Iron Maiden
The X Factor

THE REVIEW

This was the Maiden album I was missing to complete my discography, and so, despite having heard criticisms about this album, especially regarding Dickinson's replacement, Blaze Bayley, I bought it and listened to it calmly at home, locked in my room like a conclave, and I emerged with a white smoke, I've finally found a Maiden album I don't like!

I go on DeBaser and look at what I find, a myriad of Maiden reviews and one about "The X Factor" even gives it 5 stars! Sacrilege! For me, and I believe for most debaserians, 5 stars means MASTERPIECE, or at least an excellent album, for me, as far as the Maiden are concerned, masterpiece means "The Number Of The Beast," "Powerslave," and "Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son," an excellent album at least goes to "Iron Maiden," "Killers," "Piece Of Mind," and the latest "A Matter Of Life And Death" and moving on with average ratings (a miserable 2 and a half stars) for "Virtual XI."

Regarding "The X Factor," I'm not going to argue like many who consider it musically a nice album and take Blaze as a scapegoat. For me, not only was Blaze the least likely candidate to succeed the superb Dickinson, but also the other Maidens, starting with Steve Harris, in my opinion, are not motivated. This is proven by this record, which is full of bland songs, an expression of Maiden's worst career moment, with songs that feel like fillers, songs that feel like a cookie for fans waiting for the never-forgotten Dickinson's return (and who could forget "the best singer Maiden ever had" as Paul Di'Anno said on the "Early Days" DVD). I won’t name any because I would have to name almost all, I say almost, because sometimes (fortunately few times) among mediocre records there is a masterpiece song or a good song, in this case the epic and engaging "Sign of The Cross", truly a great song that Maiden hadn't produced since "Seventh Son of A Seventh Son" (except of course for that legend which is "Fear of The Dark"), and then there is "Man On The Edge" which in its simplicity (and let me say banality) is in classic Maiden style, a formula that will apply to the openers of Maiden albums from "Virtual XI" onwards, that is, a catchy song style, a catchy that doesn't mean pop-rock, but which means simplified heavy metal for the masses, like "Futureal" or the recent "Different Worlds" (which I consider great songs) to be clear.

And then after mostly airy and fresh albums like "Seventh Son of A Seventh Son" or streetwise like "No Prayer For The Dying", one does not expect that darkish veil that covers all the songs, almost doom metal, to conclude: even legends sometimes make blunders!

P.S. I apologize for commenting on Iron Maiden once again, of which DeBaser is overflowing, but I wanted to give my opinion; I'm sorry again, I know there are a lot, but if you don't want it, don't publish it, for me I've written it quite well.