VARIOUS ARTISTS A TRIBUTE TO THE BEAST
Nuclear Blast - 2002
By Rodrigo Escandon
Cover/tribute albums are usually not my cup of tea. They are usually a marketing method used by a label to showcase some of their lesser-known bands as they play songs from other established bands. Its like we should be impressed that band so and so can play an Iron Maiden song and therefore we should go out and check them out further. That is really the main reason why I have stayed far away from these types of albums. Most of the time the songs that are covered sound exactly the same way as the original and frankly I would rather listen to the original version. To me a cover by a band should sound like the band interpreting the song into their style.
This is exactly the reason that interested me about this Iron Maiden cover/tribute album, A Tribute to the Beast. The sheer amount of caliber bands in this release made me think that maybe this wont be just another run of the mill cover album and I am glad to say that I was right. Despite being released by Nuclear Blast you will find bands from other labels like Opeth, Iced Earth, Cradle of Filth, and Sonata Arctica. I have singled these four bands out because the songs that they cover are excellent. Remember Tomorrow by Opeth not only captures the essence of the original but it totally sounds like a song that Opeth wrote. The same rings true for the version of Hallowed be thy Name by Cradle of Filth. I couldnt think of a better Iron Maiden song that totally fits their style and the British band has made it darker and more evil. Iced Earths version of Transylvania is a lot faster and heavier and Sonata Arcticas cover of Die With Your Boots On has that fun style that the band has.
Other standouts include Aces High by Children of Bodom, especially because of the keyboards that replace some of the original guitar solos, Flight of Icarus by Tierra Santa, who totally slowed it down and made it more tranquil, 22 Acacia Avenue by Dark Tranquillity, which also sounds like it would fit right in The Gallery and Powerslave by Darkane.
Some of the songs that really dont do anything are the ones done by Steel Prophet, Rage, Grave Digger and Sinergy. To me they all sound to similar to the original and thats just not going to cut it. For the truly bizarre covers listen to Burden of Grief and Disbelief. Both are two death metal bands that I had no clue who they are and frankly they just tried to hard into making Prowler and Stranger in a Strange Land to unique.
Of all the cover/tribute albums I have seen released for Iron Maiden this is the only one you should really go for. The quality of most of the songs is excellent and if you are a fan of these bands then it definitely makes it worthwhile.
Nuclear Blast Website
Nuclear Blast - 2002
By Rodrigo Escandon
Cover/tribute albums are usually not my cup of tea. They are usually a marketing method used by a label to showcase some of their lesser-known bands as they play songs from other established bands. Its like we should be impressed that band so and so can play an Iron Maiden song and therefore we should go out and check them out further. That is really the main reason why I have stayed far away from these types of albums. Most of the time the songs that are covered sound exactly the same way as the original and frankly I would rather listen to the original version. To me a cover by a band should sound like the band interpreting the song into their style.
This is exactly the reason that interested me about this Iron Maiden cover/tribute album, A Tribute to the Beast. The sheer amount of caliber bands in this release made me think that maybe this wont be just another run of the mill cover album and I am glad to say that I was right. Despite being released by Nuclear Blast you will find bands from other labels like Opeth, Iced Earth, Cradle of Filth, and Sonata Arctica. I have singled these four bands out because the songs that they cover are excellent. Remember Tomorrow by Opeth not only captures the essence of the original but it totally sounds like a song that Opeth wrote. The same rings true for the version of Hallowed be thy Name by Cradle of Filth. I couldnt think of a better Iron Maiden song that totally fits their style and the British band has made it darker and more evil. Iced Earths version of Transylvania is a lot faster and heavier and Sonata Arcticas cover of Die With Your Boots On has that fun style that the band has.
Other standouts include Aces High by Children of Bodom, especially because of the keyboards that replace some of the original guitar solos, Flight of Icarus by Tierra Santa, who totally slowed it down and made it more tranquil, 22 Acacia Avenue by Dark Tranquillity, which also sounds like it would fit right in The Gallery and Powerslave by Darkane.
Some of the songs that really dont do anything are the ones done by Steel Prophet, Rage, Grave Digger and Sinergy. To me they all sound to similar to the original and thats just not going to cut it. For the truly bizarre covers listen to Burden of Grief and Disbelief. Both are two death metal bands that I had no clue who they are and frankly they just tried to hard into making Prowler and Stranger in a Strange Land to unique.
Of all the cover/tribute albums I have seen released for Iron Maiden this is the only one you should really go for. The quality of most of the songs is excellent and if you are a fan of these bands then it definitely makes it worthwhile.
Nuclear Blast Website
