•
Rating:
THE REVIEW
The Iron Maiden return with a new album three years after 'Dance of Death'.
What immediately catches the eye is the length of the songs. Let's analyze them track by track.
1. Different Worlds (Smith/Harris) 4.17 The opening track of the album is a fantastic rocker featuring a beautiful solo by Adrian. It's a compact track, in line with the recent pieces the band has crafted and presents a wicked 7/8 groove!
2. These Colours Don't Run (Smith/Harris/Dickinson) 6.52 It features a slow intro, a truly imposing chorus, some staccato prog riffs, a melodious guitar section, and again two phenomenal solos, one by Davey and the other by Adrian, that almost seems like a fusion solo in the style of John McLaughlin - stunning! (And the title echoes a phrase Bruce said at the egg throwing event, to emphasize that "the colors of the English flag don't run")
3. Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (Smith/Harris/Dickinson) 8.44 It's a song with Celtic sounds, featuring a great chorus like only Steve Harris can create and presents stratospheric solos by Dave Murray.
4. The Pilgrim (Gers/Harris) 5.07 A track dedicated to a novelist of whom Janick Gers possesses all sorts of documentation and/or memorabilia. In the diary, Kevin calls it the amusing name of: The Rime Of Billy Bunter (a provisional title). The song features great harmonic parts in the slow section and a great solo by Janick, where he left his "Blackmore's" trademark and some wild, nonsensical whammy dives.
5. The Longest Day (Smith/Harris/Dickinson) 7.48 A track with the main harmony and support per liter by Janick. Presence of keyboards played by Steve and choruses sung by him and Adrian.
6. Out Of the Shadows (Dickinson/Harris) 5.36 Song #6: features a beautiful guitar track by Adrian Smith and also some synth lines, a backing vocal, and good keyboard work. All performed by Steve. Track with lyrics by Bruce and melody by Steve.
7. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Brett (Murray/Harris) 7.21 We know everything about this one, don't we?
8. For The Greater Good of God (Harris) 9.24 Song #8: It will last 10 minutes and sounds great. It features a very Celtic sound.
9. Lord Of Light (Smith/Harris/Dickinson) 7.23 Song #9: It has a great solo by Adrian Smith with a middle octave and presents some flamboyant passages on the solo section reserved for Janick.
10. The Legacy (Gers/Harris) 9.20 Song #10: Features a very high-pitched vocal, keyboards, and some passages of acoustic guitars (6 and 12 strings) by Janick Gers, as well as his solo.
I think it's a flawless album in terms of production, technique, and Bruce's vocal performance, but I find it somewhat dispersive and verbose. The tracks are very long and not very immediate. It's certainly not a hard metal album, but I think it's better this way considering the band's age. In conclusion, it's what I expect from today's Iron Maiden. If they were like Slayer, I would find them pathetic, but I also hope it's the last one.
I hope they don't continue indefinitely like the Rolling Stones, as their latest albums, although good, add nothing to their historical repertoire.
Loading comments slowly
Summary by Bot
Iron Maiden’s 'A Matter Of Life And Death' marks the band’s return with long, intricate tracks featuring outstanding guitar solos and strong vocal delivery. The album blends Celtic influences and progressive elements, showcasing matured musicianship and solid production. While some may find it verbose, it fits the band’s current style well. The review appreciates the album's artistry but hopes the band will eventually conclude their career on a high note.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
Iron Maiden
British heavy metal band formed in 1975, led by bassist and principal songwriter Steve Harris. Famous for epic studio albums, theatrical live shows featuring vocalist Bruce Dickinson, and the mascot Eddie.180 Reviews
Other reviews
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."
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.
