Your Maiden blasphemy

I have no idea whats considered blasphemy among you established fan community-ites, but I nearly hated the whole virtual / x factor mega-prog albums era. I mean, I know they went prog at somepoint anyways, but this era was especially bad. It was like, we have bands like Powerwolf, Blind Guardian, Iced Earth, and about a million other awesome choices for this kinda music, I didn't want Iron Maiden ever in that category. I miss the punkiness and fun spine-tingling pure metal elements of earlier releases.
 
I have no idea whats considered blasphemy among you established fan community-ites, but I nearly hated the whole virtual / x factor mega-prog albums era. I mean, I know they went prog at somepoint anyways, but this era was especially bad. It was like, we have bands like Powerwolf, Blind Guardian, Iced Earth, and about a million other awesome choices for this kinda music, I didn't want Iron Maiden ever in that category. I miss the punkiness and fun spine-tingling pure metal elements of earlier releases.
Surely you recognize that latter-day Iron Maiden albums are far more prog oriented than either of the Blaze albums, right?
 
Surely you recognize that latter-day Iron Maiden albums are far more prog oriented than either of the Blaze albums, right?
Yeah, I get ya. Still, Senjutsu as an album, for example feels far more folk inspired in places than prog to me, and it feels somehow heavier and more refined, so I like it better.
 
Going off what is said above, I don't think 2000s Maiden really deserves the "prog" label. And this isn't me gatekeeping prog (I hardly even listen to it), rather just calling a sheep a sheep. There's certainly some progressive elements here and there, but to actually call it prog seems like a misnomer IMO. I think they mostly get called prog because they write long songs nowadays.
 
Going off what is said above, I don't think 2000s Maiden really deserves the "prog" label. And this isn't me gatekeeping prog (I hardly even listen to it), rather just calling a sheep a sheep. There's certainly some progressive elements here and there, but to actually call it prog seems like a misnomer IMO. I think they mostly get called prog because they write long songs nowadays.
In my opinion, I think it's the addition of more keyboard/synth elements, the pop/mainstream sounding vocal and guitar melodies, and departures from their earlier style in comparison. It nearly reminded me at times, of, dare I say, Genesis, and to me that counts as prog, even if prog-rock. Not my cup of tea :p To each their own, though.
 
I think this is 'blasphemy' related, but I've never had the pleasure of meeting the boys at a concert, but I've heard all kinds of stories in the music scene. I was curious, since many of you seem acquainted with them, what are they really like? (sorry if this the wrong place for this, didn't want to start a new topic for it)

Please tell me if this is true or not: I've heard from others, that Bruce can be either a massive jerk or pretty nice depending on the situation so hes always a gamble, that H is a bit avoidant and doesn't like fan interaction that much, that Harris is really nice but extremely quiet and shy, that Dave is the nicest and most engaging of the bunch, and that Nicko is well, Nicko xD So hes fun to meet, but its a whirlwind and he can't stay on any one topic for longer than a sentence or two before being Nicko, and wandering about to sign more autographs. lol Should I meet them given the chance? I'd be crushed if any of them were mean. I know theyre all good guys at heart, and that everyone's imperfect and human, so no venom here, just curious what your thoughts are.
 
This probably doesn't really count as "blasphemy" but I think if you subtract The Angel and The Gambler and Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger, and then add Virus, Virtual XI is actually a pretty solid album.


I wish we could hear both TXF and Virtual XI re-recorded with better production values and Blaze's new voice. It would really show the songs true colours.
 
This probably doesn't really count as "blasphemy" but I think if you subtract The Angel and The Gambler and Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger, and then add Virus, Virtual XI is actually a pretty solid album.


I wish we could hear both TXF and Virtual XI re-recorded with better production values and Blaze's new voice. It would really show the songs true colours.
Personally I'd rather listen to a thousand more repetitions of "Don't you think I'm a saviour?" than replace it with Virus, which is the exact sort of plodding, lethargic song that ruined The X Factor.
 
Personally I'd rather listen to a thousand more repetitions of "Don't you think I'm a saviour?" than replace it with Virus, which is the exact sort of plodding, lethargic song that ruined The X Factor.
How could Virus ruin The X Factor when it wasn´t even a part of the album? :D
 
Going off what is said above, I don't think 2000s Maiden really deserves the "prog" label. And this isn't me gatekeeping prog (I hardly even listen to it), rather just calling a sheep a sheep. There's certainly some progressive elements here and there, but to actually call it prog seems like a misnomer IMO. I think they mostly get called prog because they write long songs nowadays.
I think whether we agree if Maiden is "Prog" or not, we're still all speaking the same language when we talk about Maiden's "Proggier" albums, which I tend to associate with longer passages, more time/tempo changes, etc.

Also I've said it before but I'm saying it here: Virtual XI is the embryonic state of Brave New World. The albums have a LOT of shared DNA.
 
Of the first 3 reunion albums (Brave New World / Dance of Death / A Matter of Life and Death), Dance of Death is my favorite. From what I've heard and read that is a rare opinion.

I don't currently own copies of Number of the Beast or Powerslave. My old vinyl and cassette versions were lost over time. I can hear most of those songs on my live albums.

The Final Frontier has been heaviest in my rotation lately. Especially the back half beginning with Isle of Avalon.
 
Of the first 3 reunion albums (Brave New World / Dance of Death / A Matter of Life and Death), Dance of Death is my favorite. From what I've heard and read that is a rare opinion.

I don't currently own copies of Number of the Beast or Powerslave. My old vinyl and cassette versions were lost over time. I can hear most of those songs on my live albums.

The Final Frontier has been heaviest in my rotation lately. Especially the back half beginning with Isle of Avalon.
I would say the consensus would be DoD and TFF are the least favorite of the reunion era albums.
 
Of the first 3 reunion albums (Brave New World / Dance of Death / A Matter of Life and Death), Dance of Death is my favorite. From what I've heard and read that is a rare opinion.
Rare, but I'd agree with it. DOD is my third favourite album the band has ever put out.
 
btw., speaking about Nicko: I remember a very funny comment someone posted when about 10, 12 years THIS happened:
for some reason the McBrain family was often in the news because anybody of them would cause negative headlines. first Nicko himself got arrested for a few hours by Florida police cause there was a fight at home between him and his wife Rebecca. no bigger deal obviously, but at least there was some kind of an issue. a few weeks later Nickos son (19 years old at that time) got arrested by Florida police cause he stole some sweets from some supermarket. someone from Maidenfansunited commented: "it's simple: the McBrains... don't use their brain!" :ninja:
 
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I'm not a fan of 3 songs in the same album to have proggy solos - in ''Starblind'' they fit, in ''Isle Of Avalon'' I think not and in ''The Man Who Would Be King'' yes and no (yes, because it's a unique feature and no, because I don't like it that much). The last two songs would have been even better with different solos.
 
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