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Rating: Considered by many to be already finished, after just eight albums, because they were wiped out by the grunge of Nirvana, Iron Maiden released in 1992 an album that is not memorable, but turns out to be one of their biggest commercial successes: the defenders of the faith strike a chord with metal hearts with an LP not outstanding in terms of songs, but which contains some true gems of metal and appears as a heartfelt, warm album, made with heart, and precisely for this reason with some imperfections that reason would have removed.
Janick Gers has finally integrated and finally tries to step out of Adrian Smith's shadow, with mixed results: he nonetheless appears much more mature in his compositions and confident in live performances than he was on 'No Prayer On The Road'. Bruce's performances, who is increasingly tempted by a solo career that won't give him the honors he deserves, are excellent, memorably interpreting some tracks, including the fabulous title track. It starts with "Be Quick Or Be Dead", explosive speed metal with which the boys opened concerts on the promotional tour and on Bruce's farewell (see you later) tour. A perfect track in its structure, these almost three and a half minutes at the beginning are the best start of a Maiden-signed LP since 'Somewhere in Time'; in itself, the piece attacks British bankers. It was then released as the first single, with a frenetically directed video. One can already notice the harmony between Gers and Dickinson, co-authors of the piece. "From Here To Eternity", the second single, is the last episode of the Charlotte The Harlot saga, in which she goes with the devil himself. The track seems like a tribute to AC/DC, who sang "Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be", while here the chorus is "Hell ain't a bad place, hell is from here to eternity". The track, written by Harris, even if not a masterpiece, turns out to be quite a surprise; vigorous, wild, it is performed by the band with much rock'n'roll spirit, without the performance anxiety that surrounded the entire album "Seventh Son", for example. Indeed, the entire album proposes a return to simpler metal roots, like 'No Prayer For The Dying', only more successful.
"Afraid To Shoot Strangers" is considered among the best moments of the album, with an instrumental part that slightly recalls "Hallowed Be Thy Name". It's evident that it's a track written by Harris, who pours his prog roots into these seven thrilling minutes, so much so that it will also be included in the first anthology, 'Best of the Beast', and will remain in the setlists until the Virtual XI Tour. "Fear is the Key" is again by Dickinson-Gers, but it's rather tedious as a track; Maurizio de Paola noted that it perhaps vaguely sounds like Kashmir by Led Zeppelin, but remains nonetheless an unnecessary piece. "Childhood's End" (Harris) is curious, perhaps reminiscent of "Still Life", doesn't have much impact but results in a decent piece, although introspective. "Wasting Love" is a track that will be much appreciated by the Irons themselves, who won't hesitate to propose it live; it is their first piece truly dedicated to love, not a sappy ballad in Bon Jovi style, but a heartfelt piece with an excellent solo and a very catchy chorus; it was the third and last single. "The Fugitive" is somewhat a waste of time, while "Chains of Misery" is strange, not quite in Maiden style, with sounds that vaguely recall Whitesnake and all '80s hard rock, and it's an experiment that hasn't failed, but which will not be attempted again.
After the terrible "The Apparition" (which competes for the Worst Iron Maiden Song of all time), comes the strange "Judas Be My Guide"; the lyrics are hard to interpret, but the track is fast and very enjoyable, one of the best on the album. The penultimate "Weekend Warrior" isn't much, but it's listenable and serves as a prelude to the masterpiece, the track metal was waiting for to be complete, "Fear Of The Dark", emerging from the pen of a Steve Harris until that moment perhaps overshadowed in the album, but immense in this track. The song alone manages to embrace all metal components: hard and powerful sound, sudden acceleration, great voice, dark theme. It's the last track that becomes a live classic, always acclaimed by the audience, one of their two best songs, second only to "Hallowed Be Thy Name", but more famous. It begins with a solemn intro, only guitars, then slides over a bass line with a non-distorted guitar sound on which Bruce starts to speak to us, to narrate, to scare us. Because it's not just any lyrics, but a real tunnel of horror: "I am the man who walks alone and when I walk through a dark street at night or in the park, when the light begins to change I feel a little strange, a slight anxiety when the dark comes over, fear of the dark, fear of the dark, I have the constant fear that something's always near, fear of the dark, fear of the dark, I have a phobia that someone's always there". Chilling, right? Then comes a sudden and burning acceleration, with a brilliant riff that immediately stamps itself in your mind and evokes immediate headbanging, and then Bruce screams the story that frightens us: "(...) sometimes are you scared to look at the corner of the room because you feel that something's watching you(...), have you ever been alone at night, you got the feeling that something's moving behind you, then you turned around and there's nothing there? But as soon you turn your back again, you KNOW there's something there (...)". Chorus again, riff, bridge, two great solos, bridge, riff again, last verse, chorus and closing on the subdued melody, with the last, very dark line whispered by Bruce: "When I walk through a dark street I am the man who walks alone".
Following the album are two tours (from which "Live at Donington" and "A Real Live/Dead One" will be taken), the first for promotion and the second to say goodbye to Bruce, who however doesn't always appear in top form, or at least eager. He will make up for it from "Accident Of Birth" onwards, up to the glorious return to the parent house. Here closes Dickinson's first adventure, from the next album Harris (especially) and his bandmates will try to undertake an introspective journey that will prove to be a success only halfway; the sound will undergo various renewals and changes, sometimes leaning towards prog metal (like the future "The Unbeliever", "Sign of the Cross", or "Brighter Than a Thousand Suns", and there would be others), sometimes towards a more composed rock ("Look for the truth", "Como estais amigos") which, however, is not to be seen as a loss, but as the courage of a band that has tried (anyway without overturning itself) to vary and reach new horizons.
Maybe the first albums are the best, but Harris and his comrades are convinced and happy with these renewals, and if a rockstar is satisfied with their work, even the fan ends up appreciating it.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Be Quick or Be Dead (03:24)
Covered in sinners and dripping with guilt
Making you money from slime and from filth.
Parading your bellies in ivory towers
Investing our lives in your schemes and your powers.
You got to watch them - Be quick or be dead
Snake eyes in heaven - The thief in your head.
You've got to watch them - Be quick or be dead
Snake eyes in heaven - The thief in your head.
Be quick or be dead - Be quick or be dead
See... what's ruling all our lives
See... who's pulling the strings...
I bet you won't fall on your face...
Your belly will hold you in place.
The serpent is crawling inside of your ear
He says you must vote for what you want to hear.
Don't matter what's wrong as long as you're alright
So pull yourself stupid and rob yourself blind.
02 From Here to Eternity (03:38)
From Here To Eternity
She fell in love with his greasy machine
She leaned over wiped his head
kickstart clean
She'd never seen the beast before
But she left there wanting
more more more
But when she was walking on
down the road
She heard a sound that made
her heart explode
He whispered to her to get on the back
"I'll take you on a ride
from here to eternity"
Hell ain't a bad place
Hell is from here to eternity
Hell ain't a bad place
Hell is from here to eternity
She must be having one of her
crazy dreams
She'd never sat on a piece so mean
It made her feel like she's on cloud nine
She even thought she heard the
engine sigh
But like all dreams that come to an end
They took a tumble at the devil's bend
The beast and Charlotte they were
two of a kind
They'd always take the line...
from here to eternity
Hell ain't a bad place
Hell is from here to eternity
Hell ain't a bad place
Hell is from here to eternity
03 Afraid to Shoot Strangers (06:56)
Lying awake at night I wipe the sweat
from my brow
But it's not the fear 'cos
I'd rather go now
Trying to visualize the horrors that
will lay ahead
The desert sand mound a burial ground
When it comes to the time
Are we partners in crime?
When it comes to the time
We'll be ready to die
God let us go now and finish what's
to be done
Thy Kingdom Come
Thy shall be done- on Earth
Trying to justify to ourselves the
reasons to go
Should we live and let live
Forget or forgive
But how can we let them go on this way?
The reign of terror, corruption must end
And we know, deep down there's
no other way
No trust, no reasoning, no more to say
Afraid to shoot strangers
Afraid to shoot strangers
05 Childhood's End (04:40)
I'd sail across the ocean
I'd walk a hundred miles
If I could make it to the end
Oh just to see a smile
You see it in their faces
The saddness in their tears
The despereation and the anger
Madness and the fear
[Chorus]
No hope, no life, just pain and fear
No food, no love, just greed is here
Starvation and the hunger
The suffering and the pain
The agonies of all-out war
When will it come again?
The struggle for the power
A tyrant tries again
Just what the hell is going on?
When will it ever end?
[Chorus]
You see the full moon float
You watch the red sunrise
We take this things for granted
But somewhere someone's dying
Contaminated waters
Pollution and decay
Just waiting for disease to strike
Oh will we learn someday?
No hope, no life, just pain and fear
No food, no love, no seed, childhoods end.
07 The Fugitive (04:54)
On a cold October morning
As frost lay on the ground
Waiting to make my move
I make no sound
Waiting for the mist to cover all around
I carefully picked my time
then took the wall
I'm sick and tired of running
The hunger and the pain
A stop to look about then off again
Being at the wrong place
And the wrong time
Suspected of a hit that was my crime
I am a fugitive being hunted down
like game
I am a fugitive but I've got to clear
my name
Always looking 'round me
Forever looking back
I'll always be a target for attack
Ever moving onwards
Always on the run
Waiting for the sight of a loaded gun
I am a fugitive being hunted down
like game
I am a fugitive but I've got to clear
my name
Even if I find them
And get to clear my name
I know that things can never
be the same
But if I ever prove
My innocence some day
I've got to get them all to make them pay
I am a fugitive being hunted down
like game
I am a fugitive but I've got to clear
my name
08 Chains of Misery (03:37)
(Dickinson/Murray)
There's a madman in the corner of your eye
He likes to prey � into your sunlight
He wants to burst into the street with you and I
A world of shadows and rain
He's seen what love is�
He wants to pay you back with guilt
He lies to you he won't let you be
He's got your Chains of Misery
He won't be still till he's turned your key
He holds your Chains of Misery
He's got your Chains of Misery
There's a prophet in the gutter in the street
He says �You're damned!� �
And you believe him�
He's got a vision but it shines out through your eyes
A world of hatred and fear�
He felt what love means�
He lies to you he won't let you be
He's got your Chains of Misery
He won't be still till he's turned your key
He holds your Chains of Misery
He's got your Chains of Misery
(repeat)
It's only love that holds the key to your heart�
It's only love�
He lies to you he won't let you be
He's got your Chains of Misery
He won't be still till he's turned your key
He holds your Chains of Misery
He's got your Chains of Misery
He lies to you he won't let you be
He's got your Chains of Misery
He won't be still till he's turned your key
He holds your Chains of Misery
He's got your Chains of Misery
09 The Apparition (03:54)
(Harris/Gers)
Now I'm here, can you see me?
�Cos I'm out on my own
When the room goes cold, tell me
You can feel me
.....�cos I'm here
Here I am, can you see me
Passing through, on my way
To a place I'd been to only in my
Dreams�before
In a world of delusion
Never turn your back on a friend
'Cause you can count your
Real true friends on one hand
.....through life
There are those that deceive you
There are those that'll let you down
Is there someone out there that would
Die for you
.....thought not
Live your life with a passion
Everything you do, do well
You only get out of life what you put in
.....so they say
In a world of confusion
People never say what they mean
If you want a straight answer
Go look for one
.....right now
In a room full of strangers
Do you stand with your back to the wall?
Do you sometime feel like you're
On the outside
.....looking in?
You can make your own luck
You create your own destiny
I believe you have the power
If you want to
.....it's true
10 Judas Be My Guide (03:08)
Lights out - We live in a world of darkness
No doubt - Everything's up for sale
We sleep - All of the world is burning
We pray - To God for better deal
Nothing is sacred - Back then or now
Everything's wasted...
Is that all there is ?
Can I go now ?
[Chorus:]
Judas my guide
Whispers in the night
Judas my guide
Fight wars - Die in a blaze of glory
Come home - Meat in a plastic sack
Fall down - Better pray to your god for mercy
So kneel - and help the blade cut clean
Nothing is sacred - Back then or now
Everyone's wasted...
Is that all there is ?
Is that it now ?
[Chorus]
I live in the black
I have no guiding light
I'm whispering in your dreams...
[Chorus 2 times]
11 Weekend Warrior (05:39)
The rebel of yesterday, tomorrow's fool
Who are you kidding being that cool?
Trying to break away from running
with the pack
But they ain't listening so you've
gotta go back
You're a weekend warrior when
you're one of the crowd
But it's over, just look at you now...
You're not so brave the way you behave
It makes you sick, gotta get out quick
It's all bravado when you're out
with your mates
It's like a different person goes through
those gates
And the game begins
the adrenalin's high
Feel the tension maybe someone
will die...
A weekend warrior lately
A weekend warrior sometimes
A weekend warrior maybe you ain't
that way anymore
You've gotta get out gotta get away
But you're in with a clique it's not
easy to stray
You've gotta admit you're just
living a lie
It didn't take long to work out why
It's hard to say why you got involved
Just wanting to be part
just wanting to belong...
A weekend warrior lately
A weekend warrior sometimes
A weekend warrior maybe you ain't
that way anymore
Some of the things that you've done
you feel so ashamed
After all it's only a game... isn't it?
And after all the adrenalin's gone
What you gonna do on Monday?
A weekend warrior lately
A weekend warrior sometimes
A weekend warrior maybe you were
never like that at all
12 Fear of the Dark (07:18)
I am the man who walks alone
And when I'm walking a dark road
At night or strolling through the park
And When the light begins to change
I sometimes feel a little strange
A little anxious when it's dark
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have a constant fear that something's
always near
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have a phobia that someone's
always there
Have you run your fingers down
the wall
And have you felt your neck skin crawl
When you're searching for the light?
Sometimes when you're scared
to take a look
At the corner of the room
You've sensed that something's
watching you
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have constant fear that something's
always near
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have a phobia that someone's
always there
Have you ever been alone at night
Thought you heard footsteps behind
And turned around and no one's there?
And as you quicken up your pace
You find it hard to look again
Because you're sure there's
someone there
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have constant fear that something's
always near
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have a phobia that someone's
always there
[solo]
Fear of the dark, Fear of the dark, Fear of the dark, Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark, Fear of the dark, Fear of the dark, Fear of the dark
Watching horror films the night before
Debating witches and folklores
The unknown troubles on your mind
Maybe your mind is playing tricks
You sense, and suddenly eyes fix
On dancing shadows from behind
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have constant fear that something's
always near
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have a phobia that someone's
always there
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have constant fear that something's
always near
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have a phobia that someone's
always there
When I'm walking a dark road
I am the man who walks alone
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Other reviews
By jigoro
"The three points I give it go respectively to 'Be Quick Or Be Dead,' 'Afraid To Shoot Strangers,' and the magnificent title track, a rose among the trash of a job born and lived simply badly."
"The times of 'The Number Of The Beast' are just pleasant memories, and age (and money) are beginning to be felt all too forcefully."
By Kenny
Damn, what an album! What more can be said about this record?
The building would burst when "Be Quick or Be Dead" played, or maybe with another track because, in the end, they’re all great.
By Starblazer
It's a true scraping of the barrel with horror clichéd lyrics and headache-inducing solos.
Two stars like the two best pieces, the rest is truly awful.
By creative
"Fear Of The Dark is an album that, when listened to for the first time, is scary!"
"If you don’t know who Iron Maiden are, listen to this album and you too will become a True Metaller!!!!!"
By Reguz92
"Fear of the Dark has not only become one of the most loved pieces by Iron Maiden fans and an omnipresent track in every concert but is also one of the most well-known songs in all metal music history."
The tracks included can be divided into three groups, from mediocre to excellent, with some pieces that could have easily been left out.
