Maidenfan, I read on earlier posts on how you didn't like fotd. I myself loved the album. I think music isn't just how good the album is, it also has a lot to do with how you stand in life when music guides you through it somehow.
Didnt really think a lot about it though so I an thinking out loud now, but I have for example an old headbanging friend that hates Dickinson and wished all albums where sung by Di'Anno. He is 46 years old. 1992 was a good year for mr Not (me), maybe that made fear of the dark a better album as well than it actually was? Back when we where kids (I presume you are about the same age as me) the albums and songs where the first ones we have the better memories on. Like when I hear reign in blood I remember me winning my first professional soccer games, when I hear powerslave I remember being a rebel on highschool, and somewhere in time, justice for all, kings of metal, state of Euphoria, Painkiller, operation mindcrime and on and on make me remember the good times I had with my friends.
Maybe it's not even memories, but it does give a warm feeling and makes my heart pound that little bit faster hearing these albums and I am sure the past is connected to that.
then life became more serious and demanding and you get a black album, stomp 442, Virtual XI and promised land as a treat to life becoming less fun and more serious. Whilst there are probably younger people having what we have with the "golden years" with these albums that suck dick in our eyes. As there is probably a new generation listening to for example the damned things, having never heard of Anthrax before and going to remember it as what all the abovebands are for us.
(hard to imagine, but I am sure that will happen).
We are nostalgic stubborn asses and to come to my point, I still want every freaking album that my favourite bands bring, give me back that feeling that I had during the 80's. Knowing that will probably only happen once in a decade but still.
So yeah, maybe that's why there is dissapointment with those albums, even if they are solid. Maybe I am creating my own dissapointment and not giving the old bands a fair chance, but I believe like with Iron Maiden, they could have delivered an album that stood closer to their previous good work than what they delivered on brave new world, although the memories connected to any song would not be as when we where little young long haired headbangers their bandname still brings fort a "brand" they created themselves, and that creates expectation amongst your fans. (I don't think I need to name Anthrax now)
Hope this makes sense, I like the discussions here.