Band:
Bruce Dickinson - vocals
Dave Murray - lead & rhythm guitars
Adrian Smith - lead & rhythm guitars
Janick Gers - lead & rhythm guitars
Steve Harris - bass, keyboards
Nicko McBrain - drums, percussion
Discography:
Iron Maiden (1980)
Killers (1981)
The Number of the Beast (1982)
Piece of Mind (1983)
Powerslave (1984)
Somewhere in Time (1986)
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988)
No Prayer for the Dying (1990)
Fear of the Dark (1992)
The X Factor (1995)
Virtual XI (1998)
Brave New World (2000)
Dance of Death (2003)
A Matter of Life and Death (2006)
Guests:
Info
Kevin Shirley - Producer
Jared Kvitka - Engineer
Melvyn Grant - artwork
Released 13/8-2010
Reviewed 31/8-2010
Links:
ironmaiden.com
myspace
I am quite sure that most of you have some idea about how Iron Maiden sound, they play the archetype of british heavy metal, kind of like how you imagine that heavy metal sounds if you have not heard it. With this new album they are not really breaking that much new ground, the style of production with a slightly more atmospheric sound that was introduced on the X Factor is still there making the sound kind of like you might expect from a 2000s version of Iron Maiden. I would say that the surprises musically on this album are both few and far between, an far between I mean quite literally as it is over 76 minutes long this album. The sound is also recognisable as the Kevin Shirley produced Iron Maiden if you can relate to that. I cannot compare it soundwise to the album that came in 2006 as I have never heard that album but compared to Dance of Death is is rather similar soundwise, It can also be compared to the sound of Brave New World, that may actually be a closer match really.
I think the first song promises a lot to the album, the second part of which can be seen in the video below, but that is until said second part begins more or less but the real turning point from hope to apathy towards the album comes when the first chorus comes. It is a stupid, bad and ridiculous chorus that destroys a song that promise a little, see the video and you will know what I am talking about. It is also over eight minutes and I cannot understand why it is not two songs as it really sounds like it when I listen to it.
After the first songs (I say songs as the first one feels like two songs) comes the single track El Dorado which I can say nothing about as I cannot recall how it sounds without listening to it, it is a forgetful song it seems. After El Dorado we have Mother of Mercy which I kind of like, Bruce’s singing in the chorus sounds much better than he usually sounds and this song feels more in the direction of a real song rather than an Iron Maiden sing-some-words-in-the-chorus-a-million-times feel. I will actually go so far as to say that it is one of the absolute best Maiden tracks in the 2000s.
Coming Home and The Alchemist are two other forgetful tracks that merits no attention in writing from me. Isle of Avalon is a flat out boring track which I quite dislike and usually skip when I listen to this album. Starblind is another decent but forgetful track really. The Talisman is at least a track I can remember better how it sounds, but it is not really a good track either and at this stage I am really getting bored with listening to this album as it becomes too much, too long, 40 minutes is enough and it is a limit that should be paid attention to and in almost every situation the 50 minute limit should not be crossed as too much of the same is boring and Iron Maiden have been doing almost the same for 30 years now, they should make shorter albums.
We can also forget The Man Who Would be King, it is a dull track, the ending track is a decent one as well and taking maybe half the tracks and ending with the one that ends now it would actually be considered quite good by me. I have seen a lot of good reviews for this album but I guess the reviewers are kind of like Iron Maiden just moving on routine.
What I think is the real problem for Iron Maiden is that they are real cowards, they weren’t from the beginning but somewhere along the line they became afraid to fail and just played it safe all the time, kind of like an average player in any team sport, admired by the coach and maybe liked by fans of the team but never recognised as a star, a star is the one who are not afraid to fail and does so from time to time but also is ready to rise to the occasion when the big moments come. Iron Maiden play it safe, I think they rather should risk something and do something great, the had it once I am sure it is still there somewhere inside of them but they are just too scared to bring it out which is a pity. I can ensure you that I don’t regret not checking out the album before this one as I am quite sure it is just more of the same like it has been for a long time now.
The Final Frontier is a decent album, the songs are well made and decent but all in all it is just another Iron Maiden album which means just another showcase of mediocracy.
HHHHHHH
