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Iron Maiden - A Matter Of Life Or Death Although I find that the track by track format of reviewing is a rather boring if not
Un-impressive way of reviewing an album - that sometimes steals the albums thunder - by presenting it in a rather non poetic proportion - and causing a rather wrong perception by the public - I feel compelled to just use it once more.
Once again - props and thanks to my BRO - in America - I had a rather anorthodox - 1 hour transatlantic listening down the line-session hahahaha! Thank god for vo-ip !
Without further ado then:
01. Different Worlds (Smith/Harris) (4:17)
This Smith/Harris - penned opener, is a very to the point mission of intent - for the band to rock. It bristles with energy and melody - in a very late 70's/80's way. Lizzy and Wishbone - have been Maiden's primary influence - and in this little song it damn well shows. Good omen !
02. These Colours Don't Run (Smith/Harris/Dickinson) (6:52)
Brooming - big - growing - dramatic, it's a song about dogfaces.
Huge chorus. Well - while people that fight wars - are human too, it's good to know what you're fighting for - and if it's worth fighting for ! ( I guess the song - doesn't exactly side - but the thought passed my mind.) Well - it would be nice to have the complete lyrics. Alas ..
03. Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (Smith/Harris/Dickinson) (8:44)
Very heavy - monstrous song with an incredible riff - maiden have rarely sounded like that. Very good ! Very long - but didn't bore for a second.
04. The Pilgrim (Gers/Harris) (5:07)
Hm, while this one - harkens a little back to the power slave days - due to it's Egyptian feel - it's not that good (powerslave - good) ! But it's by means or any stretch of the imagination bad. Mid tempo - with very nice solos.
05. The Longest Day (Smith/Harris/Dickinson) (7:48)
It's a sort of war-epic, in the vein of pachendale - with really strong imagery.
Oh man - I wonder - what might happen if dickie reads about the exodus of messolongi - or if he listens to the "free - besieged". Haha. Well not a laughing matter - it's spine chilling in-fact.
06. Out Of the Shadows (Dickinson/Harris) (5:36)
A lot more laid back - not a ballad - but a very moody and shady song with wonderful textures. Dickinson is SUPERB !
07. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (Murray/Harris) (7:21)
Most- have heard this one - one way or another. Well - while not as immediate as certain other songs here but the song builds and builds - and treads new territory for maiden too - because it doesn't sound 100 % maiden - the riffs - are more priest - then the leads are maiden of (g)old - and there's no really big chorus - but an extended - bridge/chorus thing. Nice solo and leads through out, I could have lived with a slightly smaller intro - almost 2 minutes is a bit long mr. Arry ! And who the hell is this Breegs guy ? Is that story on the net - true - or some urban legend like ?
08. For The Greater Good of God (Harris) (9:24)
Oh - harris - solo penned - 9+ minute song, it screams epic - and big and twisted and progressive - and all that - and it is !!! really great song - with ponderous lyrics.
09. Lord Of Light (Smith/Harris/Dickinson) (7:23)
Oh - another song by the "trinity" and what a song ! Classic maiden - almost - well - I dunno - it would not feel out of place on an old album in a way - lots of changes - and an almost unbelievable chorus - which Dickinson sings - in a god-like manner !
My hat's of to the man !
10. The Legacy (Gers/Harris) (9:20)
Upon listening to the initial rumblings of the songs - and the opening lines - I was intrigued, a strange yellow - gas ? It reminded me of a wartime novel - or poem or something I was taught while in language school - and it's unclear - in my mind still if the two things are related - I 'd need to go through some old textbooks and notes - to locate it - and then make comparisons. Well - dramatic and long and very interesting it's quite the curtain close - for this - possibly - one of the best - if not the best maiden album - since Seventh Son. I will reserve - judgement about sound quality - till I have some better source of the album - or the album itself, on a hard copy. The cover looks better than the total shit-storm that DOD was - and while not perfect - it's not anti-climatic, and the playing sounded tight and big and right.
I guess maiden - are like old wine - getting better and you never get tired of it's familiar taste.
While a 6/6 would be easy - and hey - I could be justified in the eyes of many for awarding the album with it, I 'll merely give it a 5 - for now - till I get a real-proper copy and I re-review it then ! haha!
Get it well in yer mind - all you band members and fans of NEW and different - and alternative bands alike - and whatever - MAIDEN have been playing circles around you for years - maiden - were always an entity - a band that toured ceaselessly and has a following that you 've never dreamed of, a catalogue, you could have never penned, and loyalty ! Fans that are unbelievably loyal - and stick to their guns something you will never EVER get ! That's why maiden was never a flavour of the week - and not gracing the pages of shitty mags - on a weekly basis - and not appearing on reality shows and the like as some old farts have !!!
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