New Iron Maiden album?

[Alexander*_Reborn]

I haven’t heard squat from you people with regards Iron Maiden's new album 'A Matter of Life and Death' so fingers at the ready please if you've heard it. I just ordered it the other day and most reviews on Amazon are all by Maiden fanboys who would probably extol a dog-turd on a stick if it was part of the Maiden catalogue. I trust the objective scrutiny of the Symphony X crew will reflect many a refined and cultured musical ear, well most of you anyway.

With regards too little old me Maiden were my entree to the world of all things metal and for about a year I wouldn't listen to anything else, I was obsessed. I grew out of that the minute somebody leant me DWOT, I remember the precise moment my musical taste just exploded into another stratosphere. Cue the choir part mid-way through 'Of Sins and Shadows'...

Realize that your cries
Only jeopardize this legacy...

CA-FUCKIN-BOOM

Romeo rips out a solo that jolted about 50,000 volts of shire adrenaline into my brain and consequently removed my head from the ass of Iron Maiden, the rest as they say is history.

My view of Iron Maiden changed, I still love the old stuff like 7th son and NOTB but I can't say they do anything earth shattering for me with their latest stuff. I thought Brave New World was great but Dance of Death apart from Paschendale and one or two others just seemed totally pedestrian. As a drummer I like to play along to Maiden stuff but I've noticed with the new stuff the same old chord progressions and solo intervals and Nicko playing the same old pattern for every song, the stuff Clive Burr used to play was twice as hard to play than what Nicko churns out, surely other drummers have noticed this. So in a nutshell I don't think they are as good as they were and I'd love to hear your thoughts on Maiden and the new album if you possess it.

Cheers.

 

[Krakatau]

Since you are asking for our honest opinions, I'll give you mines.

Although I love that they are finally going all out prog and trying new ideas with their music (eg: Brighter than a Thousand Suns), I think it's boring how a majority of the songs start with a soft intro and end with the intro. Honestly, I've only listened to the album three times including when I saw them live, and from my first impressions, I think the album is decent but doesn't interest me much. If I were still a Maiden obsessed fanboy I might be crazy about it, but lately I've been too bored with them to bother. Piece of Mind is still one of my favorite albums though.

 

[Anonymous]

I think it's a great album, it's alot better than any other crap that gets released nowadays. Bruce Dickinson sounds like he went all out on the new album too, bonus.

 

[MetalstormV3.0b]

It is indeed a great album, it may sound different and use the same chord progressions, but thats Maiden's style. Another thing about this album thats great, the lyrical content is superb, something you'd expect from a Maiden album. It disapoints me how people just focus on critisizing only the sound of the album, the lyrics play a great role in the albums performance.

 

[The Apparition]

I wasn't too impressed. Brave New World is my pick of the post reunion albums.

 

[Alteredmindeath]

Take half of Brave new world add some new stuff and you got a matter.7.7/10

 

[Taliwakker]

I think the album was pretty average (with the exception of Brighter than 1000 suns)....there are a lot more albums that have come out recently that have impressed me more and warranted more listening time.

 

[AutumnGust]

Well, I think this is a wonderful album, probably one of the best Maiden has ever done. It's a bit different than other albums, it's more professional and more subtle, the songs are longer and as a whole it strikes me as a bit mellow at times, not that that's a bad thing. My favorite songs changes all the time, so I think it's a pretty solid and even album. It's not as catchy as Maiden albums usually are, but it captures you very much still, just in a different way - you just have to be open minded and let it sink in. I think if you don't allow it to do that you have gravely misunderstood the whole album.

It is a serious album, and that seriousness also shows itself in the lyrics which are quite interesting and definately play a big role in the music. I especially love the abstract lyrics of Lord of Light, gives me chills everytime. Reminds me a bit of Bruce's solo stuff.

 

[7GodlessTongues]

I agree with AutumnGust 100%. Everything he said was spot-on, and I think people should approach this album with an open mind, and to listen to it several to times to really "get it". My favorite songs right now are: For The Greater Good Of God, Lord Of Light, Out Of The Shadows, and Brighter Than A Thousand Suns.

 

[Flavio CotM]

I agree with AutumnGust 100%. Everything he said was spot-on, and I think people should approach this album with an open mind, and to listen to it several to times to really "get it". My favorite songs right now are: For The Greater Good Of God, Lord Of Light, Out Of The Shadows, and Brighter Than A Thousand Suns.

words of wisdom!!!!!!!