Maiden album details revealed

[Spiff]

I think this might have quite a few songs about war. Steve's branching out a bit with regards to song topics, I hear. Hell, wouldn't surprise me if the album is a concept album. It's quite telling that the album's title isn't the title of one of the songs - all but three of their studio albums have had title tracks.

 

[Sydo]

there is always a few rocking tracks

Hell yes!

 

[Winmar]

The album sounds good! Obviously I'd like to form my own opinion after hearing it, but I've liked the last two Maiden albums, so I'd be surprised if I didn't like this one.

 

[Sydo]

There's only one thing more enjoyable than a new Maiden album... And that is bitching about a new Maiden album.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

That is the problem with the world these days.

 

[Wrathchild]

Can you imagine how weird it would be if everyone loved it? Look at it from the album's point of view. There's only one thing worse than being bitched about, and that is not being bitched about .

These Colours Don't Run is obviously a reference to Bruce's comments regarding last year's Ozzfest incident, and I'm guessing Lord Of Light could be about the 1968 Roger Zelazny novel. Track lengths are typically ridiculous, but at least 'Arry's cut down on the chorus repetitions since BNW.

Here's some more info very probably mistranslated from a Swedish newspaper:

Steve Harris says the recording went so easily "It felt like something was wrong".

Allegedly, during the whole recording process there was not a single fight or heated argument, due to the band being more harmonic than ever.

Or, as Steve puts it, "Nicko knew the songs much better this time. On every record I usually have a fight with Nicko over arrangements and such. This time we didn't have any and it made us worry."

Says Nicko: "I think it's a lot because I've been more mature this time. I have taken into consideration what the song needs, not what I'd like to play."

During the making of Dance of Death, however, the fights were much more plentiful. "It went so far we stood shouting at each other", says Nicko. "I was so angry we almost started fighting."

Steve also explains the thoughts behind the new album's title, A Matter of Life and Death: "Six, seven songs on (the) record circle around war and religion. Religion has caused more death, pain and misery than anything else. And we never seem to learn. Unbelievable."

Regarding the future, Steve is more doubtful. "From the beginning I've said Maiden will make fifteen studio albums. In that case there's only one left and that makes me sad. There is a life after Maiden. And there's a lot I'd like to do I don't have time for now. Sure I'd miss the band, but there's no reason to live in the past. We'd probably piss off some people if we quit, but the day we don't want to do it anymore it's over."

"Out of the Shadows" is said to sound a bit like Children of the Damned and Bruce's classic solo number Tears of the Dragon.

W

 

[Southy]

Tears of the Dragon

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Children Of The Damned is better!

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Track lengths are typically ridiculous, but at least 'Arry's cut down on the chorus repetitions since BNW.

Indeed. The only real repetition on DoD was No More Lies, and unlike many of Maiden's songs, I think it was actually quite fitting and it didn't bother me at all.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

IRON MAIDEN Frontman On New CD: 'This Whole Album Feels Effortless' - June 28, 2006

IRON MAIDEN recently spoke exclusively to the U.K.'s Kerrang! magazine (web site) about their upcoming 14th studio offering, "A Matter of Life and Death", due in September. The CD was recorded at Sarm West Studios in London with producer Kevin Shirley, who also worked on the last two MAIDEN albums, 2000's "Brave New World" and 2003's "Dance of Death".

"'Brave New World' and 'Dance Of Death' were both good records," frontman Bruce Dickinson told Kerrang! "But they weren't anywhere near as good as this one! This one is 'Dance of Death' without the effort. This whole album feels effortless. It's like driving a big, gas-guzzling motor car. You just put your foot down and there's limitless power under the bonnet."

"It's been unbelievable," added bassist/founder member Steve Harris. "We booked the studio for three months and we finished the whole thing in two. I think the preparation was good. We didn't have the rows we usually have! We really focused on each song and it was a very positive experience."

"The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg", which will be the first single to be taken from the record, is described by Kerrang! as "an intricate seven-minute epic that starts with a creepy, ominous intro before erupting into a crushing, almost LED ZEPPELIN-esque riff and a powerful, emotive chorus."

"It's very different for us." admitted Harris. "It's very riffy. The intro has an almost nursery rhyme eeriness. Sometimes you try to create a mood and sometimes it's just there. Everyone's going to ask who Benjamin Breeg is, but you'll just have to find out for yourself!"

With regards to whether "A Matter Of Life And Death" marks a fresh lease of life for MAIDEN, Harris said, "Five years ago we were thinking about possibly retiring at this point, but now we're at this stage there's no way! Why should we? I don't know why, but I always had it in my head that we'd do fifteen studio albums, so we've got at least one more to go!"

_________________________

Sounds like a strange choice for a single. Cool.

 

[Winmar]

If it's that easy for them, with any luck they'll keep plugging away for years yet.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Yeah Steve keeps mentioning that they will do at least one more album. I hope it is more than that though.