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Rating: Incredible, engaging, exciting, epic, stratospheric.
I don't know what else to say to praise the Maiden. Guys, this album is of stunning beauty. It confirms what I've been thinking and saying for years: the Maiden are the only band that, the more the years go by, the more they produce increasingly beautiful music (unlike Metallica, Megadeth, Limp Bizkit, even if the genre they make doesn't have a damn thing to do with it) and new ideas.
The work opens with "Different world", a powerful, creative riff that hits you in the face and ears with unheard-of energy. The whole song evolves in a succession of excellent melodies, where Bruce's magical voice, Harris's now-famous and indisputable bass, and Smith's solo come together to form an explosive mixture. Thrilling piece. Rating 9.
"This colours don't run" is a ballad that conveys emotion and poignant memories, just like those described in the thoughts of a soldier, the protagonist of the lyrics. The keyboard melodies are just right: they provide a fantastic poetic frame. Rating 8.5.
"Brighter than a thousand suns": Initially, this piece picks up the sounds of the previous one until a metal gallop forcefully enters. Fantastic bass by Harris (how the hell does he go that fast with those fingers??); As always, framed appropriately by keyboards and strings that remind us once again that defining the Maiden as just a metal band is too restrictive. Rating 8.
"The pilgrim" allows us to "catch our breath a bit," and not because it's a calm piece (see the quotation marks), but because it's melodically less demanding and sophisticated than the previous ones, yet no less beautiful. What makes this track pleasant to listen to are the particular guitar melodies with an oriental flavor, including Gers's solo, and the tempo changes between verses and choruses (after all, with McBrain on drums, you can't be surprised by these things). Rating 7.5.
"The longest day": A piece with a fantastically unsettling initial melody, just like Bruce's voice, which dominates in this piece. Then a development of majesty and ferocity, almost expressing a sort of repressed anger that makes the sounds of this track captivating, gritty, yet at the same time poignant. Fantastic drum/bass guitar counter-tempos in the middle bridge; refined melodies, particularly in the solos. Simply wonderful song. Rating 9.
"Out of the shadows": a calm piece, moving in lyrics and relaxing in music. Just what you need in a respectable rock album. With a fairly simple structure, it slightly departs from what we've listened to so far but remains pleasant and noteworthy. Rating 7.
"The reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg": This is the first single released, and you can see why, musical mastery across the board. Fantastic arpeggiated intro, then suddenly the Maiden let themselves go into a powerful and deadly impactful riff, adding a sharp and precise vocal line. Introduction to the solo that brings back metal gallops of old and Murray reiterates once again (as if there was any need) his skill on the guitar. Majestic. Rating 9.5.
"For the greater good of God": Ladies and gentlemen, HATS OFF. In my life, I don't think I've ever heard anything like it. This song is simply heavenly; it brings tears to your eyes with its beauty, emotion, but grit, with instrumental passages that mix gothic with medieval sounds, all obviously in a rock frame that gives you goosebumps because it's so fitting. In my opinion, this piece represents the noblest part of the Maiden's career. I don't know whether to call it an anthem to metal music or lyrical. Here's the right adjective for this piece: INDESCRIBABLE. Rating 10 on all fronts.
"Lord of light." The intro magically merges with the end of the previous piece until an explosive guitar starts a powerful, sharp, maxed-out metallic song. Devastating bass by Harris and simply wonderful instrumental passages and solos. Aggressive. Rating 9.5.
"The legacy." This calm and committed ballad closes the work of art. Very pleasant acoustic guitars and refined and exquisite melodies for over 5 minutes, then the Maiden-like rock intervenes with vocal melodies resembling a Russian march (in some respects it reminds a lot of the sounds of "No prayer for the dying"). Conclusion with solos that bring back memories of "Powerslave" times, in a definitively more classic rock setting. Well-chosen. Rating 8.
GUYS, I'VE READ SOME REVIEWS OF THIS ALBUM THAT MADE ME SHIVER. I WILL ALWAYS RESPECT OTHER PEOPLE'S OPINIONS, BUT ANYONE WHO KNOWS WHAT GOOD MUSIC IS CAN'T HELP BUT GO CRAZY FOR THIS ALBUM. THERE WERE SOME WHO SAID THIS CD SUCKS AND THAT THE MAIDEN ARE DONE; TO THESE PEOPLE, I SAY: MAYBE YOU BETTER TURN OFF THE STEREO AND WATCH MARIA DE FILIPPI. up the irons
Tracklist Lyrics 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 dariogreat
"An album to buy and listen to calmly to appreciate it... it sounds terribly good."
"Listen, listen, listen and open your mind. Up the irons."
