I haven't really taken part in this whole argument yet, but now I'll say what I think. First about AYDY? I think it's a great album and I like it a lot. The earlier albums had more "tilutusta" but this one is more...how should I put it, more straight forward if you like. Alexi's said himself that before he used a lot of riffs in every song, but he's realized that if you instead use a few riffs that you repeat in the song and that people can recognise, that works maybe better. Some people have complained about the solos, and to a certain amount I agree. As Alexi (again) has said "if you've been working your ass off in some basement playing with your face as fucking blue as it can get for 10 years, why should you hide what you're capable of?". I think he could do more, I know so, but maybe it's just a decision he's made, to make the solo's fit this more 'simple' (compared to the earlier albums) style. And more 'simple' doesn't have to mean something sucks. Imo I think this album is the heaviest of them all thanks to that.
I'm also on Iron Maiden's forum, and a constantly recurring topic seems to be "I used to like this band, but this new album SUCKS". Maiden, Metallica, COB, Judas Priest, WASP...you name it, they've all been there. There's always the fans being nostalgic about the old stuff not being able to appreciate that a band has changed. Dance of Death I had no problem with at all, Neon God I, II are not my favourite WASP albums but I like them a lot, as I said I love AYDY?, but my line was crossed with St.Anger. First of all, I don't like the nu-metalness of that album, and secondly it pisses me off to know that Metallica could do so much better. Of course it's all a matter of taste, and I respect people who didn't get a kick out of AYDY? However, I think it's fucking stupid to be mad at a band for changing. It's a natural development. I think bands who continue sounding the same get boring, example being Hammerfall.
Of course people cannot enjoy every single minute of a band's recordings, but I don't see the necessarity in bringing up the albums you don't like and bash them to death. Would you lot say the stuff your saying here standing face to face with one of the guys from COB, esp. Alexi? I wonder. Also, I'd really like to hear better motivations from the "AYDY sucks"-people. If you tell me WHY you think it sucks or WHAT was so disappointing about it (except that the older albums were better and different), then your opinion is ok with me, but I can't stand people who just say something sucks without being able to say why.
I just have to say one more thing as I'm at it. Many say Alexi's lyrics are shite and have no meaning what so ever, just being words put together because a song should have lyrics. I disagree. I'm not one of those "OMG ALEXI!!"-persons (I think it's scary when people get that obsessed), he however means a lot to me and has inspired my guitarplaying together with Roope, just wanted to make that clear. Anyways. At first I was a bit sceptic about the lyrics, but after reading some of them, I had to change my opinion. Many of them have really touched me, mainly because they're so damn straight from the heart and I think a lot of them have deep meanings. Deep meanings don't have to be hidden within fancy creations by Steve Harris, you know. Alexi writes what he's feeling and maybe he could skip a few 'fuck's', but I still think his lyrics are way underrated.
Ok, rant over. It became longer than I meant to first, haha. Feel free to prove me wrong.
