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Rating:
Iron Maiden: reviewing the work of a band with this name is more than a challenge, especially considering that it's my first experience of this kind. I've read several reviews of this album already present on debaser, and while "de gustibus non disputandum est," a bit of objectivity, or at least a pinch of clarity, is necessary, especially if a product like this review is intended to be read to get an idea of what is being discussed.
But enough of the chatter; we left off in 2003, if I'm not wrong, with 'Dance of Death,' an album that divided the audience, judged slightly mediocre in composition compared to past masterpieces; an album that I personally liked quite a bit just as this new 'AMOLAD' did. Honestly, all the sound and works post-reunion with Bruce have driven me crazy, especially for the groovy imprint and the clean, squared sound the band has acquired. The evolution is noticeable anyway, and new paths have opened for the Maiden of the 2000s, who now demonstrate more than ever since they reformed this lineup that they can remain fresh and innovative even at their 14th work.
It's an album that I could describe as difficult compared to the two previous ones, rich in experimentation and pathos, with a sound that vaguely brings me back to the "Somewhere in Time" and "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son" periods. An album that, unlike DOD for example, doesn't capture you on the first listen, isn't entirely immediate, but is discovered after several listens. Track by track, I think I will better explain what I mean.
1- Different world: For those who loved and love Maiden of Dance, a gem destined to make a killing under the stage. A piece that couldn't be more Maiden, I would have said if I had stopped at the penultimate album. Immediate riffs and refrains, simple structure. A comparison? Wildest Dreams. Rating 7
2- These colors don’t run: Already by the second track, everything starts to change, an intro before the explosion, a refrain to shout at the top of your lungs, solo, melody, and chorus. A nice piece. Rating 8
3- Brighter than a thousand suns: Strange track, alternating odd-time (7/4) verse with canonical 4/4 chorus and bridge. Epic, complex, well-structured but difficult on first listens, it's a piece that's appreciated slowly, then perhaps rediscovered as one of the best of the entire work. It may seem a little un-Maiden for those stuck on past works, but it's truly appreciated by prepared and attentive ears. Rating 8 1/2
4- The pilgrim: Another rather old-school track, linear structure and melodies that bring the listener back to a crossroad between Revelation/Powerslave. Nice piece but compared to the complexity of the album, it seems a bit sparse. More will please the unyielding old-school Iron fans. Rating 7
5- The longest day: Defined by many as the masterpiece of the album. Epic piece as well, opened by a rhythmic intro by Steve; for the verse, very The Clansman. Very evocative instrumental digression and liquid guitar melodies that do not disappoint. Excellent drum arrangement in my opinion. Rating 8
6- Out of the shadows: Gorgeous ballad; nothing heavy metal here, smooth solutions for 5:36 of track that do not disappoint. To clarify, a sort of Wasting Love softened in the vocal parts and well managed in the instrumental section. Rating 8
7- The reincarnation of benjamin breeg: Piece full of atmosphere, the first single of the album. Alone didn't excite me much, but inserted in the album's context, the gem blooms into what turns out to be a true black rose. The Maiden work on a static structure led by a Nicko who, in his simplicity, arranges and amazes. Spine-chilling lyrics (or at least that's the effect it has on me). 7 minutes of track that doesn't hold many surprises but is appreciated for its spot-on vocal lines and an instrumental part that drags and remains indelible in memory. Rating 8+
8-For the greater good of god: Masterpiece of the album, fantastic lyrics, almost moving at times. Also opened by an intro, very epic, complex but easy to understand. The longest track of the album (9.24) moves to an instrumental part that is perhaps the most significant and varied of the entire work. Perhaps at times reminiscent of The Sign of the Cross for the atmosphere it creates at certain points, even if the melodies alternate, the sensations change rapidly. A valid piece, full of sounds and a "new" sound. I think this is the one that best represents the new Maiden. Rating 8/9
9- Lord of light: Well-composed and arranged piece but did not hit me like the others, despite having all the elements to do so: Singable refrains and intricate structures at certain points. A piece that fits the album, but perhaps captures less compared to the rest of the work. Rating: 7-
10- The legacy: Are these the Maiden? Eheh yes, even if it wouldn't seem, an intro with acoustic guitars with a medieval flavor that seems to come out of the brief narrative tracks of "Nightfall in Middle Earth by the Guardian." A really complex piece, with a really atypical sound, where not always the various parts are as cohesive as they should be. Maybe some listening would do me good to understand it more. Rating: N
Here we are at the end, perhaps I have been very verbose, but I wanted to leave an in-depth work to better allow understanding and forming an idea. Obviously, I liked the album, but this is simply because here I found everything I needed: liquid and melodic guitars, refrains you can't get out of your head... these are the Maiden, there are those who accuse them of maintaining the same sound and way of arranging (and in this album, quite the opposite emerges), those who said "predictable..." (and even here, in AMOLAD, the accusations can easily be dismantled). An album to buy and listen to calmly to appreciate it, not much to do about it, and one shouldn't call someone a poser or an idiot for deciding to buy the album and praise it, I don't care much whether it's metal, whether it's a rock of riffs and gallops or whether you can headbang all the time; an album is beautiful beyond that, and this is an album that sounds terribly good, it may not be one of the masterpieces, it won't equal the past, but it's still something that gives me goosebumps every time I put the disc in the player.
Listen and make up your opinion, it's not 'Dance of Death' even if it continues and develops certain cues. Listen, listen, listen and open your mind. Up the irons. Dariogreat
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
04 The Pilgrim (05:07)
The keys to death and hell
The ailing kingdom doomed to fail
The bonds of sin and heart will break
The pilgrims course will take
Quelling the devils might
And ready for eternal fight
Aching limbs and fainting soul
Holy battles take their toll
Liberty and hope divine
Changing the water into wine
So to you we bid farewell
Kingdom of heaven to hell
Spirit holy life eternal
Raise me up take me home
Pilgrim sunrise pagan sunset
Onward journey begun
To courage find and gracious will
Deliver good from ill
Clean the water clean our guilt
With us do what you will
Then will my judge appear
Bear no false angel that I hear
For only then I will confess
To my eternal hell
Now give us our holy sign
Changing the water into wine
So to you we bid farewell
Kingdom of heaven to hell
Spirit holy life eternal
Raise me up take me home
Pilgrim sunrise pagan sunset
Onward journey begun
SOLO
Now give us our holy sign
Changing the water into wine
So to you we bid farewell
Kingdom of heaven to hell
Spirit holy life eternal
Raise me up take me home
Pilgrim sunrise pagan sunset
Onward journey begun
Spirit holy life eternal
Raise me up take me home
Pilgrim sunrise pagan sunset
Onward journey begun
06 Out of the Shadows (05:36)
Hold a halo round the world
Golden is the day
Princes of the Universe
your burden is the way
So there is no better time
who will be born today
A gypsy child at day break
A king for the day
Out of the shadows and into the sun
Dreams of the past as the old ways are done
Oh there is beauty and surely there is pain
But we must endure it, to live again
Dusty dreams in fading daylight
Flicker on the walls
Nothing new your life's adrift
What purpose to it all?
Eyes are closed and death is calling
Reaching out its hand
Call upon the starlight to surround you
Out of the shadows and into the sun
Dreams of the past as the old ways are done
Oh there is beuty and surely there is pain
But we must endure it, to live again
Out of the shadows and into the sun
Dreams of the past as the old ways are done
Oh there is beauty and surely there is pain
But we must endure it, to live again
Out of the shadows and into the sun
Dreams of the past as the old ways are done
Oh there is beauty and surely there is pain
But we must endure it, to live again
Out of the shadows and into the sun
Dreams of the past as the old ways are done
Oh there is beauty and surely there is pain
But we must endure it, to live again
A man who casts no shadow has no soul
07 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (07:22)
Let me tell you 'bout my life,
Let me tell you 'bout my dreams,
Let me tell you 'bout the things that happen, all is real to me.
Let me tell you of my hope, of my need to reach the sky,
Let me take you on an awkward journey, let me tell you why.
Let me tell you why
Why should these curses be laid upon me?
I won't be forgiven 'til I can break free
What did I do to deserve all this guilt?
Pay for my sins, for the sale of my soul
Demons are trapped all inside of my head
My hopes of god reach for heaven from hell
My sins are many
My guilt is too heavy
The pressure of knowing of hiding what I know.
I'm able to see things
Things I don't wanna see
The lies of a thousand souls weigh heavy down on me
I know they're crying for help reaching out
The burden of them will take me down as well
The sin of a thousand souls knocked out in vain
Reincarnate still in me live again
Someone to save me
Something to save me from myself
To bring salvation
To exorcise this hell
Someone to save me
Something to save me from myself
To bring Salvation
To exorcise this hell
Someone to save me
Something to save me from my hell
Our destination away from this nightmare
Someone to save me
Something to save me from myself
To bring salvation
To exorcise this hell
10 The Legacy (09:22)
Tell you a thing
That you ought to know
Two minutes of your time
Then on you go
Tell tale of the men
All dressed in black
That most of them
Not coming back
Sent off to the war
To play little games
And on their return
Can't name no names
Some strange yellow gas
Has played with their minds
Has reddened their eyes
Removed all the lies
And strange as it sounds
Death knows no bounds
How many get well
Only time will tell
Only time will tell
SOLO
You lie in your death bed now
But what did you bring to the table
Brought us only holy sin
Utter trust is a deadly thing
To the prayer of holy peace
We didn't know what was lying underneath
So how could we be such fools
And to think that we thought you the answer
I can't begin to understand in all the lies
But on your death bed I can see it in your eyes
Just as clear as all the sweat upon your brow
It really makes sense I can see it clearly now
Tangled up in a web of lies
Could have been a way to prophesise
Unaware of the consequence
Not aware of the secrets that you kept
Nothing that we could believe
To reveal the façade of faceless men
Not a thing that we could foresee
Now a sign that would tell us the outcome
You had us all strung out with
promises of peace
But all along you cover plan was to deceive
Can it put to rights now only time will tell
Your prophecies will send us all to hell as well
Left to all our golden sons
All to pick up on the peace
You could have given all of them
A little chance... at least
Take the world to a better place
Given them all just a little hope
Just think what a legacy
You now... will leave
SOLO
We seem destined to live in fear
And some that would say Armageddon is near
But where there's a life - well there's hope
That man won't self destruct
Why can't we treat our fellow man
With more respect and a shake of their hands
But anger and loathing is rife
The death on all sides is
becoming a way of life
We live in an uncertain world
Fear, understanding and ignorance
is leading to death
Only the corpses are left
For vultures that prey on their bones
But some are just not wanting peace
Their whole life is death and misery
The only thing that they know
Fight fire with fire life is cheap
But if they do stop to think
That man is teetering right on the brink
But do you think that they care
They benefit from death and pain and despair
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Other reviews
By rourke
It’s a flawless album in terms of production, technique, and Bruce’s vocal performance.
The tracks are very long and not very immediate, but it’s certainly not a hard metal album, which suits the band’s age.
By MoonWolf
‘A Matter of Life and Death’ is an album that has many things to say and requires an audience willing to sit down and listen to it calmly and coherently.
The album itself is excellent, full of well-conceived and executed ideas, a masterpiece? I certainly won’t be the one to decide it; the arduous sentence is left to posterity.
By lonelydreamer
Each song has its own particular light, and there isn’t a single track placed just to extend the album’s duration.
Ladies and gentlemen, the beast is back, and despite the age, it is also quite angry and in shape!!
By AndJusticeForAll
"The choruses in 'These Colours Don't Run' are embarrassing, the song rhythms are incredibly predictable."
"If you can't produce an average-level album, why do you struggle to carry on?"
By elfacet
I have never been able to stand Iron Maiden, I have never even considered them heavy metal (an intense hard rock and nothing more).
I firmly believe that Iron Maiden are one of the most overrated bands that the entire 'metal' scene has ever had.
