Which song(s) contain(s) your favourite guitar solo(s) on: 10. The X-Factor

[Forostar]

Winner of the Fear Of The Dark-era: Afraid To Shoot Strangers.
This song will go to the final.

Finalists:
1. Phantom Of The Opera
2. Prodigal Son
3. The Number Of The Beast
4. The Trooper
5. Powerslave
6. Stranger In A Strange Land
7. Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
8. Mother Russia
9. Afraid To Shoot Strangers

We'll continue with chapter 10!
Next era: The X-Factor!

I'll vote for The Unbeliever and Blood On The World's Hands.

In case you guys want to know what's going on here, please do read on:

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1. You may cast 1 or 2 votes on the song(s) which contain(s) your favourite guitar solo(s). The winner* will come back in the final where all albums will be represented by the strongest songs (solo-wise that is)!

2. In this poll the word solo may be interpreted as broad as you like. E.g., the lead guitars / harmonies / licks (whatever you like to call them) in Iron Maiden & Running Free are imho not really solos since they are repetitive motives, but you can still vote for these tracks in case you like these moments better than others.

3. I will also do the B-sides, so when an album title is mentioned in the subject, this should be interpreted as the "era of that album", not only the album songs themselves.

4. Every poll will run for one week.

5. Only studio tracks.

Last but not least: Thanks a lot in advance for your contribution! 

*In case of a tie, a tiebreak will be done to select one song for the final.

 

[Black Thunder]

Sign Of The Cross, The Unbeliever.

 

[Jeffmetal]

Fortunes Of War
The Edge Of Darkness

 

[Rotam]

The Unbeliever is the only Maiden song that is blacklisted for me, sad to say.

I vote for the Sign of the Cross and the Falling Down song. 

 

[Forostar]

I hope all people realize what this poll is about. This game is not about how good or bad a song is.

It's about how good or bad the solo(s) is/are. I say this -just in case-, since I see so many votes for Sign of the Cross (often seen as TXF's best song).

..and I notice a big contrast with all the other songs while I personally don't really see what's so much more awesome about SOTC's solos.

 

[Jeffmetal]

I'm starting to comprove that most users here are just casual fans and hit listeners. Don't know the band in depth. There's a pre disposition that the most known songs will win every poll reagarding any aspects of Maiden's music. Just take a look at the winners on the solos poll or the best song poll (including other bands).

 

[Reumeren]

Well, what can you do about it? This is an open forum; people can vote however they pelase. I should say that I agree with you, but I don't think there is anything to be done

I voted for Fortune of War and The Unbeliever. I think The Unbeliever has got the most unique solos in Maiden's discography; the way the solos ''speak'' to eachother is just awesome! I like the Fortune of War solo because they are calm and smooth - it just proves that Janick is quite the guitar player when he calms down

 

[Jonszat]

I haven't voted yet but I think that SotC solo's are pretty good. I don't know whether or not they're actually good enough to be the best two, I'll listen to the album tomorrow before the vote closes to decide if it's in my top 2. I'll be voting for the Aftermath I think though. Cracking solo in that. The build-up to it and then the release is just great.

I've voted for my favorite songs often though. Not so they win but because I think they have the best solos in them. Often if I enjoy the whole song I'll find the solo's better anyway (I don't know whether it's because I listen to the songs more so I appreciate the solo's more or because the solo's influence my favorite song's so much) On Iron Maiden (Prowler + PotO), SiT (CSIT, SIASL), SSOASS (Infinite Dreams, SSOASS), NPFTD (NPFTD, Mother Russia) I've voted for my 2 favorite songs just because I think they have the best solo's.

And I doubt many users are casual fans or hit listeners. Seeing as how in the survivor: Iron Maiden, The Trooper, NotB, Run to the Hiils, Wasted Years, Can I Play with Madness, Holy Smoke, BYD......TTS, FotD, etc all got voted out quickly. Besides how many casual fans are going to be members on an internet forum?

 

[Jeffmetal]

Well, they're the only ones that can do anything about it. With the internet, it's pretty easy to find any info you need about Maiden's music. In my time, it had to be through going to the newstand and buying mags, phoning up music stores to buy songbooks and sitting the ass on the floor and picking the acoustic and learning songs by ear.

There's no use in having a lot of info without instruction. I see how people got lazy, sedentadry phisically and mentally, and this is so annoying that they don't even seem to get excited about what they claim to like so much. That's really annoying.

 

[Forostar]

I've voted for my favorite songs often though. Not so they win but because I think they have the best solos in them.

It doesn't always have to be the case, indeed. E.g., ATSS is my fav song from FOTD, but not because of its solos. I find that at least 4 others songs have cooler solos. And on POM I voted for Quest for Fire. Super solos, but not my favourite track. Hallowed, my favourite NOTB-track wasn't one of my choices either.

I'll listen to the album

That's always a good thing, who knows what may come out of it.

@Reumeren, I like your description of the works in The Unbeliever. They indeed "speak".

 

[Jonszat]

The Aftermath and The Edge of Darkness.

Sign of the Cross is my third favourite.