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Post by irondave on Aug 16, 2006 14:23:49 GMT 10
From the official BB, thought you might find it interesting...
Iron Maiden - A Matter Of Life Or Death
(Emi/Sanctuary) Total Time: 72:24
Although I find that the track by track format of reviewing is a rather boring if not
Un-impressive way of reviewing an album - that sometimes steals the albums thunder - by presenting it in a rather non poetic proportion - and causing a rather wrong perception by the public - I feel compelled to just use it once more.
Once again - props and thanks to my BRO - in America - I had a rather anorthodox - 1 hour transatlantic listening down the line-session hahahaha! Thank god for vo-ip !
Without further ado then:
01. Different Worlds (Smith/Harris) (4:17)
This Smith/Harris - penned opener, is a very to the point mission of intent - for the band to rock. It bristles with energy and melody - in a very late 70's/80's way. Lizzy and Wishbone - have been Maiden's primary influence - and in this little song it damn well shows. Good omen !
02. These Colours Don't Run (Smith/Harris/Dickinson) (6:52)
Brooming - big - growing - dramatic, it's a song about dogfaces.
Huge chorus. Well - while people that fight wars - are human too, it's good to know what you're fighting for - and if it's worth fighting for ! ( I guess the song - doesn't exactly side - but the thought passed my mind.) Well - it would be nice to have the complete lyrics. Alas ..
03. Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (Smith/Harris/Dickinson) (8:44)
Very heavy - monstrous song with an incredible riff - maiden have rarely sounded like that. Very good ! Very long - but didn't bore for a second.
04. The Pilgrim (Gers/Harris) (5:07)
Hm, while this one - harkens a little back to the power slave days - due to it's Egyptian feel - it's not that good (powerslave - good) ! But it's by means or any stretch of the imagination bad. Mid tempo - with very nice solos.
05. The Longest Day (Smith/Harris/Dickinson) (7:48)
It's a sort of war-epic, in the vein of pachendale - with really strong imagery.
Oh man - I wonder - what might happen if dickie reads about the exodus of messolongi - or if he listens to the "free - besieged". Haha. Well not a laughing matter - it's spine chilling in-fact.
06. Out Of the Shadows (Dickinson/Harris) (5:36)
A lot more laid back - not a ballad - but a very moody and shady song with wonderful textures. Dickinson is SUPERB !
07. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (Murray/Harris) (7:21)
Most- have heard this one - one way or another. Well - while not as immediate as certain other songs here but the song builds and builds - and treads new territory for maiden too - because it doesn't sound 100 % maiden - the riffs - are more priest - then the leads are maiden of (g)old - and there's no really big chorus - but an extended - bridge/chorus thing. Nice solo and leads through out, I could have lived with a slightly smaller intro - almost 2 minutes is a bit long mr. Arry ! And who the hell is this Breegs guy ? Is that story on the net - true - or some urban legend like ?
08. For The Greater Good of God (Harris) (9:24)
Oh - harris - solo penned - 9+ minute song, it screams epic - and big and twisted and progressive - and all that - and it is !!! really great song - with ponderous lyrics.
09. Lord Of Light (Smith/Harris/Dickinson) (7:23)
Oh - another song by the "trinity" and what a song ! Classic maiden - almost - well - I dunno - it would not feel out of place on an old album in a way - lots of changes - and an almost unbelievable chorus - which Dickinson sings - in a god-like manner !
My hat's of to the man !
10. The Legacy (Gers/Harris) (9:20)
Upon listening to the initial rumblings of the songs - and the opening lines - I was intrigued, a strange yellow - gas ? It reminded me of a wartime novel - or poem or something I was taught while in language school - and it's unclear - in my mind still if the two things are related - I 'd need to go through some old textbooks and notes - to locate it - and then make comparisons. Well - dramatic and long and very interesting it's quite the curtain close - for this - possibly - one of the best - if not the best maiden album - since Seventh Son. I will reserve - judgement about sound quality - till I have some better source of the album - or the album itself, on a hard copy. The cover looks better than the total shit-storm that DOD was - and while not perfect - it's not anti-climatic, and the playing sounded tight and big and right.
I guess maiden - are like old wine - getting better and you never get tired of it's familiar taste.
While a 6/6 would be easy - and hey - I could be justified in the eyes of many for awarding the album with it, I 'll merely give it a 5 - for now - till I get a real-proper copy and I re-review it then ! haha!
Get it well in yer mind - all you band members and fans of NEW and different - and alternative bands alike - and whatever - MAIDEN have been playing circles around you for years - maiden - were always an entity - a band that toured ceaselessly and has a following that you 've never dreamed of, a catalogue, you could have never penned, and loyalty ! Fans that are unbelievably loyal - and stick to their guns something you will never EVER get ! That's why maiden was never a flavour of the week - and not gracing the pages of shitty mags - on a weekly basis - and not appearing on reality shows and the like as some old farts have !!!
THESE COLOURS DO NOT RUN !
Reviewer: Dimitrios Fatouros
Rating:* * * * *
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Post by Stephen Thorpe on Aug 16, 2006 16:14:07 GMT 10
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MS
n00b
Posts: 66
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Post by MS on Aug 16, 2006 16:50:40 GMT 10
"This album keeps everythings fans love about Iron Maiden alive"
Kerrang U.K. review:
Irom Maiden
A Matter Of Life And Death
KKKKK
"Nothing is gonna come between us and our fans, and it will be death before dishonour - this is Iron F**king Maiden!" That was Bruce Dickinson, speaking out under a hail of eggs and detritus at last years's Ozzfest isn San Bernardino, California, during one of the most controversial and infamous incidents in recent rock history. That, my friends, is a frontman.
While Maiden have respectfully distanced themselves from the alleged sabotage of their set that night, they have remained in combative mood ever since. If you thought new music from these veteran standard-bearers of British Metal might see them cooling down in any respect, 'A Matter Of Life And Death' will answer as Maiden know best - loudly, aggressively and memorably. Although not a concept album, war and the missuse of religion to justify conflict is a near constant, from artwork to lyrics to all-out musical attack. War is a theme Maiden have tackled many times before, but never with such purpose, such tenacious realism and, yes, thoughtfulness, as they do here.
Forget wildly inappropriate single ' The Reincarnation oF Bejamin Breeg' - this album is about tracks like 'The Longest Day' and 'These Colours Don't Run', the latter a sly reference to another of Bruce's comments on that fateful evening in San Bernardino. The former develops gradually into a chorus fit for arena chanting and fist-pumping, one that is succeeded by a martial battering of drums and an evolving six-string showdown.
'For The Greater Good Of God' bleeds into another big hook, unfurling its banner amid epic orchestratio. Time changes and three-part guitar solos hurtle from ear to ear, and vary in speed, tone and intensity. It's another Maiden classic that does not compromise heaviness in achieving its nine-minute span. 'The Pilgrim' and opener 'Different World' are immediate if relatively standardised rockers, while the balladic 'Out Of The Shadows' draws yet another auntouchable vocal performance from Dickinson, redolent of his solo hit 'Tears OF The Dragon'.
Maiden fans will revel in the gallop and surge of 'Brighter Than A Thousand Suns', Steve Harris' bass twanging high in the mix, while closer 'The Legacy' - concluding the theme of war breeding more war - features a call-to-arms fanfare of electric guitars blaring intermittently through movie soundtrack ambience and acoustics.
Although 'A Matter Of Life And Death' perhaps may be too ambitious for some palates, this album keeps everything longtime fans loved about Iron Maiden alive. The brsitling heaviness, the time changes, the astonishing musicalilty, the filmic grandeur. Hoist your flag high."
Steve Beebee |
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Post by Sands Of Time on Aug 16, 2006 19:24:03 GMT 10
After reading those reviews i don't think i can take it anymore, 10 more sleeps! Wish i had a time machine  |
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MS
n00b
Posts: 66
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Post by MS on Aug 16, 2006 22:22:23 GMT 10
Bruce Dickinson audio interview: www.musicmirror.net/interviews.htm . Interesting news like film projects, Clive Burr, solo albums, next four albums tour and World Slavery tour stage set. |
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Post by irondave on Aug 17, 2006 14:42:55 GMT 10
Wow that review from Kerrang is high praise indeed, 5 K's!
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Post by irondave on Aug 29, 2006 17:35:05 GMT 10
Review from Classic Rock mag, taken from maidenfans.com
The Good Life
Heavier -and proggier- than ever the six-man British powerhouse produce one of the best albums of their career
This has been brewing ever since 2000's Brave New World introduced us to the new, six-strong Iron Maiden line-up: a build-up to something stunning. And now... they've done it. More progressive than ever, heavier than at any time previously, the Irons have achieved in 2006 exactly what they did in 1982. They've taken a leap of faith with their third record that eclipses what's gone before. But hang on a minute. How can A Matter Of Life & Death be described as the British rock veterans' third album ? Allow us to explain...
Back 24 years ago, we watched and listened in awe as The Number Of The Beast -the successor to Iron Maiden and Killers- propelled Maiden out of a cul-de-sac towards global acclaim. Now stand by for another incredible epiphany. Because A Matter Of Life & Death is the third studio release from the Dickinson/Harris/Murray/Smith/Gers/McBrain line-up (after Brave New World and Dance Of Death), and it's not only Maiden's best since the 80s but quite possibly their finest release since 1983's Piece Of Mind.
As soon as the opening salvo of Different World and These Colours Don't Run step up to the plate it's obvious that the band are pushing themselves harder and further than ever before. The latter, which despite its title hasn't anything to do with Ozzfest eggins, is typical of the overall style of the album, with constant musical shifts that burn up the riffs at one end, while offering more supple, sublime introspection at the other.
These progressive scans work brilliantly climaxing on the overpowering For The Greater Good Of God, which is almost orchestral in its weight and breadth.
Eslewhere, the guitars are almost detuned on Brighter Than A Thousand Suns. The beginning of the first single, The Reincarnation Of Benjamin Breeg, might be reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac's Man Of The World, but soon enough the air-raid siren starts howling and the biting guitars kick in. The Legacy merges shadowy bursts of concussive rhythms with the thrum of folk delicacy - almost Phantom Of The Opera revisited.
Throughout, the parameters are pushed right to the extreme, yet there's a desire to let matters take their course. At no point are the songs expanded beyond their natural capacity.
Here's an all-time great band more than living up to their reputation. A Matter Of Life & Death is possibly the album of the year - and when was the last time this could be said of Iron Maiden?
9/10
Malcolm Dome
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Post by irondave on Aug 29, 2006 17:38:04 GMT 10
Again from maidenfans.com....
MTV.com has landed an interview with Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson. Here's their story:
Since 1999, when longtime singer Bruce Dickinson returned to the fray after an eight-year absence, Iron Maiden have striven to write the ultimate metal album — one that was complex without being overindulgent and memorable without being predictable. Now, following 2000's ambitious but spotty Brave New World and 2003's titanic but overblown Dance of Death, Iron Maiden have achieved their goal with their new album, A Matter of Life and Death. And, compared to previous efforts, they barely even tried.
(Thanks Bravewords)
"We did the whole thing in just a shade under four months," said Dickinson of the LP, due September 5. "We don't get together to make records that much anymore, so when we finally did, we were really excited, and that excitement turned into this really productive period."
The band started writing in late 2005, and right away the machine clicked. There was a complete absence of the types of arguments that used to hamstring the bandmembers.
"In the past we may have been a bit more uptight, but we're all just seriously relaxed and chill about things now, so we're able to work well together and not get worked up," Dickinson said. "Ideas were just buzzing through the air, and everybody was listening to each other and feeding off the energy."
Iron Maiden rehearsed the new songs at home in early 2006, then entered Sarm West Studios in London with producer Kevin Shirley, who has worked on their last three records. But while they had booked three months, they were done in two.
"We haven't worked that fast since we did Number of the Beast and Piece of Mind in the early days, and back then we didn't have a choice," Dickinson said. "We were just having a great time, writing really good music, and then all of a sudden we were like, 'Wow, we're done!' "
Nothing about A Matter of Life and Death sounds rushed. Most of the songs are more than seven minutes long, and the album is packed with complex rhythms, sudden tempo shifts and acrobatic musicianship. Vocals soar from a whisper to a wail; keyboards swell through atmospheric interludes before being trampled by clattering drums and rabid bass lines. And buzzing guitars gallop, stop, saunter, then gallop some more.
"We are still getting to grips with the album ourselves, and we made it," Dickinson laughed. "It really is tremendously deep. There's a huge amount of stuff on it because we just didn't see any point in trying to make an album that was just like all the others. There's lots of bands making albums with five-minute pop-metal songs, so we thought, 'Let's do something really extraordinary.' "
Many of the songs address various aspects of war. "Brighter Than a Thousand Suns" chronicles life in the shadow of the atomic bomb, "The Longest Day" is about the World War II D-Day invasion, and "These Colours Don't Run" confronts patriotism in times of combat.
"There's a business of soldiering, and it has always run the same way, no matter what war we're talking about," Dickinson said. "It's guys whose fathers and grandfathers were soldiers, and some father is kissing his family goodbye and going off to war, and no one knows if he's going to come back in six months alive or in a body bag."
On the surface, Life and Death might seem political, but Dickinson said it's not.
"We make observations because we like to use our brains," he said. "But I think we shy away from political statements because that implies you're picking one side over the other. We try to look at the human side behind what's going on. One of the things that happens during wars is people get dehumanized. Whole nations become dehumanized. If you say, 'Mr. and Mrs. Hussein used to live in this house, but then a bomb landed on them by mistake and killed all their children,' you think, 'Oh, that's tragic.' But when you just reduce them and call them 'Iraqis,' it's easy to forget the human tragedy."
The band, whose last U.S. jaunt was a controversial stint on the 2005 Ozzfest (see "Iron Maiden Pelted With Eggs At Final Ozzfest Performance" and "Sharon Osbourne Admits Cutting Iron Maiden's Power, Says To 'Move On' "), will launch a comparatively brief North American tour that begins on October 4 in Hartford, Connecticut, and winds down October 21 in Irvine, California. Then the band will launch a lengthy European tour and may not return to North America before its next album.
"We have no interest in hitting dozens of cities in America, because let's be honest — there probably aren't enough Iron Maiden fans to justify an extensive tour on the scale we like to play. Do we think Iron Maiden could sell out a 20,000-seat arena in Iowa? Probably not. So we'll do these big shows on our terms indoors and then see what happens with the record."
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Post by irondave on Sept 1, 2006 16:49:34 GMT 10
IRON MAIDEN
A Matter Of Life And Death
(EMI)
Reviewed by : Tim Henderson (Brave Words and Bloody Knuckles)
Rating : 6.5
Referring to my notes when I first heard this record in late July... it reads “This is truly painful.” Now, with increased sessions, A Matter Of Life And Death is certainly not as painful as the overwhelming first bite, but it no doubt has its share of shortcomings.
C'mon Steve, you can't tell me with a serious face that Maiden have truly concocted a blinding opus, with fresh ideas and a new lease on life. It's undeniably Maiden... but that's the big problem. You can hear any number of past Maiden riffs, melodies, ideas on virtually every track on A Matter Of Life And Death.
Does this make for an exhilarating listening session? Hell no. Each piece of this album is a serious tale, masterfully executed, but ultimately monotonous. As it grows on you, so does it's immense weight and sheer magnitude. When Maiden created the landmark 'Phantom Of The Opera' or the massive 'Rime Of The Ancient Mariner, it signaled a key proggy direction rarely executed properly in this genre; the idea seemed to be ‘Let's include one show-stopping epic on each record.’ With 26 years under their belt, over half this bloody album can fit this sentiment.
Hence there’s a need to truly sit with this, let it soak in... deep. With increased listens certain shadows of the glorious past shine through for better or for worse.
Here's a track-by-track synopsis after truly countless listens. 'Different World' is ranked up there with many album openers. Led by drummer Nicko McBrain's voice and then inherent backbeat, the track boasts some feel-good, warm ‘n’ fuzzy chorus lines, yet it seemingly gallops to the hills and then disappears.
'The Pilgrim' starts as a Maiden march, but is a raucous, upbeat tune, Dickinson placing you in a chokehold of his soaring sirens. With its middle eastern flavor, this is undoubtedly one of the finer Maiden tracks since the band reformed for Brave New World in 2000.
'These Colours Don't Run' is the first epic we meet, albeit sterile, the first of a few mediocre/b-side/filler tracks. The refrain saves the tune, but the upbeat midsection is yet another instrumental pounding mission to yesterday. Oh-wo-wo, oh-wo-wo-wo-wo, Oh-wo-wo, Oh-wo-wo ... ooh, it's all so contrived.
'Brighter Than A Thousand Suns' is no doubt the finest track on the record. It borrows from Tool on the intro, but an angry down-tuned riff slowly builds to one of Maiden's finest creations ever. This song saves the album - Bruce Dickinson's haunting lyric 'Out Of The Darkness...' is genius and shivering with intensity.
'For The Greater Good Of God' is nearly ten minutes in length and another track photocopied from the past. Geez. And the stallions keep galloping... The title is longer than the main chorus line, which sees Bruce trying to squeeze in the words uncomfortably. When the orchestral mid-section peaks, the triple axe threat of Adrian Smith, Dave Murray and Janick Gers take over in an excellent gun fight, but even their handiwork can't save this song.
The main musical presence on 'Out Of The Shadows' is ripped off from Dickinson's 'Tears Of A Dragon' solo track. Enuff said.
'The Longest Day'… lyrically this is a menace in the waiting as its war tale keeps you riveted. Dark in mind and matter, the chorus, which reiterates 'the longest day' is rather prophetic when it comes to this album!
'The Reincarnation Of Benjamin Breeg'... ah, the first single, and no doubt the least pointed and truly bizarre introductory track in Maiden's history. Kind of a cool plan, this is yet again an epic, a seven-plus minute biography of the fictional Breeg. Kevin Shirley's production shines amidst this strange, but inventive riff - a stand-out track nonetheless in this murkiness.
'Lord Of Light' - of course, another bite-sized chunk of the ol' Brits. Two minutes of Bruce in hypnotizing lullaby mode takes us to a melancholic yet upbeat trance. Still kinda going everywhere, but nowhere fast. Kinda interesting, but the last two minutes sound like a million Maiden outros. I think the pain is setting back in...
'The Legacy' kicks off like a classic '70s Zep/Tull acoustic tune, another eerie poem of a sorts with Bruce nestled close to the mic. This is more grandeur than all the grand finales prior (!), pushing ten minutes in length once again. The noodling lasts over three minutes and the Maiden sprint to the finish line begins. The band have gotta be tired. I sure as hell am.
I recall a famous quote from Bruce about playing 'Mariner' live and wondering how the hell he'd manage to remember all his lines - try this album mate! I can't see much of this material translating live very well without audiences nicking out for a quick ale break.
There are limits bands must foresee not to risk rising over the heads of the faithful. Steve, step back from this record and try to see the forest for the trees, cuz this dense growth needs desperate pruning. Should you have to take a breather from an album listening session? Should you have to put a record on hold just to take a piss?! A Matter Of Life And Death takes over 70 minutes to say 'We are aging, weary and running out of useful ideas.' Yeah, this will still move a million-plus units worldwide. And every live date will be a sell-out. But will you be listening to A Matter Of Life And Death fully in a month? Doubtful.
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Post by irondave on Sept 1, 2006 16:52:59 GMT 10
I appreciate everyone is entitled to their opinion and thus I always like to read negative review to balance out the good ones. Having said that, this is the same guy who thinks Powerslave is a shitty album....  |
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Post by Wrathchild on Sept 1, 2006 18:25:14 GMT 10
Punters reviews are interesting.
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