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Rating:
The life of all of us is dotted with some irreversible constants: the sun rising every morning, yet another weekly quiz by Mike Bongiorno, Andreotti voting in parliament... in addition to the albums and concerts of Iron Maiden, of course!
The importance of "Dance of Death" lies in it being an album that finally sounds different compared to the previous yet valid "Brave New World," since the three guitars are fully utilized in an attempt, I'd say perfectly realized, to create an interesting and original soundscape. While in "Brave New World," the three guitarists simply alternated in playing various riffs and solos, in "Dance of Death" there are instead passages and continuous references between one guitar and another that appear of fine quality, giving the played tracks a truly unique sense of rhythm. In fact, many of the songs on the album are filled with numerous baroque elements that never tire; indeed, it is only after several in-depth listens that one grasps all the sound nuances present in it.
Additionally, a factor that I believe contributed to the success of this album is the renewed harmony among the band members, which contributes to raising the overall level of the compositions, an aspect that might have been somewhat lacking in the previous album, where each member of the group limited themselves to doing their part without trying to connect their contributions to those of others. In "Dance of Death," fortunately, a different, more cohesive atmosphere can be felt, as one perceives how much the members themselves enjoyed playing it.
The most representative songs of the album are the title track, along with gems like "Paschedale", "Montsegur", and "Rainmaker": particularly, the first two are superlative tracks, built on a game of fits and Chinese boxes with continuous changes of tempo and melody, in a hypnotic alternation of riffs and guitar solos that only the Maiden could conceive. Dickinson's voice captivates from the start, with his manner of acting like a minstrel telling, respectively, the events of a strange nightmare in the first and a famous battle in the second case, then speeding up in the middle of the track. A truly great piece, indeed, it had been since the times of "Fear of the Dark" that Iron hadn't composed such original and fascinating songs, and even then, there was a story to tell about a nightmare with the connected fear of the unknown and death!
The good form of the band is evidenced precisely by these two tracks, in which a quantity of melodic lines and riffs are condensed that, if properly developed, could fill an entire album of metal music.
With "Montsegur", it feels like being back to the times of "Powerslave" or thereabouts, for the energy and intensity inherent in this piece; it couldn’t be otherwise, since it talks about the persecution of the Cathars by the Holy Inquisition, a theme dear to Dickinson who indeed writes a truly inspired and not at all rhetorical text.
The rest of the album travels on good standards (a praise goes to "No More Lies"), except for the opening track, written by Harris and Smith: the painful notes not only of this but of many of Iron’s recent albums stem precisely from the opener, which should have the thankless task of introducing the other tracks. Unfortunately, since the times of "Fear of the Dark," where the splendid "Be Quick Or Be Dead" appeared, Iron hasn't nailed the opening track, and "Wildest Dream" wavers between mediocrity and self-plagiarism, or worse, of others (as occurred with the unfortunate "The Wicker Man", a fusion of "Spreading The Disease" by Queensrÿche and "Running Wild" by Judas Priest). It's an insignificant track musically, a banal musical exercise by Harris and Smith that goes in one ear and out the other without leaving any trace. Much better it would have been to start immediately with "Rainmaker", a tough track with a chorus that immediately imprints itself in your mind for its musicality and simplicity.
Ultimately, this is a great album that if it had just a slightly better opener, could have aspired to the status of an epochal album, but even so, it's worth listening to both for the most die-hard fans and for the lovers of hard and pure music in general.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Rainmaker (03:48)
When I was wandering in the desert,
And was searching for the truth
I heard a choir of angels calling out my name,
I had the feeling that my life would never be the same again
I turn my face towards the barren sun
And I know of the pain that you feel the same as me,
And I dream of the rain as it falls upon the leaves
And the cracks in our lives like the cracks upon the ground,
They are sealed and are now washed away
You tell me we can start the rain
You tell me that we all can change
You tell me we can find something to wash the tears away,
You tell me we can start the rain
You tell me that we all can change
You tell me we can find something to wash the tears...
And I know of the pain that you feel the same as me,
And I dream of the rain as it falls upon the leaves
And the cracks in the ground like the cracks are in our lives,
They are sealed and now far away
You tell me we can start the rain
You tell me that we all can change
You tell me we can find something to wash the tears away,
You tell me we can start the rain
You tell me that we all can change
You tell me we can find something to wash the tears...
And I know of the pain that you feel the same as me,
And I dream of the rain as it falls upon the leaves
And the cracks in the ground like the cracks are in our lives,
They are sealed and now far away
03 No More Lies (07:21)
There's a darkening sky before me. There's no time to prepare
Salvage the last horizon, but no regrets from me
Maybe I'll be back some other day to live again, just who can say
In what shape or form that I might be, just another chance for me
A hurried time no disgrace, instead of racing to conclusion
And wishing all my life away. No-one can stop me now.
Time is up it couldn't last, but there's more things I'd like to do
I'm coming back to try again. Someday maybe I'll wait till then
No more lies, no more lies
No more lies, no more lies
No more lies, no more lies
No more lies, no more lies
They're all sitting at my table, talking tar and drinking wine
There time is up just like me, but they just don't know it yet
So just a word of warning, when you're in your deepest dreams
There's nothing you can hide from. I've got my eye on you
The clock is fast the hour is near. Eventful past is everclear
My life is set the time is here. I think I'm coming home
No more lies, no more lies
No more lies, no more lies
No more lies, no more lies
No more lies, no more lies
A hurried time no disgrace, instead of racing to conclusion
And wishing all your life away, no one can stop me now
Time is up it couldn't last, but there's more things I have to do
I'm coming back to try again. Don't tell me that this is the end
No more lies, no more lies
No more lies, no more lies
No more lies, no more lies
No more lies, no more lies
No more lies, no more lies
04 Montségur (05:50)
I stand alone in this desolate space
In death they are truly alive
Massacred innocence, evil took place
The angels were burning inside
Centuries later I wonder why
What secret that they took to their grave
Still burning heretics under our skies
Religion's still burning inside
At the gates and the walls of Montségur
Blood on the stones of the citadel
At the gates and the walls of Montségur
Blood on the stones of the citadel
At the gates and the walls of Montségur
Blood on the stones of the citadel
At the gates and the walls of Montségur
Blood on the stones of the citadel
As we kill them all so god will know his own
The innocents died for the pope on his throne
Catholic greed and its paranoid zeal
Curse of the grail and the blood of the cross
Templar believers with blood on their hands
Joined in the choruse to kill on demand
Burned at the stake for their soul's liberty
To stand with the cathars to die and be free
The book of old testament crippled and black
Satan his weapon is lust
As for the knowleadge of god they had claimed
Religion's still burning inside
At the gates and the walls of Montségur
Blood on the stones of the citadel
At the gates and the walls of Montségur
Blood on the stones of the citadel
At the gates and the walls of Montségur
Blood on the stones of the citadel
At the gates and the walls of Montségur
Blood on the stones of the citadel
As we kill them all so god know his own
Laugh at the darkness and in god we trust
The eye of the triangle smiling with sin
No passover feast for the cursed within
Facing the sun as they went to their grave
Burn like a dog or you live like a slave
Death is the price for your soul's liberty
To stand with the cathars and to die and be free
At the gates and the walls of Montségur
Blood on the stones of the citadel
At the gates and the walls of Montségur
Blood on the stones of the citadel
05 Dance of Death (08:36)
Let me tell you a story to chill the bones
About a thing that I saw
One night wandering in the everglades
I'd one drink but no more
I was rambling, enjoying the bright moonlight
Gazing up at the stars
Not aware of a presence so near to me
Watching my every move
Feeling scared and I fell to my knees
As something rushed me from the trees
Took me to an unholy place
And that is where I fell from grace
Then they summoned me over to join in with them
To the dance of the dead
Into the circle of fire I followed them
Into the middle I was led
As if time had stopped still I was numb with fear
But still I wanted to go
And the blaze of the fire did no hurt upon me
As I walked onto the coals
And I felt I was in a trance
And my spirit was lifted from me
And if only someone had the chance
To witness what happened to me
And I danced and I pranced and I sang with them
All had death in their eyes
Lifeless figures they were undead all of them
They had ascended from hell
As I danced with the dead
My free spirit was laughing and howling down at me
Below my undead body
Just danced the circle of dead
Until the time came to reunite us both
My spirit came back down to me
I didn't know if I was alive or dead
As the others all joined in with me
By luck then a skirmish started
And took the attention away from me
When they took their gaze from me
Was the moment that I fled
I ran like hell faster than the wind
But behind I did not glance
One thing that I did not dare
Was to look just straight ahead
When you know that your time has come around
You know you'll be prepared for it
Say your last goodbyes to everyone
Drink and say a prayer for it
When you're lying in your sleep, when you're lying in your bed
And you wake from your dreams to go dancing with the dead
When you're lying in your sleep, when you're lying in your bed
And you wake from your dreams to go dancing with the dead
To this day I guess I'll never know
Just why they let me go
But I'll never go dancing no more
'Til I dance with the dead
08 Paschendale (08:28)
In a foreign field he lay, lonely soldier unknown grave
On his dying words he prays, tell the world of Paschendale
Relive all that he's been through, last communion of his soul
Rust your bullets with his tears. Let me tell you 'bout his years
Laying low in a blood filled trench, killing time 'til my very own death
On my face I can feel the falling rain, never see my friends again
In the smoke in the mud and lead, smell the fear and the feeling of dread
Soon be time to go over the wall, rapid fire and the end of us all
Whistles, shouts and more gun fire, lifeless bodies hang on barbed wire
Battlefield nothing but a bloody tomb, be reunited with my dead friends soon
Many soldiers eighteen years, drown in mud no more tears
Surely a war no-one can win, killing time about to begin
Home, far away, from the war, a chance to live again
Home, far away, but the war, no chance to live again
The bodies of ours and our foes, the sea of death it overflows
In no man's land god only knows, into jaws of death we go
Crucified as if on a cross, allied troops they mourn their loss
German war propaganda machine, such before has never been seen
Swear I heard the angels cry, pray to god no more will die
So that people know the truth, tell the tale of Paschendale
Cruelty has a human heart, everyman does play his part
Terror of the men we kill, the human heart is hungry still
I stand my ground for the very last time, gun is ready as I stand in line
Nervous wait for the whistle to blow, rush of blood and over we go
Blood is falling like the rain, its crimson cloak unveils again
The sound of guns can't hide their shame, and so we die on Paschendale
Dodging shrapnel and barbed wire, running straight at cannon fire
Running blind as I hold my breath, say a prayer symphony of death
As we charge the enemy lines, a burst of fire and we go down
I choke a cry but no-one hears, feel the blood go down my throat
Home, far away, from the war, a chance to live again
Home, far away, but the war, no chance to live again
See my spirit on the wind, across the lines beyond the hill
Friend and foe will meet again, those who died at Paschendale
09 Face in the Sand (06:31)
Everybody`s waiting for something to happen,
Everybody`s waiting for something to see
Lunatics waitin for bigger disasters,
Everybody`s waiting for news on TV
Winding lives at the end of the spiral,
Waiting dictators with their next big thrill
Everyone`s looking but no one is listening,
Everybody wants to be in at the kill
I wait for the signs, they tell me true, I see the signs of the end time
Everybody`s searching but nothing`s revealing,
Everyone`s looking for the reason why
Everyone`s hoping for life everafter,
Everyone`s looking at death from the sky
Everyone`s nightmares are going to happen,
Everybody`s ripping the mask from their eyes
Everyone`s playing but no one`s believing,
Everyone`s heroes tell everyone`s lies
So I watch and I wait, and I pray for an answer
An end to the strife and the world`s misery, but the end never came
And we`re digging the graves, and we`re loading the guns for the kill
Can the end be at hand? Is the face in the sand?
Future memory of our tragedy
Can the end be at hand? Is the face in the sand?
Future memory of our tragedy
10 Age of Innocence (06:10)
I can`t be compromising in my thoughts no more,
I can`t prevent the times my anger filles my heart
I can`t be sympathizing with a new lost cause,
I feel I`ve lost my patience with the world and all
And all the politicians and their hollow promises,
And all their lies, deceit and shame that goes with it
The working man pays everything for their mistakes,
And with his life too if there was to be a war
So we only get one chance can we take it,
And we only get one life can`t exchange it
Can we hold on to what we have don`t replace it,
The age of innocence is fading... Like an old dream
A life of petty crime gets punished with a holiday,
The victim`s minds are scarred for life most everyday
Assailants know just how much further they can go,
They know the laws are soft conviction changes low
So we only get one chance can we take it,
And we only get one life can`t exchange it
Can we hold on to what we have don`t replace it,
The age of innocence is fading... Like an old dream
You can`t protect yourself even in your own home,
For fear of vigilante cries the victims wipe their eyes
So now the criminals they laugh right in your face,
Judicial system lets them do it, a disgrace
Despondent public worries where it all will end,
We can`t protect ourselves our kids from crime the trend
We cannot warn each other of evil in our midst,
They have more rights than us, you cannot call that just
So we only get one chance can we take it,
And we only get one life can`t exchange it
Can we hold on to what we have don`t replace it,
The age of innocence is fading... Like an old dream
The age of innocence is fading like an old dream...
11 Journeyman (07:06)
From the red sky of the east, to the sunset in the west
We have cheated death and he has cheated us
But that was just a dream, and this is what it means
We are sleeping and we'll dream for evermore
And the fragment remains, of our memories
And the shadows we made, with our hands
Deeper grey, came to mourn, all the colours of the dawn
Will this journeyman's day be his last
I know what I want, And I say what I want
And no one can take it away, I know what I want
And I say what I want, And no one can take it away
But the memory still remains, all the past years not so strange
Our winter times are like a silent shroud
And the heartbeat of the day drives the mist away
And winter's not the only dream around
In your life you may choose desolation
And the shadows you build with your hands
If you turn to the light, that is burning in the night
Then your journeyman's day has begun
I know what I want, And I say what I want
And no one can take it away, I know what I want
And I say what I want, And no one can take it away
In your life you may choose desolation
And the shadows you build with your hands
If you turn to the light, that is burning in the night
Then your journeyman's day has begun
I know what I want, And I say what I want
And no one can take it away, I know what I want
And I say what I want, And no one can take it away
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Other reviews
By cliffburton86
Harris and co. have defied expectations and surprised everyone a bit.
You won’t find any earth-shattering musical upheavals, but a pleasant, curious, and catchy evolution in the timeless music of the greatest Heavy-metal band ever... THE IRON MAIDEN!!
By Josh
Dance of Death could easily be defined as 'boring but with class,' a work created by old glories who now create music with the same emotional drive with which an employee punches a time clock.
The first and so far only fully acoustic track by the group reveals an unprecedented and surprising component of the group's sound tapestry.
By AR (Anonima Recensori)
THE ABSOLUTE SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A huge disappointment, don’t buy it.
By Brizz89
The repetitiveness of the songs is increasingly overwhelming and it has become automatic to wonder why they continue to churn out such similar songs even after more than 20 years of career.
A mediocre album that I do not recommend purchasing except to attempt to trace a nonexistent evolution of a band that has withered over the years.
By vezzo
Montegur: in my opinion the most beautiful track of the album, very heavy in the riffs but endowed with splendid effects given by the overlap of multiple guitar parts.
The aforementioned songs absolutely make the purchase of the album worthwhile which for me, after 'A Matter Of Life And Death', is, along with 'Brave New World', the most beautiful album by Iron.
