Iron Maiden
A Matter of Life and Death

THE REVIEW

I'll start by saying that I've been listening to it for a while and among all the Iron Maiden albums, this one is definitely among the least immediate and somehow among the most difficult to get into.

It starts with the decent speed of Different World, which boasts immediate catchiness and an unusual chorus where it seems Bruce is accompanied by voices other than his own. This lower register of our great Bruce is something new that he should explore more often instead of always keeping to a semi-operatic level that can eventually become tiresome. Special mention goes to McBrain, who, in this and other tracks, demonstrates his skill in time changes and is particularly creative with fillers. Rating 7.5

Next is These Colours Don't Run, which exudes epicness, and you can't help but sing along to the bridge, pre-chorus, and chorus. The solos are also excellently done, and the three guitars are used appropriately. Rating 8

Brighter Than a Thousand Suns is not only a beautiful song but also has particularly profound lyrics (brighter than a thousand suns is the atomic bomb) and flows enjoyably with massive riffs, compelling time changes, and applaud-worthy vocal melodies, returning to the initial arpeggio with the bass always dominant and Bruce weaving a crescendo chorus where your heartbeat swells in your chest, and your head can't help but move back and forth, head banging, mid-tempo, but head banging. After one of the thousand divine solos (seems like Smith) there's a section of rocky guitars and Bruce soaring high again to the frenzied finale. A triumph of a song. And there's not a second to be cut in its 8 minutes and 46 if that's what you're wondering. Rating 9

We continue with The Pilgrim with riffs and vocal melodies that are certainly captivating and exotic breaks in full Maiden tradition. If you don't feel the urge to sing changing the water into wine, get checked out by someone. Moreover, the overdub of Bruce's high and low voice is, as always, masterful. The song has a nice sustained rhythm and lasts "only" 5 minutes.

Rating 8.5

Enter The Longest Day: it starts as usual with an arpeggio and bass in the foreground, a threatening and engaging vocal narrating sad and devastating war events, the torturous effort to turn men from flesh and blood to steel, to convert men's blood and flesh into steel, until it opens in sliding we go... chills, meanwhile, there’s the usual gallop that doesn't let up for a moment until the chorus arrives which, as good as it is, is repeated just a bit too much and here 2 or 4 rounds could have been spared. Nice heavy breaks where McBrain is impressive and the guitars relentless until the fantasy harmonization. Rating 9 only because here, yes, some of the excess could have been avoided.

And now it's the turn of Out of the Shadows, the only ballad on the album where Bruce's vibrato and the guitar (Smith's?) take center stage, beautifully melodic but not thrilling, with a chorus repeated way too many times. Here Maiden presents us with the AOR (adult oriented rock) stylings akin to their other ballads from the 90s, especially Wasting Love. Rating 7

The Reincarnation of Benjamin Bregg receives mixed reviews: some think it's a masterpiece, some a flop, I'm somewhere in between. Certainly Bruce singing and at the end almost whispering (by his standards) Let me tell you 'bout my life, let me tell you 'bout my dreams is spine-tingling and hypnotic. The song then unfolds in a surely interesting mid-tempo even lyrically with catchy vocal melodies and a memorable chorus supported by bass riffs (always nicely audible and enjoyable) and robust and punctual guitars, doing things properly, as they know how. Worth mentioning is that this is the only piece that sees Murray as a co-writer with Harris.

At this point, the album is indeed good but would need to shift another gear to wake up a listener who risks getting a bit bored. Rating 7.5

For the Greater Good of God lasts 9 minutes and 25, starting slowly, and here we are in truly well-trodden territory, naturally with mastery, but I can’t put aside the accusation of repetitiveness and this is perhaps the album's weak point. Bruce's colossal vocal performance (and rightly so) nonetheless brilliantly carries this piece with a singable pre-chorus and chorus. Lacking a true clincher but maintaining high levels anyway. 7+

We are at the last two pieces, Lord of Light although presenting us once again with the structure of a slow start with arpeggio-rise to a chorus-descendant finale with slow and epic closing (I believe that's 6 songs out of 10 following roughly this formula) fascinates and enchants with whispered singing (at the start) and really hypnotic guitars, especially towards the end with really noteworthy solos, we are always on the good but not too great. Rating 7

And we finally come to the last piece The Legacy, another long piece: 9 minutes and 23.

It starts with 3 very interesting minutes where guitar melodies that can be described as renaissance counterpoint Bruce's voice; is there a need to add an adjective to Bruce's voice? If you like, you can. But nothing less than sensational. It then continues with a very interesting piece, rich for exploration, all sparkling guitars and time changes, one of those pieces that needs more listens to truly understand its worth and a close to the album that lifts the fortunes that were momentarily flattening out with the last pieces. Rating 8.5

Ultimately, this effort of ours from 2006, although not an album for everyone and not for every moment, is nonetheless a great work of art and definitely deserves a final rating of 8/10.

Maybe not the album to listen to in every situation, the lyrics are hefty blows of despair, tragedy, and war. Surely the fact that Paschendale on the previous Dance of Death is one of the best tracks in the entire Iron Maiden discography has put them into the warrior trip. No longer do they exalt epic deeds as in the 80s but offer us more mature reflections on how sad and senseless war is. I hope you enjoyed this track-by-track review.
This is the first time in my life I've written such a long review, comments are welcome. Do you like A Matter of Life and Death?
UP THE IRONS!!!!