The future of Iron Maiden

[Esteban]

As I listened to Dance of Death the other day, I started to wonder what will happen to Maiden in the future... IMO DoD is a great album, especially for a band that has been around almost 30 years... so, what's next?

If you see the last four albums, there's a tendency to write better long epic songs and the rockers are not quite as solid as they used to be, in fact, they haven't written a great rocker since Fear of the Dark with be Quick or be Dead or From Here to Eternity, with the exception of Montsegur... so, I think Maiden should think about releasing a concept album, something kinda like Fates Warning's A Pleasant Shade of Grey, or something like that, based on a historical event...

What do you think? What does the future hold to the greatest heavy metal band of all time?

 

[Nebulous]

As I listened to Dance of Death the other day, I started to wonder what will happen to Maiden in the future... IMO DoD is a great album, especially for a band that has been around almost 30 years... so, what's next?

I dont mind DoD, but there seems to be too many simmilarities within the songs of the album. But you are right, for a band thats been around for so long, its a good effort.

If you see the last four albums, there's a tendency to write better long epic songs and the rockers are not quite as solid as they used to be, in fact, they haven't written a great rocker since Fear of the Dark with be Quick or be Dead or From Here to Eternity, with the exception of Montsegur... so, I think Maiden should think about releasing a concept album, something kinda like Fates Warning's A Pleasant Shade of Grey, or something like that, based on a historical event...

I love the epic turn Maiden have taken. Meanwhile, i think the mercanery, the fallen angel and out of the silent planet were pretty decent (you migth have guessed- i like Brave new world).
I think it would be interesting if Maiden went the concept road. I might like to see the next album to be one, but not every other album after that too. I think they need to get the epicness out so that they can take on the old formular for their albums, a bunch of rockers, with an epic to close it off

What do you think? What does the future hold to the greatest heavy metal band of all time?

Alot more albums and a tour in Australia i hope. Musicaly, i like their newer stuff more than some of their older stuff, but not as much as some of the older stuff. They need to re-ignite the flame, i think.

Daniel \m/

 

[Nebulous]

Sorry that didnt work:

::As I listened to Dance of Death the other day, I started to wonder what will happen to Maiden in the future... IMO DoD is a great album, especially for a band that has been around almost 30 years... so, what's next?::

I dont mind DoD, but the riffs tend to be too simmilar within the album, and the sound on some of the songs is a little bit too sharp. I like the old smooth and warm Maiden sound.

::If you see the last four albums, there's a tendency to write better long epic songs and the rockers are not quite as solid as they used to be, in fact, they haven't written a great rocker since Fear of the Dark with be Quick or be Dead or From Here to Eternity, with the exception of Montsegur... so, I think Maiden should think about releasing a concept album, something kinda like Fates Warning's A Pleasant Shade of Grey, or something like that, based on a historical event...::

I love the new epic turn. A concept album would be interesting. The more I think about it, the more i like it.
No decent rockers?? The Mercanery, The fallen Angel, Out of the silent planet?? I love those too. (as you can tell, i like BNW)

Daniel \m/

 

[Tool]

Yeah, I found there were great rockers in the last 2 albums: Wickerman, Fallen Angel, Out Of The Silent Planet, Rainmaker and Montsegur.

As for the concept album: Well, maiden CAN pull it off, they sort of did with SSOASS, but you know how TERRIBLY wrong a concept album can go. And they'd have to make the songs be a little bit more different from each other cuz theres few things worse than a redundant concept album.

Hmm... I do wonder what the future holds for them.

 

[futile]

I really enjoy dance of death... i'd like them to keep going with another ...

 

[svältvinter]

in fact, they haven't written a great rocker since Fear of the Dark with be Quick or be Dead or From Here to Eternity, with the exception of Montsegur...

Bullshit!! Is there any song that are more of a rocker then WiCkEdMaN??? Don´t think so....

 

[Raumien]

Is it just me or did anyone else simply not like the song Wickerman? I like the pre-chorus vocals and a few of the guitar riffs, but otherwise I don't care for the song at all.

 

[SculptedCold]

Aye. People were ranting on and on after BNW was released that Wicker Man was an instant classic maiden rocker. Bull. Some people need to get their head out their butts and listen to The Trooper, Aces High or Two Minutes To Midnight again.

 

[Skintrade]

Aye. People were ranting on and on after BNW was released that Wicker Man was an instant classic maiden rocker. Bull. Some people need to get their head out their butts and listen to The Trooper, Aces High or Two Minutes To Midnight again.

Secon that

 

[Skintrade]

Second that is...

 

[Tool]

The wickerman still rocks. Maybe not as much as those songs, but it's still an awesome opener with an awesome climax and riff and the solo is pretty cool.

 

[Esteban]

Aye. People were ranting on and on after BNW was released that Wicker Man was an instant classic maiden rocker. Bull. Some people need to get their head out their butts and listen to The Trooper, Aces High or Two Minutes To Midnight again.

Exactly my point, I agree that Wicker Man, Rainmaker,Out of the Silent Planet, etc... are good songs, but when you compare them to Aces High, 2 Mins to Midnight, The Number of the Beast, Moonchild, etc etc etc.... well, you get the point.

The situation with long epic songs is the other way around, songs like The Sign of the Cross, Blood Brothers, Dance of Death, Paschendale, The Clansman are better than most their previous attempts at long songs, and maybe as great as Rime of the Ancient Mariner.

 

[Stormwatch]

They need to get a better producer and let Adrian+Bruce write more of the songs. And stop letting Janick play solos.

 

[svältvinter]

naah....don´t agree, but people have diffrent opinions, and i understand that.

Wicked Man über alles

 

[Stormwatch]

Don't agree with what? Any of it? You like Janick's crappy solos?

 

[Hammer of Might]

They need to get a better producer and let Adrian+Bruce write more of the songs. And stop letting Janick play solos.

Yep, I would have to agree with you there, on all counts. Someone else said they preferred the classic warm Maiden sound and I agree with that 100% as well - the production recently could be a lot nicer.

And I personally think that Adrian in particular is the real spark with regard to songwriting at the present time. Of course I would never blaspheme by knocking Steve as a song writer, as it's impossible, but I mean on the most recent stuff the stuff Harris tends to write does seem to lack a slight originality that Adrian's tracks have.

And again, yes I agree that Janick is the weak link. I hate to say it, I really do, but I just don't feel he has a lot going for him. His solos are rarely as enjoyable as Dave or Adrian's, and with the exception of one or two highlights like Montsegur, he doesn't really seem to add a great deal to the band. Great bloke and all that, and by all means competent on his instrument, but I am a bit 'iffy' about him unlike the other members. However, I see no need to point fingers or victimise, and I'm actually perfectly satisfied with the current lineup.

In terms of the question itself - it's difficult to say what I would really like to hear them do next. It's tempting to hope for another great rocker like many of their 80s albums, but I don't know that that is what I would really want, as it wouldn't really seem like progress. I definitely like the more proggy direction of the recent stuff, and I applaud them for this latest step into new territory for the band. So I'm not really sure in conclusion! Perhaps something very melodic, very heavy, who knows?

UP THE IRONS!

 

[AsModEe]

Am I the only one having difficulties calling Iron Maiden heavy metal??? They are more like a rock band and the fact that a lot of people call them the gods of metal just annoys me. Anyway, people seem to call them gods because they've been around for a long time.. not because they released great music. I never found their music so amazing actually. Some newer bands release far more interesting stuff.

 

[Giles]

They are very much heavy metal chap, and I think they'll go strong for a while yet. Hopefully a "Caught somewhere else in time" will be along soon.

 

[King Fear]

Bruce needs to quit Maiden and release another excellent solo album in the vein of "The Chemical Wedding", dammit!

 

[Stormwatch]

Am I the only one having difficulties calling Iron Maiden heavy metal??? They are more like a rock band and the fact that a lot of people call them the gods of metal just annoys me. Anyway, people seem to call them gods because they've been around for a long time.. not because they released great music. I never found their music so amazing actually. Some newer bands release far more interesting stuff.

They're heavy metal - newer bands may be heavier, but if you want a band that typifies true metal, it's Iron Maiden. They're called "Gods" because of "Killers", "Piece of Mind", "Powerslave" etc, just because you don't particularly like them doesn't mean they haven't released some of the best and most influential music of all time.