Hallowed Be Thy Name - a brief anatomy

[JayKeeley]

Surely one of the best heavy metal songs of all time, this track can quite easliy be referred to as 'perfect'. Riffs are excellent, percussion is impressive, vocals are spot on, and the harmonies between Smith and Murray are out of this friggin' world. Put it all together, what do you get? A defining moment in metal.

The song structure itself is also excellent. You could quite easily write a thesis on this song, particularly in the way the riffs meld together, but the single most hair raising moment on the song is the final reprise of the main riff/melody and the way the percussion leads back into it.

You know how this song can be improved upon? Hearing it live. Listen to the version on Live After Death or Beast Over Hammersmith. Better still, see them do it live in person. When you hear music this good, everything else goes out the window.

 

[ChiefB]

To hear this live just blows me away. I remember as a kid watching over and over the Live after Death video and every time 'Hallowed By Thy Name' came on I would always get that little shiver down my spine. Watching them perform this at Earls Court (last Friday) brought that same old feeling back and judging by the huge turnout, the same for them also.

 

[JayKeeley]

The live version is better because it's slightly faster and the guitarists use more trills etc. It's the same with "Revelations" - I can't listen to the studio version of that song anymore now that I've got so used to the LaD version.

By the way, with all due respect to Criss Oliva, that guy ripped off "Hallowed..." so blatantly for "Gutter Ballet". That's like taking the signature riff to "Number of the Beast" and singing something arbitrary over it. Good album though, Savatage at their best.

 

[Hammer of Might]

To hear this live just blows me away. I remember as a kid watching over and over the Live after Death video and every time 'Hallowed By Thy Name' came on I would always get that little shiver down my spine. Watching them perform this at Earls Court (last Friday) brought that same old feeling back and judging by the huge turnout, the same for them also.

yeah, HBTN was my favourite song at Earls Court - simply the song itself, but also the crowd response!

One of the greatest metal songs of all time!

 

[neal]

yeh its a goodie.
-neal

 

[Demonspell]

There's a reason why this is often considered the definitive Maiden song, which Jay summarizes extremely well. It is the essence of the Maiden dynamic, and a song that never ceases to be tiring despite being mandatory at concerts ever since its release...how many songs still command that level of attention after being played so often for so long?

 

[JayKeeley]

...how many songs still command that level of attention after being played so often for so long?

Not many. It's the perfect recipe that can't be improved upon, which also reflects on Steve Harris as one of the best song writers in metal history.

Side Note: Just saw on the Maiden homepage, Arch Enemy have got one of the support slots for the 2004 tour.

 

[Ayeka]

Heh. Heard this song live in person on Monday, listened to the Live After Death version today what more needs to be said? Fucking classic.

I'd like to put forward Phantom Of The opera for the same accolade too

 

[Erik]

Occasionally I reckon "Children of the Damned" is the best song from TNotB. Pretty much all the time, I think "The Evil That Men Do", "Revelations" and "Powerslave" are 'Maiden's best songs. HBTN is amazing, though, and the Cradle of Filth version is blasphemy. Plus, it sucks.

 

[Ayeka]

One of my mates thinks the CoF version of Hallowed is better than the original. When he says that, we laugh at him -_-

 

[JayKeeley]

Occasionally I reckon "Children of the Damned" is the best song from TNotB.

It's remarkable. Have you ever noticed the similarities between that and the whole opening of Metallica's "Unforgiven II"? Talk about rip off.

Also, I'm not sure when some of the TNotB material was written, but DiAnno would have failed terribly with a song like "Children..." compared to Bruce, however, I've always wondered what "22 Acacia Ave" would have been like had Paul sung that one. Somehow, anything related to Charlotte belongs to Paul in my mind, heh.

Pretty much all the time, I think "The Evil That Men Do",

It was never one of my faves from 7th Son. I always liked "The Prophecy" and "Infinite Dreams".

"Revelations"

Much better live, especially when Bruce plays guitar. Otherwise, yeah, I'll give you that one!

and "Powerslave"

Dave Murray's guitar solo on the slow bit - his shining moment.

 

[Ayeka]

Also, I'm not sure when some of the TNotB material was written, but DiAnno would have failed terribly with a song like "Children..." compared to Bruce, however, I've always wondered what "22 Acacia Ave" would have been like had Paul sung that one. Somehow, anything related to Charlotte belongs to Paul in my mind, heh.

TNOTB was the first Maiden album to be written from scratch, so therefore it would have been written with Bruce in mind. Narf

It was never one of my faves from 7th Son. I always liked "The Prophecy" and "Infinite Dreams".

That's proper 'Bo!

 

[Demonspell]

Children Of The Damned has always been one of my favorite Maiden songs (Bruce at his best and one of the more distinctive solos in their catalog), and a key reason why I think side one of NOTB is every bit as good as the one with the concert mainstays...Revelations and Powerslave also cannot be faulted. The former was probably the top highlight of the summer tour for me.

 

[JayKeeley]

TNOTB was the first Maiden album to be written from scratch, so therefore it would have been written with Bruce in mind. Narf

Oh ok, fair enough. Well anyway, you know the two main riff breaks in 22 Acacia Avenue?...these parts:

"Charlotte can't you get out from all this madness, can't you see it only brings you sadness"

and,

"Beat her, mistreat her, do anything that you please"

Well, I just think those bits might sound better with Paul DiAnno.

Did anyone get the DVD to the making of Number of the Beast? If this is worth it, and if they show footage of them recording songs like CotD and HbtN, then I'll seriously consider getting it.

 

[Ayeka]

Oh ok, fair enough. Well anyway, you know the two main riff breaks in 22 Acacia Avenue?...these parts:

"Charlotte can't you get out from all this madness, can't you see it only brings you sadness"

and,

"Beat her, mistreat her, do anything that you please"

Well, I just think those bits might sound better with Paul DiAnno.

Did anyone get the DVD to the making of Number of the Beast? If this is worth it, and if they show footage of them recording songs like CotD and HbtN, then I'll seriously consider getting it.

Now you mention it, that second bit...dude, I can see (hear?) it so clearly! That would be kickass...

The NOTB DVD doesn't have footage of them actually in the studio recording those songs, but it does have bits with Martin Birch going through parts of the songs, like playing the guitar parts by themselves, then doubling them up, then adding drums and vocals to show how the songs piece together. I'd say it's worth owning for the footage from the Hammersmith Odean on the Beast On The Road tour...classy!

 

[JayKeeley]

Now you mention it, that second bit...dude, I can see (hear?) it so clearly! That would be kickass...

Yeah, I think there are several Maiden songs where DiAnno might work better than Bruce: 22 Acacia Ave & Invaders being two. After NotB, it became so much more focussed around Bruce's voice. Also, I've always felt Wrathchild sounded better when Paul did it.

The NOTB DVD doesn't have footage of them actually in the studio recording those songs, but it does have bits with Martin Birch going through parts of the songs, like playing the guitar parts by themselves, then doubling them up, then adding drums and vocals to show how the songs piece together. I'd say it's worth owning for the footage from the Hammersmith Odean on the Beast On The Road tour...classy!

Oh that still sounds quite interesting. I'll keep an eye out for it on half.com and see if I can pick it up cheap one day.

 

[JayKeeley]

The riff that immediately follows the 2 solos and then returns to the main verse riff is UNBELEIVABLE. I'm not sure how a mere mortal could have composed these song structures.

 

[dill_the_devil]

One of my mates thinks the CoF version of Hallowed is better than the original. When he says that, we laugh at him -_-

Very lenient of you - hell, I still listen to early Cradle from time to time, and even I think that level of wrong-headedness should be punishable by ass-rape.

 

[unhinged]

tis a classic tune

I hate these threads

all my maiden is on vinyl, and my turntable is broken

really should get the first 5 albums + live after death on cd

 

[Lies and Perfidy]

Perhaps the perfect Heavy Fucking Metal song. I'm a big fan of the live versions - any, really - cause of Bruce's vocal acrobatics, like stretching the word "name" out to nine syllables.