sound. The main note id like to make on this one is how much i wouldve loved to have been around back then to see a young touring Maiden, that sound they had live then must have been incredible and not in any small part the reason for their success. A brilliant album only reflecting how good the rest is by being in 10th.
 
Re: Tron's Maiden Countdown!

I agree completely about New Frontier. One of their best chorus's thats not a single line repeated 20 times.
 
Re: Tron's Maiden Countdown!

That last post took a while, may aswell do todays now before bed so here goes.

#55 - Murders in the Rue Morgue - A brilliant gentle start to such a powerful song into an inspired area of melodic guitar that really should go on for longer. Doesnt matter though with Paul and that driving bass carrying us away with the story of the song. Its all very fast and reminiscent of how sometimes theres a few too many words in a line but it doesnt detract from hallowed and instead heightens the panic, as it does here. the pace never faulters and at three minutes the guitars take back over duelling for dominance then back into the story and a panic of a chase. Overall it all has a nice beat and brings you into the adrenaline fuelled story, in my books pretty darn good and a good ending on Pauls final cry.

#54 - Face in the Sand - Another gentle start with that DoD orchestral backing adding atmosphere and grandeur to the whole affair. Bruce comes into the building epic instrumental in a swirl of judgement of what is seen in the world from a detached view with everyone either looking the other way or causing disaster. It all seems kind of bizarre almost nostradamus in theme (but song rather than quatrain) the swaying lines so i watch, and i wait, and i pray are really powerful as if from this detached view hes seen the tragic end of the world... or something like that which makes this depending on your view on it a truly epic song especially with the amazing soloing after this harrowing image.

#53 - Out of the Shadows - Very unexpected vocal style to start, warbling in a way but it sounds bloody great before to the drums soars away. the light plucking of the guitars along with the lighter more lyrical and image building vocals works well. Ive never got to full grasp with the story but its possibly a half ballad precursor to coming Home in its style (not lyrically). The middle acoustic sound also works well in the midst of Amolad while also fitting the more gentle sound of the song itself. Following this another powerful build over the top to the chorus with Bruce at full pelt. It feels really natural and open in its production that it feels like theyre in the room.

#52 - Killers - Again that pumping bass like with wrathchild but now with more gutsy lyrics to begin and drums beating away clearer behind. It means the bass isnt as impresive within but the tracks more balanced and pumps you up before the track runs away. Not necessarily great imagery but the lyrics are dark and compelling as the story of a killer without sounding vulgar or too shocking (as alot of modern bands may opt for) and thats refreshing... a more innocent view on public slaughter  :huh:
Anyway Paul sounds very emotive on this, changing his tone to suit the story quite alot which isnt heard all as much as id like throughout his Maiden work. By not seeming entirely overthetop gorey the lyrics make the murder seem more acceptable by being open and by doing so create a more maniacle feel which works so well, i believe this is what they were going for especially with that final laughter.

#51 - Aces High - Just missed out on the top 50. A great song and very patriotic imagining the so few that so much was owed to but as a song its dropped considerably over time from around 3rd spot. Its boosted by the Churchill speach intro that brings in the mood of the Battle of Britain and in a way puts you in the cockpit. Its high energy and full of amazing guitar work with Bruce at top form (everyone is in all truth) Rapidly telling the tale of a dogfight. I think its that gungho tone of the early warsongs thats causing this baby to drop as im not a big fan. However Aces does look amazing live and i hope to see it some day which could offer a boost.

Now were on the verge of the top 50... weve come a long way, Anyone excited?  :yey:
 
Re: Tron's Maiden Countdown!

You know, sorry I haven't kept up with this list. But I'm excited for the top 50! Good work.
 
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