Iron Maiden

[Tyr66]

did you see that?!?
https://blabbermouth.net/news/former-iron-maiden-singer-paul-dianno-is-still-waiting-for-his-knee-surgery-the-situation-is-only-getting-worse/
I am shocked and had to look several times to understand what was in front of my eyes. So sad to see Paul in this critical situation: edema, diabetes, hypertension but still waiting for the funding that could heal his destroyed knees. Very disturbing.

[Charger]

^^^
Yeah Paul hasn't been doing all that good for years now...shame really.

Question: is there enough "galloping" in the music to *feel* like a traditional Iron Maiden album?

No...no there really isn't.

[Thelemech]

When I saw Paul and his bloated legs I could not believe it at first. That is one scary picture.

[Vyn]

That is a harsh reality he is living in.

[Zzzptm]

Paul DiAnno: That poor guy. I hope he's able to get things sorted.

The loss of galloping: I agree, it really had more in common with the DP's Whooosh! than, say, Powerslave.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

Okay, I've now finished the run-thru of the 17 Iron Maiden studio albums. I think I'm in a position to rank the albums. Yes, the ones I haven't played for 20+ years are as bad as I remember, but some albums are better than I remember, Book of Souls for instance I realised I like a lot of it, and The Final Frontier isn't as bad as I remember!


17. No Prayer for the Dying - Garbage... yes I like Holy Smoke and Run Silent Run Deep but even they would be filler on other albums. Thankfully quite a short album but still one I'm unlikely to play again.

16. Fear of the Dark - Much like No Prayer I like a couple of tracks, and maybe doesn't quite plunge the depths of that one but still horrible.

15. Virtual XI - As much as I'm impressed by The X Factor I'm perplexed by Virtual XI. Again a couple of songs which are worth listening to.

14. Killers - This one promised much, it starts well, but drifts off quickly and I really found DiAnno's vocals don't help.

13. Somewhere in Time - It has one of my all time favourite Maiden songs in Wasted Years, and with a couple of other great tracks this is one which gets spun now and again.

12. Iron Maiden - There's a lot to like about this album, at least half of it is well worth listening to. I'm not a fan of a couple of tracks (Running Free and Strange World) which kinda drags it back.

11. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son - There's not a poor track on this, but there's no super standout songs either, consistent above average songs.

10. Book of Souls - Yes, this is better than I remembered. I probably havn't played it in 2-3 years and maybe coming back to it after a break has helped. I'm stiill not a fan of the title track or Empire of the Clouds, but some of the shorter tracks are rather good.


... to be continued!

[Zzzptm]

I'm interested in your top 9 ranking. Can't fault your 10-17.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

Part II albums 9 thru 1 of my listing.


9. The Final Frontier - I always liked 3 or 4 tracks on this album, but much of the rest of the album left me cold. Again it's generally the longer tracks I don't much like, The title track, When the Wind Blows, Isle of Avalon, The Man Who Would be King. But I realise now that The Talisman is a much better song than I remembered. I think it's because it has a slight quirky start, but once it gets going I really like it. Hi-lights: Coming Home, The Alchemist, Starblind, The Talisman.

8. The Number of the Beast - Lower on my list than many would have it on theirs. But it's not the wall to wall classic that some think, It has 3 stinkers (IMO) with Invaders, Run to the Hills and Gangland, but the rest of the album is pretty good. Hi-lights: The Prisoner, Hallowed Be Thy Name, The Number of the Beast

7. Senjutsu - The latest album and one I'm still coming to terms with. For once the 3 longer tracks are quite good, the title track still hasn't hit home with me but it's not bad. Only a couple of the tracks that I don't really like which are Lost in a Lost World and The Time Machine. Hi-lights: Stratego, Writing on the Wall, Days of Future Past and Hell on Earth

6. Brave New World - The reunion album from 2000, sees the return of Bruce and Adrian. It shows a change in direction too. The Wicker Man is one of the great openers in the Maiden catalogue. Again a couple of the longer tracks I tend to skip (The Nomad and Thin Line...) but the majority of the album is top notch. Hi-lights: The Wicker Man, Dream of Mirrors, The Fallen Angel and Out of the Silent Planet.

5. The X Factor - This one has grown on me over the years, I like nearly all the songs (OK, The Unbeliever doesn't do anything for me, and Fortunes of War gets a bit repetitive!) and the long track Sign of the Cross is pretty good! Hi-Lights: Sign of the Cross, Man on the Edge, The Edge of Darkness, 2AM.

4. A Matter of Life and Death - This is where I lose Charger ! This has some of my favourite Maiden songs, but is dragged back by the two 9+ minute songs (For The Greater Good of God and The Legacy... someone needs to tell Bruce that repeating the same line 8 times does not constitute a chorus!). I like the rest of the album though and Longest Day, Out of the Shagows, These Colours Don't Run are really great songs.

3. Piece of Mind - This used to be my favourite Maiden album, but I guess tastes change. Side 1 is still amazing,as is some of side 2, but I've got bored with Still Life, Quest for Fire and To Tame A Land, they just haven't stood up to the test of time! Hi-lights: Revelations, Flight of Icarus, Die With Your Boots On, Sun and Steel

2. Dance of Death - It took me a while to appreciate this one and I still don't really like the title track or Journeyman. But the five tracks from Gates of Tomorrow thru Age of Innocence are absolutely terrific. Hi-Lights: Rainmaker, Gates of Tomorrow, New Frontier, Paschendale, Face in the Sand, Age of Innocence.

1. Powerslave - And at number 1 is one that I suspect many will have at or near the top of their lists. This felt like a real game changer in metal albums in it's scope and lenght - I'm not sure CDs had been around long if at all so 51 minute album was rare. But the quality of the songs was what made this (yes we can brush The Duelists under the caroet... what were they thinking!!). And, of course, the album has that 13 minute epic Rime of the Ancient Mariner which itself was rare outside of Progressive Rock releases. Ah! I just love the album. Hi-Lights: 2 Minutes to Midnight, Flash of the Blade, Back in the Village and of course Rime of the Ancient Mariner.

[Zzzptm]

Interesting. I'd have my 1-2-3 as Piece of Mind, Powerslave, and Number of the Beast. Those three for me are Maiden at the top of their game, in every way.

[Vyn]

Your breakdown of the albums is a good read, thanks!

The first thing that struck me was how far apart our tastes in Maiden differ. Of course, up until I got a copy of Seventh Son of a Seventh Son from Jack, I hadn't actually sat my ass down and listened to much Maiden post-Powerslave. 

I guess you could say that for many of those releases, I have no taste

I've always considered the Di'anno material to be a separate entity from that which followed. There was a certain punk edginess to those first two albums that evaporated when Dickinson took the mic and they morphed into a full-on Heavy Metal band.

[Charger]

Very interesting read there KDC...but we do not see eye to eye with a lot of the albums...some yes...but not a lot.

I am bit surprised how many post reunion albums made it to the top 9...I did however suspect you might throw that utter garbage one up there...shame on you!

I agree with Vyn that the DiAnno albums are almost like from a different band...in both good and bad...the bad ofcourse being DiAnno...the good being the faster tempo of the songs.

This kind of made me want to do a list of my own...but I think I'll save you lot from that agony.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

I'd like to see your list Charger. I know we have differences of opinion and I wouldn't mind seeing them flagged up!


Yes, the DiAnno era was very different and it's clear Harris wanted to go in a different direction. I felt some of the songs DiAnno struggled with and as much as I like Phantom of the Opera I think a better singer might have made a better job (did Bruce ever sing it live?).

[Charger]

Yeah ofcourse Bruce sang it live on many occations. It's on Live After Death for heaven's sake!



But here's one of my favourite versions back when Bruce still had some energy on stage:

[Charger]

I might think about putting my Maiden's in order...we shall see.

[Zzzptm]

I might think about putting my Maiden's in order...we shall see.

Please do so!