Iron Maiden: The Final Frontier

[Hubster]

So I picked up my copy on the way home, first two songs bored me stupid.

And THEN... I got to Mother Of Mercy. HOLY SHIT. CLASSIC Adrian Smith riffs, and a fucking wicked Harris gallop with Nicko accentuating it all. VERY impressive!

Have moved onto Coming Home, a softer song, but with a GREAT opening riff. The Murray solo is just beautiful. Has a feel which takes you back to the first two albums!

So far, this is a record which warms up. MUCH better production work by Shirley & Harris on this one, it's clearer and fuller and Nicko has finally fixed his fucking awful snare sound of the last two records.

Is it mindblowing (so far)? No. But it IS a big step up. Looking forward to seeing this material live in Feb!

 

[Pitiless Wanderer]

I think the album is pretty bad. There are some sections of certain songs that are entertaining for a few seconds at a time, (like a lot of albums) but overall I dislike it boring.

 

[Satanstoenail]

Take it to the review forum buddy

 

[Krow]

Thought the album was okay... it feels like maiden is leaning towards power metal, which I dont mind either.

 

[Doomguy]

Hubby/STN, will you be checking out Soundwave this year?

 

[Hubster]

I'm hitting Maiden at the Sydney Entertainment Centre (bought my tix yesterday), but giving SW the flick. Post 90's music festivals don't do much for me (giving away my age there).

 

[Omni]

I'm not even going to bother listening to this album.

 

[Vegard Pompey]

I found it better than I would have suspected it to be after hearing El Dorado and watching the video for the title track before the release of the album - both were more or less horrible, but the album is quite alright. It's definitely subpar to A Matter of Life and Death though, and very derivative of their previous works, almost like a recap of their last three albums.

 

[waif]

Wow, based on Mother of Mercy I will definitely be skipping this unless I find it used for almost nothing.

 

[Thoth-Amon]

I'm not even going to bother listening to this album.

You shouldn't. You're too cool for this shit.

 

[Omni]

You shouldn't. You're too cool for this shit.

I know.

 

[VelociBrad]

Unless the album is drastically better than El Dorado and Final Frontier, I'm not even bothering with it. Plus AMOLAD was garbage so whatever.

 

[Vegard Pompey]

Unless the album is drastically better than El Dorado and Final Frontier, I'm not even bothering with it. Plus AMOLAD was garbage so whatever.

It is in fact drastically better than those two songs. But I loved AMOLAD so you'd probably disagree with me.

 

[Thoth-Amon]

I'd like to hear it. If I can find it cheap when it comes out I'll scoop it.

 

[Oblivious Maximus]

It is in fact drastically better than those two songs. But I loved AMOLAD so you'd probably disagree with me.

I too loved AMOLAD. Played the fuck out of it when I first got it.

Sue me but I really like what I've heard from The Final Frontier. Can't get "The Alchemist" out of my head.

 

[meaperson333]

I'd like to hear it. If I can find it cheap when it comes out I'll scoop it.

Or just youtube it.

 

[Hubster]

I too loved AMOLAD. Played the fuck out of it when I first got it.

Sue me but I really like what I've heard from The Final Frontier. Can't get "The Alchemist" out of my head.

Aside from "Satellite 15... The Final Frontier", "El Dorado" and "When the Wild Wind Blows", the rest of the album is surprisingly good. For me, that's no surprise for a Maiden record, few of them have ever consisted entirely of excellent songs.

I was expecting a real letdown, and that's the first time I've ever admitted that, but god was I wrong. DoD, AMOLAD, they were forgettable to me, and I LOVE Maiden - my fave band since picking up SiT back in 1987 on cassette.

For the first time since 1992, I'm actually looking forward to hearing some new material live. In my opinion, the band has finally re-settled since Bruce coming back.

 

[Pitiless Wanderer]

Take it to the review forum buddy

shut up. half the threads in GMD are about specific albums, if you havent noticed,

 

[Satanstoenail]

Hubby/STN, will you be checking out Soundwave this year?

I swore I'd never go again after they put all the decent music in the sweatbox this year, but that lineup looks too good to pass up, and I don't think I'm going to be able to afford to go to all the side shows.

 

[Doomguy]

I swore I'd never go again after they put all the decent music in the sweatbox this year, but that lineup looks too good to pass up, and I don't think I'm going to be able to afford to go to all the side shows.

Yeah, Slayer'll almost certainly do a sideshow and if The Sword, High on Fire, Kylesa and Melvins do I may give the festival a miss.