Discussing Iron Maiden with hardcore Maiden-fans isn’t always an easy task as a whole lot of them claim that every Maiden album released is pretty much a masterpiece. I’m a Maiden-fan as well but the way I see it, they have had a bit of a bumpy ride since Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith came back to the band back in 1999 quality-wise. Actually, it’s been somewhat bumpy from go for me. I wasn’t there from the start, I discovered them like many others with Bruce Dickinson’s debut The Number Of The Beast (1982), so my Maiden is the one with Bruce holding the mike. I have never been much of a fan of original singer Paul DiAnno but sure, their 1980 self-titled debut album had some really good stuff on it.
The trilogy Number Of The Beast, Piece Of Mind (1983) and Powerslave (1984) is to me nothing short of fantastic. I have always thought Somewhere In Time (1986) was a bit uneven but it was followed by a total masterpiece in Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son (1988). The last two records with Dickinson, No Prayer For The Dying (1990) and Fear Of The Dark (1992) didn’t resonate with me at all except for the odd song or two and the era with Blaze Bayley singing is an era I don’t even count as I find those records pretty much unlistenable. So, enter the reunion stuff.
Brave New World (2000) was a damn fine effort albeit a bit too long with too many songs, Dance Of Death (2003) was ok but no that much more, A Matter Of Life And Death (2006) is one of Maiden’s most brilliant efforts ever, The Final Frontier (2010) isn’t much to write home about at all and their last record The Book Of Souls (2015) turned out to be something of a watershed album among some fans. I, however, really dig this one. When Maiden mid-pandemic revealed that, hey we have a new record in the works, it sure created a stir, which it always does and the internet went bananas. Which it always does.
Preceding the album was the single “The Writing On The Wall”, a song that really woke me up. The song starts out acoustically with a Western, almost swampy vibe where a Southern Rock bluesy feel meets an early 90’s American Arena Rock twitch. The Classic Rock influences are prominent and while it’s not a traditional Maiden number, it still holds some very recognizable melodies that are all Maiden. It’s a swinging tune, very catchy and I’m not sure Maiden has ever been this crunch-groovy. Some of the hardcore Maiden fans might mope about it but I love it and it made me very anticipated to hear the album in its full.
The opening title-track is darker and mid-paced and pretty much in the vein of latter-day Maiden. The rhythms are punchy albeit somewhat monotone and the Eastern flavors come from Ritchie Blackmore’s back-pocket. It’s quite big on keyboards, especially in the chorus but it also holds a classic Maiden vibe all over. I really like this. Second single “Stratego” is a faster track with the signature Maiden galloping rhythms. It’s pretty much in your face with a big live-feel, heavy, crunchy and a balls-out metal-belter with all classic Maiden ingredients involved. Great stuff.
Starting out as a darkening and mellow ballad, big on acoustic guitars and an ominous keyboard, “Lost In A Lost World” soon brings on some crunchy guitars and a beefy rhythm in mid-tempo. Still on the mellow side, it heavies up and brings on a great deal of Classic Maiden-isms complete with a direct and striking refrain. Very good. More straight-forward, classic Maiden-metal “Days Of Future Past” slams away with some crunchy riffing. This is a no-bull, kick-ass hard-rocker, very in-your-face and live-friendly. A down-beat mid-break makes for some breathing room and gives the tune a dynamic contrast. Great stuff.
The first disc ends with “The Time Machine”, that after an acoustic laden intro turns into an upbeat, stompy and bouncy rocker with the standard Iron Maiden twin-leads prominent. It’s rhythmic and powerful with some keyboard orchestration added. It’s an uplifting number but it also holds a darker atmosphere and they also go into progressive territory here and there. With a strong main-melody and a distinct refrain that hits right where it should, the song really comes off as a winner.
The second disc is where they have gathered the 7-12+ minute, progressive numbers, the type of songs Maiden has done a lot since the Dickinson/Smith reunion. Clocking in at seven minutes, the opening track “Darkest Hour” is a slow, mellow and atmospheric ballad-type of tune. Parts of it comes across as a Bruce Dickinson solo-tune style-wise but with some trademark Maiden arrangements. A Classic Rock laden, soulful guitar solo gives the tune a more organic touch as well and the down-beat yet memorable refrain makes the song stick. Very good.
At 10 minutes, “Death Of The Celts” is a hard one to get into. It kicks off with some pumping, quite monotone and long verses. The chorus varies the song just a little but for the most part, the song feels like it just keep going and going without a clear address except for the Thin Lizzy borrowings in the solo. A well-needed prog-rock laden mid-break that holds a Thin Lizzy goes Metal meets Iron Maiden structure brings the interest up slightly. I hoped for it to be a grower but although it’s not bad per se it never grows and to me, the song just isn’t all that great.
At 12,30 minutes “The Parchment” is the albums longest track. It’s a real beast of a song that starts out with a long, dark and ghostly intro before it goes into a mid-paced, heavy grooved rocker that brings on a slight 70’s Rainbow influence albeit with the vocal melodies and guitar-lines that we all know from this lot. It comes off as slightly samey but in a good way and with the grandiose soundscape and mastodon song-structure, it still feels shorter than it actually is. But just when you think this is all you get from the song, it runs off and takes on a fast-tracked speed, going edgy Metal on us until the end of the song. Yeah, I really dig this one.
The album’s closer, “Hell On Earth”, begins with a two minute combined bass and keyboard intro, dark and quite spooky. The song then goes into an upbeat, galloping groove and holds layers of striking melodies full of hooks that screams classic Maiden all the way before the immense, massive and in-your-face chorus breaks down all walls. A slow, mellow and atmospheric break-down is thrown in for the contrasts to add to the song’s dynamic before the song takes off and gets going, heavy and muscular yet melodic and catchy. The song then ends the same way as it started. For being an 11+ minute, progressive Metal song, it’s surprisingly accessible and sticks pretty much right off the bat. A real killer.
As a whole, this album is Maiden’s finest work since A Matter Of Life And Death and one of their best since the reunion. With no bad songs at all – albeit a couple that hits the filler-button – it sure goes for a high-score but there are reasons it lands on a 8/10. First of all, the length of some the songs makes it hard to keep the interest up listening back to back, especially as all of them is put one after the other. Secondly, I’m not that thrilled about the production, something that applies to almost all of the albums since the reunion. I’m not gonna bash Kevin Shirley here because I think he’s done some damn fine albums in his career, I just don’t think he’s the right guy for Iron Maiden. It might be a bit unfair to compare to Martin Birch’s soulful, airy and loose productions of the golden days but I can’t help it as this sounds just like opposite – it’s “wooden”, hollow and sometimes it sounds like they’re playing inside a cardboard box. That said, the production doesn’t take away the fact that Maiden has released a whole bunch of great songs here. That makes me happy!
8/10
More Iron Maiden reviews:
The Final Frontier
The Book Of Souls
Tracklist:
CD 1
1. Senjutsu
2. Stratego
3. The Writing On The Wall
4. Lost In A Lost World
5. Days Of Future Past
6. The Time Machine
CD 2
1. Darkest Hour
2. Death Of The Celts
3. The Parchment
4. Hell On Earth
CD & Festival reviews 