AA.VV.
Maiden Heaven, A Tribute to Iron Maiden

"I come back to you, now, at the turn of the tide" Gandalf the White (Editor's note: a quote that has nothing to do with this but is loved by the youth... like certain choruses)

That the Maiden is the greatest band on earth is proven to me by the fact that, on average, their fans are happier than those of any other band... or at least the Iron Maiden supporters do not spend their time, like others (and especially the detractors), trying to screw each other over (but only dialectically, to be fair). Let me explain: I am a firm believer that to put an end to any form of religious fundamentalism (any, I said, none excluded: from the "A" of Saudi Arabia to the "V" of Vatican) the only useful bombings would be those with pornographic material. The image of the Taliban (but if you prefer, think of a cardinal of the Holy Roman Church) saying to himself: "I didn't know you could do it like this too" instead of concocting (is that the right word?) new tactics of attack (whether dialectic or anatomical) makes me sure of what I'm saying.

If you make an effort (and it's not even that hard since you are all smarter than the one writing these words), you cannot fail to find disturbing parallels among the various forms of fundamentalism and then also in those of a musical kind (less aberrant but certainly annoying). Hence my advice: stop trying to outdo each other dialectically (how much harm has certain sophistic criticism done to you!) and choose Love. Listen to the Maiden!

In this regard, I would like to point out an initiative by the humorous magazine from across the Channel "Kerrang!": a nice CD, included with the July 19th issue, containing a series of Maiden covers performed by 15 bands, of varying importance, history, and subgenre depending on the case, belonging to the Metal world.

As I was saying, the names involved are heterogeneous and this is the intrinsic value of the project: putting together historic bands like Metallica, Dream Theater, Machine Head along with others decidedly less known is always something enticing for the curiosity of enthusiasts (whether happy Maiden fans or sad detractors matters less: I think the thing is appealing to everyone) for reasons of image, sure, but also musical, since, I think, no one wants to look bad: especially when talking about songs from such a famous and important band like Harris & Co.

This is also confirmed by reading the tracklist, where classics are presented but also, as we'll see, much less known pieces, and I must say that just this gives me a good opinion, regardless of the listening, of the operation.

And now, People of DeBaser, please forgive the inevitable Track by Track:

 
"Maiden Heaven, A Tribute to Iron Maiden"

"From their way of relating to their fans, through the covers of their albums, their stages, their live presence, their photos—anything they did was cooler than anything anyone else did" Lars Ulrich (Metallica)

"Prowler" (from "Iron Maiden", 1980) performed by Black Tide: The four young Americans offer a version quite faithful to the original just a bit more polished, but it's not necessarily a flaw. True to the Line.

"Remember Tomorrow" (From "Iron Maiden", 1980) performed by Metallica: A heartfelt and courageous execution by the Four Horsemen of this classic, played rather faithfully to the original but their style is all there: Noble.

"Flash of the Blade" (from "Powerslave", 1984) performed by Avenged Sevenfold: the eternal promises of contemporary metal demonstrate courage: facing a piece that even the authors themselves have always approached with reluctance deserves respect: well played and faithful but the vocal lines are definitely out of their reach. Stopped at their peak.

"2 Minutes to Midnight" (from "Powerslave", 1984) performed by Glamour of the Kill: Very polished but intriguing, the young American post-hardcore band plays it as if it were by Crue: you may like it or not... Dazzling.

"The Trooper" (from "Piece of Mind", 1983) performed by Coheed and Cambria: You either love them or hate them: pompous and "effect-laden" as usual, making even more epic what was already. Exaggerated.

"Wasted Years" (from "Somewhere in Time", 1986) performed by Devildriver: Maybe because hearing some Maiden tracks proposed in growl always has its effect, but I must say this "speed" version captured me. Wild.

"Run to the Hills" (from "The Number of the Beast", 1982) performed by Sign: From Iceland comes one of the project's two most controversial covers: Maiden's metal becomes rather mainstream Street Rock but I must say effective, it spins well. Rockers.

"To Tame a Land" (from "Piece of Mind", 1983) performed by Dream Theater: A brave cover (but given their history, it was a must) and result on par, in their style. Impeccable, perhaps too much.

"Caught Somewhere in Time" (from "Somewhere in Time", 1986) performed by Madina Lake: Compressed in just over 4 minutes, this electro-hardcore version of the Maidenian technological dream is perhaps the most beautiful thing, although debatable, of the project, at times even doom atmospheres pop out. Crystallizing.

"Wrathchild" (from "Killers", 1981) performed by Gallows: Fast and Punk, if Maiden were born today maybe it would have been played like this. Hard and Pure.

"Fear of the Dark" (from "Fear of the Dark", 1992) performed by Fightstar: Well-executed task by the English emo kids but far too textbook. Relegated.

"Hallowed be thy Name" (from "The Number of the Beast", 1982) performed by Machine Head: They are not to be questioned but I expected a slightly less classic version faithful to the mythical Maiden version. Measured.

"Iron Maiden" (from "Iron Maiden", 1980) performed by Trivium: I don't like them but I must say that if framed (like here) in a precise style, they even have the drive, their version is fierce enough. Angry.

"Running Free" (from "Iron Maiden", 1980) performed by Year Long Disaster: It sounds recorded in my garage but it's fine like this given the piece. Streetwise.

"Brave New World" (from "Brave New World", 2000) performed by Ghostlines: The only song chosen among those of the new course (and among all the recent ones the one I like least) is here proposed in an alluring and emotional semi-acoustic version; at times it truly moves. Romantic.

Conclusions: Stay calm, if you can, DeBasers.

Mo.